Fuzzorama Records recently announced the release of Living Ghosts, the brand new album from Canadian psychedelic fuzz rockers We Hunt Buffalo. The album tracklisting can now be seen below.
 
Formed in the suburbs of Vancouver in 2010, with their debut EP the trio introduced the underground to a new band that in the words of Georgia Straight were, "dedicated to tracking down and capturing a dying breed of rock and roll.”
 
In hardly no time at all the band went on to generate a local buzz around the city’s rock scene where they soon crossed paths with Tanis Gibbons, apprentice to Colin Steward at local recording studio The Hive. Cutting their first full-length with Gibbons in 2011 – the self-titled We Hunt Buffalo – the album packed hard hitting, fuzz rock grooves and psychedelic metal in the spirit of Queens Of The Stone Age and Soundgarden. Fuelled by local acclaim, the band continued to play dirty rock and roll in and around Vancouver to a mounting fan base and in 2013 went on to release the EP Blood From A Stone, recorded at Nimbus School of Recording Arts by Alex 'Condor' Aligizakis.
 
Throughout 2013 the band toured and performed with the likes of Sleepy Sun, Band of Skulls and Biblical and was added as main support to Monster Truck on their cross Canada tour later that same year. Fast-forward to today and the band has racked up notable support slots with Red Fang, Cancer Bats, Chevelle, Danko Jones, Electric Six and Steel Panther, along with an unforgettable appearance at Victoria's Rifflandia Festival.

Tracklisting:

“Ragnarök”
“Back to the River”
“Prairie Oyster”
“Hold On”
“Comatose”
“Fear”
“The Barrens”
“Looking Glass”
“Walk Again”
 
Recorded by Jesse Gander (Bison, Japandroids, Anciients) at Raincity Recorders Living Ghosts will get an official release on Swedish record label Fuzzorama on September 25th. Listen to the new track “Back To The River”, below:

We Hunt Buffalo are:
 
Ryan Forsythe – Vocals/Guitar
Brendan Simpson – Bass/Vocals
Brandon Carter – Drums/Vocals

The UK’s spiritually irreverent death metal export Abhorrent Decimation have just revealed the title, track list and release date for the album, Miasmic Mutation.

Mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström (Aeon, Apostasy, Bodyfarm, Krow), Miasmic Mutation is the band’s debut album and will be released in various formats worldwide on September 25.

Abhorrent Decimation vocalist Ashley Scott shares the following about the announcement, “It's been such a long time coming, I am truly honored to finally be here at this milestone, announcing Miasmic Mutation to you all. The real joy will come when we can let you hear it and we can get out there and gig it! 1000's of hours of work and love have gone into this release. The material pushed us into a darker and heavier sounding place and I know this record will live up to and supersede all expectations. The combination of stellar engineering and recording by David Archer and the final expert mix and master from Ronnie Björnström has delivered such incredible results, I am so proud of what we have achieved."

Miasmic Mutation tracklisting:

“Glaciate The Servants”
“The Icon Of Loss”
“Eternal Repusion”
“Souls Of Sedation”
“…For The Desperately Lost”
“Miasmic Mutation”
“Echoes Of The Vortex”
“Terminal Reality”
“Odious”

Abhorrent Decimation will tour through the UK in October in support of Miasmic Mutation, dates to follow.

Chicago's District 97 have released a video for “Snow Country”, a track  from their third studio full-length, In Vaults, out now via Laser’s Edge.

Their third album for Laser's Edge, In Vaults boasts more than an hour of District 97's unique brew of prog rock, metal, alternative, classical, pop and jazz influences with nine brand new tracks. The album was recorded at IV Lab Studios in Chicago, engineered by Chris Harden with additional engineering by Shane Hendrickson, mixed by Rich Mouser and Jeff Fox at The Mouse House Studio and mastered by Bob Katz at Digital Domain, and features brilliant cover art designed by Björn Gooßes.

In Vaults tracklisting:

“Snow Country”
“Death By A Thousand Cuts”
“Handlebars”
“A Lottery”
“All’s Well That Ends Well”
“Takeover”
“On Paper”
“Learn From Danny”
“Blinding Vision”

“Takeover”:

Trailer:

 

London, England quartet Limb are streaming the another single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Terminal. The track “Dawn Raiders” can be heard below.

Terminal follows hot on the heels of Limb's self-titled 2014 debut, but takes an enormous leap forward. Perhaps it's the result of playing across the UK on tour with New Heavy Sounds labelmates Black Moth, and the introduction of new drummer Tom Mowforth (ex-Uncle Acid) but Limb are now more explosive than ever before. Where the debut showcased their thick, loping, and stripped-down sound, Terminal cranks up the sonics, mashes the grooves, and ups the filth quotient to truly corrosive levels.

In their quest to take things to the next planet, Limb hooked up with legendary extreme metal producer Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir, Evile). A bold move, but together they've created a monolithic statement of intent. Terminal is a down-tuned and dirty barrage of monumental riffs.
 
Recognizing Limb's love of both stoner dirge and glam stomp, Russell has described the band's sound as "GoatSlade" - and we can see why. Buried in the dirt is a cosmic boogie, which pays more than a nod to the decade of stacked platform boots without ever feeling retro.
 
Right from the opening double whammy of "Three Snake Leaves" and "Ghost Dance", you're propelled into a maelstrom that never lets up. The riffs come layered, thick, and fast, from the fuzzy throb of "Dawn Raiders" to the off-kilter groove of "Spoils Of A Portrait King", marking the halfway point with its monstrous, doomy outro. The second half of the album contains Limb's take on a traditional murder ballad, "Down By The Banks", as well as the chaotic hardcore of "Mortuary Teeth". The whole thing ends with "Cocytus", the soundtrack to a voyage across the eponymous river of dead souls that encircles Hell, complete with a hypnotic riff ending.
 
Thematically the album addresses the prospect of absolute destruction and the possibility of life thereafter, which is echoed in the album's artwork, a startling retro-futuristic collage by Cur3es (responsible for the art of Fu Manchu's Gigantoid). It conveys the album's mood perfectly: the familiar juxtaposed with the unknown, a world where nothing is quite as it should be.

As usual it'll be a deluxe LP package: 180g transparent white and cosmic purple haze vinyl, gatefold sleeve, printed lyric inner and free download. Also available on CD and download on September 11th via New Heavy Sounds.

Tracklisting:

“Three Snake Leaves”
“Ghost Dance”
“Micromegas”
“Dawn Raiders”
“Spoils Of A Portrait King”
“Down By The Banks”
“Sleepwalkers”
“Mortuary Teeth”
“Cocylas”

“Dawn Raiders”:

“Ghost Dance”:

 

Boston-based hard rock band Rubikon recently drew in a slew of new fans with the release of their two new tracks “Live That Lie” and “Pretty Pretty”, available for streaming below. Today, the band is releasing a third single, “Vipers”, this time via lyric video. You can watch it below:

Rubikon’s upcoming third album, Delta, will hit stores on August 21st via Round Hill Records.

Delta features progressive blues rock riffs, soaring vocals, complex harmonic structures, mile-high atmospherics and metallic outbursts. Influencing genres on Delta range from classic blues rock to hard rock and sludge metal, only further refined by mix master Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures), producer Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Brother Cane), and Howie Weinberg (Metallica, Nirvana), who mastered the record. Recorded in an organic, live setting at Quad Studios in Nashville, TN, the band chose to include minimal overdubs and completed the album over just two weekends.

“Live That Lie”:

“Pretty Pretty”:

Following the success of his solo project released in 2012, which included worldwide radio rotation, TV spots, and extensive touring in the U.S. and Europe, Ben Draiman teamed up with veteran producer Raz Klinghoffer in the summer of 2013 and began recording one of his most ambitious projects to date under the banner ANOTHER PERFECT STORM. Bringing his signature clean and emotionally charged vocals to Kilnghoffer's wall of epic guitar-based sound, Draiman, younger brother of David Draiman of DISTURBED, departs significantly from his previous ballad piano-rich material. The album explores various themes in the interpersonal, existential, and even political realms combining elements from many genres including industrial electronica, blues, rock, and even touches of country. Diversity as well as magentic and highly melodic hooks are replete throughout the album, but what Ben Draiman points to as the cornerstone of the entire project is the incredible chemistry between him and Klinghoffer and his insistence on producing music not aimed at any single audience.

Says Ben: "The personal nature of my songwriting is something that at this stage distinguishes me from others. It all depends on the place from where the music comes from, and for me, it's still utterly pure — I have no audience in mind and no market in mind. It's a personal therapeutic experience for me and ultimately, I think that’s what people can relate to. You don't need to be the best singer or piano player, but when you give something else, when you mean every word of what you sing, that can be even more important."

According to ABC affiliate KSTP, three people were injured last night (Wednesday, August 12) during THEORY OF A DEADMAN's concert at the First Avenue club in Minneapolis when a large portion of the venue's ceiling came crashing to the floor.

The fire department says a 30-by-30-foot section of the ceiling collapsed over the balcony and DJ booth at the back of the dance floor about 10 p.m. while THEORY OF A DEADMAN was performing. 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. The leak may have been accelerated by vibrations from the concert, causing water to build up above the ceiling, which then fell to the floor.

Concertgoer Ben Strumberger told NBC News he was standing in front of the soundboard when he felt a railing begin to shake.

"The band quit playing and everyone turned around," he said. "There was a ceiling piece laying on the floor.

Witnesses told NBC affiliate station KARE that they had seen smoke and the sprinklers go off in the rear of the venue before parts of the ceiling fell.

"There was, like, a smog throughout the whole building," Tess Brennan told KARE. "We thought maybe it was weed, maybe it was cigarette smoke then the sprinklers came on and everything just fell down."

Members of local band 3 PILL MORNING, who attended last night's show, captured part of the incident on video. You can see their Instagram post below, as well as a news report from KSTP.

Kaaos TV conducted an interview with vocalist Mikael Stanne of Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY at the Jalometalli festival in Oulu, Finland on August 8. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the progress of the songwriting sessions for DARK TRANQUILLITY's follow-up to 2013's "Construct" album:

"[I am] not entirely sure. We have tons of stuff. We have a lot of ideas, and we just need to come together and figure out what to do with it, what direction to go and where to take it. So everybody's been working a lot. And we'll see. We have a couple of more festivals [to play] and then it's time to really have a sitdown [about the next album]. But right now we're really focusing on these festivals and the rest of the shows this summer. So hopefully we'll figure something out by the end of the summer and then we'll start working super hard to get an album out by early next year or middle of next year."

On whether all the members of DARK TRANQUILLITY are involved in the songwriting process:

"It depends. Sometimes Niklas [Sundin, guitar] will write tons of stuff, sometimes Martin [Brändström, keyboards] will write tons of stuff. This time around, I think Anders [Jivarp, drums] has written most of the stuff that we have ready, but it kind of shifts back and forth. But, I think, at the end, it kind of passes through all of our filters and eventually becomes something that is genuinely DARK TRANQUILLITY no matter who writes it."

On when he starts coming up with lyrical ideas for the music that has already been completed:

"I start as soon as some of the songs are finished, so I can get a main idea of what's going on and what direction this is heading. That's when I start writing for real. I already have tons of stuff for whatever will be the next album. But I'm just kind of collecting material right now, making sure that I'm ready once we finish some stuff, and then we can get going for real."

On DARK TRANQUILLITY drummer Anders Jivarp's recent comment that the band's new material is more "guitar-oriented" than that on 2013's "Construct" album:

"Normally, you move on to a new album, and whatever happens is kind of a reaction to your last work. You're thinking, 'What did we do right, and what did we do wrong?' And it's, like, 'Perhaps this needs to change,' or, 'This needs to get better,' or something like that. So it's always, like, you look at whatever went wrong, or whatever you feel, like, 'Ah, this could be better.' Because you constantly try to improve, and you have to learn from your mistakes. So whatever mistakes we did, we will fix and make sure we get better. So we'll see what happens with that."

DARK TRANQUILLITY's tenth studio album, "Construct", was released on May 27, 2013 via Century Media Records. The CD was mixed by Jens Bogren (PARADISE LOST, OPETH, KATATONIA) at his Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden.

Leaves' Eyes vocalist Liv Kristine has checkd in with the following update:

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

Confirmed dates featuring Liv Kristine and Raymond are as follows:

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

More dates will be announced soon.

The confirmed setlist for the above shows is as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here for more.

Crowned the 2015 international champions at the 11th annual Wacken Metal Battle during Wacken Open Air 2015, Canada's epic metal quartet Vesperia are sharing with fans, video of their 20-minute winning set.

Vesperia beat out 30 other competing countries to win over international judges and fans, making their win the second for Canada out of the last three years the country has participated in the competition. 2013 saw Toronto's Crimson Shadows take 1st place and Montreal's Mutant represent Canada in 2014.

Bassist/ vocalist Morgan Rider comments: "We are extremely excited to accept the title of the 2015 international Wacken battle champions. There have been many ups and downs on this trip so far, but we have encountered so many amazing people, bands, press and organizers. Thank you SO MUCH for making this happen for us!"

(Photo: Ian Martin)

 

After an explosive run on the famed New Orleans metal scene in 2014, Cretus is releasing their debut EP, Dux Mea Lux, September 4th on Pavement Music.

Rock vet Pepper Keenan (Down, Corrosion Of Conformity) has been singing the mysterious group's praises, stating: "Cretus is a killer band with ripping guitar work and clear vocal hooks. For sure a future global outfit. They wear masks and slaughter virgins on stage. Need I say more?"  

Cretus' music is hard-hitting thrash metal at its core; mathematically-precise riffs, dive-bombing guitar solos, and thundering drums pummel the listener, but their compelling melodies and bizarre pop sensibility make each song from forthcoming EP, Dux Mea Lux, subtly addictive. Pre-orders are now being taken at this location.

Dux Mea Lux tracklisting:

“Price Of Immortality”
“Darkness Bites”
“What I Will”
“The Leader”
“Little Children”

The official music video for the EP track "Price Of Immortality" will be released August 31st.
 
While it is unknown exactly when or where Cretus formed, they began publicly spreading their message through music in 2014, with the group rapidly gaining strong support after their first show opening for legendary metal band Down in New Orleans.

Devout followers of Cretus pack into shows wearing the group's signature black masks and cloaks, bobbing their heads in support as hypnotic lights pulse and dense fog surrounds them, becoming a raving heavy metal congregation unable and unwilling to escape the dark energy emanating from the speakers. Multi-sensory performance rituals such as sacrificial demonstrations and strange pagan rites add an even more ominous tone to the already frightening spectacle of the four masked figures destroying the stage.

Heavily symbolic imagery, esoteric subject matter, and poetic lyrics give listeners something deeper to latch onto with Cretus, and Pavement Records is proud to be releasing their debut EP Dux Mea Lux, worldwide on September 4th.

Sweden-based melodic death metal experts, Soilwork, will release their 10th studio album, The Ride Majestic, on August 28th via Nuclear Blast Records. A full album sampler can be found below.

In preparation of the album’s release, Soilwork has created a two-part mini-documentary inviting fans and newcomers alike to take an insider’s look at their musical history.

Vocalist Björn “Speed” Strid gives a one-on-one, personal account of what has shaped Soilwork as the one of the greatest European metal bands in modern music. Take a look at both parts one of the documentary, below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

A lyric video for the album’s title track is streaming below.

Vocalist Bjorn “Speed” Strid discusses the meaning behind the track, “'The Ride Majestic' was one of the first songs we wrote for this album. The intro sets a certain melancholic mood and after that it's all pure melodic mayhem. There’s a very epic and anthemic feel to it, which suits the album title perfectly. The lyrics deal with the fear of dying and the art of remaining sane while you're still alive. Not wanting to miss a thing, wanting to embrace every moment, and being able to bring it all back on your dying day, with a snap of your fingers. It's also a tribute to the ones we've lost and the comfort of hoping that they will catch us when we fall, on the other side. We believe that, if there is an afterlife, this song would be the soundtrack to that journey. It deals with the acceptance of life and death and possibly everything between and beyond.”

As of this new album cycle, Soilwork is joined by new bassist Markus Wibom, formerly of Helsingborg hardcore group Hearts Alive. Wibom replaces longtime band member Ola Flink, who has amicably left the group to focus on other endeavours. Wibom has been a personal friend of the band for many years and has previously toured with Soilwork as a guitar tech and lighting designer. Wibom made his live debut with Soilwork in Stockholm on April 30th.

Soilwork vocalist Bjorn “Speed” Strid states, “We all sooner or later come to a crossroad in our lives, when our focus of being fueled by the past, is just as strong as our visions of the future and we have to make that incredibly hard decision. Where do I go now? Flink will forever be a symbol for Soilwork and of all we were and still are about. That being said, we all could sense that he eventually would come to the above mentioned crossroad. He understandably and respectfully chose to step down.

So, where do WE go now? Let me introduce you to one of the finest and most stand up people I know: Markus Wibom. He's been a long-time friend and is an overall multi-instrumental amazing musician. He's been with us before, on past world tours. He's also an amazing character and I couldn't think of a better person to fill Flink's shoes, which indeed are very big… literally (Markus’ shoe size is actually even bigger, if anybody wants to know). Anyway, as much as I will miss Flink, I'm just as excited to tour the world with one of my absolute best friends. Thank you Flink, you will forever rule. Thank you, Markus, for taking this on. I know you will blow people's minds, once the world tour of The Ride Majestic commences. Please give Markus a very warm welcome everyone!”

Wibom adds, “It's a great honor and a true pleasure to play with such skilled musicians and amazing people! It's going to be awesome to share the stage with those guys after all these years on the road together, and with the new record coming up - it absolutely kills!”

The Ride Majestic was recorded by David Castillo (Opeth, Katatonia) at Studio Gröndal, produced and mixed by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Amon Amarth) at Fascination Street. Find the cover art illustrated by Róbert Borbás below:

 

 

Tracklisting:

“The Ride Majestic”
“Alight In The Aftermath”
“Death In General”
“Enemies In Fidelity”
“Petrichor By Sulphur”
“The Phantom”
“The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angelic)”
“Whirl Of Pain”
“All Along Echoing Paths”
“Shining Lights”
“Father And Son, Watching The World Go Down”
“Of Hollow Dreams (Digi bonus track)
“Ghosts And Thunder” (Digi bonus track)

Album sampler:

The Ride Majestic will be available in various formats (CD, Vinyl, T-Shirt/CD Bundle) - pre-order your copy here.

Soilwork vocalist Björn “Speed” Strid comments: "We just put the final touches on our new album The Ride Majestic and all we can say is that it's going to be massive. It definitely picks up where we left off with The Living Infinite, but slightly darker, atmospheric and almost anthemic, with some really interesting twists and turns. Can't wait to play this epic beast live! Await the ride majestic ladies ’n gents!"

In celebration of The Ride Majestic’s impending release, Soilwork have released a live video of their hit song “Let This River Flow” feat. Nightwish/Revamp singer Floor Jansen, which comes off Soilwork’s most recent DVD/Blu Ray output, Live In The Heart Of Helsinki.

Added Strid: "I was really excited to work with Floor Jansen, especially since we haven't had any female guest artists featured on anything Soilwork-related before. I first got to know Floor via email some years ago, when she asked me to do some guest vocals for her other amazing band Revamp. I was absolutely thrilled, since I really respect her as a singer - she can do it all: amazing clean vocals, powerful high and low screams and can shape her voice into just about anything. I thought I'd "return the favour" and ask her to do “Let This River Flow” with me for our live DVD in Helsinki and boy did it turn out amazing! It was really cool to meet her in person as well, her presence is majestic and she has a great sense of humor. I think our voices match perfectly in this almost anthemic song, which showcases a lot of different types of vocals."

(Photo - Hannah Verbeuren)

"Blind Leading The Blind", a brand new song from Florida metallers TRIVIUM, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Silence In The Snow", which will be released on October 2 via Roadrunner. The follow-up to 2013's "Vengeance Falls" was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette (SLASH, ALTER BRIDGE, THE AMITY AFFLICTION) and was mixed by Josh Wilbur (GOJIRA, LAMB OF GOD). The album is further heralded by its first official music video; the sweeping "Silence In The Snow", which can be seen below.

Long known as one of modern metal’s most potent live acts, TRIVIUM will celebrate "Silence In The Snow" with an epic worldwide schedule highlighted by the upcoming 2015 HardDrive Live Tour. The dates — which see TRIVIUM co-headlining alongside TREMONTI — get underway September 9 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Culture Room and then continue through mid-October. The band will then head straight to San Bernardino, California for an October 24 main-stage performance at the upcoming Knotfest, headlined and curated by TRIVIUM's labelmates SLIPKNOT. TRIVIUM's seventh studio album, "Silence In The Snow" stands as a long gestating creative milestone for the acclaimed band. The collection had its genesis moment back in 2007 and was directly influenced by the time TRIVIUM spent touring alongside the legendary HEAVEN & HELL that year. Ultimately, it would take eight years before they felt equipped to tackle the challenging work of weaving their classic influences into a modern record. Fueled by the inspiration of true classic metal — spanning BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW, IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST, PANTERA and SLAYER, MEGADETH and METALLICA — TRIVIUM challenged themselves to attain similar levels of greatness, taking on vocal coaches and guitar lessons to further their creative evolution. The result is extraordinary, bridging the history of hard rock and metal while simultaneously powering it forward into the future on tracks like the epic "Blind Leading The Blind" and the upcoming first single "Until The World Goes Cold". "Silence In The Snow" track listing:

01. Snøfall02. Silence In The Snow03. Blind Leading The Blind04. Dead And Gone05. The Ghost That's Haunting You06. Pull Me From The Void07. Until The World Goes Cold08. Rise Above The Tides09. The Thing That's Killing Me10. Beneath The Sun11. Breathe In The Flames

TRIVIUM in May 2014 parted ways with drummer Nick Augusto due to personal differences. Stepping in for him on TRIVIUM's most recent dates was the band's drum tech, Mat Madiro.

TRIVIUM's last album, "Vengeance Falls", made Top 10 chart debuts in Japan, Australia, Germany and Austria as well as a Top 15 debut in Canada and a Top 25 debut in the United Kingdom. This marked the acclaimed metallers' second consecutive Top 15 debut in the U.S. and highest-career debuts around the globe — including a No. 2 debut in Japan.

"Vengeance Falls" sold 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The record — which was produced by David Draiman (DISTURBED, DEVICE) — arrived in stores on October 15, 2013 via Roadrunner.

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 will be 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.

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. Oblivion
02. Captain Love
03. Hot Streak
04. How Long
05. Empire
06. Fire
07. Ghost Town
08. The Bridge
09. War Machine
10. Spiral
11. Devil You Know
12. Think It Over
13. The Lamb

This September sees the release of Tarja Turunen’s classical solo debut Ave Maria – En Plein Air. A video for the album’s lead track is streaming below:

Ave Maria is a traditional prayer dedicated to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, asking for her intercession. It has been set to music in over 4000 songs, some of which kept the original prayer as words while others used a different text than the traditional one.

Ave Maria – En Plein Air features 12 beautiful “Ave Maria” songs by a wide variety of composers. Tarja Turunen breathes life into some of the most loved and rare songs of Paolo Tosti, David Popper, Astor Piazzolla, and of course Johann Sebastian Bach/Charles Gounod, among others. The closing track of the album presents a magnificent composition by Tarja Turunen herself.

Recorded in the stunning Lakeuden Risti Church in Seinäjoki, Finland – a snow-white landmark, both national heritage and significant example of modern Finnish architecture designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto – the Lutheran church offers the perfect soundscape for Tarja Turunen’s crisp clear voice. Combined with a piercing organ, cello and harp, the music blends into a rich sound universe.

Classical music was Tarja Turunen’s first love. The classically trained soprano studied Church Music at Sibelius Academy in Finland as well as German Lied at the Music University of Karlsruhe, Germany. She became one of the most important female voices of metal: first as part of multi-million selling and groundbreaking symphonic metal band Nightwish and later with her successful solo career, carrying her own name and releasing three studio albums so far.

Tarja Turunen has always crossed genres and musical cultures, showing a wide versatility with projects such as Tarja Turunen & Harus and Beauty & The Beat; Harus being a mix of traditional and modern pieces whereas Beauty & The Beat created an interface between classical and rock music, arranged with orchestra and choir.

Tarja Turunen is one of the few artists who can perform at the biggest rock and metal festivals one night, in a cathedral the next. This December, Tarja Turunen will introduce her favorite “Ave Maria’s” as well as her most beloved Christmas carols on tour.

The album will be released as limited super audio CD, vinyl, and download.

CD artwork:

Vinly artwork:

Digital download artwork:

Tracklisting:

“Paolo Tosti”
“Axel Von Kothen”
“David Popper”
“Camille Saint-Saëns”
“Astor Piazzolla”
“J. S. Bach / Charles Gounod”
“Pietro Mascagni”
“Ferenc Farkas”
“Giulio Caccini”
“Michael Hoppé”
“Charles-Marie Widor”
“Tarja Turunen”

Teaser:

Ave Maria Christmas Tour 2015:

December
4 – Olomouc, Czech Republic – Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné
10 – Berlin, Germany – Passionskirche
11 – Bochum, Germany – Christuskirche
12 – Bielefeld, Germany - Altstädter Nikolaikirche
14 – Magdeburg, Germany – Johanniskirche
15 – Mainz, Germany – Frankfurter Hof
16 – Zurich, Switzerland – Theater Spirgarten
21 – Tampere, Finland – Kalevan Kirkko
22 – Helsinki, Finland – Kallion Kirkko
27 – Moscow, Russia – The Great Hall Of Moscow State Conservatory

Learn everything there is to know about Guns N' Roses in just 60 seconds with this new clip from Louder Noise:

In episode #128 of One On One With Mitch Lafon, Frank Ferrer of Guns N’ Roses joins Mitch to discuss the current status of, and his time with Guns N' Roses, playing with The Dead Daisies, The Compulsions and their latest Dirty Fun album, Richard Fortus, KISS and much more.

Asked if he’s still a member of Guns N' Roses, Ferrer reponds: "Yes, I am. Axl and I text all the time. I am a member of Guns and Guns still exists. For sure 100%."

Listen below:

Guns N' Roses decided to clear up the status of guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, saying he is indeed out of the band - and has been for some time.

A confirmed source with the band tells award winning music journalist Gary Graff that, "Bumblefoot quit last year. I don't understand why he continues to be evasive on his status with the band - he quit in South America. He told Axl he was done and (Las) Vegas would be his last run with the band."

Read more at this location.

DJ Ashba (Sixx:A.M.) announced his departure from Guns N’ Roses recently with the following statement:

“Six years ago I received a call that changed my life forever. The call was from a dear friend of mine (Katie McNeil-Diamond) who was working with Guns N’ Roses. It was an offer to audition for Axl Rose and earn a role in arguably the biggest rock band of my time. While I thought it was a complete long-shot, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Much to my shock and surprise, I got the gig. And so began the most incredible journey I could have possibly imagined. I was blessed with the opportunity to not only work with one of the most talented bands but also to share the stage with a living legend and a truly gifted human being, Axl Rose. The amount of confidence and trust that Axl placed in me was genuinely heartwarming and truly career-defining. In the years that followed I traveled the world many times over and played these incredible songs night after night to the most enthusiastic and loving crowds. As you can imagine, the friendships that were forged during that time were deep and long lasting. But the most beautiful surprise of all was YOU... the fans. You welcomed me into your lives with open arms and showed me love and support that I could only have dreamed of. From the very first time I stepped on stage and started playing "Welcome To The Jungle," and felt the crowd erupt, I knew my life would never be the same. I'm not gonna lie...I was terrified!! But you were so accepting. You immediately turned my fear into pride. For that, I am truly grateful.

So now it is with a very heavy heart and yet great pride that I announce that I've decided to close this chapter of my life and encapsulate the wonderful times that I've shared with Guns N’ Roses into fond memories. I have reached a point in my life where I feel its time to dedicate myself to my band Sixx:A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me. I have always been driven by my passion for creating music and Sixx:A.M. has always been a place where I can express myself honestly and share that passion with my two brothers and bandmates, Nikki Sixx and James Michael. As you know I have also been blessed with the love and support of my incredible wife, Naty, who has been at my side for much of this amazing journey.

As I sit here writing this letter, I want to take a moment to thank Axl from the bottom of my heart for not only the most incredible experience of my life, but for truly believing in me. You are a true friend and a champion of mine and I am forever grateful. And even as I move on to pursue other endeavours, I will always remain one of your biggest fans. I also would like to thank each and every one of you fans for your love and support throughout the years. Without you, I am nothing. Please know that I do not take one minute of this amazing life for granted.

I hope that you all join me as I forge ahead. Let's conquer the world together!

With love and respect.” - Dj Ashba

All-star band Metal Allegiance will be releasing an album of original material. The self-titled album is scheduled for worldwide release on September 18th via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

The album features a collection of hard rock and heavy metal’s most notable performers. Brought together by principal partner Mark Menghi, Metal Allegiance contains appearances by Philip H. Anselmo, Charlie Benante, Chuck Billy, D. Randall Blythe, Rex Brown, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Phil Demmel, David Ellefson, Alissa White-Gluz, Matthew K. Heafy, Gary Holt, jamey Jasta, Chris Jericho, Andreas Kisser, Misha Mansoor, Mark Osegueda, Tim “Ripper” Owens, dUg Pinnick, Mike Portnoy, Troy Sanders, Cristina Scabbia, Alex Skolnick, Steve “Zetro” Souza and Ben Weinman.

The sixth trailer is now online and and covers the recording of the track “Destination Nowhere”, featuring Matt Heafy of Trivium as guest vocalist and guitarist:

 

Trailer #5 covers the recording of the track “Scars”, featuring Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) and Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil):

Trailer #4 covers the recording of the third track, “Can’t Kill The Devil” (featuring Testament’s Chuck Billy, Machine Head’s Phil Demmel and Sepultura’s Andreas Kisser. Watch the clip below:

Webisode #3 covers the recording of the fourth track, “Dying Song” (featuring Phil Anselmo). Watch the clip below:

Webisode #2 featues Mastodon’s Troy Sanders, Kill Devil Hill’s Rex Brown and Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe:

Webisode #1 can be seen below, featuring Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe and Exodus’ Gary Holt:

Metal Allegiance will be having a record release concert on September 17th in New York City at the Best Buy Theater. The show, presented by D’Addario, will feature the following confirmed participants: Frank Bello (Anthrax), Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Chuck Billy (Testament), David Ellefson (Metal Allegiance/Megadeth), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Gary Holt (Slayer/Exodus), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Mark Menghi (Metal Allegiance), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Mike Portnoy (Metal Allegiance/The Winery Dogs), Troy Sanders (Mastodon), Alex Skolnick (Metal Allegiance/Testament) along with a few special guests.

Space Born Killers have been tapped to open the show. Tickets for the show are $25.00 and can be purchased via Axs.com at this location

“It's always my pleasure to jam with such esteemed musicians and brothers, and my contribution to this project is further proof of that fact. Hail to all Heavy Metalers the world over!”, states Philip H. Aneslmo.

Mike Portnoy adds, “I could not be any more excited or proud of the Metal Allegiance album... it's everything I’ve always dreamed of and hoped for & 100x more!"

From the blistering opening of album starter “Gift Of Pain” to the final notes of closer “Pledge Of Allegiance,” it is clear this collective have created something special. The diversity of the individual tracks is apparent through each musical collaboration. The standard edition CD of Metal Allegiance will feature the 9 original songs. A digipak edition will be available that features an all-star tribute to Ronnie James Dio with a cover of his classic song “We Rock” as well as a 45 minute behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the album. A double vinyl version will also be available that will feature all 10 songs as well.

D. Randall Blythe adds, "When Lamb Of God asked Alex Skolnick to rip a guest solo on “Ashes Of The Wake”, it was a big deal to us to have one of the legends of our scene play on our record. Much to my amazement, years later he returned the request, and it's an even bigger deal to me to be asked on a peer level to contribute to a project with so many stellar players. I was honoured to be chosen – “Gift Of Pain” rips! Play it LOUD!"

 
Metal Allegiance tracklisting:

“Gift Of Pain”
Vocals: D. Randall Blythe
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional
Lead Guitar: Gary Holt

“Let Darkness Fall”
Vocals: Troy Sanders
Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums & Percussion: Mike Portnoy
Additional Bass: Mark Menghi & Rex Brown
Additional Screams: D. Randall Blythe

“Can’t Kill The Devil”
Vocals: Chuck Billy
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy
Additional Lead Guitar: Phil Demmel & Andreas Kisser

“Dying Song”
Vocals: Philip H. Anselmo
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: Mark Menghi
Drums: Mike Portnoy

“Scars”
Vocals: Mark Osegueda & Cristina Scabbia
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy

“Destination: Nowhere”
Vocals: Matthew K. Heafy
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy
Additional Lead Guitar: Matthew K. Heafy

“Wait Until Tomorrow”
Vocals: dUg Pinnick & Jamey Jasta
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums, Percussion & Additional Vocals: Mike Portnoy

“Triangulum”
I. Creation
II. Evolution
III. Destruction
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy
Additional Lead Guitar: Misha Mansoor, Ben Weinman, Charlie Benante, Phil Demmel, Matthew K. Heafy& Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal

“Pledge Of Allegiance”
Vocals: Mark Osegueda
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy
Additional Lead Guitar: Charlie Benante, Gary Holt & Andreas Kisser

“We Rock” (Deluxe Edition Only)
Vocals: Mark Osegueda, Chris Jericho, Tim "Ripper" Owens, Alissa White-Gluz, Chuck Billy & Steve “Zetro” Souza
Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy
Additional Lead Guitar: Andreas Kisser, Phil Demmel & Gary Holt

“Can’t Kill The Devil” lyric video:

Stemming from an initial idea in 2011, Metal Allegiance was born as a way to unite a collection of hard rock and heavy metal’s most notable musicians in a setting born under one ideal, a love of music and performing. In 2015, that ideal still holds true and has become the foundation for everything Metal Allegiance; furthered with the release of the upcoming debut album. While the lineup may change, the passion, the energy and the emotion all remain the same. Metal Allegiance is more than just a record or a concert, it’s an experience and a lifestyle.

Previous participants in Metal Allegiance live events have included: Philip Anselmo/Rex Brown (Pantera), Joey Belladonna/Frank Bello/Charlie Benante/Scott Ian (Anthrax), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Gary Holt/Kerry King/Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Chuck Billy/Alex Skolnick (Testament), Troy Sanders (Mastodon), Mike Portnoy (The Winery Dogs) and Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) to name a few. These unforgettable events have also spawned surprise appearances by the likes of Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Phil Campbell/Mikkey Dee (Motöhead), Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan (The Winery Dogs).

(Photo - Igor Rockxposure)

 

Australia’s Black Majesty return with their sixth studio album, Cross Of Thorns, to be released on September 4th. The new album continues the band’s evolution of finely crafted melodic power metal anthems. A new sampler video can be found below.

Charismatic frontman John Cavaliere shines on the new album with emotive vocals that showcases the fine ‘timber’ in his voice on songs like “Phoenix”, “Crossroads” and “Vlad The Impaler” - not to mention on the cover version of the Gary Moore classic anthem “Out In The Fields”, which also features special guest vocalist Jason Old from The Radio Sun.

Cross Of Thorns is dedicated to Dirk Illing, the band’s long-time friend and artist of all five previous album covers – “R.I.P. our friend!” Mixed by Roland Grapow (ex-Helloween, Masterplan) the album sounds amazing. Big drums, bass and guitars are all evident on the new release.

Previous appearances at fests such as Wacken Open Air, Masters Of Rock, Screamfest and tour supports with the likes of Saxon, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Edguy and Dragonforce, Black Majesty will continue to build on their ever growing fan base with further touring, including some upcoming special acoustic shows in Europe to coincide with the release of the new album.

Black Majesty is:

John Cavaliere – lead vocals
Stevie Janevski – guitars
Hanny Mohamed – guitars & keyboard
Evan Harris – bass
Ben Wignall – drums

Wolverhampton, UK-based quartet, Dearist, have announced they will release their debut album, This House Has No Windows, on October 23rd via Southend-on-Sea independent label Close To Home Records.

The album is available to pre-order on 12” vinyl now here. The 12" will be limited and numbered out of 100 on 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl. The digital download of the album will be pay-what-you-want from the Close To Home Records Bandcamp page.

You can stream the first track to be taken from the record, “Leecher”, here.

“This is one of the first songs we wrote for the album” explains front man Adam Binder. “I had just rediscovered Deja Entendu by Brand New and I was trying really hard to write a song in the style of Jesse Lacey, so for a long time the working title was actually 'Jesse'. It didn't really turn out like Brand New at all in the end! It’s also one of the tracks that [guitarist, Chris] Tucker sings on too and there’s a really cool call and response section in the chorus. ”

A lament to the loss of friendship through a catalogue of bad choices, the track is a showcase for Binder’s provocative and poetic lyricism as he spits “Save all your lies for your gullible bride, when you kiss I hope she tastes all the vows that you break on your teeth, when you cheat, when you fake every promise that you’ve made.”

Now, with a whole album’s worth of new material ready to unleash, “Leecher” is the perfect introduction to their progressive, British take on the likes of American pioneers Fugazi, Rival Schools and Thursday, the latter of whose front man - Geoff Rickly - took a personal interest in the band on hearing “Get What You Want” when scouring acts for the launch of his new label Collector Records; not a bad seal of approval for such early days.

 ‘This House Has No Windows’ is released on 23rd October via Close To Home Records

Watch the album teaser trailer below:

Dearist are:

Adam Binder – bass + vocals
Michael Ingram - guitar
Chris Tucker – guitar + vocals
Mitch Davis - drums

London, England-based rockers, Dirty Thrills, unveil the video for “Hourglass”, the single from their new EP Sweetheart Of The Slums.

The Sweetheart OF The Slums EP features classy and original rock ‘n’ roll that will grip the listener from the very first hearing and simply refuse to let go. The  video explores the intensity of fanatical obsession coupled with the all-out raw live performance the band are known for, “Hourglass” is a hard hitting, energy fuelled video intently set on raising the hairs on the back of your neck.

“As a band we're known for our high octane live shows, we wanted a video that captured it and with “Hourglass” we finally have that. The live performance is extremely real, the blood, sweat and tears that created the song can really be felt in the video. Keir Siewert (director) and Isabelle Bonfrer (actress) captured the obsessive nature of a warped mind, the filming was easy for such talented people, we essentially gave them the space they needed and what came out was incredible. The Combination of both elements in the video have really created something special, something we are proud to say is ours.”  - Dirty Thrills

Sweetheart Of The Slums tracklisting:

“Feelin’”
“Hourglass”
“Letterbomb”
“No Resolve” (live)

“Hourglass” video:

 

Frankfurt's The Green River Burial has released a live performance video for the song "Dajjal". The song comes from the new EP Blight, released July 31st on vinyl 7" and digital formats through Bastardized Recordings.

The two-song release showcases the German band's movement into darker, groovier territory. The EP is the first chapter of a developing concept project that will be continued on the group's upcoming full-length release.

Blight follows 2012 Bastardized Recordings release Separate & Coalesce. The Green River Burial’s sound mirrors and translates the ambition, passions and influences of the four members resulting in an unique, individualistic style. Growing from hardcore roots, the new EP demonstrates a shift toward more of a groove-oriented, modern metal style.

Blight tracklisting:

“Armilus”
“Dajjal”

"Armilus" video:

On September 4, MDD Records will release the debut album Cosmic Poems from Terrible Old Man.

The album will contain 11 songs with a running time of 39 minutes. A lyric video for “The Messenger” has also been uploaded and will serve as the opener of the album. All lyrics were taken from the work of H.P. Lovecraft.

Cosmic Poems tracklisting:

“The Messenger”
“The Festival”
“The Garden”
“Despair”
“Astrophobos”
“The Cats”
“The Wood”
“Book Of Wonders”
“Nemesis 1”
“Nemesis 2”
“Cthulhu Fhtang” 

“The Messenger” lyric video:

It's been nearly seven years since METALLICA last released an album, and while the band is now writing material for its next studio effort, guitarist Kirk Hammett recently admitted to something that may have slowed down the process a bit. Hammett said on "The Jasta Show" podcast, "I put riffs on my iPhone, but something very unfortunate happened to me about six months ago. I lost my iPhone [containing] 250 musical ideas. And I was crushed. It didn't get backed up. And when it happened, I was bummed out for about two or three days."

Hammett added: "I lost [the phone]. I just plain lost it. I can't find it. I'm still looking for it to this day. I just set it somewhere and… It still might turn up. I'm hoping it will. To try to remember those riffs? I can only remember, like, eight of 'em. So I just chalked it down to maybe it just wasn't meant to be and I'll just move forward with it."

In a brand new interview with Tim Virgin of Chicago's WLUP-FM 97.9 (Loop 97.9) radio station conducted prior to METALLICA's August 1 performance at the Lollapalooza festival, Hammett spoke in more detail about his lost iPhone. He said: "The funny thing is I said that in passing to my friend Jamey Jasta as just normal 'bro' conversation. And when I said I lost my phone, I had lost it about nine months previous to that. And so when that information traveled around the world, I was getting e-mails and texts from friends all over the place, saying, 'When I was with you, when we were hanging out in Istanbul, you seemed to have it.' And I'm thinking, 'No, no, no…''

He continued: "The sequence of events were… I had lost the phone way before I told Jamey about that. And I'll tell you what happened: yes, I did go to my computer and hit the button 'Find my iPhone,' and it tracked it to the Copenhagen [Denmark] airport, and then the dot disappeared. So what happened was I lost it in a cab. Someone found it in a cab, kept it, and took it to Copenhagen airport and got on a plane, and that was the end of it. But that wasn't the phone with all my riffs on it. [Laughs]"

To his credit, Hammett seemed to take the loss in stride, telling WLUP-FM 97.9: "I ask myself, maybe the universe is trying to tell me something. Maybe those bits of music were just not meant to be heard by anyone else. I don't know. Maybe my karma is just bad and I'm paying for bad behavior in the past. I don't know."

Asked what the new songs sound like, Hammett told Jasta: "Let's just say that the stuff that's coming up is super riffy, super heavy… it's a lot similar to [2008's] 'Death Magnetic' but different in certain parts."

Hammett added, "There's a couple of songs that remind me of something on [1988's] '…And Justice For All', but the album doesn't sound like '…And Justice For All'."

METALLICA has not revealed when it plans to release the new album.

Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently sat down with Dan Lilker (Anthrax)  founder of thrash pioneers Nuclear Assault at Heavy Montreal Festival in Montreal, Quebec. Lilker talked about his song writing credits in Anthrax, his memories of helping out Metallica in the early days and about the bands new EP Pounder

On his song writing contributions on Fistful Of Metal:

Lilker: “I would say I wrote about 75% of the music on that record, the records after that I am not really on, that sound a bit different, I guess.  But it’s hard for me to comment because I was very involved in it, but yeah I wrote a bunch of that shit, put it that way.”

On his recollections of when Anthrax took care of Metallica in Rochester, New York when Metallica was working on Kill ’Em All.

Lilker: “They were a long way from home, they were living in adverse conditions so they could record Kill em All and do some  shows. I brought Dave Mustaine over to my house so he could take a shower, we looked out for him.”

On whether he thought Dave Mustaine at the time came across to him like a raging alcoholic.

Lilker: “Not really all those guys drank a bunch, maybe he just smoked more weed then the rest of them.”

On whether Metallica was justified in throwing Dave Mustaine out for drug and alcohol problems.

Lilker: “They bought a bus ticket and dropped him off on Jamaica Avenue. It’s hard for me to say I don’t know the internal dynamics of the band. I wasn’t going to pry they had their reasons which they thought were justified we were kind of surprised and then they brought in this kid Kirk Hammett and he looked pretty nervous but he pulled it off, he was constantly looking over at James making sure he was playing all the parts right might have been a little nerve racking for him.”

On his thoughts of Metallica’s Load and Reload.

Lilker: “They are doing what they want to do and what they want to do isn’t as heavy as it used to be, then that is their personal and artistic decision.”

On why Nuclear Assault decided on doing an EP instead of a full length album

Lilker: “We all don’t live in the same cities and we don’t get to jam every few days like other bands that live around the corner from each other. So we decided four songs is more realistic it’s quality control. We are booked in the studio right up to Christmas to do another 4 song EP because it’s the same logic, it’s easier to do 4 songs at a time if you are not living near each other.”