Two years after their current release "Juggernaut Of Justice", Canadian metal legends ANVIL are back with their latest studio album. "Hope In Hell", an impressive metal recording featuring 13 haunting songs, is for release on May 27 in Europe and May 24 in Germany on SPV/Steamhammer and will be available in four different formats: as a limited-edition digipak including two bonus tracks, as a jewel case CD, double gatefold colored vinyl LP and as a digital download. These are the first cuts featuring ANVIL's new bassist Sal Italiano, who joined the band a year ago.

The song "Mankind Machine" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

"We're really happy with Sal. His style is powerful and amazingly imaginative," says ANVIL guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow, who composed the entire album along with drummer Robb Reiner. "It's a little as if we'd enlisted Steve Harris."

"Hope In Hell" was written and recorded following an 18-month world tour which took ANVIL around the globe. "We hadn't expected this kind of extensive tour when we brought out 'Juggernaut Of Justice'," Kudlow confesses. "Time just flew by. I could hardly believe it when I found myself in the studio again after the tour, ready to work on the next album. The reactions to 'Juggernaut Of Justice' and the shows had been so positive that we had plenty of ideas and inspiration for new material."

Kudlow is referring to typical ANVIL tracks such as "Hope In Hell", which the ANVIL guitarist considers a logical continuation of legendary numbers like "Forged In Fire", "Metal On Metal" and "Plenty Of Power". He also mentions "Eat Your Words", according to Kudlow a "hybrid between 'Jackhammer' and '666', in other words pure ANVIL, like in our early days." Pretty much the same applies to haunting new tracks like "The Fight Is Never Won" and "Call Of Duty", which present ANVIL true to form. But there are also a number of real surprises on "Hope In Hell": "A song like 'Badass Rock'n'Roll' with its rock'n'roll groove surprised even me," Kudlow admits. "It shows our great respect for bands like AC/DC and MOTÖRHEAD. I'm sure that all ANVIL fans will love this song because it's the best we've done in this direction." "Mankind Machine" sees Kudlow & Co. break new ground: never before has this band sounded so mechanical (like the title suggests). And never before has it sounded as oriented to the classic rock feel of the seventies as in "Time Shows No Mercy".

So ANVIL are proud to present the kind of album that ANVIL fans will love: no concessions to short-lived trends, no modern frills but traditional metal with lots of classic rock music elements.

"What we do is totally timeless," says ANVIL's frontman. "We've never tried to change our sound or experiment with trends and fashions. We live in our own world and have maintained our individuality and own identity."

Like "Juggernaut Of Justice", "Hope In Hell" was produced by Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, AIRBOURNE, ALICE COOPER) at the NRG Recording studios in North Hollywood, California and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, SEPULTURA).

"The album's flair reminds me of the beginnings of classic heavy metal in the most positive sense of the term," says Kudlow. "I grew up in the Seventies, and I still like what I listened to back then.

"You can always rely on ANVIL. We don't write our music for the radio and we don't want to break any records. Some media criticize our uncompromising attitude, but we're proud of never having betrayed our ideals and having remained faithful to our roots.

"We're really proud and already love the new album just as much as our early releases from the beginning of the Eighties, because 'Hope In Hell' sounds like ANVIL live on stage: natural, honest, unvarnished, never over-produced and straight from the heart."

"Hope In Hell" track listing:

01. Hope In Hell
02. Eat Your Words
03. Through With You
04. The Fight Is Never Won
05. Pay The Toll
06. Flying
07. Call Of Duty
08. Badass Rock N Roll
09. Time Shows No Mercy
10. Mankind Machine
11. Shut The Fuck Up
12. Hard Wired (bonus track)
13. Fire At Will (bonus track)

"Mankind Machine" audio stream:

The official cause of SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman's death has been revealed to be alcohol-related cirrhosis. While he had his health struggles over the years, including the recent necrotizing fasciitis infection that devastated his well-being, Jeff and those close to him were not aware of the true extent of his liver condition until the last days of his life. Contrary to some reports, Jeff was not on a transplant list at the time of his passing, or at any time prior to that. In fact, by all accounts, it appeared that he had been improving — he was excited and looking forward to working on a new record

While the details are being worked out now, SLAYER wants its fans to know that there will be a celebration of Jeff Hanneman's life sometime later this month, along with Jeff's family and friends, the public will be invited to attend. SLAYER members Kerry King (guitar) and Tom Araya (bass, vocals) are trying to deal with the loss of their brother by remembering some the good times they shared.

Kerry: "I had so many great times with Jeff... In the early days when we were out on the road, he and I were the night owls, we would stay up all night on the bus, just hanging out, talking, watching movies... World War II movies, horror movies, we watched 'Full Metal Jacket' so many times, we could practically recite all of the dialogue."

Tom: "When we first formed SLAYER, we used to rehearse all the time, religiously, 24/7. Jeff and I spent a lot of time hanging out together, he lived in my father's garage which was also our rehearsal space. When he got his own apartment, he had an 8-track and I would go there to record songs I'd written, not SLAYER songs, other stuff I'd written. At a certain point, you still have the band but you start your own lives outside of the band, so that 24/7 falls to the side, you don't spend as much time together as you once did. I miss those early days."

Kerry: "He was a gigantic World War II buff. His father served in that war, so when SLAYER played Russia for the first time — I think it was 1998 — Jeff and I went to one of Moscow's military museums. I'll never forget him walking around that place, looking at all of the tanks, weapons and other exhibits. He was like a kid on Christmas morning. But that was Jeff's thing, he knew so much about WW II history, he could have taught it in school."

Tom: "We were in New York recording 'South Of Heaven'. Jeff and I were at the hotel and we had to get to the studio — I think it was called Chung King, a real rundown place. So we left the hotel and decided to walk, but then it started raining. We walked maybe five blocks, and it was raining so hard, we were totally soaked, so we decided to get a cab. Here we are, two dudes with long hair and leather jackets, absolutely soaked, thumbing to the studio. No one would stop. We had to walk the entire way."

Tom: "Jeff was a lifeline of SLAYER, he wrote so many of the songs that the band will always be known for. He had a good heart, he was a good guy."

Photo credit: Andrew Stuart

U.K. doom metal veterans MY DYING BRIDE will release a new EP, "The Manuscript", on May 13 via Peaceville Records on CD and vinyl.

The EP's title track is now available for streaming using the SoundCloud widget below (courtesy of Terrorizer magazine).

"The Manuscript" contains four new and exclusive songs; a dark voyage spanning over 27 minutes of supreme doom in the unmistakable MY DYING BRIDE style of heaviness mixed with dark tales of foreboding. It was recorded and mixed at Futureworks Studios in Manchester, U.K. with the band's long-time producer, Rob "Mags" Magoolagan.

Comments the band: "'The Manuscript' features four monstrous tracks of brilliantly crafted metal that only MY DYING BRIDE can do, with swathes of doom laden melancholy, harmonic beauty and thundering death metal all combined in their trademark sound. Four tales of tragedy, loss and bitter vengeance greet the listener with an added assault on the emotions too, leaving the soul grey and limp. There is beauty here, but it's carrying a dark blade."

In a recent interview with Metal Forces, MY DYING BRIDE vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe stated about the songs that will appear on "The Manuscript": "They're very similar to 'A Map Of All Our Failures', because they were written and recorded at the same time, except for one song. That really stands out… [laughs] It's full-on sort of epic death metal; it's swords and axes, a proper warrior battle kind of track that's almost medieval in flavor. You can almost picture the scene; it's set in a snowy kind of mountainous landscape. There are sound effects and all sorts of mayhem going on in it, and death metal vocals not quite all the way through it, but near enough. It even has a Swedish title which because my Swedish isn't great, I'm not gonna repeat here. [laughs] I need to get the pronunciation right before I do that."

MY DYING BRIDE's latest album, "A Map Of All Our Failures", was released on October 15, 2012 in Europe and October 16, 2012 in the U.S. via Peaceville Records on CD, double vinyl and special-edition CD+DVD.

The official lyric video for the song "Shoulder Gorilla" from NK — the new Long Island, New York-based band that featuring members of ENVY ON THE COAST and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN — can be seen below. The track comes off the group's debut album, "Nothing To Be Gained Here", which will be released on May 21 via Triple Crown Records. According to a press release, the LP "takes the listener through the multiple personalities of the band, creating a powerful trip for the listener. The album's peaks and valleys are strung together by the monstrous and soulful rhythm section, comprised of Michael Sadis on bass and Billy Rymer (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) on drums, as well as Ryan Hunter's (ENVY ON THE COAST) visceral and uninhibited lyrics and vocal style. On 'Confessional', 'Shoulder Gorilla', 'Kings' and 'Set a Fire', the band shows their affinity for heavy music, with Rymer giving the listener a bit of his signature drumming style he's become known for, but also embracing a more open, deeper style of playing we haven't heard on his prior work. Abrasive guitars and fuzzed out bass tones match Rymer's style of playing, while Hunter's vocal style is a fusion of rhythmic aggression and a unique approach to melody. On 'Vacation Days' and 'Memo', the band turns down the gain and embraces a warmer, down-tempo, soulful side. With Mike Sapone (BRAND NEW, TAKING BACK SUNDAY, O' BROTHER) and Hunter taking on production duties, 'Nothing To Be Gained Here' is an extremely rhythmic, lyrically dense, and dynamic debut full-length."

Pre-orders for "Nothing To Be Gained Here" have launched on the Triple Crown web site. The LP will also be available in three limited-edition vinyl color ways (orange, blue and clear) starting in mid-June.

NK will play a hometown record-release show on June 15 at Revolution Bar & Music Hall in Amityville, New York with SHONE, A GREAT BIG PILE OF LEAVES and HAPPY BODY SLOW BRAIN.

MONSTERS SCARE YOU, the post-hardcore/electro band from Seattle, Washington, will release its debut album, "Die A Legend", on July 9 via Century Media Records.

Formed in the winter of 2008, MONSTERS SCARE YOU has created an enthusiastic fan base with the combination of pop, metal and electronica. Their sound has been compared to ATTACK ATTACK!, ASKING ALEXANDRIA and ENTER SHIKARI.

In 2010, MONSTERS SCARE YOU went into the studio with engineer/producer Joel "Casey Jones" to record the "Teratophobia" EP. In support of the release, the band embarked on a West Coast tour consisting of 23 shows in 25 days. With increasing crowds and buzz, MONSTERS SCARE YOU was named the #2 unsigned band in Alternative Press magazine.

"Die A Legend" track listing:

01. Legends And Legions
02. Brohemian Rap City
03. Elephant Graveyard
04. Smiling's My Favorite
05. Wolfman's Got Nards
06. Give Me Some Sugar Baby
07. 1080p HD
08. I'm Gonna Sleep Real Good Tonight
09. Shut Up! Our Song Is On!
10. I Wish I Could Quit You
11. Shirts Vs. Skins
12. Suck It
13. The Light That Only Lasted So Long

"C'mon Take On Me", the new video from Swedish sleaze rockers HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, can be seen below. The clip was once again directed by René U Valdes and produced by Greenworks Television.

"C'mon Take On Me" is the title track of HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's new album, which was released in Europe on March 1 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2010's "Split Your Lip" was produced by the bandmembers themselves and mixed by Randy Staub (METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE CULT).

"C'mon Take On Me" was made available as a CD in slipcase, as a digital download, on black vinyl and on strictly limited pink vinyl (only available at the Nuclear Blast mailorder).

Commented HARDCORE SUPERSTAR drummer Magnus "Adde" Andreasson: "We came up with the idea [for the 'C'mon Take On Me' cover] during the recordings of the album. It's just so sexy when a woman jumps into a drum kit — what could be more exciting? We discussed the concept with photographer Micke Johansson, who loved the idea. What we especially like about it is the combination of sex and bruises!"

"C'mon Take On Me" track listing:

01. Cutting The Slack
02. C'mon Take On Me
03. One More Minute
04. Above The Law
05. Are You Gonna Cry Now
06. Stranger Of Mine
07. Won't Take The Blame Pt. 1
08. Won't Take The Blame Pt. 2 (Sect Meeting)
09. Dead Man's Shoes
10. Because Of You
11. Too Much Business
12. Long Time No See

"Trenches", the new video from Grand Rapids, Michigan hard rockers POP EVIL, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new full-length album, "Onyx", which will be released on May 14.

The message of "Trenches" applies to the world of art as well as the world of sports, the military, or anyone struggling with the economic downturn, like POP EVIL's home state of Michigan.

"It's about our battles," vocalist Leigh Kakaty says. "Not focusing on the things we can't control, if we really want to be a band that stands the test of time we have to write the music that connects. We have to dig our way out of the trenches."

"Onyx" track listing:

01. Goodbye My Friend
02. Deal With The Devil
03. Trenches
04. Torn To Pieces
05. Divide
06. Beautiful
07. Silence & Scars ?
08. Sick Sense
09. Fly Away
10. Behind Closed Doors ?
11. Welcome To Reality ?
12. Flawed

During a slump in the music industry, POP EVIL is living proof that you can still make a living following your dreams. "It's a matter of time before rock and roll is in the forefront again and we want to be part of that," Kakaty says.

After three Top 5 songs at rock radio, a fourth in the Top 10, a half million digital singles sold and over 1,000 shows a few short years into their impressive career, POP EVIL's return with "Onyx" is a swaggering, fist­pumping, ball­busting ride through American rock. The grandiose melody of the '70s, the danger of the '80s, the emotion of the '90s and the loudest of modern riffs all have a home in POP EVIL, who fashion a fresh sound that looks to the future through the prism of rock's past.

According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis, who is accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife, pleaded not guilty earlier today (Thursday, May 9) to a felony charge of solicitation of murder and was ordered held on $3 million bail. He faces nine years in state prison if convicted.

At Lambesis' arraignment in Vista Superior Court in Vista, California, Deputy District Attorney Claudia Grasso said that the musician told someone at a gym that he wanted his wife dead. He allegedly met with an undercover agent posing as a hitman, who asked Lambesis if he wanted his wife gone, and Lambesis replied, "Yes, that's what I want." Lambesis then gave the agent an envelope containing $1,000 in cash with detailed instructions — including pictures of his wife, her address and the code to get through a gate and dates when the "hit" could take place; when he had his children, saying that would be his alibi on how to kill his estranged wife.

The prosecutor argued at the arraignment — which was attended by Tim's family, fans, AS I LAY DYING manager and band lawyer — that Lambesis be held on $20 million bail, but his defense attorney countered that the amount was unreasonable.

Defense attorney Anthony Salerno said afterward that he believed his client may have been the victim of a setup. "Law enforcement was fed something by someone who effectively orchestrated the whole thing ... [Tim] did not intend to harm anybody," said the lawyer, who added that someone may have given false information about Lambesis to authorities in order to "save his own skin." "If I had to hang a tag on it, I'd call it a scumbag snitch setup," he said.

A readiness conference has been scheduled for June 10 with a preliminary hearing to follow on July 10.

Photos and video footage of the arraignment from KFMB-TV and NBC 7 can be seen below.

Lambesis' wife Meggan filed for divorce in September, citing "irreconcilable differences." The couple, who had been married for eight years and were separated at the time, had adopted two girls at ages 6 and 8 in 2011 and a 1-year-old boy in 2009, all from Ethiopia.

The relationship suffered a major blow last August when Tim sent an email to his wife saying he no longer loved her and did not want to be with her anymore. He also wrote that he no longer believed in God, the prosecutor said.

Tim Lambesis was taken into custody without incident on Tuesday (May 7) around 2 p.m. at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Oceanside, California, according to San Diego Sheriff's Department.

Authorities began investigating Lambesis, 32, in the case on May 2, when they received information that he allegedly was trying to get someone to kill his wife.

Candlelight Records has set a June 25 North American release date for "Unnatural Selection", the new album from Denver thrashers HAVOK. The ten-song CD was produced by David Sanchez, with mixing handled by Terry Date (PANTERA, OVERKILL, DEFTONES). It features original artwork from Polish illustrator Rafal Wechterowicz (SLAYER, MASTODON) and was mastered by James Murphy (ABORTED, WORLD UNDER BLOOD, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS).

"Give Me Liberty… Or Give Me Death", the first single from "Unnatural Selection", will hit Loud Rock/Metal radio on May 27. The topical song is a furious and urgent anthem that displays the band's classic thrash and old school metal sound. Vocalist/guitarist David Sanchez ignites the fret board and barks the righteous lyrics while drummer Pete Webber punishes his immense kit. The song's towering sound benefits from the unique acoustics of the old theater that was utilized as one of the many recording locations for the album.

"I am super pumped on how the drums came out," chimes Webber. "We recorded the drums in a theater to get a huge sound. It was a challenging experience for me between time constraints and the drum parts having much more feeling in them. I believe the added pressure made for some really awesome stuff. I can't wait to unleash this album to the world."

"Unnatural Selection" is a far more mature collection of songs when compared to "Burn" (2009), and "Time Is Up" (2011). HAVOK has truly hit their mark with a sound that will please fans new and old. Additional album stand outs include album opener "I Am The State", "Chasing The Edge", and the band's rendition of the BLACK SABBATH classic "Children Of The Grave".

HAVOK will premiere material from "Unnatural Selection" tonight when they take the stage for the start of their European tour with SUFFOCATION and CEPHALIC CARNAGE. The 28-city tour begins in Geneve, Switzerland and will conclude in Munich, Germany on June 8. Before departing for Europe, the band performed at a Denver benefit. Sanchez comments, "We were honored to be part of HaneyStock. The show was a benefit for Chris Haney, who was a bartender at the Gothic Theatre in our hometown who was senselessly murdered trying to break up a fight. All proceeds from the show are going to his young daughter. It was a great event that celebrated the life of an outstanding individual."

"Unnatural Selection" track listing:

01. I Am The State
02. Give Me Liberty… Or Give Me Death
03. It Is True
04. Under the Gun
05. Waste of Life
06. Untitled
07. Chasing the Edge
08. Worse Than War
09. Children of the Grave
10. Unnatural Selection

HAVOK has planned three special record-release performances. A copy of "Unnatural Selection" will be included with ticket purchase to these area performances. HAVOK is planning a full North American tour for early summer. Details will be announced shortly.

June 21 - Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO
June 22 - Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO
June 23 - Aggie Theater, Ft. Collins, CO

HAVOK is guitarist/vocalist Dave Sanchez, bassist Mike Leon, guitarist Reece Scruggs, and drummer Pete Webber.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe has collaborated with members of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY on a song that will be released as part of a project called TEENAGE TIME KILLER (named after a song by the British anarcho-punk/deathrock band RUDIMENTARY PENI).

Commented Blythe: "[CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's] record 'Animosity' is a HUGE influence on me. In fact, the vocals on that record by [C.O.C. drummer Reed Mullin and bassist/vocalist Mike Dean] were the first screaming type music I tried to sing along to, EVER.

"Reed had a track he wanted me to write lyrics for and sing on, so I did (title is 'Hung Out To Dry'). It's old-school C.O.C.-style thrash punk and I killed it on the mic — SO FAST!

"It was a huge honor for me to work on this. It will eventually come out as a project called TEENAGE TIME KILLER (named after a RUDIMENTARY PENI song) with a bunch of cool vocalists.

"The instruments were recorded at Dave Grohl's studio (watch his documentary, 'Sound City' — track was recorded on THAT board). Grohl will add a couple of guitar tracks to the tune too. So good!"

Blythe was found not guilty of manslaughter on March 5 by a panel of Czech judges in the concert death of one of LAMB OF GOD's fans.

Blythe was facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a May 2010 incident in which a fan, Daniel Nosek, who attended a LAMB OF GOD performance in Prague, died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage.

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson (pictured below) has paid tribute to SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who passed away on May 2 from liver failure at the age of 49.

In a statement to LA Weekly, Ellefson said: "Jeff was a low-key public figure, but behind the scenes he was the engine that drove the machine of SLAYER's music. His riffs, lyrics and fascinations with dark topics were so extreme that they were taboo even within metal music! But, because he dared to go there, he and the band became legend to fans everywhere. Behind all the bravado of SLAYER's image and music, I knew Jeff as a kind and jovial man who always shared a laugh whenever we saw each other on tour together. He always struck me as someone who had his act together off the stage and as a result we would talk our personal and family lives away from music. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, his words had impact."

Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.

It is not clear whether the cause of his death was linked to his struggle with the flesh-eating infection.

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian (pictured below) has paid tribute to SLAYER axeman Jeff Hanneman, who passed away on May 2 from liver failure at the age of 49.

In a statement to LA Weekly, Ian said: "There was a real dichotomy knowing Jeff. On one hand, he was a really great guy — easy-going, very kick-back and chill, friendly, loved to laugh — and on the other hand, he wrote some of the darkest, most brutal lyrics and riffs in the history of metal. If he had only ever written 'Angel Of Death', that alone would be enough to claim the throne of evil, let alone the catalogue of work he created. He was a singular talent and a fun person to be around. I'll miss him."

Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.

It is not clear whether the cause of his death was linked to his struggle with the flesh-eating infection.

Video footage of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based singer/songwriter Sarah Kane (web site) performing a piano-based cover version of CANNIBAL CORPSE's death metal song "Carnivorous Swarm" can be seen below. The clip was directed by Brad Podray (web site) and was filmed at the Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia.

Kane is a full-time musician in the city of Philadelphia where she sings for EBE entertainment agency and is a regular entertainer and piano player at Jolly's piano bar in center city Philadelphia. She is also a professional makeup artist and fine artist, specializing in portraiture. Sarah's greatest musical influences spring from the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Billy Joel, STEELY DAN, Sheryl Crow, James Brown, Carol King and Bonnie Raitt.

Kane is currently working on her first album, "Evoke", with producer Tony Moore of TMmuzix.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach is currently in the studio"creating magic" with bassist Duff McKagan (DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) and producer Bob Marlette (BLACK SABBATH, ALICE COOPER), who helmed Bach's last solo album, 2011's "Kicking & Screaming". A short video clip of the sessions can be seen below.

Bach's next solo CD, which is tentatively due in late 2013/early 2014 via Frontiers Records, is expected to feature additional contributions from Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Los Angeles-based guitarist Jeff George, who previously played with ASKING ALEXANDRIA's lead vocalist Danny Worsnop.

Bach's brand new CD/DVD package, "ABachalypse Now", was released in North America on March 26 via Frontiers Records. The "ABachalypse Now" Ultimate CD/DVD Edition includes never-before-seen footage from last year's Graspop Metal Meeting festival in Dessel, Belgium, the full never-before-seen Hellfest set from France and the fully-remixed and remastered Nokia show from Los Angeles (originally broadcast on AXS TV), as well as bonus music videos. The DVD contains a running time of nearly 160 minutes. "ABachalypse Now" was made available in two configurations: the Ultimate CD/DVD Edition (2 CDs + DVD) and a standalone DVD.

"Kicking & Screaming" sold 6,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart. The singer's previous CD, "Angel Down", opened with 6,400 units back in November 2007 to debut at No. 190.

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet and political activist Serj Tankian will independently release two albums this summer through his own Serjical Strike Records.

"Orca", Tankian's first true symphony, will be made available on June 25 and the collaborative jazz-infused album "Jazz-iz Christ" will arrive on July 23.

Recorded in Linz, Austria in October of 2012, "Orca" was composed and demoed in Tankian's home studio and fully realized after a successful Kickstarter campaign that helped fund a recording and debut performance at the regal Brucknerhaus with the Das Karussell Ensemble. With conductor Werner Steinmetz at the helm, the four acts of "Orca" mix influences from early 20th-century composers with modern film compositional dynamics showing influences ranging from Ennio Morricone to Philip Glass. Listeners are met with a mingling of sounds and intertwining pieces that are both serene and bombastic at the same time, offering a fresh interpretation to the classical art.

According to Tankian, "Orca is known as the killer whale, but is really a dark dolphin, a symbolism for human dichotomy."

A two-minute clip directed and edited by Aaron Faulls and containing beautiful underwater sea life footage edited seamlessly to the first portion of Serj Tankian's "Orca Symphony Act I - Victorious Orcinus" (studio version) can be seen below.

"Jazz-iz Christ" is Serj's brainchild, but truly is a collaborative effort between many musicians that Tankian curated to be part of the group and self-titled album. Among others, there are considerable contributions from renowned pianist Tigran Hamasyan, flautist Valeri Tolstov, and trumpet player Tom Duprey. Additional performances from Stewart Copeland and actor/musician Davis Alpay and Vincent Pedulla make for a very unique collaboration. The 15 tracks that comprise "Jazz-iz Christ", a mostly instrumental effort except for four songs, are an amalgam of progressive jazz, electronic, ethnic and even rock elements, displaying a unique presentation of the genre itself.

Both albums will be available worldwide on iTunes, Amazon and other popular digital distributors and will be available for sale in various limited deluxe physical formats through Tankian's official website and the web site for Serjical Strike Records. Pre-orders for the deluxe limited editions of "Orca", which includes a 180 gram picture disc, merchandise, and a signed version of the actual score, will begin on May 1, while pre-orders for "Jazz-iz Christ" will commence on May 15. Audio samples from both releases are available for preview on Serj's official web site.

Upon completion of SYSTEM OF A DOWN's summer touring in August, Tankian will hang back in Europe until the commencement of his own solo orchestral tour dates that begin on September 19 in Kiev, Ukraine. The concert program will include all four acts of "Orca", but will also incorporate performances of many songs from "Elect The Dead Symphony", which achieved critical and commercial success upon its initial release and tour in 2010.

The first photographic look at METALLICA's upcoming 3D feature film, "Metallica Through The Never", can be found at the Entertainment Weekly web site.

"Metallica Through The Never" will now come out on September 27 and not August 9 as originally announced. The film will be digitally remastered into IMAX 3D and play for one week exclusively in IMAX theaters in North America before expanding into additional theaters on October 4. The film stars the band, thousands of its fans and acclaimed young actor Dane DeHaan in a story that follows a member of METALLICA's road crew — played by DeHaan — who is sent on a mission during the band's concert that turns his life upside down.

Drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement, "IMAX! It doesn't get bigger or cooler than that! For four guys in a rock band of average height, to get a chance to unleash their 3D film on IMAX screens the size of buildings across the country is a mind-blowing thought . . . this should amount to an unprecedented, unique and truly next level experience."

Ulrich told The Pulse Of Radio that making a feature film was possibly the most challenging project METALLICA had ever undertaken. "There are just so many people involved, and it's just a little unusual for us to have this many people involved, and everybody's got an opinion, and there's just a lot of pieces to this kind of puzzle, and it can sometimes get a little overwhelming or bewildering," he said. "But I think we have a movie on our hands that's gonna be really cool, and it's gonna blow people away, and it certainly is unique, that I can tell you."

Dane DeHaan's acting credits include "Chronicle", "The Place Beyond The Pines" and 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2".

Speaking to Collider.com, DeHaan stated about "Metallica Through The Never": "It's, in a way, like a 3D concert movie but there's also this narrative that ties together all the footage. It's gonna be, first of all, really rock and roll and really 'METALLICA,' for lack of a better word; they don't hold back at all. But during the concert, I basically go on this trip as a roadie for the band and I pretty much literally have to go through hell and back to take it back to them, and all of this is going on during the concert, so it all ties together really kind of beautifully and uniquely. It's unlike anything that I've ever seen before; it's almost like a concert movie meets 'The Wall' meets METALLICA."

"Metallica Through The Never" is directed by Nimród Antal, who also directed "Vacancy" and "Predators".

Next up for METALLICA is the second edition of its annual Orion Music + More festival, which is scheduled to take place on June 8-9 in Detroit.

The concert sequences for METALLICA's movie were shot last August at two shows in Vancouver, Canada.

SLAYER's estranged drummer Dave Lombardo has paid tribute to the band's guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who passed away on Thursday (May 2) from liver failure at the age of 49.

Said Lombardo: "This picture [see below] was taken at the Troubadour in Hollywood around 1982.

"Jeff was the guy that shaved his head and shared the music he was so inspired by. I enjoyed DEAD KENNEDYS, CIRCLE JERKS, BLACK FLAG and THE GERMS with him.

"My drumming was getting faster and Jeff was writing original songs with a punk attitude.

"The fusion of heavy metal and punk took over SLAYER's early mediocre style, hence a new force was born.

"Thank you, Jeff, for your inspiring discovery of punk rock that has continued to shape my personal drumming style."

Lombardo sat out SLAYER's recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).

Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.

It is not clear whether the cause of his death was linked to his struggle with the flesh-eating infection.

Hanneman recalled in a 2011 interview with Classic Rock magazine that he initially didn't even feel the spider bite, adding, "But an hour later, I knew that I was ill. I could see the flesh corrupting. The arm was real hot. I got to the emergency room, and thank god the nurse knew straight away what it was . . . At that point, I was an hour away from death."

SLAYER was founded in 1981 in Los Angeles and went on to become one of most popular bands of the speed/thrash metal movement, eventually being considered one of the "Big Four" alongside METALLICA, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.

While never a band that got any substantial radio airplay, the group has long been considered a major influence on the metal genre and acclaimed as one of the best live metal acts of the past 30 years.

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King received a huge ovation from the crowd at the Revolver Golden Gods awards show on May 2 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, where he said that Hanneman would have wanted "noise" rather than a moment of silence and then drank two shots in his bandmate's honor.

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya have released the following statement to their European fans:

"We know that our fans everywhere are hurting for the loss of Jeff [Hanneman, SLAYER guitarist] just as we are.

"We want to let you all know that when we come to Europe this summer in June, July and August, we'll ALL be making noise together for our brother and dear friend, Jeff... We'll see you then!"

Hanneman passed away on May 2 from liver failure at the age of 49.

Hanneman had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.

It is not clear whether the cause of his death was linked to his struggle with the flesh-eating infection.

SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo sat out the band's recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).

Gearing up to get weird with WEDNESDAY 13 on the "Too Fast For Blood Tour", Los Angeles-based goth-metallers VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! have just premiered a haunting new video featuring an acoustic version of the single "Unholy Eyes". The track is taken from the band's sophomore album, "Hellbound And Heartless", which sold around 2,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 10 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Hellbound And Heartless" was released on June 19, 2012 via Hollywood Waste Records. According to a press release, the CD "showcases the darker side of VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE!, focusing on message-driven lyrics and deriving musical influence from industrial rock icons such as MARILYN MANSON and ROB ZOMBIE. "

"Hellbound And Heartless" was co-produced by the band and Mike Sarkisyan and Tommy Decker, both members of Grammy-nominated alternative-metal act SPINESHANK. Every song on the album presents a fresh, new morsel of gothic darkness for fans to sink their teeth into.

VAMPIRES EVERYWHERE! last year parted ways with bassist Philip Kross.

MEGADETH's new song "Kingmaker" will make its online debut shortly. The track will be unveiled by one lucky fan who will be chosen to premiere the song on his or her personal Twitter feed.

For more information, go to this location.

"Kingmaker" comes off MEGADETH's new album, "Super Collider", which is scheduled for a June 4 release via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). Horn player Bob Findley — who previously appeared on the track "Silent Scorn" from MEGADETH's 2001 CD, "The World Needs A Hero" — is a featured guest on the song "A House Divided" on the new album. Other tracks set to appear on the effort include the title track, "Forget To Remember", "Dance In The Rain", "The Blackest Crow", "Burn", "Don't Turn Your Back", a snippet of which can be streamed at MegadethGame.com.

In a recent interview with the "Shockwaves"/"HardRadio" podcast, Mustaine stated about "Kingmaker": "[That song] is about the epidemic we're having in our nation right now with hillbilly heroin, with everybody taking pain pills.

"It's no secret that I had surgery on my neck. I think that when I showed up at the 'Big Four' show [at the Yankee stadium in September 2011] with a neck brace on, people kind of figured out that there was something wrong with me. It turns out that I had a broken bone in my neck and a shard of my vertebrae got into my spinal cord and was causing me tremendous pain for a very long time. I had started taking pain pills and became chemically dependent on it.

"With my substance-abuse history, it was really hard for me to go from being an addict and an alcoholic and then getting set free from all that stuff. 'Cause I went to the whole twelve-step thing, which was really beneficial for me, but unfortunately, for me it wasn't an anonymous program; I would go in there and whatever I would say, people would talk about. So it really violated my anonymity. It's also a program that is based on God, but when I would talk about God in there, they would say, 'Ah, G.O.D. stands for Group Of Drunks.' And it's, like, 'No, it doesn't. Can't you spell, you retard? That's why you're in here.' But at the time, it was very influential in my life and very important and I respect it tremendously and I wish anybody who needs a twelve-step program will find one...

"The song 'Kingmaker' is about how people are running from their problems… And there's a lot of that on this particular record — just looking at, like, 'Here's what I've got. What are you gonna do with it?' It's talking a lot about this generation, how people, their lives are falling apart and they just take pills. Instead of sucking up and doing what I did and going and getting the surgery and getting off the medication, they'll continue to just trudge it out until the end of their life where they just take pills until their body is eaten… And the other thing that's part of that song is talking about how when you take these things how they make you feel different. Some people, they get into that 'cause they like the way it makes you feel, 'cause it makes you kind of feel warm and fuzzy. In the song, it talks about wanting to fly and being ten feet tall. Booze does that to some people. And this is just something that, I think, if there is a way that I can help educate a lot of our fans, especially the younger ones that still have their whole life ahead of them, it's not as glamorous as you think it is to go down that path of just checking it out and drugging yourself up and not facing reality…

"Part of what 'Kingmaker' means to me is that I am able to look back now on this whole episode of my life, being a slave to Big Pharma. You have no idea what a pain in the ass it was. In order to travel to go overseas, and I needed the medication with me, to know that if my backpack would have been stolen and my medication would have been gone, that I would have gone into serious withdrawals and been hospitalized and the tour would have been over. That kind of stuff; it's horrifying. And my heart goes out to the people that are stuck in that vicious circle and slavery to narcotics. Granted, you need it if you're in pain, but…"

As previously reported, MEGADETH will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" with host Bob Coburn on Monday, June 17 at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with MEGADETH by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). The show will be streamed on the "Rockline" web site for two weeks beginning the afternoon after the live broadcast.

"Super Collider" is MEGADETH's first release since the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.

Dear Fans and Friends,

good news from Mastersound Studio: The vocal recordings for all songs of our up-coming release "Symphonies of the Night" have just been completed. Moreover, Alex is already busy with the mix of the album. We have taken a great inspirational step since the production of "Meredead", both sound-wise and vocal-wise. It has been such a pleasure evolving in my singing techniques and knowledge and I thank my band members for "giving me an inspirational kick" when I needed to gain momentum behind the microphone. "Symphonies of the Night" is hauntingly dream-like and heavy to the core!

Love,

Liv

Swedish thrashers DARKANE will release their sixth album, "The Sinister Supremacy", on the following dates:

* June 28 in Europe through Massacre Records
* July 2 in North America through Prosthetic Records
* June 19 in Japan through Trooper Entertainment

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Sounds Of Pre-Exsistence
02. The Sinister Supremacy
03. Mechanically Divine
04. Ostracized
05. The Decline
06. Insurrection Is Imminent
07. In The Absence Of Pain
08. Humanity Defined
09. Hate Repentance State
10. Collapse Of Illusions
11. By Darkness Designed
12. Existence Is Just A State Of Mind

Regarding the album's title, the band said: "'The Sinister Supremacy' is a metaphor for the evil that controls us. It's the dark part of our minds and it’s inside us all. It tells us it's OK to do bad things, to hurt other people, and hurt ourselves. It guides us into making choices based on pure selfishness, and it thrives on complete chaos.

"The cover art by Carlos Holmberg is a Rorschach test as seen by an individual who has completely succumbed to the sinister supremacy."

The first photo of the current lineup of DARKANE — featuring returning vocalist Lawrence Mackrory — can be seen below.

Vocalist Jens Broman left DARKANE in August 2011 due to "personal issues." He explained in a statement, "At the moment my life is in a phase where I'm unable to find inspiration for new adventures with DARKANE and therefore it's best for me to pass on the mic."

Mackrory sang on DARKANE's debut album, "Rusted Angel" (1999), and made a guest appearance on the song "Chaos vs. Order" on the band's 2002 effort "Expanding Senses".

"Demonic Art", the fifth album from DARKANE, debuted at No. 104 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Demonic Art" was released in North America in February 2009 via Nuclear Blast Records. The North America version of the CD, which came out in Europe on October 24, 2008 via Massacre Records, contains a bonus track and a bonus DVD.

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH, the band featuring Brooklyn, New York native Sal Abruscato — who played drums on three TYPE O NEGATIVE albums ("Slow, Deep & Hard", "Origin Of The Feces", "Bloody Kisses"), as well as four LIFE OF AGONY releases ("River Runs Red", "Ugly", "River Runs Again", "Broken Valley") — on guitar and vocals, has announced the addition of bassist Dave Bizzigotti (SPEED/KILL\HATE) to the group's ranks.

Commented Abruscato: "A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATHis excited to begin a new chapter with Dave Bizzigotti as A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's new bassist. He is one of us and gets what we are about. We look forward to crushing the fans with our sonic doom."

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's sophomore album, "Lay My Soul To Waste", will be released on May 21 in North America, May 24 in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and May 27 in the rest of Europe via Steamhammer/SPV. The group has once again commissioned famed artist Sam Shearon (a.k.a. Mister-Sam; ROB ZOMBIE, FEAR FACTORY, RAMMSTEIN) to create the artwork for the CD, which was mastered on January 17 by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound in New York City.

According to a press release, "Lay My Soul To Waste" "keeps A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's patented signature formula of slow, deliberate sludge and head-down doom intact and as flawlessly executed as ever. Think ALICE IN CHAINS, only harder, angrier and with a more perverse view of the world, as if they were reared in a row house in Bensonhurst, as opposed to the rainy landscape of Seattle, all the while feasting on a steady diet of BLACK SABBATH records."

Abruscato is open about the fantasy that dominates his lyrical point of view. He admits that all songs "have a line to reality…things that could and do happen every day." But like any skilled storyteller, Abruscato likes pushing buttons. His lyrics are no different than the narratives of the horror movie playing at your local multiplex. It's largely fiction, with some nuggets or kernels of truth embedded within.

Musically, the record matches that pallor and "will hit you in the gut." There are more harmonies this time out, and the piano is a bit more front and center, while guitarist Eddie Heedles contributed some leads. But for the most part, the formula remained largely untouched. "If it's not broken, don't fix it,'" Abruscato said, matter-of-factly. "We wanted to display the advancements, musically and artistically, and retain the core element."

"Lay My Soul To Waste" track listing:

01. Lay My Soul To Waste
02. Shallow Grave
03. The Needle In You
04. In The Sleeping Death
05. Killer By Night
06. Growing Old
07. Dead Of Winter
08. Devil Came With A Smile
09. Day Of The Storm
10. DMSLT
11. Cold Dark Mourning

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's debut album, "And Hell Will Follow Me", came out in 2011.

The band made its live debut on February 20, 2011 at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey as the support act for MONSTER MAGNET and SEVENTH VOID.

For more information, visit www.apalehorsenameddeath.com.

TESLA guitarist Dave Rude delivers the goods with his latest hard rock offering, "The Key". Due on June 4 via Rat Pak Records, this 10-song, riff-laden extravaganza captures the true spirit and essence of American rock and roll music!

Produced by Marc Kapetan, "The Key" showcases both Dave's solid guitar playing skills and unique songwriting ability. Along with bassist Marco Guzman, drummer Josh Schmidt and Dave's signature guitar style, this release offers up a straight-forward mix of hard-rockin' cuts that will satisfy any and all fans of the genre.

"The Key" track listing:

01. The Key
02. Yours To Hold
03. Afterlife
04. On My Own Again (featuring Troy Luckketta)
05. Iron Grip
06. Own The Night
07. Forgive Her
08. One Night, One Day
09. Sledgehammer
10. Charlie Mansion

TESLA's latest album, "Twisted Wires And The Acoustic Sessions", was released in July 2011 via Scarlet Records. The CD featured six songs that were recorded back in 2005 at bassist Brian Wheat's J Street Recorders studio — which also serve as the last recordings with original member Tommy Skeoch — and six newly recorded tracks, including acoustic remakes of songs from TESLA's entire catalog and two brand new songs, "Second Street" and "Better Off Without You".

"Uniformity", the new video from Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY, can be seen below. The clip was filmed on April 13 with Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.

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

"Construct" track listing:

01. For Broken Words
02. The Science Of Noise
03. Uniformity
04. The Silence In Between
05. Apathetic
06. What Only You Know
07. Endtime Hearts
08. State Of Trust
09. Weight Of The End
10. None Becoming
11. Immemorial (U.S. bonus track)
12. Photon Dreams (U.S. bonus track)

Commented the band: "The selected few people that so far have been granted the privilege of hearing the full album are uniformingly convinced that 'Construct' is the strongest and most exciting DARK TRANQUILLITY album in a long time, and who are we to disagree? While still bearing the unmistakable mark of the DARK TRANQUILLITY, the record is probably our most different and diverse offering since 1999's 'Projector'. For now, we're pleased to share the tracklist, trailer and sleeve design with you, but the first musical preview will appear in the near future."

DARK TRANQUILLITY recently amicably parted ways with bassist Daniel Antonsson. According to the band, "Daniel wanted to focus on his own musical projects as well as working more in his recording studio. Being first and foremost a guitarist, he felt that the playing bass in a full-time band didn't allow him much time for his main instrument and true passion. With this in mind, he chose to follow his heart and step aside at this point instead of committing to another album and an intense touring cycle that would leave little room for other activities."

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN recently teamed up with Cheshire family brewers Robinsons to create a new beer, Trooper.

To celebrate the release of Trooper, select Robinsons pubs will have Trooper on draught from the evening of May 9. Locations can be found at this location.

A video clip in which IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson explains the difference between draught Trooper and bottled Trooper can be seen below.

According to The Sun, Robinsons is having to work a six-day week to keep up with demand.

Over 100 countries have applied to stock the band's special cask ale, and Robinsons, is brewing three batches a day for the first time in its 175-year history. Over a 250,000 pints have been pre-sold in the U.K. alone ahead of the May 9 release. Robinsons' David Bremner said: "We haven't spent a single penny on advertising. This is history in the making for brewing."

Real ale fan and history aficionado Bruce Dickinson, MAIDEN's vocalist, played a major role in developing the unique flavour of the beer, entailing ongoing visits to Robinson's brewery in Stockport. Dickinson's on-stage Union Jack flag-waving military character is an iconic element of the band's live concerts and "The Trooper", written by bassist Steve Harris, is one of MAIDEN's most popular songs and one of the highlights of any MAIDEN show.

"They said why don't you do a lager? I said no!" Dickinson told Off Licence News. "We are a quintessentially British band. If you're going to start with something and do it properly, it should be an ale."

When Off Licence News said it thought rock stars were all about mountains of cocaine, orgies and crates of Jack Daniels, Dickinson said: "Fuck off! I am 55. There's no way I could go out and jump around if I was whacked out on hallucinogenics and I wouldn't enjoy that.

"The nice thing about doing it straight is you can enjoy it."

As a discerning beer lover, Dickinson refused to just slap the IRON MAIDEN name on a brew and sit back and count the banknotes.

"An IRON MAIDEN beer is an easy sale to make noise about but the proof is when you drink it," he said.

"It's easy to piggyback on someone else's brew and we turned down many cheap and tawdry offers, people saying that we sell records so we can sell beer."

"Trooper was the blindingly obvious thing to call it," added Dickinson. "We have a tremendous piece of artwork — it's one of the world's most tattooed images. And it's like Spitfire. It's in the great tradition of British military prowess — well military disaster in this case."

Robinsons has been brewing award-winning beers from its Unicorn Brewery in Stockport for 175 years. Best known for its legendary "Old Tom" strong ale, which was voted "World's Best Beer" by the international Beers Of The World publication, it is Robinsons' younger ales (Dizzy Blonde and "Build A Rocket Boys!" beer; produced in partnership with Manchester band ELBOW) that have lately been causing a stir in the beer world and introducing future ale drinking generations to Robinsons.

Fans of both IRON MAIDEN and real ale can sign up to get news and updates on Trooper Premium British Beer from www.ironmaidenbeer.com, where bottles will be available to purchase by both U.K. and overseas customers from May 2013.

Swedish "Viking metal" act MÅNEGARM has set "Legions Of The North" as the title of its new album, due on June 28 via Napalm Records.

Commented guitarist Markus Andé: "'Legions Of The North' is an album full of hard-hitting melodies and ear-catching refrains, all spiced with the special MÅNEGARM flavor and served to you all in the best way. We're very proud to present this new album and we really hope that you will enjoy it. The Wolf is back…prepare for war!!"

"Legions Of The North" track listing:

01. Arise
02. Legions Of The North
03. Eternity Awaits
04. Helvegr
05. Hordes Of Hel
06. Tor Hjälpe
07. Wake The Gods - Bonus Track
08. Vigverk
09. Sons Of War
10. Echoes From The Past
11. Fallen
12. Forged In Fire
13. Raadh

A trailer for the album can be seen below.

Violin player Janne Liljekvist has left MÅNEGARM in June 2012 "due to lack of motivation."

MÅNEGARM's most recent CD, "Nattväsen", was released in November 2009 via Regain Records.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH frontman Ivan Moody is either feeling bored or cranky, because he's just called out glam-rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES. In a couple of posts at his Facebook page, Moody commented on a YouTube video of BLACK VEIL BRIDES by remarking, "I'll say it...YUCK!...Time for people to be 'REAL.' This sux."

BLACK VEIL BRIDES has not responded to Moody's taunt.

The band already handled rejection at last week's Revolver Golden Gods awards, hurling insults at members of the booing audience as they accepted their third straight "Song Of The Year" award, this time for "In The End".

"In The End" is currently No. 14 on the Active Rock radio chart. The song is taken from BLACK VEIL BRIDES' third album, "Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones".

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will release a new double album in two parts this year, with the first half coming out on on July 23 and the second half arriving sometime later this fall.

The band introduced the first single from the new album, called "Lift Me Up," via a live performance at the Golden Gods awards with special guest Rob Halford.

MASTERS OF METAL is the new band formed by current members of AGENT STEEL: Juan Garcia (guitars), Bernie Versailles (guitars and lead vocals), Robert Cardenas (bass and backing vocals), Rigo Amezcua (drums). The Los Angeles-based group had been working on new the material for sometime and recently decided to move forward and complete the recordings with Bernie Versailles taking over the vocal duties. This has been a blessing in disguise as MASTERS OF METAL not only have maintained their dedicated fan base playing successful live shows in recent months to great overwhelming receptions, but the legendary members have gained even more followers in support of their new path.

MASTERS OF METAL has just released its debut EP in North America via iTunes. Physical copies can be obtained through The Omega Order online store. Recorded by Bill Metoyer (FATES WARNING, TROUBLE, GWAR) and mixed by Versailles, the EP contains four blistering songs with everything that you can expect from the members of AGENT STEEL: top-notch overtones, timeless songwriting, and lots of scorching guitars, bottom end, and precision drumming. The track "Lunacy" features guest lead vocals by James Rivera (HELSTAR), and Sean Peck (CAGE, DEATH DEALER).

"Masters Of Metal" will be released in Europe in June via No Remorse Records. The European release will include four additional songs recorded live in the studio.

"Masters Of Metal" CD track listing:

01. Chameleon
02. Evolution Of Being
03. M K Ultra (Mind Kontrol)
04. Lunacy (feat. James Rivera, Sean Peck)
05. Traveler (live in the studio 2013)
06. Bleed For The Godz (live in the studio 2013)
07. Day At Guyana (live in the studio 2013)
08. Still Searching (live in the studio 2013)

A promotional video for the song "Chameleon" can be seen below.

MASTERS OF METAL is:

Bernie Versailles - Lead/Rhytmn Guitar/Lead Vocals
Juan Garcia - Lead/Rhythmn Guitar
Robert Cardenas - Bass/Backing Vocals,
Rigo Amezcua - Drums

Frontiers Records will release WHITESNAKE's "Made In Britain/The World Record" in Europe on July 5 and in North America on July 9. The album will be released in Japan on June 19 via Ward Records.

During 2011, the mighty WHITESNAKE embarked on one of their most successful world tours in recent times, performing 96 shows in more than 35 countries, starting in North America in May until the second U.K. run in December. The request for another live album came from WHITESNAKE's incredibly loyal fans — never ones for being notoriously shy about insisting what they want from their favorite musical reptiles. Before heading out on the "Forevermore World Tour 2011", the decision was made to record every performance on the tour.

After spending the early part of 2012 editing and mixing the WHITESNAKE "Made In Japan" DVD, the production team consisting of The Brutal Brothers (WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale and Doug Aldrich and Mikey Mac), had the task of listening to over 90 shows and 130 hours of WHITESNAKE performances. Inspired by the performances from the nine sold-out U.K. shows and a further 87 performances from around the world, the live albums "Made In Britain" and the accompanying "The World Record" were born. The recent "Forevermore" songs shine as brightly as classic WHITESNAKE songs such as "Is This Love", "Still Of The Night" and "Here I Go Again", all performed with feverish energy, encouraged by remarkably enthusiastic audiences from Newcastle to Sao Paulo.

Asked about the decision to release two separate live albums — "Made In Japan" and "Made In Britain" — several months apart, WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale told Sweden's Metalshrine: "We didn't plan the Japanese project. You know, the Japanese tour was booked and we were invited to headline at Loud Park and I hadn't headlined a Japanese music festival since 1984, so that was a very exciting premise for me. They made a very generous offer and then asked if they could film three songs for a TV special. We said OK and my co-producers, Doug Aldrich and Michael McIntyre, and I, mixed the three songs and obviously watching the video and going crazy. It looked fantastic and we had them send over the rest of the footage and thought, 'This could be a fabulous follow-up to 'Still Of The Night'.' And where we are now, featuring new songs for the first time. The record company we work with, Frontiers, they were absolutely positive in their response, so we added that to the mix.

"What we're doing with the 'Made In Britain' CD, is giving it a different sonic identity. The CD from 'Made In Japan' is a soundtrack and the bonus stuff features behind-the-scenes, soundcheck stuff we recorded in different Japanese venues. Having fun with some our songs, like trying an unplugged version of 'Good To Be Bad' and 'Tell Me How' from the 'Forevermore' album. Stuff that people normally don't get to hear. For the second CD, it's 'WHITESNAKE the world record.' We're taking songs from all over different cities, like Oslo and there might be a Sweden Rock. I'm not sure if we legally can do that. Stuff from Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio. It's two entirely different projects, and for the end of the year, we're hoping to achieve a limited-edition box set for Christmas, called 'Forevermore - The Complete Collection', which will have everything 'Forevermore'-related plus outtakes, alternate mixes, acoustic versions of songs, behind-the-scenes footage. Really cool stuff.

"Made In Britain/The World Record" track listing:

Disc 1 - "Made In Britain"

01. Best Years
02. Give Me All Your Love Tonight
03. Love Ain't No Stranger
04. Is This Love
05. Steal Your Heart Away
06. Forevermore
07. Love Will Set You Free
08. My Evil Ways
09. Fare Thee Well
10. Heart Of The City
11. Fool For Your Loving
12. Here I Go Again
13. Still Of The Night


Disc 2 - "The World Record"

01. Bad Boys
02. Slide It In
03. Lay Down Your Love
04. Pistols At Dawn
05. Snake Dance
06. Can You Hear The Wind Blow
07. Fare Thee Well
08. One Of These Days
09. The Badger
10. The Deeper The Love
11. Soldier Of Fortune
12. Burn / Stormbringer
13. Ain't Gonna Cry No More (Acoustic) *

* Bonus track for Japan