Eden's Curse are disappointed to announce the departure of Pete Newdeck from the band.

Pete has been the drummer of the group since it's formation in 2006 and has been a key member of the writing team during those eight years together. However he announced to the band just before Christmas that it was his intention to leave the group due to personal and family commitments as well as wishing to concentrate on Tainted Nation, whom he fronts as their vocalist, and his activities as the drummer for UK AOR act Newman.

Bassist and founding member Paul Logue comments "We are extremely disappointed to lose such a talent as Pete, but fully understand his reasons for moving on. We are very proud of what he has built with Tainted Nation and in particular for stepping out from behind the kit with such consummate ease. Without question we will all remain great friends with Pete and wish him and Tainted Nation nothing but the greatest of success for the future ahead".

Pete himself adds "This was a difficult decision to make, yet one that was made easier due to the compassion, understanding and support I was shown by the other guys in Eden's Curse. It's basically a case of having an array of commitments, some personal and some musical, that I felt I had to prioritise. I am sure the band will not see this as a setback and I wish them the continued success they deserve and to build on the acclaimed album we just released.

The bond between both parties is further demonstrated by Eden's Curse announcing that Tainted Nation will support them on several of their up and coming shows on their "Symphony Of Sin UK Tour" in May.

In the words of the late great Freddie Mercury "The show must go on" ...

It is with great pleasure that Eden's Curse announces that Scotsman John Clelland (Code Of Silence) is the bands new drummer.

Hailing from Edinburgh, John has been working with bassist Paul Logue on several album productions over the past few years, most notably the "Dark Skies Over Babylon" album by Code Of Silence, and was on obvious choice it seems. "John and I have worked together for a few years on various musical projects, especially the Code Of Silence album that I wrote and produced. I always found him a pleasure to work with. He is extremely methodical and approaches things in a very studious and professional manner. You always know when working with John that you will get absolute quality back in abundance and not just your run of the mill typical drum parts either - they are typically well thought out, crafted and executed with great precision. He is a great player and an even better person and when Pete told me that he was leaving there was only one choice in my mind. It was just a case of convincing the rest of the band what I already knew and that John would fit the ethos on what Eden's Curse stands for today" stated Paul.

John himself beamed "I'm honoured and delighted to be the new drummer in Eden's Curse and to be part of the team. I'm really excited about touring the UK with the guys in May and working on new Eden's Curse material in the future. I've been told how great the Eden's Curse fans are and I'm looking forward to meeting them all. I think you will be impressed by the set of songs that the guys have selected for the bands first headline tour. I'm looking forward to forming an all Scottish solid rhythm section"!

Mark Ashby of Planet Mosh recently conducted an e-mail interview with former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo. A couple of excerpts from the question-and-answer session follow below.

On his most recent split with SLAYER and how it was handled:

Lombardo: "This could have been an easy fix. I wasn't asking for anything other than to be treated equally. I'm sure I've made mistakes along the way, but my intention was never to leave. Who would do that in the golden years of a band? Where we stand now disgusts me. [Late SLAYER guitarist] Jeff [Hanneman] didn't want this — and neither did I."

On SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya's recent comment that Lombardo was "a working member of the band" and not a partner:

Lombardo: "It's sickening. I left the band in '92 to be at home for the birth of my son, period. One show changed the course of this band. Tom has forgotten history… swallowed the stories that have been created throughout the years to sell tickets. If it weren't for me, SLAYER would not exist. I approached Kerry [King, guitar] to start this band. Somehow they have forgotten that."

On whether he regrets his original Facebook post — called a "rant" by Araya — in which Dave revealed details that, according to Tom, were "legally binding and private":

Lombardo: "No. My 'ranting' on Facebook still stands because it's accurate."

On his current relationship with Tom Araya and Kerry King:

Lombardo: "Sadly, non-existent."

On his relationship with Jeff Hanneman:

Lombardo: "I didn't see Jeff for a few months before he passed, but we had many texts and phone calls right up until [then]. He really didn't let anyone too close to his everyday life. But when we spoke, it was like no time had passed; a lot of laughter. I couldn't ask for anything more than what my relationship was with Jeff. It was amazing."

On whether he was surprised by the apparent coldness which his former bandmates, and especially Kerry, showed after Jeff's death:

Lombardo: "I was shocked that Tom didn't show up to the memorial. It was uncomfortable for me to be there, given what was going on with the band, but I still showed up. I was equally shocked at Kerry's self-centered stories. None of his stories described the kind of human being Jeff was."

Read the entire interview at Planet Mosh.

Legendary keyboardist Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE, RAINBOW) has just released his new solo album, "Keyed Up", via Music Theories Recordings.

Don has played with pretty much everyone worth playing with, and is currently working and touring with DEEP PURPLE. This new solo CD draws from a range of influences from his past. And while he has a solid band, there are a few notable guests appearing on the album, including one of the last pieces of work by the late Gary Moore.

"Keyed Up" mixes jazz, rock and blues, and some instrumental passages allow some rightly deserved self-indulgence from Don; whether intricate playing or use of effects, it's all enjoyable.

One of the highlights of the album is a remake of RAINBOW's "Difficult To Cure". While it lacks Ritchie Blackmore's finesse, the guitar sounds fantastic and Don's keyboards are bright. The programmed orchestral break is a good touch too. "Mini Suite" sees some good guitar interplay, before switching to piano. There are touches of Gary Moore here, and more on "Adagio", where his guitar work stands out.

The band on this record was Don Airey on keyboards, Darrin Mooney (PRIMAL SCREAM) on drums, Laurence Cottle on bass, Rob Harris (JAMIROQUAI) on guitar and Carl Sentance on vocals. Guest performers include the aforementioned Gary Moore, Graham Bonnet, Simon MacBride, Alex Meadows and Tim Goodyer. The engineer was Ewan Davies.

Don said: "I loved having the responsibility of pulling together the sessions at Chapel Studios.

"The album was basically laid down live, no overdubs, no redoing; we don't do filesharing.

"There are wonderful musicians on this record. I call them 'the band that never was,' as it's a true pleasure to work together, but opportunities are so limited.

"Being in a band like DEEP PURPLE, especially with the success we've had [last] year, should be enough; but I need another outlet.

"Some of the music is straight-ahead rock, a tribute to where I've come from, but there's variety — 'Blue Rondo A La Turk' was the piece I played on my first radio performance aged 14. There are plenty of weird sounds too, most from the Hammond; a lot of it wasn’t planned, I just got carried away with the moment!"

"Keyed Up" track listing:

01. 3 In The Morning
02. Beat The Retreat
03. Blue Rondo A La Turk
04. Solomon’s Song
05. Claire D'Loon
06. Flight Of Inspiration
07. Inside
08. The Godbox
09. Difficult To Cure 2013
10. Mini Suite *
a) Lament/Jig
b) Restless Spirit
c) What Went Wrong
11. Adagio *
12. Grace

* featuring Gary Moore on guitar

Musicians:

Don Airey - keyboards
Darrin Mooney - drums
Laurence Cottle - bass
Rob Harris - guitar
Carl Sentance - vocals

Slash and his solo band, MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS, have entered the studio to record the third album under the solo Slash banner. The follow-up to 2012's "Apocalyptic Love" is being helmed by producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, known for his work with Kennedy's other band, ALTER BRIDGE, as well as FALLING IN REVERSE, STORY OF THE YEAR and INCUBUS, to name a few.

Asked how the new Slash material is sounding, Kennedy told VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner: "It's good! It's very rock. It's very rocking. I think it's more up-tempo than the last record was, and [Slash has] got some really great riffs on this record. Killer stuff." While Slash is still in the studio putting music together, Myles is focusing on ALTER BRIDGE, which is scheduled to tour Japan next week and will be on the road across the globe for the next few months.

According to Myles, the drums for Slash's new album are being recorded right now and Slash is texting him daily with updates of what songs they've finished and which ones they're working on.

Slash bassist Todd Kerns said about the album at his blog, "I have to admit that, conceptually, I felt that 'Apocalyptic Love' would be a tough act to follow, but I can say with all the confidence in the world that we are more than armed and ready."

Kerns added, "The material on this album is more serious and more fun at the same time, which is a tough balance indeed. The songs are sleazier, tougher and more dangerous . . . We are all very excited to unleash the monster upon you as soon as we can."

Slash has not set a release date for the new record and Kerns said it will "be done when it's done."

Slash officially began recording as a solo artist with his self-titled 2010 debut album.

The former GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER guitarist employed a different vocalist on each track of his first album, before settling on ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy for both touring and eventually recording.

"Apocalyptic Love" earned Slash his two first-ever No. 1 U.S. rock radio hits with "You're A Lie" and "Standing In The Sun". The record's third single, "Anastasia", cracked the Top 10 at Modern and Active Rock and Top Five at Mainstream Rock.

Slash told The Pulse Of Radio that the partnership with Kennedy seemed natural from the start. "We work really well together," he said. "I never really thought about how that's progressing. It's real natural. So it's like any kind of sort of close relationship, where I think we established it really, really early on and now we're just sort of doing our thing, you know. Yeah, I don't know what else to say — it's just a really cool kind of synergy that we've got."

Former CRO-MAGS bass player and one-time frontman Harley Flanagan has released a demo version of a new solo song titled "Trust No One". The track, which features Al Romano (SUN RED SUN, BELLADONNA) on guitar, is expected to appear on Flanagan's upcoming CD, due later in the year via Southern Lord.

"Trust No One" is the first new material from Harley since the HARLEY'S WAR EP, "Life Is A Struggle", which came out in 2012.

Flanagan made headlines in July 2012 when he allegedly attacked two members of the current CRO-MAGS lineup during the CBGB Festival in New York City.

Flanagan was initially charged with felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the incident, but those charges were eventually dropped.

New York Natives in 2012 published an interview with Flanagan in which Harley claimed that he was invited to the Webster Hall gig and had a VIP pass which he used to enter the venue. He said he went there with "the best of intentions" hoping to mend years of bickering and make the fans happy. After he was invited to the backstage dressing room, he said that instead of being welcomed, as he expected to be, he was jumped by a group of men.

Neurot Recordings has announced the signing of long-running Eugene, Oregon-based doom metal trio YOB. The band — founding vocalist/guitarist Mike Scheidt, drummer Travis Foster and bassist Aaron Rieseberg — will release its seventh studio offering this fall, preceded by an appearance at the illustrious Roadburn festival in Tilburg, The Netherlands in April. Comments Scheidt of the recent union: "YOB is very happy to have signed to Neurot for our new album.

"Travis, Aaron and I agree that NEUROSIS is the epitome of forward-thinking heavy music, made with zero compromise. Our love for their music is total. Neurot's dedication to putting out uncompromising music is no different. To have this opportunity to put an album out on their label is an honor that runs deep. We cannot wait to share our new music with Neurot and our friends worldwide." NEUROSIS' Steve Von Till notes: "This was meant to be.

"Neurot has always sought out to work with those who share in the purification of spirit through sound and who harvest their sound from originality and intensity.

"When I listen to YOB, see them leave it all on the stage, or share a conversation with them about life, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that they embody what Neurot stands for completely and we are so very honored that we get the opportunity to work together with them on their next album." Adds Scott Kelly: "YOB, as with all things that actually matter, there is only one. They have built their temple with a foundation concreted in absolute truth. The truth is the riffs, the truth is in the delivery, it's in the unwavering commitment, and in the handshake and the look in their eyes. If you don't know them, then you are fucking up your own life's truth. There's is nothing heavier on the face of this earth than this band.

"The Neurot family is honored to be a part of legacy of this, the monolithic treasure of sonic achievement that is YOB." Further details on YOB's forthcoming new release to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

DEVIL YOU KNOW, the creative union of Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and John Sankey (DEVOLVED), made its live debut last night (Saturday, February 15) at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

DEVIL YOU KNOW will unleash its inaugural effort on Nuclear Blast Entertainment this spring. The highly-anticipated debut, "The Beauty of Destruction", will be made available on both physical and digital formats on April 25 in Europe and April 29 in North America.

"The Beauty Of Destruction" was produced by Logan Mader (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, GOJIRA, DEVILDRIVER, SOULFLY) and mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, SOULFLY). Artwork for the album was created by noted painter and illustrator Travis Smith (OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND).

"When Travis Smith presented us with the initial sketches we were blown away,” commented Jones. “He captured the concept of the album perfectly. It’s hugely different than anything that’s out there and will be immediately recognizable as DEVIL YOU KNOW."

"The Beauty Of Destruction" track listing:

01. A New Beginning02. My Own03. Embracing The Torture04. For The Dead And Broken05. Seven Years Alone06. It's Over07. A Mind Insane08. Crawl From The Dark09. The Killer10. I Am The Nothing11. Shut It Down12. As Bright As The Darkness13. Sacrifice (bonus track - vinyl LP only)

DEVIL YOU KNOW filmed a video for the song "Seven Years Alone" last weekend in Los Angeles.

As previously reported, DEVIL YOU KNOW will support BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on this year's Revolver Golden Gods Tour, which will kick off on April 16 in Portland and wrap up on June 7 in Los Angeles. Also appearing on the bill is DOWN. DEVIL YOU KNOW is also confirmed for the 2014 edition of Australia's Soundwave Festival, set to take place in late February and early March.

"It's the record I've waited my entire life to make," Artusato said about "The Beauty Of Destruction".

"Logan really pushed us and brought the best out of us and now Zeuss is making it sound amazing!"

DEVIL YOU KNOW's touring lineup is completed by guitarist Roy Lev-Ari and BLEEDING THROUGH bassist Ryan Wombacher.

Said Jones said of the band's new additions: "After a period of being so intensely creative writing and recording the album, it's exciting to finally take it out on the road.

"It's great to have the two new guys.

"Roy is a great fit.

"Ryan and I have played tons of shows together in BLEEDING THROUGH and KILLSWITCH and have known each other for years."

DEVIL YOU KNOW was born out of Artusato and Sankey's creative quest to stretch beyond their extreme metal backgrounds. The two had written over a dozen songs before even attempting to lock down a singer. "We were unsure if Howard would be interested," said Sankey." Yet, when KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's former frontman received the material, a creative ideal began to solidify.

Finally connecting in Los Angeles during the last months of 2012, a highly distinctive sound began to become apparent. "It turned from bare-bones musical ideas into something that surpassed any of our expectations," said Jones. "It went from something we thought was going to be a fun, heavy project into something very real." It was during a recording session at the start of 2013 with producer and former MACHINE HEAD and SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader that DEVIL YOU KNOW's ideas began to alchemize into something none of the bands members would ever expect. "It became a departure from what I'm known for," said Artusato. "I wasn't focusing on technical guitar parts (even though I still love that aspect of writing) but simply on writing what felt best for each individual song."

The writing and recording process for DEVIL YOU KNOW's debut album "was surprisingly easy," stated Artusato. "When we get together it just works." The band is also quick to sum up the studio vibe with producer Mader as "intensely creative," said Sankey. "Logan definitely helped us realize and define the DEVIL YOU KNOW sound." Jones agreed: "He went from producer, to unsung member, to friend."

"It's a different style of music for me," said Jones of DEVIL YOU KNOW's unique sound. "It's heavy as anything any of us are known for but I get to do some different things people won't expect. I've been singing almost all my life. Being around good songwriters and musicians in my former bands really helped mold me into who I am now."

Visit the band's Facebook page to hear a demo version of the song "Shut It Down" and get a small taste of what's to come.

SINBREED, the German power metal band featuring BLIND GUARDIAN guitarist Marcus Siepen and drummer Frederik Ehmke, will release its sophomore album, "Shadows", on March 28 in Europe and April 15 in the U.S. via AFM Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Bleed02. Shadows03. Call To Arms04. Reborn05. Leaving The Road06. Far Too Long07. Black Death08. Standing Tall09. London Moon10. Broken Wings

Video footage from the "Shadows" recording sessions can be seen below.

Siepen in 2012 joined SINBREED as a full-time member after previously performing live with the band at a couple of shows, including the ProgPower USA XIII festival in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fan-filmed video footage of SINBREED performing a brand new song, "Reborn", during their ProgPower USA XIII set can be seen below.

SINBREED's debut album, "When Worlds Collide", was released in March 2010 via Ulterium Records. The CD was produced by Flo Laurin, mixed and mastered by Markus Teske (VANDEN PLAS, SYMPHONY X), and it included guest appearances by Joost van den Broek (AFTER FOREVER) and Morten Sandager (MERCENARY) on keyboards, and Thomas Rettke (REDKEY, ex-HEAVEN'S GATE) on vocals. The artwork was created by Felipe Machado Franco (ICED EARTH, AYREON).

SINBREED's brand of power metal is described as a "blistering combination of speed, melodic and aggressive arrangements combined with high and soaring vocals."

SINBREED is:

Herbie Langhans (SEVENTH AVENUE) - VocalsFrederik Ehmke (BLIND GUARDIAN) - DrumsAlexander Schulz - BassFlo Laurin - Guitar, KeyboardsMarcus Siepen (BLIND GUARDIAN) - Guitar

For more information, visit www.sinbreed.com.

Studio footage:

Finnish heavy rockers AMORAL will release their new album, "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows", on March 31 via Graphite Records. It is the band's first release on U.K. label Graphite, having previously been signed to Spinefarm.

In 2011, AMORAL – bored by the limiting genre definitions offered to them to describe the band's sound — started calling their music "classic rock of the 21st Century." Sure, the tongues were firmly on their cheeks, but there definitely were some valid points to the new, self-appointed title. If the likes of PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN, QUEEN and BLACK SABBATH could all venture into many different paths musically under the moniker of classic rock, then AMORAL could simply not settle for any less.

The title has never been more appropriate than on the band's sixth album: "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows". After 2011's "Beneath", with its rave reviews, great fan response and a tour that took the band everywhere from Europe to Japan, with debut shows in the USA and China, AMORAL had a clear vision of what it wanted to do on the next album.

"Very early on in the writing process, we noticed we were leaning towards lengthier, 'proggy-er' songs, in the vein of 'Beneath''s title track. Those type of songs were the ones we enjoyed playing the most on the 'Beneath' tour, and the ones where we felt the band was at its best. So it felt natural to try and focus on these aspects for the next album," says Ben Varon, guitarist and founding member of AMORAL, who also acted as producer on "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows".

"Another defining guideline came to me a bit later, but made perfect sense with the material we were coming up with: this was to be a concept album. Not only were my lyrical ideas already intervening together, but the songs themselves were starting to paint a bigger picture."

In its simplest form, "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows" is about that one big mistake that cannot be undone.

"People like the idea of second chances, but sometimes that's simply not an option. There are points of no return, decisions you can never undo. You can read into the lyrics as a tale of a drug addict, a relationship gone horribly wrong, longing for days past, fear of getting old... the latter two are probably the ones hitting closest to home for me," Varon chuckles.

While Varon was responsible for the lyrics, writing the music was a fruitful collaboration between him and guitarist Masi Hukari, who joined the group just before the recording of "Beneath" in 2010.

"It was great to have Masi there from the very beginning of the writing this time around," Ben says.

"Some of the best moments on the album were written together, feeding off each others ideas. 'Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows' also has our bassist Pexi (Pekka Johansson) chipping in with the writing for the first time, which is really cool."

Another first this time around is a collaboration many years in the works. Ever since singer Ari Koivunen joined AMORAL in 2008, there has been talks of Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH, TAROT) producing the vocals on an AMORAL album. With the idea sabotaged by schedule clashes on the last two albums, Marco was finally available to oversee the vocal sessions for "Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows". Ben and Ari spent a week at Marco's home studio in Kuopio, and the stress-free environment and Hietala's input resulted in some of the best vocal performances heard from Koivunen to date.

"Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows" track listing:

01. On The Other Side Pt. I (7:14)02. No Familiar Faces (4:07)03. Prolong A Stay (7:39)04. Blueprints (4:20)05. If Not Here, Where? (9:15)06. The Storm Arrives (6:25)07. See This Through (6:39)08. On The Other Side Pt. II (9:14)

AMORAL is:

Ari Koivunen (RASKASTA JOULUA) - VocalsBen Varon (GREASE HELMET) - GuitarMasi Hukari - GuitarPekka Johansson - BassJuhana Karlsson (SHEAR) - Drums

"Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows" discussion part 1:

Legendary Anglo-Australian hard rockers AC/DC will enter a studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in May, presumably to begin recording their first new material since 2008's "Black Ice" album. In addition, the band will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year by playing 40 shows around the world.

The news of AC/DC's recording and touring plans was revealed earlier today (Friday, February 14) by the band's lead singer, Brian Johnson, during a surprise phone call he gave to Andy Preston of the 98.7 The Gater radio station in West Palm Beach, Florida (hear audio below).

Asked if AC/DC is planning to do anything this year, Johnson told Preston: "Well, you'll be the first one to know, really, because we've been denying anything, 'cause we weren't sure. One of our boys was pretty ill, so we didn't like to say anything, and we're very private about things like this, so we didn't wanna say anything. And he's a very proud man. But I think we'll be going into the studio in May in Vancouver. Which means, we should be getting ready.

"It's been 40 years of the band's existence, so I think we're gonna try to do 40 gigs, 40 shows, to thank the fans for their undying loyalty. I mean, honestly, our fans are just the best in the world, and we appreciate every one of them. So, like I said, we'll have to go out, even though we're getting a bit long in the tooth. [laughs]"

He added: "You know what?! It's been four years [since we last went out on the road], and I'm really looking forward to it."

During a January 2012 appearance on "The Cowhead Show", the American radio program hosted by Mike "Cowhead" Calta, Johnson revealed that health issues were affecting one of his bandmates, which may have put new album plans temporarily on hold. "One of the boys is a little sick and I can't say anything, but he's getting better," Brian said. "He's doing wonderful. Full recovery fully expected."

AC/DC bassist Cliff Williams told BackstageAxxess.com in a March 2013 interview that guitarists Malcolm and Angus Young were writing songs for the band's next album. But Williams said that at the time that there was still a long way to go, explaining, "[There is] nothing in the works right now [as far as recording]. We're still getting over the last tour, so we're just hanging out and doing stuff. The guys are writing material and when they've got some stuff together, they'll give us a holler." Asked how the band's creative process works, Williams said, "[Angus and Malcolm] get a bunch of ideas together. Some are more together than others — and then we'll all hit the studio or a little rehearsal room and we'll kick it around with a producer. And then we get in a studio and record, and that's kind of how it runs."

"Black Ice" was followed by a nearly two-year world tour.

Malcolm Young told Classic Rock magazine in 2012, "I've been doing some jamming on some song ideas but I do that all the time, as do the rest of the band . . . I think we need a couple of years to recuperate and work on it a bit more."

Regarding AC/DC's plans to tour in support of the upcoming CD, Brian told the Bay Area rock station 107.7 The Bone in a June 2012 interview: "Well, I think it wouldn't be like the last one. That was two years. I mean, that was just nuts. We were just fragged when we finished [that one]. I mean, it took about three weeks to get over it. But it was so much fun, though. For guys our age at the time, to tour the world to sellout audiences everywhere, it gives you a good feeling. And the great thing was to look out into the audiences and have a look at the generations of people… I mean, it was unbelievable… Kids there that were 7-8 [years old], teenagers…"

Johnson also spoke about how AC/DC decides which recording and touring projects to take on, telling 107.7 The Bone: "We're just a bunch of pals from the projects, still. Even though we've done well, we still have the same roots that we stick by that we did when we had nothing, basically. And that's the work ethic. And it has to be right for the boys to do anything. When we're sitting down and [we're talking about], 'Can we do this? We're not gonna be a pale shadow of our former selves?' We'll talk about it and make sure that we've all got it. We're just five pieces of a card, and if one of us is not really [able to perform at 100 percent], the whole thing would just collapse, I think."

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL have released the following statement:

"It is with a heavy heart that we share this news with you today: Our two brothers Cris 'Pizza' Migliore [guitar] and Cristiano 'CriZ' Mozzati [drums] have decided to retire from LACUNA COIL. Both Pizza and CriZ have had big changes impact their lives recently. We know how stressful and difficult it can be to balance both real life and the life of a professional touring musician, and we have nothing but total respect for their decisions to focus on their families and lives at home.

"We have such incredible memories of traveling and exploring the world together with Pizza and CriZ, and we want to wish them both all the best as they begin these exciting new chapters in their lives. We will never forget the important roles they played in this band, or the incredible times we shared together. THANK YOU, PIZZA AND CRIZ! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!"

Says Pizza: "After over 16 years spent with the LACUNA COIL family, I decided to move on and begin a new chapter in my life. This hasn't been an easy decision, as you can imagine, but I felt like I needed to change some things around.

"I'm glad and honored that I've had the chance to be able to embark on such an amazing adventure, with such wonderful people as 'travel companions!' I will never forget my time in LACUNA COIL and I wish my sister and brothers all the best for whatever the future may bring.

"I'm sure you understand! I would also really like to thank every single one of you for showing such amazing love and support for a small band from Milan, Italy, who would've never thought would become what it has during these incredible 16 years. Thank you all and enjoy this last record we did with me and CriZ as part of the lineup — it's some of the best music we've done and I'm sure you'll love it! Keep on rockin'!!"

CriZ states: "As many of you guys and gals know, during this last year lots of very important things happened in my life — something really amazing, and deep enough to make me sit in front of my laptop to write these bittersweet words...

"I'm leaving my 'second family' LACUNA COIL because I need this change in my life... this hasn't been an easy decision at all and I've come to it with pain in my heart, because together we laughed and cried; we fought and gave all our lives to this amazing band. Together we lived the dream for 16 wonderful, intense and unforgettable years. All you guys around the world gave me such positive and sincere vibes and emotions that will stay embedded in my heart for the rest of my life! I want to say thank you Coilers, friends, crew, partners, and people that listen to our music for being such an inspiration for me. To my brothers and sis I'd like to say the following: Never stop to kicking asses, you sure know how to!

"The new record is the best thing we've done together. I have put all my passion and feelings into it and I'm sure you'll love it. I'll never stop playing drums — as we all know, if you were born with rock inside your veins, you'll die with it... and this is what I will do. Take care and stay Coilers!"

LACUNA COIL will release its new studio album, "Broken Crown Halo", in North America on April 1 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded Italy by producer Jay Baumgardner (P.O.D., SEVENDUST, EVANESCENCE, PAPA ROACH) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., BUSH, ZEBRAHEAD). The effort was mastered by Howie Weinberg, whose credits include RAMMSTEIN, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, DEFTONES and SHERYL CROW.

"Broken Crown Halo" is LACUNA COIL's seventh studio effort, and the highly-anticipated follow-up to "Dark Adrenaline", which was released in January 2012 and saw the band tour with acts including MEGADETH, MOTÖRHEAD, VOLBEAT and SEVENDUST after debuting at No. 15 on The Billboard 200 album chart.

"Broken Crown Halo" track listing:

01. Nothing Stands In Our Way02. Zombies 03. Hostage To The Light 04. Victims 05. Die & Rise 06. I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name)07. Cybersleep 08. Infection 09. I Burn In You10. In The End I Feel Alive11. One Cold Day

The song "Nothing Stands In Our Way" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

LACUNA COIL will return to the road to introduce North America to "Broken Crown Halo" as part of the Revolver Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour, which launches February 20 and features LACUNA COIL sharing a stage with SICK PUPPIES, Century Media Records labelmates EYES SET TO KILL and CILVER. The tour launches in Wilmington, North Carolina, and runs through March 20 in Anaheim, California. Visit www.hottestchickstour.com for additional details and VIP packages. "Nothing Stands In Our Way" audio stream:

Napalm Records/Spinning Goblin has announced the signing of the Danish heavy stoner blues band PET THE PREACHER. The group's sophomore album, "The Cave And The Sunlight", will be released at the end of April and will be celebrated with an CD-release show at Desertfest in Berlin, Germany.

Comments PET THE PREACHER vocalist/guitarist Christian Hede Madsen: "We are beyond excited to officially announce our signing to Napalm Records/Spinning Goblin.

"PET THE PREACHER is a band that strives to be something special, and by our collaboration with Napalm Records, we are given the opportunity to prove that we are a force to be reckoned with and that we are not giving up... Ever."

The official video for the new PET THE PREACHER song "Let Your Dragon Fly", taken from "The Cave And The Sunlight", can be seen below.

PET THE PREACHER's 2013 double-EP, "Papa Zen" and "Meet the Creature", and 2012's "The Banjo" full-length debut (save for "Meet The Creature" when it was initially released in 2011), came out on Bilocation Records.

Legendary RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson makes a guest appearance on the track "Once A Warrior", to be included on guitarist, singer and composer John Wesley's (SOUND OF CONTACT, FISH, STEVE ROTHERY) brand new studio album, "Disconnect", due on April 1 via InsideOut Music.

The Blake Cortes-directed video for the "Disconnect" title track can be seen below. John had this to say about the video: "The concept behind the video was to touch upon a sci-fi story I read years ago about a man who was 'overdrawn' at the Memory Bank, a place you could go to when you had to 'disconnect' from a painful memory, but at the risk of losing your mind..." "Disconnect" track listing:

01. Disconnect02. Any Old Saint03. Once A Warrior04. Window05. Gets You Everytime06. Mary Will07. Take What You Need08. How Goes The War09. New Life Old Sweat10. Satellite

Said John: "'Disconnect' is the culmination of all the musical input I have had in the past several years.

"I am a fan of so many different types of music and being able to perform with artists that take huge chances musically, such as Fish, PORCUPINE TREE and Steven Wilson, led me to a new place creatively.

"My focus has been on playing guitar for so long, so the songs on this record really came to life on the guitar.

"I had a great team of musicians to work with and the result is my best work to date.

"With this album, I was able to achieve a more aggressive guitar-oriented sound that is colored by my progressive influences.

"'Disconnect' has many of the same elements of my previous work — lyrical depth, song orientation — but I really feel that I pushed my boundaries musically, with my playing and the song arrangements, more so than in my past work.

"InsideOut is the perfect home for this album." John's last release was "The Lilypad Suite" EP, which came out in 2011. He has since then been playing with the likes of Steven Wilson and SOUND OF CONTACT, as well as keeping busy with session work. "Disconnect" marks his first full-length studio release since 2005's "Shiver".

Swedish/German/American extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY are recording their as-yet-untitled eighth album for a tentative late spring/early summer release via Century Media. The CD is being laid down at a few different studios in Sweden.

"We tracked drums at Fascination Street Studio, and we've been recording guitars and bass in another room," ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott tells Decibel for the magazine's March 2013 issue (see cover below). "We'll do the vocals in a third studio, and the mix and mastering will done by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street."

He adds: "It's all going according to plan; it's been running very smoothly. Vocals and [a] few guitar solos left to do, and the mix, of course."

As was the case with 2011's "Khaos Legions", the ARCH ENEMY members are producing the new album themselves.

"We have a clear vision of what we want to sound like, and we can achieve it without outside producers and input, so this works for us," Amott explains.

Regarding the musical direction of ARCH ENEMY's upcoming CD, Amott tells Decibel: "This album is actually very different from 'Khaos Legions'. All of our albums have had their own vibe, and this one will be its own entity as well. Lyrically, it's a much more personal record, and musically, I feel the songs have more dynamics and depth than ever before. There's certainly very heavy and aggressive metal taking place, but there's also another level of melody that excites me. There's a wide spectrum of variety in the material; they're all unique to me and I'm excited about all of them at this point. A couple of the songs feature real strings, and it'll be interesting how our fans will take to that. I am pretty sure they'll love it!"

ARCH ENEMY's 2012 tour of South America and Mexico was professionally filmed for an upcoming DVD and Blu-ray. German production company Filmefahrer Pictures, known for its work on "2012 - The Movie" and THE VERY END's music video for "A Hole In The Sun", filmed the shows, conducted interviews with the bandmembers and shot backstage footage, fans and other incidentals during the tour.

"Khaos Legions" sold around 6,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 78.

The band in 2012 amicably parted ways with guitarist Christopher Amott and replaced him with American musician Nick Cordle (ARSIS).

Audio samples of 14 of the songs songs that will appear on "Dancing With The Past", the forthcoming album from vocalist/guitarist Kenn Nardi of St. Louis, Missouri-based progressive/melodic thrash metallers ANACRUSIS, can be streamed below.

"I haven't decided whether to release it as ANACRUSIS or just a solo project," Nardi told Heavy Skull in a recent interview. "The music was all written with the intention of being ANACRUSIS, but I am playing everything myself aside from a handful of songs that John [Emery, bass] had already recorded the bass parts on.

"The idea was to track everything against programmed drum parts, so I could begin the process without having to record all of the drums first. Then we would go back and have Mike [Owen, drums] play the drums and replace them that way. We just never got far with them learning their parts and were not getting anything accomplished while I was still writing and tracking new songs. With so much new material, it would take forever with our current schedules to finish it, and I really wasn’t sure if John and Mike were really into doing it at all. Eventually, I just decided to do it all myself. Maybe this isn't the best way, but I did want to finish it and I am very happy with the results. I am also much happier to do what I want without having to get agreement from the other guys. Maybe they didn't like the direction I was headed musically. I don't know, but I am very excited about these new songs and I think this will be a metal album like none that has ever been done (or at least that I've ever heard)."

He added in an online posting: "Eliran Kantor is once again working on the cover art and I am also excited to see what 'face' he will give this album.

"As I said before, there will be be 28 songs, including one instrumental, and will range from mid-tempo 'classic' metal to thrash to doom along with some more mellow stuff, lots and lots of melody and even a brand new version of 'A Little Light' from my CRUEL APRIL project.

"Some of the songs originally reach back as far as 1994, shortly after the breakup of ANACRUSIS, some were written several years ago, some during our 2009-2013 reunion and others in recent weeks, so it will really represent 20 years of musical creativity that I have attempted to pull together into one cohesive collection of songs.

"The running time of the album will be approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. That's just about as much music as can be crammed onto two CDs. It would also be great to do a vinyl version, but I'm afraid it would have to be a box-set just to fit everything in."

According to Sputnik Music, "Dancing With The Past" will feature the following track listing:

Disc one:

01. Unnecessary Evil02. Fragile03. Made04. Armies Of One05. Dead Letters06. Submerged07. Lament In Rust (instrumental)08. [Not yet titled]09. This Killer In My House10. Await The Setting Sun11. Untouchable12. Stabbing Sorrow13. The Dark And The Light14. The Scarlet Letter

Disc two:

01. Spitting Bitter02. Ordinary03. Dancing With The Past04. One World05. Creve Coeur (A Place Called Broken Heart)06. A Little Light07. Blood In The Water08. Dead Men's Bones09. The Telling Skies10. Climbing11. Blinding Lies12. Symbiotic13. Beside Myself14. The Runt

ANACRUSIS in 2010 spent time in the studio recording a "new" album entitled "Hindsight: Suffering Hour & Reason Revisited". The two-CD set featured both ANACRUSIS' debut album, "Suffering Hour", and its second release, "Reason", along with the classic ANACRUSIS demo track "Apocalypse", all fully re-recorded by the original lineup of Nardi, Kevin Heidbreder, John Emery and Mike Owen. The package also featured a 24-page, full-color booklet with lyrics and lots of photos both old and new. The cover art was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, SIGH, MEKONG DELTA, GWAR).

In 2009, Stormspell Records released the CD/DVD compilation, "Annihilation Complete: The Early Years Anthology", which featured ANACRUSIS' demo and video footage of Nardi's pre-ANACRUSIS band, HEAVEN'S FLAME.

Audio samples part one:

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA will release their sixth album, "The Quantum Enigma", on May 5 in Europe and May 13 in North America via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to "Requiem For The Indifferent" was produced by Joost Van Den Broek (the former AFTER FOREVER and AYREON keyboard player who has previously worked with REVAMP and STREAM OF PASSION).

The cover artwork for "The Quantum Enigma" can be seen below.

Says EPICA guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen: "[I] have been listening to our new album and I can't get enough of it! It sounds more modern but with all typical EPICA elements inside. Refreshing might be the right word. This album has also been the result of a real group effort.

"It was great to see everyone being so motivated to create our best album!

"Even though the sound is more heavy (the guitars, bass and drums sound so brutal!!!), it's still a very catchy album as well. Some old influences from our earliest work, some references to 'Design Your Universe' and some new elements.

"[I] can't wait 'till the moment you'll be able to listen to our newborn which makes us all very proud!"

EPICA will return to the stage on April 30 for a CD-release performance at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

After taking a break from the road due the pregnancy of lead singer Simone Simons, the release of a new concert DVD, "Retrospect", as well as the writing and recording of the band's upcoming album, the sextet will put on a memorable concert, with plans to perform both old and new songs.

EPICA celebrated its 10th anniversary with a one-night-only event, dubbed "Retrospect", on March 23, 2013 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The band was accompanied by the seventy-piece Reményi Ede Chamber Orchestra and the Miskolc National Theatre Choir, playing an unforgettable three-hour best-of set. On November 8, 2013, Nuclear Blast released "Retrospect" as a deluxe hardcover book with 48 pages, both as a 2DVD/3CD and 2Blu-ray/3CD version.

"Retrospect" features this massive performance in its entirety, as well as exclusive interviews with all band members and behind-the-scenes footage from the show.

AndrewHaug.com has uploaded video footage of CARCASS' February 7 performance at lifelong horror enthusiast and METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett's first annual horror convention, dubbed Kirk Von Hammett's Fear FestEviL, at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California. Check it out below.

CARCASS' new album, "Surgical Steel", sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 41 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on September 16, 2013 in the U.K., September 13, 2013 in the rest of Europe and September 17, 2013 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. The effort was produced by Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) and mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ACCEPT, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY).

Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in CARCASS' current incarnation are new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON).

Decibel magazine's third cross-country domination — set to take place this spring — will feature CARCASS alongside melodeath powerhouse THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, technical death metal heroes GORGUTS and emerging death/thrash squad NOISEM.