P.O.D. released its ninth studio album, "The Awakening", on Friday (August 21). The concept record follows the good and bad choices of a central character, exploring the consequences of his decisions. Bassist Traa Daniels told The Pulse Of Radio that the band doesn't want to spell out the story too much. "There is a specific storyline, but I think the whole thing is that we don't want to kind of let that cat out of the bag," he said. "I think that we really want people to like dig into the record and kind of figure out. I mean, I think that's the fun part of having a conceptual record is not really giving away the whole thing, you know what I'm saying? There definitely is a character and there's a specific storyline that, you know, was the inspiration for the songs and the writing and everything."

"The Awakening" features guest appearances by Maria Brink from IN THIS MOMENT and Lou Koller from legendary hardcore punk act SICK OF IT ALL. The disc was recorded with longtime producer Howard Benson.

The San Diego-based band has been churning out music since 1994 while the lineup has remained almost entirely the same since the band's formation.

The first single from the set, "This Goes Out To You", is currently No. 18 on the rock airplay chart. The video was shot in the band's hometown of San Diego and features local musicians, skaters and artists.

P.O.D. will start touring behind the new disc next month, starting on September 10 in Portland, Oregon.

After waiting nearly a year, legendary rocker Sammy Hagar has finally gotten the keys to his brand new, custom-made $1.4 million Ferrari LaFerrari that he custom-ordered in white with black and beige accents while touring the Maranello factory for the first time.

Only 499 units of the LaFerrari — which boasts a whopping 950 horsepower — are being made every ten years.

Hagar said: "The car looked better than I ever imagined when I saw it. My anticipation to drive it was driving me crazy.

"When I finally took possession of the car today after all the red tape involved in a special car like this, [my wife] Kari and I put 100 miles on it. And what a crazy fun hundred miles it was! The car is much faster than I ever imagined. It sounds like a monster of some kind. It gets way more attention than I want. I'm getting used to it slowly before I really try to push I push it to my limit, which is way below the car's limit, I'm sure of that after today!

"I feel really special getting in and out of that car. I just want to look at it sometimes. I'm very close to being speechless. After chasing that Ferrari for a year finally taking possession, I'm humbled."

A video report from California ABC affiliate 7 News can be seen below.

Ferrari's first gasoline-electric hybrid model, LaFerrari has been described as "the most powerful street-legal Ferrari ever built."

Three days after the car's debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, more than 1,000 people had put in requests to purchase the vehicle.

Ferrari said LaFerrari will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in less than 3 seconds and from 0 to 124 mph in less than 7 seconds.

According to Music Business Worldwide, Century Media, one of the best-known independent heavy rock labels in the world, will be acquired for $17 million by Sony Music Entertainment.

The company, which has more than 50 staff across the U.S. and Europe, was said to be valued somewhere between $15 million and $20 million.

Century Media was instrumental in the careers of heavy music acts like IN THIS MOMENT, SUICIDE SILENCE, SHADOWS FALL, LACUNA COIL and many more.

Century Media's parent company, The Century Family, includes several other labels: Another Century (rock), InsideOut Music (progressive), People Like You (post-punk, alternative) and Superball (alternative, modern progressive).

Robert Kampf founded Century Media in 1988, with co-owner Oliver Withöft coming onboard roughly a year and a half later.

Withöft passed away in January 2014 at the age of 49 after a long period of illness.

Former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe will release his new studio album, "Blackout States", on Friday, October 9 via Spinefarm Records. The 13-track follow-up to 2013's "Horns And Halos" was produced by Chips Kiesbye (HELLACOPTERS, NOMADS) in Gothenburg, Sweden, and mixed by Petri Majuri in Helsinki, Finland.

"Blackout States" track listing:

01. This Ain't No Love Song02. Old King's Road03. Goin’ Down With The Ship04. Keep Your Eye On You05. The Bastard’s Bash06. Good Old Bad Days07. R.L.F.08. Blackout States09. Under The Northern Lights10. Permanent Youth11. Dead Hearts On Denmark Street12. Six Feet In The Ground13. Walk Away14. Break The Noose (vinyl LP bonus track) With "Blackout States", Monroe's current touring and recording outfit — comprised of bassist Sami Yaffa (ex-HANOI ROCKS, NEW YORK DOLLS), guitarist Steve Conte (ex-NEW YORK DOLLS, COMPANY OF WOLVES), guitarist Rich Jones (ex-BLACK HALOS, AMEN), and drummer Karl Rockfist (ex-CHELSEA SMILES, DANZIG) — provided strong creative support for a groundbreaking artist whose reputation continues to flourish. Many of rock's most noted performers, including Dave Grohl and Slash, have cited Monroe's unwavering drive and three-decade-plus career as a genuine source of inspiration. As with "Horns And Halos", the new recordings see Monroe both toasting the future and honoring the past, occasionally giving the nod to glam punk pioneers HANOI ROCKS, the group with which he forged his name in the early-to mid-'80s. Says Monroe: "I'm extremely excited about our new album, 'Blackout States'. It has all the ingredients of a perfect rock 'n' roll record: strong melodic songs with great meaningful lyrics that defy all clichés, delivered with a punky, ballsy attitude by a killer band. I highly recommend 'Blackout States' to anyone who's even a little bit interested in what real, authentic, high-energy rock 'n' roll at its best sounds like today." Monroe will hit the road this fall for a co-headlining tour with Sweden’s sleazemongers HARDCORE SUPERSTAR and some very special U.K. shows with ALICE COOPER.

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has revealed that one of the songs on the band's upcoming album, "The Book of Souls", pays tribute to late comedian Robin Williams.

Speaking with Italy's Corriere Della Sera, Bruce explained that the track — which was penned by guitarist Adrian Smith and bassist Steve Harris — was inspired by Robin's sudden, tragic death.

Dickinson said: "My favorite song is one I didn't write. It's 'Tears Of A Clown', which talks about Robin Williams. I ask myself how could he be so depressed when he always seemed to be so happy."

Robin Williams committed suicide on August 11, 2014 after a long history of depression and health issues.

"The Book Of Souls" is due on September 4 through BMG in the USA. (Parlophone Records in the rest of world). The band's first-ever double studio album was recorded in Paris, France with 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 Dickinson, who was recently given the all-clear from the tumor, would have time to recuperate sufficiently to join in the preparations for the album's launch.

On August 15, Sally Steele of Vegas Rocks! Magazine conducted an interview with CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer at the Cathouse Live At Irvine Meadows festival in Irvine, California. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler's recent statement that "country is the new rock and roll":

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. I live in Nashville, so I'm surrounded by it. I think that I see a lot of influence, fashion-wise, and some of the intensity of the '80s rock, a lot of those styles, and some of the production elements and stuff on the records, I see some of that stuff being incorporated into country records these days and country live shows. But it's still not rock music; it's a… You know, they're just kind of bringing in an element of music that, possibly, they grew up on or liked or admired, and I think it's very cool. But I wouldn't say it's the new rock. I mean, there's still rock bands out there that are playing rock music, and I think country's bringing in a rock element to it. So, that would be my take on it."

On Tyler's country solo single, "Love Is Your Name":

"Well, I think that… I heard the song and the video, and I think it's a beautiful song, and I think that he's suited to that, because AEROSMITH have so much roots in their music. Particularly, a lot of people don't realize how much of that mountain bluegrass kind of harmony and melody is in a lot of AEROSMITH's music. So, to me, when I listen to the song, it sounded very natural for Steven Tyler. So, he's definitely a talented person and someone who can pull that off. I think it's great."

Keifer's debut solo album, "The Way Life Goes", sold 5,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 78 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on in April 2013 via Merovee Records (through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group).

"The Way Life Goes" was described in a press release as "a raw, introspective look at the roller coaster ride" that has been Keifer's life for the past 25 years. From being told that he would never sing again as a result of a partially paralyzed left vocal cord, to the emotional and personal battles that followed, his solo debut is a story of perseverance, a testament to the power of passion and will, when combined with a true love of music.

20 Buck Spin welcomes the writhing black/death torment of American act, Ævangelist, to the label's register, and announces plans of issuing the band's incoming fourth full-length, Enthrall To The Void Of Bliss.
 
The fourth gate of the Ævangelist has opened within the physical dimension; witness cataclysmic black/death metal force in which slithering arcane horrors conjoined with bizarre mysticism spawn a suffocating cacophonous sprawl. Having unleashed previous (and future) documentation via the French Debemur Morti label, Enthrall To The Void Of Bliss represents the initial Aevangelist transmutation for 20 Buck Spin, the American based band's first scripture to be fully released domestically in the United States.
 
Cycling through recent years, Ævangelist has mercilessly assaulted listeners via auditory deformation and twisting sepulchral composition, its members having also performed within the ranks of legendary dark metal weirdos Bethlehem and others. 2013's Omen Ex Simulacra brutalized with punishingly dense yet accessible riffs in the Murk - and this specter looms large on Enthrall To The Void Of Bliss, whilst layer upon layer of ghoulish keys and madness-stricken vocals act as flesh bricks to shape a hellish tower of the damned. Smeared with a warm, wet production, the inherent chaos of Enthrall... becomes omnipresent.
 
The curtain has been pulled back to reveal the grotesquery summoned by the Ævangelist synod and once stirred cannot easily be shut again. 20 Buck Spin is pleased to bequeath this vulgar contortion of occult rancor upon the human race. Virulently presented on multiple formats, with artwork crafted by Stephen Wilson/Unknown Relic (Sutekh Hexen, Godmaker, Demonic Possessor), Enthrall To The Void Of Bliss will see initial CD and digital release in North America on October 9th and in Europe on the 23rd, with the vinyl edition to see release by early December. The album is one of dire importance for devotees to the tormented ways of Portal, Xasthur, Gnaw Their Tongues, Witchrist, Wolvserpent, Bethlehem, Thorns and the like to stay informed about.
 
The tracklisting and cover artwork for Enthrall To The Void Of Bliss have been released. Stand by for audio and further intel on the album to surface in the days forthcoming.

Enthrall To The Void Of Bliss tracklisting:

“Arcanæ Manifestia”
“Cloister Of The Temple Of Death”
“Gatekeeper's Scroll”
“Alchemy”
“Levitating Stones”
“Emanation”
“Meditation Of Transcendental Evil”

Ævangelist has already slated multiple live performances for the upcoming months, including sets at Hell's Headbash in Cleveland alongside Archgoat, Black Witchery, Inquisition, Deathhammer and tons more in September, and California Deathfest in Oakland with Autopsy, Impaled, Dead Infection, Disma, Ghoul, Morbosidad and others in November, with more shows to be announced.
 
Tour dates:

September
6 - Cleveland Agora - Cleveland, OH (Hell's Headbash)

October
10 - Oakland Metro - Oakland, CA (California Deathfest)
 

Gothenburg thrash/melodic death metallers, Archaea, have unleashed their powerful début album, Catalyst, which can be streamed in full below. They also have filmed a live set performing at Emergenza, and the first song “Cryosphere” has been posted.

When does a Gothenburg melodeath band not sound like a Gothenburg melodeath band? When they’re Archaea, who roll out a hybrid of thrashy yet symphonic leanings in their melodeath. Markus Heidarsson has a whiff of Ola Englund about his guitar playing, particularly in the solos, playing against the harsh roar of Nils Bossius and the tightly-wound rhythm section. Orchestral stabs punctuate tracks such as “Silhouette”, while “Vacuum” revels in a circus-like atmosphere, and “Salt” dances around a piano and strings melody amid the groovy stomp. Rounding out on “Sol” is a simple yet stunning finale, far removed from metal.

In their own words, Archaea describe their lyrical themes as “describing struggles on a personal and global scale, elusive antagonists and the unyielding indifferent elements”, although “Quad Damage” reveals the band’s love of video games with a sly reference.

Catalyst comes in a digipack with stunning artwork and photos from Demithréa Mikulasi and Jessica Blomé.

Archaea was founded in 2007 by the Heidarsson brothers Hannes and Markus, on keyboard and guitar. After a few intense formative years in the Gothenburg underground scene, Archaea set its sights putting their songs to tape. During this process Archaea was radically reshaped, with half the original lineup making way for new talent in­ guitarist Magnus Lindegård, drummer Alexander Molnar, bassist Richard Mikulasi and former guitarist Nils Bossius Klintenberg switching to take center stage as vocalist.

Despite little studio experience, they built their own studio to record the first album Catalyst during 2014. With the help of Johan Treptow for mixing and mastering, and with original artwork by Demithréa Mikulasi, Catalyst has turned out to be a creation that surpassed expectations.

Catalyst is an album that showcases the current form of Archaea, as well as capturing material from throughout the band’s existence. Ranging from crushing darkness to brilliant melody, with sharp contrasts and fluently shifting dynamics, Catalyst constitutes an intense musical journey. Archaea is now eager to unleash their unique form of melodic death metal upon the world.

Album stream:

Archaea are:

Nils Bossius - Vocals
Hannes Heidarsson - Keyboard
Markus Heidarsson - Guitar
Magnus Lindegård - Guitar
Richard Mikulasi - Bass
Alexander Molnar - Drums

“Cryosphere” live video:

East Coast death metal trio, Horrendous, are set to unleash their third full-length album, Anareta, on October 30th via Dark Descent Records.

Among the leaders of the New Wave of Old-School Death Metal movement, Horrendous raised the bar last year with the release of their sophomore album, Ecdysis. The  album was considered by many to be one of the year's most impressive releases. A year later, Horrendous have once again set a new standard for death metal with Anareta, an eight-track offering of highly-evolved and intense OSDM.

The band had this to say about Anareta: "We are all very proud of the album and feel it is our best work to date. While our composition process has always been spread out over several separated writing-specific sessions, one thing that separates Anareta from our past work is our recording process. We recorded all the songs over one continuous period (the recording sessions for The Chills and Ecdysis were more spread out)--Matt and Jamie stayed at Damian's house/studio for weeks on end and the three of us lived, breathed and dreamed of nothing but the album during that time. It was our entire lives for over a month (two months if you include the mixing and mastering stage), and we think this complete dedication to the record is one of the factors that really made it turn out so well. There was a lot of magic in the air once we finished the foundation of the record, and each day we built off of the prior day's creative energies and inspirations until it bloomed into something immense."

Anareta was recorded, mixed and mastered this summer at Subterranean Watchtower Studios. Cover art comes courtesy of Brian Smith.

Anareta tracklisting:

“The Nihilist”
“Ozymandias”
“Siderea”
“Polaris”
“Acolytes”
“Sum Of All Failures”
“Stillborn Gods”
“The Solipsist (Mirrors Gaze)”

Band lineup:

Damian Herring - Guitars/Vocals/Bass
Matt Knox - Guitars/Vocals/Bass
Jaime Knox - Drums

Chilean / Belgian band King Heavy are streaming “Thirteen Chosen Ones”, a track from the band’s self-titled debut album, out via Cruz Del Sur Music on September 4th in Europe and September 19th in North America.

King Heavy is anything but the typical brand of mono-dimensional, superficial doom metal. Aside from strong elements of Candlemass and of the more traditional doom metal sound, King Heavy offers epic arrangements and a twisted touch that reminds of Black Sabbath's Born Again, Celtic Frost's Into The Pandemonium and the early, darkest side of Danzig.

The album contains seven songs for a total running time of over 47 minutes and was engineered, mixed and mastered by Pablo Clares at DM6 Studio, Chile;  vocals were recorded by Peter Maene at Creative Factory, Belgium.

Tracklisting:

“La Gárgola”
“Life A.D.”
“As Dawn Broke On The Day”
“Thirteen Chosen Ones”
“Wounds”
“The Crowning”
“He Who Spoke In Tongues”

“La Gárgola”:

Soon after the album's release, King Heavy will embark upon the Chilean Live A.D. 2015 Tour. Dates on the poster below:

Arizona metallers, With Our Arms To The Sun, is the second act to sign with the newly-launched Fade To Silence Records.
 
With Our Arms To The Sun is a breath of fresh air in a musical landscape dominated by pop formatted bands. The Arizona desert-based foursome crafts a brand of cinematic conceptual music that aims to evoke emotion and inspire thought in listeners. The band's free-flowing style is not easily pigeon-holed, appealing to fans of not just one genre, but to people in general who appreciate music as expression.

"My son and I went to see John 5 perform in East Texas and as luck would have it, With Our Arms To The Sun were the supporting artist," said Fade to Silence founder Paul Bibeau. "Upon taking the stage, the band took complete control of the room and I was locked into every second of their performance. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. It felt has though the band was playing the very last concert ever and wanted to put it all on the table. Their performance was thoroughly pleasing, cinematic in scope coupled with an intense, passionate delivery. I got sucked into each note, each composition and I loved they journey they took me on. I spent a few minutes with them afterwards and we began to talk more and more. I knew immediately, this is my cup of tea."

With Our Arms To The Sun's first release through Fade To Silence will be a reissue of the band's self-released A Far Away Wonder EP on CD and vinyl.
 
"We were anti-label for the longest time and did everything DIY," said With Our Arms To The Sun vocalist/guitarist Josh Breckenridge. "We recorded and distributed all of our own albums, and even made our own merch. One of the reasons we were not interested in being on a label was that we wanted to retain our sound. We are not interested in changing who we are artistically just to be more 'marketable' or 'commercial.' There are plenty of bands pounding that drum and we want to do something different. Paul immediately understood what we were going for as a band and rather than be a typical industry person, he encouraged our growth towards being a conceptual band. Also the chance at being one of the flagship bands on a new label that has a creative philosophy really appealed to us as artists."
 
With Our Arms To The Sun - which is completed by Joseph Leary, Joseph Breckenridge Jr. and John Mclucas - has three self-released recordings to their credit. The Fade To Silence re-release of A Far Away Wonder will come later this year. With Our Arms To The Sun is managed by Alan Jones/Slant Business Management and booked by Andrew Goodfriend/TKO.
 
The launch of Fade to Silence Records was announced earlier this month by former Spitfire Records company founder/president and industry veteran Paul Bibeau. The new label, which is distributed via AMPed Distribution worldwide, will focus on establishing a cutting and creative edge driven label brand, a catalog/visual/television imprint and publishing division highlighting the hard rock and heavy metal genre's broad musical spectrum.

“Great Black Divide” video:

Black Tongue will release their new full-length, The Unconquerable Dark, on September 4th via Century Media Records. Check out the band’s new video for the album track, “In The Wake Ov The Wolf”:

The Unconquerable Dark is a devastatingly bleak record that showcases the Hull Hate Crew’s trademark downtempo sound to absolute full effect. From the opening doom drenched riffs of “Plague Worship: to the black metal tinged “L’appel du Vide” (lyric video below), to the unfathomably heavy “Prince Of Ash” and “Vermintide” (featuring guest vocals from Suicide Silence’s Eddie Hermida), the hatred spews out of the speakers.

Produced by Black Tongue and Jesse Kirkbride (Traitors, Demolisher), the album features artwork by Ken Sarafin (Oceano, Catalepsy).

The band comments: “Our original mindset for Falisfier and Born Hanged was to create the most ridiculously crushing music around. We created the heaviest music because there just wasn't anything around at the time that was as heavy as we wanted to hear. We feel like we did a pretty good job. Now there's a plethora of bands that are taking the reigns of the heavy and we love it, but a new direction is in order. With The Unconquerable Dark we wanted to keep the slow, low and crushing vibe but add some maturity to it. More riffs, more memorable choruses and some juicy lead thrown in. Don't get us wrong, this is the heaviest thing we've ever released (and probably that you've ever heard), but we took the time to give it atmosphere and structure instead of being heavy for heavy's sake.

We spent a lot of time on this album mixing and mastering it ourselves so that we could get the closest representation of the heaviness that is in our minds. We didn't want to let someone else's polished and clean mix detract from the dimension-shattering sound that we strive to achieve. This is album is in our opinion the best thing we have released so far."

The Unconquerable Dark tracklisting:

“Plague Worship”
“In The Wake Ov The Wolf”
“Young Gloom”
“L’appel du Vide”
“Vermintide” (ft. Eddie Hermida)
“Prince Of Ash”
“The Masquerade”
“A Pale Procession II: Death March”
“I’m So Tired Of Sighing. Please Lord, Let It Be Night”

“L’appel du Vide” lyric video:

 

London-based tech-metal quartet Derange announce “The Thinker”, the first single from their upcoming album The Awakening. “The Thinker”, due on September 14th, is a hugely melodic slice of tech-metal, showcasing not only the band’s intricate musicianship but also singer Cat Pereira’s incredible vocal range. The band filmed a video for “The Thinker” which will be released the same day.

Formed in London in 2012, Derange have been slowly building up to the release of their debut album, The Awakening.

Produced by the legendary Russ Russell (Dimmu Borgir, Napalm Death, Sikth, Amorphis, Evile etc.) The Awakening is a glorious tech-metal affair, referencing forward thinking bands like Karnivool, TesseracT and Periphery, all topped off by the haunting and powerful vocals of Cat Pereira. Described by Russell; “one of the best vocalists I've ever come across”, Pereira is a formidable talent, bringing equal parts aggression and melody to  Derange’s complex and powerful music.

With the singles “Ego” and “Unleash” making their mark soon after the band’s inception, Derange would take their time to produce their Change EP (featuring the single/video “Pretty Ones”) but once released it would bring the band to a much wider audience.

Since then the band have been hard at work bringing The Awakening to fruition, spending long hours under the expert tutelage of Russ Russell, honing their songs into their final form. The Awakening is out October 5th.

Band lineup:

Cat Pereira - vocals
Nick Crosby - guitar
Joe Macpherson - bass
Warren de Melo - drums

(Photo - Marianne Harris)

Original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has slammed some of the music press for taking his words "out of context" and making it appear as if he slammed the band's latest album, 2013's "13", which was recorded after his departure from the group.

During an appearance on the latest episode of VH1 Classic "That Metal Show" co-host Eddie Trunk's podcast, "Eddie Trunk Podcast", stated about whether the success of "13" and the tour behind it took him by surprise: "I didn't think it was successful at all. Well, in terms of live attendance, I think it's gonna go, 'cause the band's really well known. But I really didn't… I was working on detachment — serious detachment — and I wanted to make sure that I went down the line and detached myself as much as possible. I had to stop loving them, because if you're loving a dog as it's biting you and ripping your insides out, it's hard to love a dog that's doing that. So I actually stopped loving them, and I had to learn what we call detachment. So whatever they were doing, I could care less. I wasn't interested in the fucking album '13'. I've heard twenty bars of it — that's all I've heard — and then I turned it off and said, 'That's a pile of shit,' and that's the truth. And I couldn't care less what they were doing on tour."

After some web sites reported on the interview by using Ward's "pile of shit" comment in the headline in reference to the "13" album, Ward took the opportunity on the latest edition of his radio show, "Rock 50", to set the record straight. He said (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I found myself getting into trouble again this week in the press. [Laughs] Man, I just can't seem to say the right thing without getting slaughtered by some of our friends in the press. It's quite amazing."

He continued: "I did a nice interview with a friend of mine, Eddie Trunk, as you know, this week, and, of course, some of the contents of the interview has been taken out, and kind of out of context as well, and they are making headlines right now. NME, I believe, in Great Britain, and I think there was one in Classic Rock as well, that I called BLACK SABBATH's album '13' complete shit or something like that. And it's just, like, 'Man…. Man…' You know, it's, like, 'Ooooh…'

"Let me get a couple of things straight here. I really, really love those guys. I am so passionate in my love for them. They are fantastic musicians. I never faulted their musicianship — ever. I've played with these guys since I was a teenager. And I just… I love them. I'm in a dispute with them."

Ward went on to say: "Let's go back to '13' for a second, so I can make it clear for the record. I heard about twenty, twenty-four bars of one track — one track — on '13', and I listened to it, and I just didn't like it at all; I just didn't like it. And I have that right not to like it. Recently, at the Ivor Novello Awards, where I was with Tony [Iommi, BLACK SABBATH guitarist] and Geezer [Butler, BLACK SABBATH bassist], Geezer mentioned to me that he bought, or he downloaded, my new CD, which was 'Accountable Beasts'. I said, 'What did you think of the album?' He said, 'I love it musically, but I can't stand it vocally.' It just so happens that Geez doesn't like my singing. He has that right…. He has that right not to like it. But I'm fucked if the press is gonna slam me up the wall or come out with some pretentious bullshit about using headlines that are completely out… You know, it's just, like, what the fuck is all that about?

"I'm just saying it from my heart, if you're listening out there: Hey, get a clue! I really dig these people that I'm talking about, and I listened to twenty-four bars. I haven't heard the rest of the album '13'. I haven't heard it. And I never listened to it. One of the reasons I didn't wanna listen to it was because I felt it would be quite painful to listen to. Not musically, but emotionally, it's quite painful to listen to something that you wanted to be part of, but were unable to be part of, because I'm fighting for some principles in my life, and that includes the way that I interact with those three guys — BLACK SABBATH. It's about principles, folks. That's all it is, okay? So when these big headlines come out like that, then… Oooh. Man! Talk about fanning the flames… Man….

"Anyway, just for the record, I love Tony, I love Geezer, and I love Ozzy Osbourne, and they are great musicians. And I am letting all the Ozzy fans know that as well."

In an April 2015 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Ward was asked if any of the song ideas he worked on with SABBATH prior to his exit from the band ended up on "13". He responded: "I haven't listened to the 13 album actually. I've only listened to one song, and I think it was called 'God Is Dead?' I listened to it for 30 seconds, and then I listened to a drum pattern that I used originally on the track, and I switched it off. I'm not saying that to create a problem or anything or be clever about it. I'm just saying I don't want to hear my ideas being played by somebody else on the album. I won't listen to that album. I just don't want to find out what else is on there. And quite frankly, I didn't like what I heard. It doesn't sound anything like what I consider to be BLACK SABBATH."

"13" was the first SABBATH album in 35 years to feature Ozzy, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler together, with Ward the only founding member to sit out the record and world tour.

"13" went to No. 1 in both the U.S. and the U.K., a first for the band in America and only their second chart-topper in their native country since 1971.

Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced in November 2011, but backed out soon after. He later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

SABBATH has used Ozzy's regular touring drummer Tommy Clufetos since then for live work. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk laid down the drum tracks on "13", which came out in June 2013.

AVATARIUM, the Swedish metal project whose recording lineup includes Leif Edling, founding bassist and main songwriter of Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS, will release its new album, "The Girl With The Raven Mask", on October 23 via Nuclear Blast.

The lyric video for the title track, "Girl With The Raven Mask", can be seen below.

Comments AVATARIUM guitarist Marcus Jidell: "It is an up-tempo hardrock/doom number with a very strong lyric made by Leif Edling about a little girl with a big raven head mask. The song asks questions like: Who is she and what did she experience? What is it that she doesn't want us to see?"

Edling states about the CD: "I think we have created something unique this time with AVATARIUM. The songs are more written to be just songs and there are some really nice moments on the record that I personally love... the straightforward title track, the beautiful 'January Sea', the riff in 'Ghostlight' and the groove in 'Run Killer Run'. The organ and the Rhodes piano are ridiculously loud in the mix at times; even Dr. Carl agrees [laughs], but i think it gives even more edge to the songs! I hope people will dig 'The Girl With The Raven Mask' as much as I do myself, and if they don't, it's their problem. A band can't deliver more than we have done here, so it is an album close to perfection! When an album is perfect... shoot me!"

Jidell adds: "AVATARIUM have been taking another big step with this album and I can't wait for people to hear the songs and to play them live on our tour in November!

"It has been a lot of work but also a great pleasure to be the producer of this album, I'm very happy with the result and I feel very proud to be a member of this powerful and talented band!"

"The Girl With The Raven Mask" track listing:

Digipack:

01. Girl With The Raven Mask02. The January Sea03. Pearls And Coffins04. Hypnotized05. Ghostlight06. Run Killer Run07. Iron Mule08. The Master Thief

Bonus DVD (live at Hammer Of Doom festival in 2014):

01. Moonhorse02. Bird Of Prey03. All I Want04. Tides Of Telepathy05. Deep Well06. Pandora's Egg07. Avatarium

CD

01. Girl With The Raven Mask02. The January Sea03. Pearls And Coffins04. Hypnotized05. Ghostlight06. Run Killer Run07. Iron Mule08. The Master Thief

2LP

Side A:

01. Girl With The Raven Mask02. The January Sea

Side B:

01. Pearls And Coffins02. Hypnotized

Side C:

01. Ghostlight02. Run Killer Run

Side D:

01. Iron Mule02. The Master Thief

In a recent interview with Markus' Heavy Music Blog, Jidell stated about AVATARIUM's musical direction: "We all have a few bands in common that we like. But we also want to bring in our personalities into the music. The songs need to be 'us.' But it's also the way Leif writes the songs. He's thinking about my way of playing guitar and also about Jennie-Ann's [Smith] vocals. He is thinking about how I could continue working on the songs and how Jennie-Ann could. Leif is a very clever songwriter. Another thing is the fact that Jennie-Ann puts so much effort and energy into the vocals. She wants those to become her own. She tries to put all the feelings and emotions into the songs."

Asked if he is feeling any pressure trying to follow up AVATARIUM's 2013 self-titled debut, Jidell said: "I don't think like that. Of course there is a certain pressure if you get such a great response, but we try to focus in what we want to do. We try to be as good as we can while staying honest to ourselves and our music. Our aim is to do another great album followed by another great album and to be able to tour in between."

AVATARIUM released a vinyl/digital-only EP, "All I Want", on November 14, 2014 via Nuclear Blast.

Due to his health condition, Edling was unable to perform with AVATARIUM at the band's recent gigs. Filling in for him was Anders Iwers from TIAMAT.

AVATARIUM's self-titled debut album was released in Europe on November 1, 2013 via Nuclear Blast.

"Tight Pants", the new video from California rockers BUCKCHERRY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's seventh studio album, "Rock 'N' Roll", which was released on August 21 via F-Bomb Records/Caroline. On "Rock 'N' Roll", the Los Angeles quintet — Josh Todd (vocals), Keith Nelson (guitar), Stevie D. (guitar), Xavier Muriel (drums) and Kelly LeMieux (bass) — staunchly uphold the commandments of rock music with an arsenal of new anthems primed to explode on impact and teeming with riotous energy, sexy swagger, and primal chops intact. It's something that the boys have done since day one, but it's more necessary now than ever. "There's been so much talk about how rock 'n' roll is dead and all of this bullshit," says Todd. "The funny thing is, that's been going on since we put out our first record in 1999. We wanted to call the new album 'Rock 'N' Roll', because this is what we've been doing our whole lives. We focused on making a record that encompasses all of what we are. You get every flavor of BUCKCHERRY." They rev up "Rock 'N' Roll" with the propulsive first single and opener "Bring It On Back". From the jump, a robust guitar groove struts right alongside an unshakable refrain. It's got the band's signature hallmarks, but Todd pulled lyrical inspiration from a new source altogether. "When I'm not on the road, I race Go-Karts for my hobby," he says. "The song is really about racing. I had a driver named Kurt Busch in mind when I wrote the lyrics. They call him 'The Outlaw,' and he's a badass. It captures that intensity of racing and the mentality. I love it." "Bring It On Back" is an immediate reminder that rock 'n' roll is alive and thriving in 2015. BUCKCHERRY have added fuel to the genre's fire for nearly two decades now. The Grammy Award-nominated outfit is responsible for smashes including "Lit Up" off their gold-certified 1999 self-titled debut as well as "Crazy Bitch" and "Sorry" from 2006's platinum "15". Along the way, they've shared stages with everybody from AC/DC and MÖTLEY CRÜE to SLIPKNOT and ROB ZOMBIE, among others. "Rock 'N' Roll" track listing:

01. Bring It On Back02. Tight Pants03. Wish To Carry On04. The Feeling Never Dies05. Cradle06. The Madness07. Wood08. Rain's Falling09. Sex Appeal10. Get With It

ILL NIÑO's video for the song "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Till Death, La Familia", which was released in July 2014 via Victory Records.

Says ILL NIÑO frontman Cristian Machado: "'Blood is Thicker Than Water' is more than just a piece of music to me. Writing the lyrics seemed to me, at that point in my life, to be a healing process than anything else. Two years to that exact date, I held the hand of a beautiful human being and I watched her take her last breath. After her death, I held her for an hour, I cried, I thanked her for all her beauty, her innocence, and her love. I felt an incredible amount of regret, it was possibly the most painful moment I will ever go through in my life. I cannot put into words the feeling. I can say I attempted to put that emotion into the lyrics of 'Blood Is Thicker Than Water', but I know the depth of the words cannot bring to light the pain and suffering that she went through and also the mourning that followed. When we perform the song live, I sometimes have to put all my power into not being succumbed by that emotion once again. I hope the song can reach into the hearts of everyone who hears it. I hope it allows her beauty to live forever."

After wrapping up the Civil Unrest Tour 2015, ILL NIÑO's first U.S. tour since 2014's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, the band hit the European festival circuit, including a performance at Wacken Open Air in Germany, and a South American appearance at Rock Al Parque in Colombia. The band is slated for back to back performances in the Philippines on September 25 and September 26, with more U.S. and international dates to be announced soon.

THE WINERY DOGS, the power trio featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ADRENALINE MOB), legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, TALAS, DAVID LEE ROTH) and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen (MR. BIG, POISON), will release its sophomore album, "Hot Streak", on October 2 in North America on Loud & Proud Records via RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment) and in the rest of the world via earMUSIC. It is preceded by the first single, "Oblivion", set for release August 25 at radio. A double vinyl edition of the new album is also in the works and is due out in early November.

"Oblivion" can now be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. After playing over 100 shows in support of their self-titled debut album, THE WINERY DOGS are eager to head back out on the road to get behind "Hot Streak". Their first round of U.S. headlining tour dates will kick off October 3 in Ridgefield, Connecticut at the Ridgefield Playhouse. Shows around the globe are already being planned for 2016. "Hot Streak" shows the powerfully pedigreed trio's initial burst of collective chemistry was no accident, from the strum and headbang of "Captain Love" to the propulsive uplifting vibe of "The Bridge" to the introspective acoustic harmonic convergence of "Fire". If these three DOGS thought they captured lightning in a supper dish the first time around, "Hot Streak" barks ups the aural ante into exciting new territory. "I feel we've taken the band to another level," explains Kotzen. "The compositions are stronger on this album. I feel more connected lyrically and musically to what I did on this record than on the last one. We've widened the musical scope of the band on this record and moved it forward." Portnoy adds: "Everything on this album was more of a collaboration than on the first album. There's just a natural chemistry. The three of us really mesh very, very well, both musically and personally. The mission of this band is to write catchy songs, and not have the musicianship overpower that." "I'm glad we're not playing it safe and just doing songs that automatically fit in the category of what we did on the first record," Sheehan concludes. "Some of them are a little different, and we definitely took chances. And you have to do that — otherwise, you don't grow." "Hot Streak" track listing: 01. Oblivion02. Captain Love03. Hot Streak04. How Long05. Empire06. Fire07. Ghost Town08. The Bridge09. War Machine10. Spiral11. Devil You Know12. Think It Over13. The Lamb

The official lyric video for "True Friends", a brand new song from the British metalcore act BRING ME THE HORIZON, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's fifth album, "That's The Spirit", which will be released on September 11 via Columbia Records. Eleven tracks were laid down for the CD, which was produced by BRING ME THE HORIZON keyboardist/vocalist Jordan Fish.

"That's The Spirit" track listing:

01. Doomed02. Happy Song03. Throne04. True Friends05. Follow You06. What You Need07. Avalanche08. Run09. Drown10. Blasphemy11. Oh No

The "That's The Spirit" cover art can be seen below.

BRING ME THE HORIZON frontman Oli Sykes told NME.com about the new album title: "It's a celebration of depression, a way of making light of it. 'That's The Spirit' — it's quite a depressing phrase when you think about it — the sort of thing you only ever use when you know there's no positive answer to the situation."

Recording sessions for "That's The Spirit" took place at Black Rock Studios on the Greek island of Santorini. The CD will include the track"Drown", which was released as a "tester" single, plus "Happy Song", described by Sykes as an "unofficial title track."

Speaking about the much wider palette of influences which have gone into the making of BRING ME THE HORIZON's new CD, Sykes said: "This time round, the challenge wasn't just for people to be impressed that a screamer's learned to sing. We had to come back with something that would be impressive for people who had no idea of the history of the band."

Regarding the fact that BRING ME THE HORIZON chose to have Fish helm the new effort, Sykes said: "Producers are fine. But they want to justify the importance of their jobs sometimes, so they say things to you like: 'Oh, I know — why can't you do it in the swimming pool?' We know enough now that we were, like, 'It's not that hard. Let's just lay everything down the best way we can, and get on with it.'" "Plus," added Fish, "they cost a lot of money."

BRING ME THE HORIZON's "Live At Wembley" concert DVD was released in June. The set was filmed last December in London when the Yorkshire-based band headlined that city's most prestigious venue, Wembley Arena.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, the company which creates "beautiful lullaby versions of your favorite artists," has just released "Lullaby Versions Of Def Leppard" via Roma Music Group.

"Lullaby Versions Of Def Leppard" track listing:

01. Foolin'02. Love Bites03. Hysteria04. Photograph05. Pour Some Sugar On Me06. Rock Of Ages

The song "Pour Some Sugar On Me" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Check out audio samples at Amazon.com.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star was born for the parent that wants to pass along their biggest passion to their child, music. Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star transforms popular music into instrumental lullabies perfect for babies, yoga or just relaxation. Now, parents can enjoy the music from LADY GAGA to METALLICA in soothing lullaby style. With over 135 titles to choose from, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is the largest line of pop, rock, metal and jamband music lullabies in the world. These aren't novelty recordings. They are cute, they are soft but these are serious recordings. Roma Music Group, which releases Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, is run by two music industry veterans who put the fidelity of these recording at the top of the priority list. Let's face it, much like the brand name clothes you buy for your infant, this music is really for you. Whether you are raising a metal baby, rocker or hippie baby, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star has your music transformed from arena anthems into nursery classics.

UK's Cats In Space have landed. A brand new six-piece band who, armed with their exciting brand of power pop rock, will transport you back to the heady days of the 70s when bands like ELO, Queen, 10cc and Cheap Trick, in particular, ruled the airwaves. Cats In Space features band members with a wealth if experience in the music business for over 30 years, both as writers and performers for bands like: The Sweet, Asia, T’Pau, Ian Gillan Band, Mike Oldfield, Airrace and Arena to name a few, you can expect performances if the highest caliber. Their debut album Too Many Gods is released worldwide in October 2nd via Harmony Factory/Cargo Records.

From the album Too Many Gods, a debut single, “Mr. Heartache” is released as a digital download on September 7th. Co-written by founder member and guitarist Greg Hart and Mick Wilson (10cc), it also featured a guest appearance by legendary glam rocker Andy Scott from The Sweet on both vocals and guitar. The new “Mr. Heartache” video can be viewed below.

Too Many Gods, in typical vintage fashion, will be available in limited 12” deluxe gatefold vinyl and also as a replica LP Compact Disc and digital download.

Tracklisting:

“Arrival”
“Too Many Gods”
“Stop”
“Last Man Standing”
“Mr Heartache” (guest appearance By Andy Scott, The Sweet)
“Unfinished Symphony”
“Schoolyard Fantasy” (CD only)
“The Greatest Story Never Told” (orchestra arranged and composed by Mike Moran, guest lead vocals Mick Wilson)
“Only In Vegas”
“Man In The Moon” (guest lead vocals Mick Wilson)
“Five-Minute Celebrity”
“Velvet Horizon”

“Mr. Heartache” video:

Too Many Gods was recorded and produced at Yellow Fish studios in Sussex, with long-term copilot Ian Caple. All songs were written by Greg Hart, or co-written by Greg Hart and Mick Wilson, who also features on backing vocal and guest lead vocals, alongside Paul Manzi, creating a spectacular result… Also, for the album’s centerpiece, the band recruited legendary producer and orchestral genius Mike Moran, famous for many musical contributions including Freddie Mercury’s “Barcelona”. Mike arranged and scored an 80 piece orchestrafor the seven minute epic “The Greatest Story Never Told”.

With soaring skyscraper vocal harmonies, hook laden choruses, drenched in guitars, vintage synthesizers and orchestrations, the Cats In Space pull no punches in delivering their symphonic power pop rock and hide no influences along the way. As the band say, this album is “All killer, no kitty litter!”

 

Hexvessel and Century Media Records announce a worldwide deal for the upcoming releases of the Finnish psychedelic folk rock band.

Vocalist and guitarist Mat McNerney (also singer in Grave Pleasures) comments: "In many ways the new Hexvessel songs are a new beginning for the band. The time we have invested in this next album has been very carefully spent. So we have become very focused in what we want to do and want to deliver something really special for our fans when it comes to releasing the next record. It's very important music for us, close to the bone and nestled right up next to our hearts. We were looking for a relationship with our record label to be the same as our bond with each other in the band. It has to be real and it has to be a shared experience! The way we met Jens and the wonderful people at Century Media was at a very special time for us and them, and we felt a unique connection that has grown ever since. That they totally understand and truly feel for what we're doing is really important. After all this is magic art we are creating and is from a personal place. We believe that with Century Media we will have the support and encouragement to take our music further than ever before. Deepest thanks to all our fans and friends without whom we are nothing, our publisher and friend Andy Farrow at AMF for his good faith, the guys at Svart Records for bringing us up and holding our hands from our inception, and hails to the good folks at Century Media for believing in Hexvessel and heralding a new dawn for us. It'll be a bright a blessed future. Shine on!"

Jens Prueter, Head of A&R Century Media Records Europe: “I was already a fan of the previous Hexvessel albums but I got truly addicted to the band after seeing them live in early 2014 supporting Alcest. It was an ill-fated day as we had just received the bad news about the passing of Oliver With?ft, co-owner of Century Media. We found solace in music and that’s probably the greatest thing music can achieve - to quote the US free-jazz legend Albert Ayler: “Music is the healing force of the universe”. Afterwards, I met Mat a couple of times and we discovered being kindred spirits in our taste of music. There are not too many people I know who like Ultimate Spinach as much as Albert Ayler and Tiamat. Hexvessel’s cover version of “Gaia” was originally intended to be released on a 20th anniversary edition of Tiamat’s “Wildhoney” but unfortunately the project never came into being. Since “Wildhoney” is still one of the most successful Century Media releases, it’s a perfect opportunity to release the cover now and celebrate a new chapter in Hexvessel’s career that hopefully will be as successful. It certainly will include some amazing music.”

You can watch and listen to Hexvessel’s version of Tiamat’s “Gaia” below:

It was in 2009 that Mat settled down in Finland – the oddball country of Scandinavia, where the humour is as dark as the winter afternoons and the nature as breathtaking as their moonshine. Originally from the UK, he came here via stints in Norway and Holland, already with weight to his name in the underground of extreme and avantgarde metal music, having sung and written in bands like D?dheimsgard and Code among many more, sometimes under the moniker of Kvohst. Later, he achieved success with modern post punk darlings Beastmilk and its spin-off Grave Pleasures.

In Finland he found his “kin”, and there he invoked Hexvessel – a band founded to voice Mat's inner self, and to connect it with the vast cosmic infinity around him. Simply: to play psychedelic music in the true sense of the term.

More like a commune than a regular band, the spirit surrounding the group invokes a vision of a bunch of Northern heathens coming to live in Laurel Canyon in the late 1960's. Sonically, it's more the other way around; Joni Mitchell and The Doors set free in the Finnish wilderness (quite possibly intoxicated under the midnight sun).

Hexvessel is rock but never roll – balancing the simple folk tune with psychedelic drive, hinting at Captain Beefheart, King Crimson and The Beatles as well as the dewy-eyed Americana that contemporary folk artists like First Aid Kit have adapted and re-defined. Stirred together, this makes for one truly unique brew of timeless storytelling and song craft.

Since the release of their debut album in 2011 the band has sold out headline tours in their homeland, been nominated for 2 Finnish Grammy awards, toured Europe together with bands like Sabbath Assembly and Alcest, played prestigious festivals like Roadburn in Holland and SXSW in Texas, and seen their music on the charts and on critics lists. This strange pack of Finns have succeeded in creating their own world, of which an ever-increasing number of curious outsiders are hungry to take part.

Come January 2016, Hexvessel's third album will be out. Their first release licensed to Century Media Records via their own Secret Trees label imprint. A body of work that Mat McNerney says is his most personal to date. Moving into the next phase, further probing into the mysteries and wonders of life, love and death – the question is ultimately turned to the listener;

Will you look beyond what meets the eye?
Will you allow yourself to face love and death?
Are you (h)experienced?

 

Greek thrash metal outfit, Suicidal Angels, are currently working on the follow-up to their 2014 album, Divide And Conquer. The songwriting is completed and the guys will enter the Soundlodge studios in Rhauderfehn, Germany in September to kick off the recordings with producer Jorg Üken.

The band states: “It is a bit more than 1.5 years since the release of Divide And Conquer and the time has come for the sirens to ring once more. The new material is ready, fast, aggressive and in your face more than even before. We get our positions on the 14th of September, at Soundlodge studios in Rhauderfehn, Germany, with Jorg Üken behind the mixing desk and production, to deliver our 6th full length. Soon we come back with more details, keep your eyes and ears open, this album will be a shock!“

More information coming soon, stay tuned.

NWOBHM cult act Savage will release their brand new studio album, 7, on October 9th via Minus 2 Zebra Records (distributed by Plastic Head). The double disc release will include complete live album titled Live N Lethal on the second disc.

Savage, once credited for influencing Metallica to play fast. Even though the band has often been linked to the NWOBHM movement, their roots are more in the vintage classic rock with a modern feel. Influences such as Thin Lizzy and Deep Purple abound and yet with new material they sound incredibly contemporary and fresh. Their debut album, Loose N Lethal (from 1983) became a classic and was the biggest selling independent import into US in it’s day. The band have had a stop start career but came back with a vengeance in 2012 with the epic album titled Sons Of Malice. The band has been busy ever since on the live scene in the UK and Europe, and most recently an Italian tour earlier this summer.

The classic debut is now given a fresh and live treatment in the form of a recently recorded live gig in their hometown. In addition to this, Savage has been hard at work writing and recording set of new classics on this double release. The album titled 7 features 12 blistering new tracks, which mix old with new. Many of the tracks are fast paced and hark back to the early days, whilst tracks such as "Superspy" and "Empire Of Hate" sound akin to something off a modern Ozzy album or even Metallica at their best.

More details to follow.

 

Finnish stoner rockers Lowburn (formed by Battlelore members Tomi Mykkänen and Henkka Vahvanen) reveals today the cover artwork for their upcoming debut full-length, titled Doomsayer, designed by legendary artist David Paul Seymour (Vintage Caravan, Wo Fat, Goya).

Mastered by producer Billy Anderson, Doomsayer is a blast of immense stoner riffage, with stunning fuzz psych doom vibes and badass vocals. The song “The Last One” is the first single from the album and the official video can be seen below:

 
Doomsayer will be released via Argonauta Records on CD/DD and available from October 12th. More details to follow.

New Haven-based progressive ensemble, Earthside, will release its debut album, A Dream In Static, on October 23rd. Today, Earthside has revealed the music video for "Mob Mentality”, featuring guest vocals from Sevendust frontman Lajon Witherspoon and a full orchestral arrangement composed by guitarist Jamie van Dyck and performed by the Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra (MSSO). Check out the new music video, directed by Patrick Kendall, below.

"Making this video was a fulfilling process because as such a transdisciplinary project, it crossed our paths with talented individuals across the arts," van Dyck explained. "We worked with dancers, choreographers, directors, editors, colorists, professional orchestral musicians, a conductor, an orchestra contractor, a wardrobe/costume person, and of course a rock star vocalist. Involving all these people in our art reaffirmed the value of what we're doing and sets the stage for the collaborative spirit we hope to continue to embody as we reach across the arts into the worlds of film, dance, video games, and other visual arts."

An epic undertaking of cross-continental collaborations, A Dream In Static was recorded in Stockholm, Sweden under the watch of renowned producer and mix engineer, David Castillo (Opeth, Katatonia, Bloodbath), and additional mix and mastering engineer, Jens Bogren (Opeth, Soilwork, The Ocean, Devin Townsend). The instrumental collective recruited several acclaimed guest vocalists, including Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust), Daniel Tompkins (TesseracT, ex-Skyharbor), Björn Strid (Soilwork) and Eric Zirlinger (Face the King, ex-Seer), to provide their prowess across four of the eight cinematic tracks, as well as the Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra (MSSO) for live orchestral compositions.

"Earthside is excited and very proud to finally be releasing our debut album A Dream In Static," commented keyboardist Frank Sacramone. "This record has been incubating for several years now between initial writing and demoing all the way through nailing down a release date. Along the way we've worked with so many different artists across disciplines and across continents. Now the fruits of our global project finally get to see the light of day and hopefully move listeners in a similarly meaningful way as the music moved us and our collaborators. We can't wait for you all to hear these songs and to get out on the road and perform them for you guys."

A Dream In Static tracklisting:

“The Closest I've Come”
“Mob Mentality” (Featured Guest Vocalist: Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust), Featured Ensemble: The Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra (MSSO))
“A Dream In Static” (Featured Guest Vocalist: Daniel Tompkins (TesseracT, ex-Skyharbor))
 “Entering The Light” (Featured Guest Performer: Max ZT -- Hammered Dulcimer, Featured Ensemble: The Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra (MSSO))
“Skyline”
“Crater” (Featured Guest Vocalist: Björn Strid (Soilwork))
“The Ungrounding”
“Contemplation Of The Beautiful” (Featured Guest Vocalist: Eric Zirlinger (Face the King, ex-Seer))

"The Closest I've Come”:

Teaser video:

Through organic layers of living, breathing orchestra and an eclectic arsenal of world music-influenced instrumentation, Earthside fashions an ever-changing sound that is equally engrossing alongside a work of cinematic art as it is resonating throughout a densely packed concert venue.

A Dream In Static, the group's conceptual mission statement, is a story of purposeful sacrifice and existential yearning told across sweeping instrumental movements, interwoven with adventurous vocal compositions featuring premier voices from across the rock and metal worlds.

Stay tuned for more information on Earthside and A Dream In Static.

 

Italian power metal act Kaledon’s best known album, Legend Of The Forgotten Reign – Chapter 4: Twilight Of The Gods is what you call a true epic/power metal masterpiece. Originally recorded at Outer Sound Studios in Rome, Italy by Giuseppe Orlando (November) in 2006, the album came out in Europe on Hellion records, in America on Universal Metal Production and in Asia on HotRockin.

Along with the speedy and melodic epic power metal that’s such a staple of Kaledon’s sound, this record displayed a newfound sense of melodic structure as far as introducing more memorable melody lines and melodic hooks than ever before. The new version of the album, which was released on August 21, has been completely remastered and restored by Orlando and features two songs re-recorded by the band’s current lineup. The beautiful and completely renovated artwork was handled by Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Rage, Rhapsody Of Fire).

“Into The Fog” lyric video (2015 version):

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach joined the KISS tribute band DESTROYER on stage last night (Saturday, August 22) at the reception gala for his wedding to Suzanne Le at Rockbar in San Jose, California. Video footage of the performance can be seen below.

Le is model who is reportedly the mother of two children, including one fathered by Brett Harrelson, actor Woody Harrelson's brother.

Bach proposed to Le on December 28, 2014, which also happened to be Suzanne's 42nd birthday.

Sebastian told "In The Vault With Shanda Golden" back in April that he and Le are "inseparable" and that she makes him "very happy." He then added: "You know what word I think is bullshit? I think the word 'codependent' is a bullshit word. Because I have been called that in relationships. 'You're codependent. We're codependent.' What the fuck does that mean?! Okay, I love you, and I depend on you, and you're mine, and I'm yours, and I always wanna be with you. Yes! Is there something wrong with that? [Laughs] I wanna be codependent with her. And she's, like, 'Me too, dude.' I don't buy that word. I think it's a stupid, bullshit word."

Bach then offered some practical dating advice to couples who are just getting to know each other. He said: "I think that it's a red flag in your relationship if you have a partner whose phone is locked all the time and you're not allowed to fucking look at their phone. I'm just saying, I have [my fiancée's] password, she has my password, and you wanna why? 'Cause there's no fucking reason why not to? And that's the first girl I've ever even met like that. I've never met another girl like that. She's, like, 'I don't give a fuck. Here's my phone.' And I think that if you're in a relationship right now with somebody who won't let you look at their phone — red flag. Okay? I will say that. Because I have a relationship that is fully trusting, fully whole. We're best friends. There's no secrets, because we're totally… I can't tell you what that means to me. And for her too. We both… I'm, like, 'I can't fucking believe that we met each other.'"

Bach last fall broke off his engagement to model Minnie Gupta, who appeared on the cover of his "Kicking & Screaming" album and in videos for the singles "Kicking & Screaming" and "I'm Alive".

Sebastian was previously married for 18 years to Maria Bierk, with whom he had been coupled since before joining his former band. They split up in April 2010.

Bach and Maria Bierk have three children: sons Paris and London and daughter Sebastiana.