Former Uriah Heep legend Ken Hensley is featured in a new interview with The Jerusalem Post discussing his long music career, now leading up to his 70th birthday. An excerpt from the story is available below:

Back when I was 25 – young, rich and stupid – I never expected to make it to 40. Because I thought 40 was old.”

On the cusp of turning 70, Ken Hensley chortled heartily into the phone during a conversation from his home in Spain last week. It’s a laugh of achievement at having survived the wealth, drugs and fame of his youth as co-founder of 1970s British hard rock veterans Uriah Heep. And it’s a laugh of gratitude, thinking about what could have been.

“I’m one of the lucky ones, and I’ve never stopped being thankful for it. I’m very conscious of the fact that so many of my contemporaries didn’t make it,” said the lanky, long-haired keyboardist/guitarist in a voice that recalled a more lucid Ozzy Osbourne. “When I look back how I lived in the early 1970s, it’s a wonder I survived.”

Hensley was alluding to a nasty cocaine habit he had developed during his decade-long tenure with Heep beginning in 1970. Over the course of 13 albums like the flagship Demons and Wizards (much of it written by Hensley), the band’s fusion of progressive, art rock and metal – heavy on fantasy, swirling keyboard and reverent bombast – propelled them into the rock royalty pantheon inhabited by the likes of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin.

While history has not treated the band as kindly as some of its contemporaries, ongoing versions of Uriah Heep led by guitarist Mick Box have continued as a recording and touring unit, selling out arenas and theaters regularly around the world. However, Hensley took a different path on his road to recovery.

“By the time I left Heep in 1980, I was so disillusioned with the band and the music – and even more disillusioned with my cocaine addiction,” he said. “I was determined to get rid of it, but I knew it was not going to happen in England where my co-conspirators were. I needed a complete break.”

After a half-hearted attempt at a solo career, Hensley moved to the US where he joined a Florida hard rock band Blackfoot for two albums.

“I was just trying to fill that huge gap that was left by leaving Heep. I dedicated 10 years to that project and that’s a big chunk of time,” he said. “I moved to the US to basically get rid of my drug habit and get my feet back on the ground. I thought it might take two or three years but it ended up taking closer to 15.”

Go to this location for the complete story.

The San Diego, California blues-based, hard rock/metal band Seventrain featuring former members of 24-7 Spyz, Cage and Tourniquet have officially parted ways with their lead vocalist Jon Campos. 

The band has released this official statement to their friends and fans:

“As Seventrain starts a new chapter, we hope everyone will support our decision to move forward with a new singer for our second album which is scheduled for release in early 2016. It was an amicable split between all parties involved. The band would like to wish Jon all the best with his future endeavors as a solo artist. Seventrain would also like to thank everyone who has supported this lineup over the past two and a half years. We look forward to bringing you some new music in the very near future.”

If you would like to follow Jon’s solo acoustic work, please visit Jcsolo.com.

The band has not announced yet who their new lead singer will be, only that they will be holding auditions in Southern California in early September.

Seventrain’s self-titled debut album was released on February 14th, 2014 in the US, Europe and Japan on the bands own label imprint (So. Cal Records) distributed by Alliance Entertainment which is available on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby. The album charted on the CMJ Loud Rock Top 40 at #36 it's first week to radio on February 25th, 2014 and received favorable reviews by critics worldwide in print and online media. Since the albums release, Seventrain has been direct support on select dates with Pat Travers, Michael Schenker, Skid Row, Black Star Riders, Saving Abel, Red Dragon Cartel, Saliva and Puddle of Mudd. The debut video for their single ‘Bittersweet Seduction’ was released on May 15th, 2014 and their second video for their single ‘Broken’ was released on December 24th, 2014. Seventrain was also nominated for Best Hard Rock Album of the Year at the 2014 San Diego Music Awards. The band is currently in pre-production for their follow up album.

The debut Seventrain album is available for streaming at this location along with additional information about the band.

Raw Cut Media conducted an interview with former PANTERA and current DOWN and SUPERJOINT singer Philip Anselmo at the tenth edition of Canada's Amnesia Rockfest, which was held from June 18 to June 21 at the Montebello marina in Quebec. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On legendary New York hardcore band SICK OF IT ALL:

"Were it not for SICK OF IT ALL, I don't think PANTERA would have been welcomed in New York the way we were. They were the first band to reach out to us when 'Cowboys From Hell' came out. Our first show in New York was with EXODUS and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, and we were obviously the opening band; nobody knew who the fuck we were. And Lou Koller, the singer for SICK OF IT ALL, started… I saw it… The second we started, he started the pit, and it was on."

On his musical roots:

"I was a metal kid, to tell you the truth. However, I had many punk rock… which I differentiate big time from hardcore. Punk rock, to me, was ugly rock and roll written in song form. There were some deviations — like the PLASMATICS had a ten-minnute song, I do believe; they were punk rock. And then you look at a band like the RAMONES, who are… their chemistry is just ridiculous. And I do liken that to the MISFITS, which, to me, is… I hate to say it's hardcore, though. It's not just punk rock. That's why all these fucking subgenres get made — because people don't know where to slide 'em at. Just call it rock and roll, punk rock… whatever. Keep it simple. Keep it easy."

SUPERJOINT RITUAL — now known simply as SUPERJOINT for legal reasons — recently completed its first tour in over a decade. Presented by Anselmo's own Housecore Records, "The It Takes Guts Tour" commenced on July 10 in Oklahoma City and ravaged its way through more than a dozen cities.

SUPERJOINT's current lineup includes Anselmo alongside guitarists Kevin Bond (CHRIST INVERSION, ARTIMUS PYLEDRIVER) and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD), drummer José Manuel Gonzalez (WARBEAST, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS) and bassist Stephen Taylor (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, WOVEN HAND, 16 HORSE POWER).

A three-and-a-half-minute video clip in which the members of SLAYER talk about working with producer Terry Date on their new album, "Repentless", can be seen below.

Asked what has been his biggest frustration throughout the process of making "Repentless", SLAYER guitarist Kerry King told the Phoenix New Times: "Probably the time it took to get a record deal done. And once that was done, the time it took to get into the studio. When you're ready, you're ready, and not being in is, is, basically wasting time to me. And I don't like to waste time, and I don't like people wasting my time. But the end result, I get it. Terry Date, you know, helped SLAYER, and SLAYER helped Terry Date. It seemed to me like he hadn't had a big record recently. He's had a ton of amazing records in the past, but it seemed to me like he needed a big record right now, just like we did."

He continued: "I knew [Terry's] name. I'm not a producer geek, I don't freak out on who produces albums and stuff, but I knew Terry's name because of the PANTERA boys. And I didn't know him back then. Once we started working and stuff he told me he did 'Louder Than Love' [1989] by SOUNDGARDEN, which is one of my favorite albums. And I'm, like, 'Jesus!' I had no idea. That just added more to his credibility in my book."

"Repentless" will be released on September 11 via Nuclear Blast.

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

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

A large portion of the ceiling came crashing down during THEORY OF A DEADMAN's show last Wednesday night (August 12) at the First Avenue club in Minneapolis. It was reported that three people were injured in the incident, and THEORY guitarist Dave Brenner told "HardDrive Radio" that the band wants to get in touch with them. "We know that there was a couple of fans that were taken to the hospital, and we've been trying to get in touch with them, actually, or trying to find out who they are," he said, according to The Pulse Of Radio. "So we're still trying to find out exactly, you know, how bad everybody was hurt and we don't really know the details. So, you know, right now we're all a little concerned just about, you know, making sure everybody's okay and there's not gonna be any long term effects."

According to ABC affiliate KSTP, a 30-by-30-foot section of the ceiling collapsed over the balcony and DJ booth at the back of the dance floor at around 10 p.m. The collapse sent the band running from the stage and forced the evacuation of about 750 fans.

Two of the three injured fans were taken to a local hospital, but none of the injuries are said to be life-threatening.

A source told KSTP the collapse may have been caused by a leaky pipe that caused water to build up above the ceiling.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN has been on the road behind its 2014 album, "Savages", and its recent acoustic EP, "Angel".

IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson has spoken to Metal Hammer about his battle with cancer.

A statement released in February indicated that Dickinson had a single growth on his tongue, but he later revealed he also had two tumors removed from his neck.

He was given the all-clear in May.

Dickinson tells Metal Hammer: "You end up with the metabolism of a hummingbird during this treatment because you're being cooked from the inside out. But your body's also trying to heal itself rapidly, and it goes into overdrive. I think that's one reason why you lose weight. It's simply because your system is banging away and then eventually it all dropped back down to normal."

He adds: "It's fascinating. Basically, I am my own science project."

On the topic of what he has gone through in the past seven months, Dickinson told BBC in July: "Well, I've just been through what, actually, a load of people go through every day. I mean, 'cause it's thousands of people in the U.K. and around the world who have treatment for this kind of thing. So, in that respect, the only thing that's special about it is that I'm a quite well-known person, so… But I've been fortunate. I had a really good bounceback. And everybody says, 'Hey, it's gone.' So I'm just getting better now, really — healing up."

Asked how big the tumor was, Dickinson said: "I had two, actually. One was three and a half centimeters — the size of a golf ball. And the other one was two and a half centimeters, and getting a bit bigger. And that was the only symptom — I had a lump in my neck, and that was the second one. So I went to the doc, and they went, 'Oh, that's a bit weird.' [They] took a scan of it, had a look, had a poke around, and went, 'You have head and neck cancer.' So I went, 'That's a bit of a blow' But you get on with it. You crack on and you get on with it. So… that was it."

He continued: "Funnily enough, since I was treated for it, I've met half a dozen people my age who all had exactly the same type of tumor, the same location, all had similar treatments, and they varied in age from 40 to late 60s."

Regarding how the treatment has affected his voice, Dickinson said: "Well, I mean, speaking voice-wise, everything is fine. I mean, the whole thing is still healing up, so, you can imagine, to get rid of that with radiation has given it… The inside of my head has been cooked, pretty effectively. So, you know, that will all take a while to heal up and it's coming back. But, I mean, I've got… I can sing, I can talk… I haven't gone out and done the equivalent of trying to run a hundred meters in the same way that I used to sing before. 'Cause let it all calm down. I only finished coming out of treatment two months ago, for God's sake, and the doctor said, 'It'll take a year for you to be better.' Well, we've beaten that by about six months so far, but I'm not gonna try and push things to prove a point. We've got loads of time."

Asked by U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine if Dickinson's cancer diagnosis affected the recording of "The Book Of Souls", IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said: "Well, it didn't at all, because Bruce didn't know and none of us knew anything about… There was no inkling of any of it. He'd finished all his vocal bits completely anyway, and then there were some other bits and pieces we were doing. Really, we didn't know anything — he didn't show any signs at all. I mean, his singing, when you hear it… He's singing better than ever."

He continued: "It didn't cause any problems in that department at all. He wasn't showing any signs of being ill. I didn't even know until a few weeks afterwards, when he got his results back. It was such a shock to him and everybody else, because it just wasn't expected at all."

Harris declined to discuss how the rest of MAIDEN coped with Dickinson's diagnosis, telling the magazine: "It's such a personal matter for Bruce and the band that I don't think now is the time to talk about it. It's Bruce's story to tell when he feels the time is right. The one thing I can say is that Bruce is a trooper and more than ready for the next chapter of IRON MAIDEN. What matters now is that we've got an album coming out that I think our fans are going to love and we're all excited to share with them."

Veteran punk singer and guitarist Dez Cadena, beloved member of BLACK FLAG, MISFITS, DC3, VIDA, ELLA & THE BLACKS, REDD KROSS and FLAG, is battling throat cancer.

Dez has just finished debilitating radiation treatments, and is confident he will return to active performance again within a year.

Cadena's friends have started a GoFundMe page to help offset his medical expenses. A goal of $35,000 has been set, and after five days in operation, just over $6,000 has been raised.

A statement on the GoFundMe page reads as follows:

"We ask you today to donate funds to help Dez's cause, as this friendly man has given so much to the music community, and he is literally a living punk rock legend, having played on some of the classic records of the genre, and remains one of the most beloved members of the scene.

"We ask you to please consider donating anything you can to help see Dez through the next year, so he can resume his proper place on the stages and records of our future.

"Thank you for assisting us in helping this very kind man in his time of need."

Earlier this spring, Cadena had a malignant tumor removed from his larynx, leaving him (at least briefly) unable to sing, though he could still speak.

Cadena appeared on BLACK FLAG's "Damaged" and "Everything Went Black" albums, and was also featured on REDD KROSS's 1984 LP "Desperate Teenage Lovedolls". He played guitar with the MISFITS from 2001 to 2015, initially joining the band alongside Doyle, Jerry Only and Robo for their 25th-anniversary tour, and has served as the band's longest-tenured guitarist.

Eagle Rock Entertainment will release RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "Live At Finsbury Park" on DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats on October 16.

Filmed in high definition at London's Finsbury Park on June 6, 2010, this concert, which includes "Killing In The Name", "Bulls On Parade", "People Of The Sun", "Guerrilla Radio", "Bullet In The Head", "Bombtrack", "Sleep Now In The Fire" and a cover of THE CLASH's "White Riot", comes with an interesting back story… In late 2009, a successful campaign was launched by English DJ Jon Morter and his wife Tracy to promote an alternative to the omnipresent "X-Factor" winner being the Christmas No. 1 hit in the U.K. singles chart. The track they nominated was RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's "Killing In The Name". The band supported the campaign, donated the proceeds from the sales to charity and lead singer Zack de la Rocha promised that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE would perform a free concert in the U.K. to celebrate the achievement. This is that concert. As bonus features, "Live At Finsbury Park" includes the "Behind The Scenes At Finsbury Park" feature and an interview with Jon and Tracy Morter. Sonically blending elements of heavy metal, punk and hip-hop with social consciousness, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE earned acclaim as the thinking man's rock band. With de la Rocha's vicious lyrical delivery and guitarist Tom Morello's guitar innovations (at times "scratching" riffs akin to a DJ) backed by heavy bombastic rhythms, RAGE delivered scathing commentary about corporate America, government oppression, and other problems of the world at large, amassing a rabid fan following in the process.

"Live At Finsbury Park" track listing: 01. Testify02. Bombtrack 03. People Of The Sun 04. Know Your Enemy 05. Bulls On Parade 06. Township Rebellion 07. Bullet In The Head 08. White Riot 09. Guerrilla Radio 10. Sleep Now In The Fire 11. Freedom 12. Killing In The Name

Original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward says that he still needs to get a "signable contract" from the band and a public apology from lead singer Ozzy Osbourne before he will agree to rejoin the group for one final album and tour in 2016.

Although Ward was initially going to participate in the SABBATH reunion that came together in late 2011, he bowed out early and has not been on good terms with the band since.

Asked by Rhyan of North Carolina's 106.5 WSFL radio station this week if there is any chance SABBATH fans could see him back with the band on their next album and tour, Ward said (hear audio below): "If everybody could get on the same page… My page, I've been quite pronounced about my page, which is a signable contract and an apology over certain issues that Ozzy said about me that weren't true. I'd like him to publicly apologize. He said these things at the public level, so I'd like him to publicly apologize. He's already responded to that, saying that'll never happen. So, as long as that'll never happen, then I probably won't be joining the band in 2016."

Ward went on to describe the mixed emotions that he has felt since he decided to step away from the SABBATH reunion more than three years ago. He said: "Do I love them? Yes, I do. Would I like to play with them? Yes, I would. Am I upset about all the upset? Yes, I am. I'm very, very sad by all the fans' reactions and the way that things have split and gone different ways and everything else. It's not nice at all to be in this position, and it's not an easy responsibility for me to maintain when uncountable amounts of people are angry with my decision-making process, which was that I need a signable contract. And now I need an apology [as well]. First, it was, 'I just need a [signable] contract, guys.'"

He continued: "So, yeah, it's very sad, but I would love to [return to SABBATH]. If we could get past everything, and everything else, I would love to be a part of it. You know, I love the guys. I mean, I still love Ozz. Just because we have a disagreement, or there's a disagreement on the table, I still love him very much."

Osbourne responded to Ward's open letter with his own statement. He wrote on Facebook back in April: "I never wanted to discuss this in a public forum but Bill's statements left me no option to but to respond honestly."

He continued, "Wow, Bill, what the fuck are you on about? I cannot apologize for comments or opinions I may have made about you in the press during SABBATH's '13' album and tour — physically, you knew you were fucked. Tony [Iommi, guitar], Geezer [Butler, bass] and myself didn't think you could have done a two-hour set with a drum solo every night, so we made the decision to move on. With Tony's condition, we felt that time was not on our side."

Ozzy added: "Bill, stop this smokescreen about an 'unsignable contract' and let's be honest. Deep down inside, you knew you weren't capable of doing the album and a 16-month tour."

Ozzy also pointed out that Ward was in the hospital several times in 2013, including one stint for shoulder surgery that "you've only just recovered from."

Ozzy concluded, "Stop playing the victim and be honest with yourself and our fans. Bill, we go back a long way, let's stop this now before it gets out of hand."

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during the "13" tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

Ward was reportedly insulted when SABBATH offered him a contract stipulating that he would only play a portion of the show each night, with another drummer along to take over.

Addressing Osbourne's claim that he was "incredibly overweight," Ward responded, "The truth is that I was overweight for playing onstage, but I wasn't overweight for the studio. I could cut tracks with the weight that I arrived at. All of those guys know that I have a really rigorous exercise regimen."

Ward did reveal his terms for a "signable" contract with SABBATH, saying, "I wanted to earn some better money than we had been (paid) in the past for festival gigs. I think it was somewhere like $80,000 for the festivals, which I can hear everybody gasp now, but $80,000 is not a lot of dough when you're playing festivals."

The drummer said he also wanted to receive some publishing money from the group as well as a "secure contract" for the use of his name and likeness.

Asked if he was still legally a member of SABBATH, Ward said, "I wonder myself actually. I don't know. I'd probably have to ask my legal department. [Laughs] I'm actually not sure."

Brad Wilk played drums on "13", while Tommy Clufetos was behind the kit for the group's world tour.

Iommi and Butler appeared in public with Ward for the first time since late 2011 at the Ivor Novello Awards in London, England on May 21. The members of the legendary metal act were on hand to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award. Iommi accepted on the band's behalf, confirming that SABBATH will embark on a "final tour" next year.

Osbourne was not present at the ceremony, which has celebrated British songwriting and songwriters annually for 60 years.

This past weekend, Fathom hosted the West Coast premiere of Ward's fine art exhibition, "Absence Of Corners", a collection of 15 abstract works created from Ward's drum performance.

The "Absence Of Corners" ehibition is a special limited engagement and only hangs at Fathom through August 29.

For more information, visit www.fathom.gallery.

Christian metalcore act UNDERØATH will reunite for a performance at next year's edition of the Self Help Festival in California. The band's lineup for the show, which will take place on March 19, 2016 at the NOS Event Center, will consist of Aaron Gillespie (vocals/drums), Spencer Chamberlain (vocals), Tim McTague and James Smith (guitars), Grant Brandell (bass) and Chris Dudley (keyboards/programming).

On the subject of playing Self Help, Aaron Gillespie told Alternative Press: "It was offered to us. It's such a rad festival and it seems like a lot of the bands that have come up after us are playing it."

He added: "I feel like it's just a great place to get everyone together. A DAY TO REMEMBER started in the same town that UNDERØATH started in, so I think it's going to be dope. I'm really excited."

Asked if there are more plans for UNDERØATH after this one show, Chamberlain said: "I would absolutely love to celebrate [the tenth anniversary of the release of 2006's 'Define The Great Line'] with our fans across the world if I could. The opportunities we've had as UNDERØATH came from those fans, so I would love to play for them and the ones that we missed [on the farewell tour]."

One of hard rock's biggest success stories, UNDERØATH left a remarkable legacy that included seven acclaimed albums — chief among them gold-certified releases "They're Only Chasing Safety" and "Define The Great Line" — multiple Grammy nominations, tours of six continents and over 1.3 million records sold.

Asked by a fan on Twitter whom he would like to see as the next president of the United States Of America, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine responded: "Someone who gave a shit, who wasn't planted or paid off, who wasn't a puppet, and who understood the word 'servant.'"

During MEGADETH's April 2014 concert in Tucson, Arizona, Mustaine introduced the song "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" by saying: "If I was your president…. [Chuckles] Oh, boy… I'll tell you what… There would be no fucking 'mom jeans' on this guy." [Editor's note: Mustaine was referring to an old joke about how President Obama wears mom jeans.]

Mustaine in 2012 revealed his "birther" opinions on a talk show, saying he doubted President Barack Obama was born in the United States. He told radio host Alex Jones: "With all of the proof about his birth certificate being fake… And you see the signs in Kenya that say 'the birthplace of Barack Obama.' Hello?! C'mon, guys. How stupid are we right now?" He also praised then-candidate Rick Santorum in the Republican primary. He explained at the time that the Pennsylvania politician looked "like he could be a really cool president… kind of like a JFK kind of guy."

Mustaine also made headlines in August 2012 when he said on stage during a concert in Singapore that Obama was behind the shooting rampages near Denver and Milwaukee. He continued his diatribe by wondering where he was going to live "if America keeps going the way it's going, because it looks like it's turning into Nazi America."

someone who gave a shit, who wasn't planted or paid off, who wasn't a puppet, and who understood the word "servant." https://t.co/6DrjRFDr18

— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) August 13, 2015

Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH are spending a week in "a cabin in the woods" writing and rehearsing material for their next album, tentatively due in early 2016.

AMON AMARTH has not yet announced a replacement for drummer Fredrik Andersson, who left the band in March after 17 years.

Asked if recording new albums has become less important for AMON AMARTH than touring, bassist Ted Lundström told Metal Rules: "No. I mean, you need to make albums to be able to tour. 'Cause if you don't come out with new albums, you can't go on tour that much. But today, with the business, the music industry, basically, you really have to tour to keep the band running financially. And we love to tour. We don't mind touring a lot. As soon as we're done with an album, we're looking forward to a year and a half, two years of touring."

He continued: "When we have time off, we have real time off, since we don't have any normal 9-to-5 jobs anymore. So when you're actually home, you can relax more. But we're on the road pretty much all the time."

AMON AMARTH's latest album, 2013's "Deceiver Of The Gods", sold around 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was recorded at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and produced, mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap (OPETH, MEGADETH, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE).

International film star and musician Johnny Depp joined Gene Simmons (KISS), Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME) and Gilby Clarke (GUNS N' ROSES) on stage last night (Sunday, August 16) at Lucky Strike in Hollywood, California as part of a charity concert for Mending Kids, an organization that provides corrective surgeries for children all over the world. Fans were able to get in by purchasing general admission tickets that cost $150.

Depp said in a statement that he was "thrilled to be a part of an event that benefits children around the globe." He added: "Mending Kids is not only changing the lives of these kids, but making a difference in developing countries that are in need of medical care."

Mending Kids provides life-changing surgical care to children worldwide. Most of the surgeries performed are for congenital heart defects, orthopedic abnormalities, severe scoliosis and significant cranial facial deformities. Between 2006 and 2012, Mending Kids performed free surgeries for over 1200 kids in 54 countries.

Fan-filmed video footage of last night's concert can be seen below (courtesy of Heavy Metal Hill).

Led by guitarist Jack Frost, Seven Witches has been one of America's best classic 80s-inspired metal bands - specializing in American traditional power metal, reminiscent of bands such as Helstar, Manowar, and Metal Church. On September 18th, the group will be issuing their latest album, The Way Of The Wicked, via the ILS Group (and mixed and mastered by Joey Vera of Armored Saint and Fates Warning), which has been preceded by a video for a standout album track, "Better Days".

Comprised of Frost on guitar (Savatage, Belladonna, The Bronx Casket Co. Metalium, Speeed), Anthony Cross on vocals (Livesay, Shadow Image), Ronnie Parkes on bass (Farcry, Cleavage, Reece, Bonfire), and Johnny Kelly on drums (Type O Negative, Danzig, Pale Horse Named Death, Seventh Void, Kill Devil Hill), Seven Witches certainly possesses one of the most impressive pedigrees of any metal band past or present. 

Frost: "Hey everybody, so pumped on our new release. I'm so proud of the way the guys just killed it on this album. Our first single and video is a fresh start for us. A true classic heavy rock feel with the rhythm section of the '70s and a throaty vocal feel. Hope you all like this I'm so happy with our new vibe."

The tracklist is as follows:

"The Way Of The Wicked"
"Better Days"
"Among Us"
"Soul Searching"
"Dreams"
"Without Man"
"When I Flew"
"Angel Of Salvation"
"Rise Up"

Frost: "Ronnie Parkes tone and monster riffing have given the songs final life”, continues Frost. “As I sit and listen I can't believe these are the same tracks from the original demos. It's like watching a child grow. Sorry, I've never been so happy with songs that I created. Maybe it's just that I didn't push, I just put my heart into it."

Anthony Cross: “Writing with Jack is a fun roller coaster. Jack and I try to do what’s best for the song. I call Jack the mad scientist his ideas are all over the place. And I think it’s great! This CD will have something for everyone. It’s not cookie cutter or intended to sound like previous releases. It’s new music. I have a lot of respect for all the vocalists that came before me. But it is not my intention to try and be one of them I just try to do the songs that they recorded justice when I get on stage.”

PUSCIFER, the Arizona-based electro-rock band fronted by TOOL's Maynard James Keenan, will release its third full-length album, "Money Shot", on October 30 via Puscifer Entertainment. The video for the "Money Shot" track "Grand Canyon" can be seen below.

To promote the "Money Shot" release, PUSCIFER will return to the road, kicking off a six-week outing on November 1 at the Monster Mash festival in Phoenix. "As is the Modus Operandi of PUSCIFER, there will be a whole new show to accompany the 'Money Shot' release. We've been leaving a few clues here and there as to what it may entail," said Maynard James Keenan. "As usual, we prefer to Show rather than Tell. Odds are if you've been a fan of the diverse nature of our performances in the past, you'll want to go ahead and place those bets." It's no surprise that Keenan choose to debut the electro rock band-meets-comedy troupe on a Las Vegas stage (PUSCIFER's first shows were at The Pearl Theatre in the Palms Casino). In the intervening years, we've met a cadre of characters including Billy D and Hildy Berger, Major Douche, Peter Merkin and spent time around a campfire, with an Airstream trailer in the background, as audiences enjoyed a Sonoran sunset. PUSCIFER, who thrive on the element of surprise, have revamped their stage show, with no spoilers to share, we can only say it exceeds the production seen in recent outings. The live lineup for the "Money Shot" tour includes Keenan, Mat Mitchell, Carina Round, Jeff Friedl, Mahsa Zargaran and the newest addition, Paul Barker (MINISTRY, LEAD INTO GOLD). "Money Shot" physical pre-order packages are available now via Puscifer.com. The various offerings include both signed and unsigned copies of the new album as well as an instant download of "Grand Canyon". "Money Shot" track listing:

01. Galileo02. Agostina03. Grand Canyon04. Simultaneous05. Money Shot06. The Arsonist07. The Remedy08. Smoke And Mirrors09. Life Of Brian (Apparently You Haven't Seen)10. Autumn PUSCIFER tour dates: Nov. 01 - Phoenix, AZ - Monster Mash FestivalNov. 03 - Dallas, TX - Majestic TheatreNov. 04 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert HallNov. 05 - San Antonio, TX - Tobin CenterNov. 07 - New Orleans, LA - Saenger TheatreNov. 08 - Atlanta, GA Cobb Energy Performing Arts CenterNov. 10 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens AuditoriumNov. 11 - Bethesda, MD - Strathmore TheatreNov. 12 Boston, MA - The Orpheum TheatreNov. 14 - New Haven, CT - Shubert TheatreNov. 15 - Philadelphia, PA - The FillmoreNov. 17 - New York, NY - Terminal 5Nov. 18 - Albany, NY - Palace TheatreNov. 20 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft TheatreNov. 21 - Chicago, IL - Riviera TheatreNov. 22 - Kansas City, MO - Arvest Bank TheatreNov. 24 - Denver, CO - Bellco TheatreNov. 25 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kingsbury HallNov. 28 - Portland, OR - Keller AuditoriumNov. 29 - Spokane, WA - INB Performing Arts CenterNov. 30 - Calgary, AB - Southern Alberta Jubilee AuditoriumDec. 02 - Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth TheatreDec. 03 - Seattle, WA - Paramount TheatreDec. 06 - Fresno, CA - Warnors TheatreDec. 08 - Oakland, CA - Fox TheaterDec. 10 - Los Angeles, CA - Ace TheatreDec. 11 - Los Angeles, CA - Ace TheatreDec. 12 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl at The Palms Casino LUCHAFER opens on all dates. Tickets are on sale on Friday, August 21, with VIP packages available simultaneously at this location.

Photo credit: Tim Cadiente

Ghost will release their new album, Meliora, on August 21st via Loma Vista Recordings/Spinefarm Records. The group are streaming the album in it’s entirety via the YouTube clip below.  

Meliora tracklisting:

“Spirit”
“From The Pinnacle To The Pit”
“Cirice”
“Spöksonat”
“He Is”
“Mummy Dust”
“Majesty”
“Devil Church”
“Absolution”
“Deus In Absentia”

Album stream:

“Cirice” video:

LoudTV.net recently spoke with one of the band's Nameless Ghouls about the release; check out the interview below:

Ghost recently announced an unholy/unplugged tour that will take place at select record stores in North America.

Unholy / Unplugged Tour:

August
18 - Silver Platters (SoDo Location) - Seattle, WA - 7pm
20 - Amoeba Records - Los Angeles, CA - 6pm
21 - ZIA (Camelback Location) - Phoenix, AZ - 7pm
22 - Sound Garden - Baltimore, MD - 2pm
23 - Rough Trade - Brooklyn, NY - 2pm

Video trailer:

When the Pontiff visits Philadelphia, for the World Meeting Of families, September 26th - 27th, the City of Brotherly Love will almost completely be closed down, for security reasons. Bridges closed for days, all the major highways in and out of the city, shut down and a several square mile grid of downtown restricted to travel on foot. Thus many of the city's museums, theaters, and concert venues will close.

The opportunity to play a few blocks from the real pope was too rich to pass up. The booking was no coincidence. Promoter Sean Agnew saw potential in billing the act as "Ghost vs. Pope," a religious head-to-head, a "Battle For Philadelphia." The concert sold out almost immediately.To promote the Philadelphia show, the band produced mock-evangelistic videos of an older, sinister woman preaching from a pulpit.

"The band wanted to get really creative, and have their own Ghost motorcade where the singer would go around the city," said Agnew, who runs R5 Productions. "We had these great ideas to create an alternative to the Pope. But more and more stories started to come out about the lockdown. We had to scale back."

In the end, the real Pope won.

The Union Transfer, on Spring Garden Street, is inside the "traffic box," the zone created by the city of Philadelphia to restrict traffic. While the front door of the venue is technically outside the box, parking in the rear lot or anywhere near the building will be nearly impossible. Not only will loading-in the band's large stage props - suggesting a black mass - require divine intervention, curtailed train service throughout the city will smite the travel plans of most fans.

Citing logistic complications, Ghost has postponed its Philadelphia concert to a friendlier time, the following Tuesday.

Ghost have announced dates for their Black To The Future North America 2015 tour.

Tour dates:

September
22 - The Fillmore - Washington, DC
23 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH
25 - Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
27 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
28 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
29 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA (Changed Date)
30 - Metropolis - Montreal, QC

October
1 - Sound Academy - Toronto, ON
2 - The Majestic Theater - Detroit, MI
3 - The Riviera - Chicago, IL
5 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
6 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
8 - The Civic Auditorium - New Orleans, LA
9 - The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
10 - Beacham Theatre - Orlando, FL
11 - The Ritz - Tampa, FL
13 - House of Blues - Dallas, TX
14 - Aztec Theater - San Antonio, TX
16 - Sunshine Theater - Albuquerque, NM
17 - Sumitt Music Hall - Denver, CO
19 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID
20 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
21 - Roseland Theatre - Portland, OR
23 - Warfield - San Francisco, CA
26 - The Mayan Theater - Los Angeles, CA
27 - Knitting Factory - Reno, NV
28 - The Depot - Salt Lake City, UT
30 - Northside Park Theater - San Diego, CA
31 - House of Blues - Las Vegas, NV

November
1 - Monster Mash Festival - Phoenix, AZ

Ghost have also announced the first dates for their European headline tour, taking place in November/December. Confirmed dates can be found below:

November
16 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall
18 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Den Atelier
19 - Geneva, Swizerland - L’Usine
20 - Vienna, Austria - Arena
22 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra Club
23 - Milan, Italy - Live Club
24 - Lyon, France - Le Radiant
25 - Madrid, Spain - La Riviera
27 - Porto, Portugal - Hard Club
28 - Lisbon, Portugal - Paradise Garage
30 - Barcelona, Spain - Apolo

Decebmer
1 - Toulouse, France - Le Bikini
2 - Clermont-Ferrand, France - Cooperative de Mai
4 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
5 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli Vredenburg
8 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix Hall
9 - Dortmund, Germany - FZW
10 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle

Ghost introduce frontman Papa Emeritus III with this new video:

German Wolf metallers, Varg, will release their new album, Das Ende Aller Lügen, on January 15th via Napalm Records. This album is already being called a new milestone in Varg’s history!

Although Varg are more monstrous than ever, Das Ende Aller Lügen is perhaps one of the best examples that the calm always comes before the storm. These calming moments prepare the listener for the coming thunder. Today the wolves have released their album artwork and tracklisting, which can be found below.

Tracklisting:

“Der große Diktator”
“Das Ende aller Lügen”
“Revolution”
“Streyfzug”
“Achtung”
“Dunkelheit”
“Totentanz”
“Einherjer”
“Wintersturm”
“Ascheregen”

In addition, you can check out the first track from the album, “Das Ende aller Lügen”, streaming below:

Varg’s upcoming EP, entitled Rotkäppchen, is set to be released on October 9th via Napalm Records. Get ready for this brand new EP, which should not be overlooked as only a segue to the upcoming full length album Das Ende aller Lügen. Rotkäppchen is a gem on its own. It is a magical interlude, which has some treasures hidden between his precious DIN A5-pages: between the classic version from 2011 and an instrumental karaoke-version you’ll find a version both in English (feat Christopher Bows of Alestorm) and Norwegian (featuring Trollfest), as well as a recent re-recording that, like on the original, features Anna Murphy of Eluveitie.

The EP includes special bonus gems, as well as two brand new songs; “Ein Tag Wie Heute” (featuring Dom R. Crey of Equilibrium) and “Abendrot”, which won’t be found on Das Ende aller Lügen.

EP tracklisting:

“Rotkäppchen 2015”
“Ein Tag wie Heute”
“Abendrot”
“Red Riding Hood”
“Rødhette”
“Rotkäppchen 2011”
“Rotkäppchen 2015 Karaoke”

Varg on tour:

August
29 - Crispendorf, Germany - Wolfszeit Festival

October
2 - Geiselwind, Germany - Monster Festival
16 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
17 - München, Germany - Backstage *Extended Show
18.10.2015 CH - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7 *Extended Show
19 - Berlin, Germany - Postbahnhof
20 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
21 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
22 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
23 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle *Extended Show
24 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser *Extended Show
25 - Wien, Austria - Gasometer *Extended Show

KISS legend Gene Simmons recently spoke with Billboard about a number of charity events he's currently involved with, including tonight's event (August 16th) at Lucky Strike in Hollywood. He and Johnny Depp will bowl and lead an all-star jam that also includes Gilby Clarke, Nuno Bettencourt and more to raise funds for Mending Kids, an organization that raises money to send doctors around the world to perform operations on kids in need. 

Simmons also talks music during the interview;

Billboard: Like many comedians, KISS has always been very outspoken and it took so long for you guys to get in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Simmons: "Never cared about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Do I care that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame decided to bring Madonna and LL Cool J into it before us? No. I have no idea what those artists have to do with rock and roll. When is Led Zeppelin going to be in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame? But stranger things have happened, and I’m the last guy in the world to complain about anything. In fact, I was thinking of buying the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Go to this location for the complete article.

According to The West Australian, Perth businessman and philanthropist Brendan Clark has struck an unlikely friendship with Gene Simmons. The 30-year-old met Simmons in Zambia in 2012 and was surprised to find much more to the 65-year-old rocker than his over-the-top persona.

“We talk every day, at least by email,” Mr Clark said. “When in the United States recently we were together every day.”

Mr Clark said Simmons was probably a bigger businessman than rock star — an entrepreneur and a mentor.

In Zambia, Simmons became an ambassador for Mr Clark’s charity Health Hope Zambia after seeing its work reducing deaths from malnutrition.

When KISS come Down Under in October, Simmons will be at Mr Clark’s disposal to promote the charity and will be a guest at an event on October 4th, the day after KISS kick off their Australian tour at Perth Arena.

Mr Clark said Simmons told him he could use him every day of his 15 days in Australia to work for Health Hope Zambia.

Click here for more.

The band's Australian tour schedule is as follows:

October
3 - Perth - Perth Arena
6  Adelaide - Entertainment Centre
8 - Melbourne - Rod Laver Arena
9 - Melbourne - Rod Laver Arena
10 - Sydney - AllPhones Arena
12 - Newcastle - Entertainment Centre
13 - Brisbane - Entertainment Centre

Shabby Hasan of All Access Live has uploaded video footage of SAINT ASONIA, the new act featuring ex-THREE DAYS GRACE frontman Adam Gontier and STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok, performing on August 14 at Kattfest in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Check it out below.

SAINT ASONIA released its self-titled debut album on July 31. Gontier told The Pulse Of Radio about the musical direction of the band band: "I'd say it's some of the heaviest stuff that I've ever written, some of the heaviest riffs and heaviest music that I've ever, you know, sang on top of, that sort of stuff. And it's also got a couple of the most straightforward acoustic guitar-vocal tracks. So it's kind of all over the place, but really it's mainly, you know, heavy."

SAINT ASONIA also includes STUCK MOJO bassist Corey Lowery and former FINGER ELEVEN drummer Rich Beddoe.

Mushok said about the new disc: "I'm really proud that we created such a cohesive body of work. I hope when people hear it they want to see a show! That's why you do it."

The group played its first live show at Rock On The Range in Columbus, Ohio in May. A fall trek as guests of SEETHER is also on the calendar.

Asked if he sees SAINT ASONIA as a long-term band, Mushok told Rock.About.com: "That's the plan, to keep this thing going. It was a lot of fun making this record. There were songs that we finished that are not on the record. There were songs that we didn't finish because we didn't really need them. There's plenty of music there. Plenty of things that we haven't even looked at as far as songs that Adam has and I have. And now Corey is in the band and he writes and is super talented. So I don't think coming up with music will be too difficult. But it's just taking it somewhere new and having it be fresh and exciting, not only for us but for the fans as well."

Each episode of Digital Tour Bus's "Crazy Tour Stories" features a touring act giving you all the details about one or more wild things that have taken place while on tour. In this episode, which was filmed on April 17 in Joliet, Illinois, the all-female metalcore band CONQUER DIVIDE talks about crazy things that have happened while the group was on the road.

CONQUER DIVIDE's self-titled debut album was released on July 24 via Artery Recordings. The CD was produced by Joey Sturgis (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, WE CAME AS ROMANS) and includes the song " Sink Your Teeth Into This ", featuring a guest appearance by new ASKING ALEXANDRIA singer Denis Shaforostov.

"This record is the culmination of many years of hard work. It's a representation of where we've been and where we are headed musically. It's something we are all proud of," said CONQUER DIVIDE guitarist Kristen.

Since its formation in late 2012, CONQUER DIVIDE has managed to create a unique, modern and ever-apparent dichotomy of beautiful elegance and intense aggression that intertwines seamlessly with one another. The music certainly doesn't spare any dynamics, with the album taking the listener on a roller coaster ride of divergent stylistic qualities representing each of their musical tastes.

It's not exactly a secret that the group is comprised of all girls, but you wouldn't know simply by listening to one of their songs. However, don't let their image fool you. "We are all girls, and you cant hide that, but we want people to focus more on the quality of the music," drummer Tamara revealed.

"It wasn't an easy thing finding girls who not only were passionate about this type of music, but could play it well." So after years of looking in the States, they were forced to look all over the world, auditioning over 200 girls. They are subsequently based in two countries, the United States and England, but this hasn't slowed them down any.

"Well, these girls have been spending time, you know, a year, maybe two years writing some of these songs, and when you have that much time invested into a project, it's definitely passionate," said Sturgis. "So I knew I had to be involved in some way, because I really like to work with passionate musicians who really care about what they're doing

"Joey has really helped bring our songs to life," said vocalist Kiarely. "He has pushed us to the limit and made us think outside the box. He is an amazing producer and we are lucky to have the opportunity to work with him. He definitely brought out the best in all of us."

"I'm heavily influenced by bands such as PARKWAY DRIVE and AUGUST BURNS RED," Izzy said, "so melodies and heaviness were essential when I was looking to join a band."

"We wanted to stay true to our roots," explained guitarist Kristen. "Everything we've written comes from a real life experience. Music, like any art medium, has always been a form of catharsis for us, it's all about trying to take something negative that happened in your life and turn it into something positive. And we've had a lot of pent up anger to get out on this record. But we did our best to move past those issues and turn them into something for the greater good, because, I think, the whole idea is, if I can't heal from my art, how can you heal from it?" "Yeah, we've poured our hearts into this record and we really hope people can connect with it on some level," Sarah added.

Continued Kristen: "We really wanted to take our time on our first album, and because of that, we've grown tremendously as songwriters. So this album really reflects where we've been, where we are and where we are headed."

MDR Jump conducted an interview with vocalist Ville Valo of Finnish "love" metallers HIM before the band's August 4 concert in Leipzig, Germany. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked when fans can expect to see HIM's follow-up to 2013's "Tears On Tape" album, Ville said: "Hopefully it's gonna happen sometime next year. It's an interesting time for us, since our previous drummer [Mika Kristian Karppinen, a.k.a. Gas Lipstick] left the band in February. So now we have a new guy [Jukka 'Kosmo' Kröger, formerly of HERRA YLPPÖ & IHMISET], and that's also one of the reasons why we're not playing more gigs here in Germany. We're just doing a few shows to, kind of, like, test the waters, see how the chemistry works within the band with a new guy. And everything is going splendid, which is great, because [replacing a longtime drummer is] not the easiest thing. We had the same drummer for fifteen years, and then, all of a sudden, now we have to find somebody who would actually fill that hole, so to speak. But he's doing a great job. So, hopefully, yeah, we go back home in about a week, and then start, little by little, working on the new stuff — which would mean that, if we're lucky, it would be out in a year. So, Christmas next year, I'd say."

Kröger made his live debut with HIM on July 25 during a surprise performance at the Qstock festival in Oulu, Finland. The concert was originally billed as a gig by RAMBO RIMBAUD, the solo project of Ville Valo.

Gas announced his exit from HIM in January, explaining: "I simply feel that it's time for me to move on as a musician." He added that "during the final stages of [HIM's] last tour, [I noticed] that my heart was not in it 100% anymore… If my heart feels that it's time to let it go, then I have to listen, because otherwise it wouldn't be right towards myself, the rest of the band or you wonderful fans. It would end up being a forced effort and I can't perform or create like that."

"Tears On Tape" sold 20,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 15 on The Billboard 200 chart.

HIM has been a band for 23 years, releasing eight studio albums to date, of which their fifth LP, "Dark Light", was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America), making them the first Finnish rock band to have a gold album in the United States. They have had five of their studio albums certified platinum in Finland, with "Razorblade Romance" being certified double platinum in Finland and platinum in Germany.

About 100 miles south of Atlanta, next to a field just outside the town of Byron, there stands a plaque erected by the Georgia Historical Society marking the location of the Second Atlanta International Pop Festival, where from July 3-5, 1970, "Over thirty musical acts performed, including rock icon Jimi Hendrix playing to the largest American audience of this career." Despite the overwhelming attendance (estimated to be 300,000-400,000), the festival and Hendrix's performance in particular, has not received its due in terms of historic importance and impact until now.

Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church, a new documentary film about the music legend's Atlanta Pop set and the circumstances surrounding it, will debut on SHOWTIME on September 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Experience Hendrix L.L.C. and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is releasing the DVD and Blu-ray version on October 30th, which will feature bonus content not included in the broadcast version. The film documents the massive festival hailed then as the 'Southern Woodstock' and recognized now as the last great US Rock Festival. The film presents the story of how rock music's burgeoning festival culture descended en masse to the tiny rural village of Byron, Georgia and witnessed Hendrix's unforgettable performance. Audio of "Stone Free" from the Atlanta Pop Festival is streaming below.

The film details the efforts by Atlanta promoter Alex Cooley to create the definitive music festival.  Cooley secured such talent as Bob Seger, BB King and the Allman Brothers, but Hendrix was the critical component he needed to elevate the three day festival to a major cultural event. Electric Church features interviews with Hendrix's Experience band mates Billy Cox and the late Mitch Mitchell as well as Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Rich Robinson, Kirk Hammett, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, festival organizer Alex Cooley and many others. The film contains breathtaking, color 16mm footage of Jimi Hendrix's Independence Day appearance, a mere ten weeks before his untimely passing.  Standout performances include such Hendrix classics as "Hey Joe," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Purple Haze," as well as confident, compelling versions of songs such as "Room Full Of Mirrors," "Freedom," and "Straight Ahead" that had not yet been issued by Jimi on an Experience album, but were intended to be part of the album he was working on that summer. "The Star Spangled Banner," played against a backdrop of exploding fireworks, is another highlight, which Cooley recalls as having "knocked peoples' socks off."

The audio release Freedom: Jimi Hendrix Experience Atlanta Pop Festival, which Experience Hendrix L.L.C. and Legacy Recordings will put out on August 28, includes six performances not seen in the Showtime documentary. This will be available as a 2CD set and also as a 200-gram 2LP vinyl set. The first 5,000 vinyl units will be individually numbered.

By the beginning of the 1970s, Jimi Hendrix was unquestionably one of the most exciting rock musicians of his generation, having captivated the world with his highly stylized approach to blues guitar. In Electric Church, Paul McCartney freely admits to worshipping him, adding, "We all played guitar. We all knew a bit. But he seemed to know more than us."

Jimi Hendrix put the rock festival concept on the map with his blistering performance at California's Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, headlining 1968's inaugural Miami Pop Festival, and providing the soundtrack for the counterculture with a dazzling set at Woodstock in 1969.

His performance at the Second Atlanta International Pop Festival was not only significant on a musical level, but also in terms of socio-political dynamics. The organizers were keen to push back against the cultural divide that was very much in evidence in the Deep South. It was assumed that rural audiences would not take kindly to "long-hair" bands, and that black and white artists could not comfortably exist on the same bill; Atlanta Pop set out to challenge those beliefs. Hendrix's music and message of universal love made him the ideal artist to represent that pushback, and, appropriately, was the first act booked for the festival.

In the sweltering Georgia heat, amongst intimidating bikers who were hired as security, hundreds of thousands of mostly young music fans descended upon the festival grounds, eventually knocking over fences and leaving the organizers with no choice but to declare it a free event. Law enforcement, not equipped to handle such crowds, adopted a hands-off policy with regards to crowd control, drug use and nudity. Against incredible odds, the event proved to be largely peaceful. By the time the Jimi Hendrix Experience took the stage on the evening of July 4, the audience swelled to more than 300,000.

Massive, anarchic music fests in the U.S., unencumbered by high ticket prices and corporate sponsors were soon to be extinct, and the Atlanta Pop Festival was the last of this dying breed. Glenn Phillips (Hampton Grease Band) says, "This was, certainly in retrospect, sort of the end of an era, and a great end to an era. It was a powerful moment."

The Atlanta festival footage in Electric Church was shot by Steve Rash, later known for directing such Hollywood films as The Buddy Holly Story and Can't Buy Me Love. Rash intended for the footage he and his team were filming to be used for a documentary in the vein of Woodstock. When a deal couldn't be secured, virtually all of the film lay undeveloped inside Rash's barn for over three decades. The full-color film stock held up remarkably well, and makes for a transcendent viewing experience.

Bill Mankin, who worked on the construction and stage crews for the festival, provides liner notes for the Freedom package, describing his first-hand account. He explains, "At the center of the vortex was the master magician on guitar: the personification of a life lived fully and wildly, with no boundaries, no limitations, and aiming for the stars at light speed."

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Freedom: Atlanta Pop Festival 2CD/2LP vinyl (release date: August 28)

Disc 1
“Fire”
“Lover Man”
“Spanish Castle Magic”
“Red House”
“Room Full Of Mirrors”
“Hear My Train A Comin’”
“Message To Love”

Disc 2
“All Along The Watchtower”
“Freedom”
“Foxey Lady”
“Purple Haze”
“Hey Joe”
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”
“Stone Free”
“Star Spangled Banner”
“Straight Ahead”

"Stone Free":

Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church DVD/Blu-ray (release date: October 30)
Contains performances of three additional songs not included in the broadcast version of the film, and other never before released Hendrix bonus content.

Los Angeles-based metal warriors Holy Grail – one of the genre's hardest-touring bands of the past several years – performed the new song "Sudden Death" at the Starlite Louge in Sacramento, CA. Check out the three camera video courtesy of Capital Chaos TV at the bottom of the page.

Holy Grail has also checked in with the following update.

"Thank you to Wednesday 13, Death Division, Night Demon, & all the awesome support bands as well as our devout fans that came out to shred with us this past month. It felt so good to be back on the road again and W13 took great care of us on this jaunt.

Also thanks to any new fans for liking/adding us on FB and sharing your photos and comments with us, we look forward to seeing you again!

Now that we're home we'll be putting the finishing touches on our newest album, Times Of Pride And Peril, which we hope to have out this fall or early next year via Prosthetic Records and Universal Music Japan. Stay tuned and we'll keep you posted. Shred On!"

The band recently recorded material for their third album, Times Of Pride And Peril, with Grammy Award-winning producer John Spiker. For information and updates on Holy Grail go to this location.

Gaia Epicus mainman Thomas Chr. Hansen has released a solo album entitled Like A Shadow.

The music is melodic rock/metal, and it is mostly instrumental songs with some progressive elements. Thomas play the guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and do the vocals, but there are also some other small parts done by guest musicians.

The album was recorded in 2007 but was never released due to the fact the mixing and mastering studio managed to create small sound errors on every song which could not be fixed.
Since there is very a little chance that he will re-record this album he decided to give it away for free, even though there is some errors on the sound.

Tracklisiting:

“Like A Shadow”
“The Weird Feeling”
“Addicted To Speed”
“Sunset Dreams”
“Dancing Shadows”
“Behind The Crystal Sky”
“Inner Chaotic Stress And Turbulence”
“Tempus Fugit”
“Unleash The Chaos”
“Live And Learn”
“Tears Of Sorrow”

“Addicted To Speed”:

Download the album for free at this location.

Xtreem Music has released the cover art and advanced track for German death metal act Cryptic Brood’s EP Wormhead.

This new mini CD is the continuation of their debut demo in 2013 and their split album with Graveyard Ghoul in 2014. On this new putrid offering, Cryptic Brood delivers an even heavier sound through their three own songs and a very unique interpretation of Suffocation's "Infecting The Crypts".

Wormhead tracklisting:

“Temple Of Pestilence”
“Gargling Vicious Mass”
“Infecting The Brood” (Suffocation cover)
“Wormhead”

Release date for Wormhead is set for September 20 through Xtreem Music.

“Temple Of Pestilence”:

Turku, Finland-based progressive metal act, Simulacrum, will release their new concept album, Sky Divided, through Inverse Records on August 28. A new video for the title track can be found below.

.The video follows the bunker survival battle of a soldier unit in the dismal post-apocalyptic world of the near future. The song reflects Simulacrum's present sound, which is heavy and progressive without forgetting excellent melodies. The next music video "Embrace The Animal Within" will be released on August 28 and it represents the bands power metal side. Both videos are produced by Dark Noise Productions and directed by Esa Jussila.

An album seeking out the boundaries of the melodic and progressive universe, with new and refreshing ideas to the genre. Huge choruses and heavy riffing, underlined by big-laden atmospheric keys, finally topped with a strong and powerful voice.

The artwork is created by Jan Yrlund, who has worked with artists such as Manowar, Stratovarius and Sirenia, and the cover portrays the post-apocalyptic mood of the album's title track.

The album is a hefty 62-minutes long and the tracklisting is as follows:

“Timelapse”
“Behind The Belt Of Orion”
“Broken”
“Embrace The Animal Within”
“Deep In The Trenches”
“The Abomination”
“Sky Divided”
“Enter Hyperion”
“A New Beginning”

Video "Sky Divided":

Trailer:

The "Deep In The Trenches" video was directed by Esa Jussila and the main character is played by P3 Boxing Team's professional boxer and six time Finnish champion Eemeli Katajisto.

 

Southern California’s Atreyu will release their new album, Long Live, on September 18th via the joint venture partnership between Raw Power Management's Search & Destroy label and Spinefarm Records.

 

 

The band have released a lyric video for the new track “Start To Break”. Watch below:

Check out the new video for the upcoming album’s title track:

The band recently posted the following teaser video:

San Diego's Wovenwar will return to the road next month with Atreyu, beginning September 18th at The Glass House in Pomona, CA. Tickets are on sale now.

Tour dates:

September
18 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House
19 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
20 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour

October
2 - Detroit, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom
5 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
6 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
7 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
9 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
11 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
12 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa

Australia’s Dead Letter Circus have released their third studio album Aesthesis, digitally via The End Records/ADA. Get it now via iTunes. The album will be available on CD and limited vinyl LP formats on September 25th.

Co-produced by Matt Bartlem (Matt Corby, Jarryd James) and mixed by Grammy Award-winning master music maker Chris Lord-Alge (Muse, Green Day, U2), Aesthesis is the band's most electric full-length album to date. With over 10 complex and ambitious songs, the band creates a vast sonic universe filled with their trademark sound of intricate-yet-danceable rhythms, ocean-sized guitars, and the lofty voice of Kim Benzie.

Tracklisting:

“In Plain Sight”
“While You Wait”
“The Burning Number”
“Show Me”
“Y A N A”
“Silence”
“The Lie We Live”
“X”
“Change The Concept”
“Born, Pt. 2”

Since forming in 2010, Denver metal outfit Arise In Chaos have become a force to be reckoned with in the West Coast metal scene. Since releasing their 2012 debut Civilization Decay, co-produced by ex-Machine Head/Ill Nino axeman Ahrue Luster, AIC have become one of the go-to metal acts in Denver, sharing stages with the likes of All That Remains, 3 Inches Of Blood, Soulfly, Motionless In White, Cavalera Conspiracy, Death Angel, and many more.

Arise In Chaos - vocalist Dustin Leigh, guitarists Adam Landreth and Nick Allen, Drummer Jer Matheson and bassist Drew “Keeb” Gillett - have released their new video, “Violent Colors” (see below), directed by Wacy Jahn, and are currently working on their upcoming sophomore LP Terminal Cognition.

The band entered The Platinum Underground studio in Mesa, AZ this week to track vocals with Producer and Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, who is co-producing several tracks on Terminal Cognition, along with Icon guitarist John Aquilino.

Said guitarist Adam Landreth, “We’re all huge Megadeth fans, and David is such a great guy. We’re so excited about being able to work with him on our record. He is an extremely talented producer, one of our favorite players, and a bona fide Metal legend, so we’re so thankful for such an amazing opportunity.”

Vocalist Leigh adds, “We are tracking some killer stuff with David. And to be in a Metal band, and be able to work with, literally, one of the Godfathers of Metal. We couldn’t be more excited.”

Introduced to Ellefson via their management, THC Music’s Thom Hazaert, the pairing almost immediately spawned a working relationship, and the adoration seems to be mutual.  

"Arise In Chaos have some killer new tracks in the works.” says Ellefson. “I always dig bands who continue to push the threshold of metal music, and these guys have that!"