Finnish melodeath act ILIAC THORNS will release their debut full-length album, It, on May 20th in Finland and June 26th in the rest of the world via Inverse Records. The album contains eight songs of blackened melodeath which “attacks the core of listeners like a ton of black sludge.”


It tracklisting:
‘Decimate Prayer’
‘Brutal Seizure’
‘Euphoria Lost’
‘Kammiovärinä’
‘The Serpents Calling’
‘Enter Parasites’
‘The Shining’
‘Itsetuntosi’

Even thou Iliac Thorns plays melodic metal of death, their music aren’t meant to sound like this faceless mainstream genre, what melodeath has unfortunately become over the years. In guitar riffs you can hear the sound of mid 90’s melodeath mixed to their distinctive "blackish" expression. Also the production, song writing and vocal performances has taken reflections of raw and extreme black metal, as this side is also important to some band members.

Iliac Thorns are:
Antti Tani – drums
Ilkka Lonnqvist – guitar and backgrowls
Jere Harju – bass
Samu Haatainen – guitar and vocals

For more info visit Facebook.

Spanish thrash metal newcomers TRALLERY have reached an agreement with Xtreem Music for the exclusive worldwide distribution and promotion of their debut album Catalepsy. Coming out from various local acts and previously playing as a METALLICA cover band, Trallery finally decided to start the recordings of their album in summer 2012 and finishing in December of the same year.


Check out the title track ‘Catalepsy’ below:

After some months where the band had to deal with various matters, specially the making of the cover art by renowned artist Andrei Bouzikov (MUNICIPAL WASTE, CANNABIS CORPSE, SKELETON WITCH, DEATHRAISER) and their participation on the Wacken battle of bands of which they were winners of the whole Spanish territory, resulting on the band's inclusion on Wacken 2013, Trallery is ready to release this album and will come out on June 1st.

A press release describes the band: “Trallery plays a stunning brand of classic thrash metal with a fresh sound and varied dynamics resulting with extremely catchy yet both melodic and aggressive tunes with outstanding instrumental and vocal performances that makes this band one of the most hopeful formations on the healthy Spanish thrash metal scene.”

For more info visit Facebook.

Canadian power thrashers SANKTUARY will be unleashing their debut album Something Fierce, on July 2nd via Spread The Metal Records.
Bassist Cole Hume comments: "This journey has been quite the experience and we are incredibly stoked to unleash Something Fierce to the masses. So crack a cold one, strap on some clean undies and grab an umbrella 'cause this shit storm's coming soon to a record store near you."

Spawning from high school friendship and growing into something much more epic, Sanktuary kicked things off with two back-to-back EPs – 2009's self-titled release and 2010's Black Magic Brew – and soon followed that up with a massive move from Whitehorse, Yukon to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After touring the country following their epic relocation and being faced with a major blow in Toronto that saw their van and nearly all their gear get stolen, Sanktuary turned things around with a third EP in 2011, Tundrastruck (a 3 way split with BLACK MOOR and METALLIAN), followed by them signing to Spread the Metal Records, which sent them all the way back to Whitehorse to record Something Fierce.

"Sanktuary was one of the very first bands that I looked at for my label, Spread the Metal Records. They've been with me from the beginning and I believe in them so strongly that I've never let them go. The way that they've matured on this record is nothing short of astonishing." comments Matthew Day of STM.
Something Fierce tracklisting:

'Deadly Prey'
'Heat Lightning'
'Hail The Villain'
'Thrill Of The Kill'
'Screeching For Vengeance'
'Fire In The Sky'
'Beyond The Wall'
'Midnite Mass'

More on Sanktuary at this location.

Danish female-fronted melodic death metal outfit ILLNATH have issued the following update:

"Mona Beck (vocals) is no longer a member of Illnath!! Due to some band related discrepancies, We have decided not to continue to work together!!! We wish Mona all the best in the future."

Illnath released their fourth album, 4 Shades Of Me, in March via Pitch Black Records
More on Illnath at this location.

Indianapolis modern metal band EYES ON FIRE have released a video for their new single, 'In The End', from their forthcoming album, Victimizer.
The video was directed by Adam Shewmaker, and showcases the band's live performance, as well as powerful concept footage focusing on the US Armed Forces.
Eyes On Fire are set to independently release their new 15-song album, Victimizer, on June 1st. The full length album was produced by the band, and recorded at Threshold Studios in their hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Victimizer strikes the perfect balance of ear-catching riffs, blazing solos, rapid-fire rhythms, combined with the soaring dynamic vocal range of Sahar Montalvo. A June 1st album release event at Birdy's in Indianapolis is planned, with a performance at a Helping Hands For Freedom charity event the following night.
More on Eyes On Fire at this location.

Chilean band SILVERJACK recently released their third album, Apostando A Ganador, via Digmetalworld Records in North America. The album contains nine tracks and many guest musicians such as Claudio Cordero and Victor Escobar (ALTO VOLTAJE), Elias Jaramillo (LOS MUERTOS) and Rocardo Tampier (NO HAY TRATO). The artwork (below) was done by Roberto Jaras.

Apostando A Ganador tracklisting:

‘Apostando A Ganador’
'Disparo En Mi Cabeza’
‘Demonio Errante’
‘El Control’
‘Sin Dios Ni Ley’
‘Golden Ritz’
‘Retribucion’
‘El Ultimo Soldado’
‘Corazones Negros’

Check out the new video for the album's title track, below:
The album can be streamed in full at DigitalMetalWorld.com.

ONWARD/GODLESS RISING guitarist TOBY KNAPP has revealed the cover art to his sixth full length solo release Static Warfare marking a 20 year anniversary of the release of his Shrapnel Records debut Guitar Distortion.
The following nine tracks are set to appear on Static Warfare:

'Static Warfare'
'Weaponology'
'The Impossibility of Reason'
'X Class Flare'
'Plasma Spheroid'
'Not If But When'
'Trashed Radiation Shield'
'The Arrival Of Polaris'
'The Doomsday Clock'

Knapp recently stated the following about the release: "When I began writing the album the idea I had in mind was a totally uplifting melodic guitar instrumental album, something an Eric Johnson fan would like. As I finished I realized it's probably, unintentionally, going to be one of darkest and most abrasive "instrumental" albums out there. What I write just naturally comes out dark, the happy shred 'guitar boy' disappeared long ago".
For more details visit TobyKnappMusic.com.

EMI has released a new set of MARILLION singles on four CDs with a 12 page booklet. This is a scaled down and revised version of the 2002 Marillion ? Singles Box Volume 2 ’89?’95 packed with tracks only previously available on the now very rare Singles Box Volume 2 ’89?’95.

The Singles ’89-95’ tracklisting:

Disc 1
‘Hooks In You’ (7” version)
‘After Me’
‘Hooks In You’ (meaty mix)
‘Uninvited Guest’ (7” version)
‘Easter’ (7” version)
‘The Release’
‘Easter’ (12” edit)
‘Uninvited Guest’ (live)
‘Warm Wet Circles’ (live)
‘That Time Of The Night’ (live)
‘Cover My Eyes (Pain And Heaven)’
‘How Can It Hurt’
‘The Party’

Disc 2
‘No One Can’
‘A Collection’
‘Splintering Heart’ (live)
‘Dry Land’ (7” edit)
‘Holloway Girl’ (live)
‘Waiting To Happen’ (live)
‘Easter’ (live)
‘Sugar Mice’ (live)
‘After Me’ (live)
‘The King Of Sunset Town’ (live)
‘Substitute’ (live)
‘Sympathy’
‘Kayleigh’ (live)
‘Dry Land’ (live)
‘Kayleigh’ (live)
‘I Will Walk On Water’ (5” mix)

Disc 3
‘Cover My Eyes (Pain and Heaven)’ (Mike Stone Remix)
‘Sympathy’ (acoustic version)
‘Cover My Eyes (Pain and Heaven)’ (acoustic version)
‘Sugar Mice’ (acoustic version)
‘The Great Escape’ (alternative ending)
‘Made Again’
‘Marouatte Jam’
‘The Hollow Man’
‘Brave’
‘The Great Escape’/’The Last Of You’/’Fallin' from the Moon’ (medley) (orchestral version)
‘Winter Trees’ (instrumental)

Disc 4
‘Alone Again in the Lap of Luxury’ (radio edit)
‘Living With the Big Lie’
‘River’ (instrumental) (live)
‘Bridge’ (live)
‘Living With the Big Lie’ (live)
‘Cover My Eyes (Pain and Heaven)’ (live)
‘Slainte Mhath’ (live)
‘Uninvited Guest’ (live)
‘The Space’ (live)
‘Beautiful’
‘Afraid Of Sunrise’
‘Icon’
‘Live Forever’
‘The Great Escape’ (demo)
‘Hard As Love’ (demo)

Unsung New Jersey-based melodic blackened doom ensemble FORLORN PATH recently unveiled their debut full-length, Man’s Last Portrait. A majestic work of morose wisdom, sonic sanctity and deviant beauty, the self-released Man’s Last Portrait was recorded by guitarist/sound engineer Ivan Chernikov mixed by Rob Torres and Frightbox Studios, and mastered by Jens Bogren and Fascination Street Studios.
Man’s Last Portrait tracklisting:

'The Coming Of Winter'
'Empire Of Decadence'
'Words Only Wind Can Speak'
'Masquerade'
'A Moment Of Silence'
'As Hope Fades'
'Ghosts'
'Man’s Last Portrait'
'What Lies Beyond'
'Relics'

'Empire Of Decadence' is streaming below:

The Forlorn Path story begins in the fall of 2008 in an inconspicuous college house in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Through a mutual desire to create beautifully brutal music, the original lineup — Yuriy Garnaev, Ray Dib, Alex Fiore, and Dave Imbriaco — culled a diverse blend of influences, including death metal, folk, jazz, noise, and black metal. Two years later, the band emerged with their first EP, Being Towards Death. Flaunting a deliberately low-fi production, the EP merged the prime tenets of death metal with dissonant melodies to create an unsettling treatise on the ignorance of man. Fan favorite, 'These Walls Stand No More', was the album’s magnum opus, nearly 10 minutes of heavy, evocative passages and a jazzy conclusion that set Forlorn Path apart from their strictly metal contemporaries.

2012 saw the release of their second EP, Intifada, which centers itself around a journey through a man’s horrific coma dream. Forlorn Path fine-tuned their sound to depict the crushing battle against oppression and inner strife, and began to experiment with denouements that were at once both brutal and melodic. These elements and structures hinted at their progression as a band, which would thrust them back into recording just months after their sophomore release.

By the time recording began again in spring 2012, the band had seen a great deal of change. It now consisted of only two founding members, Garnaev and Imbriaco, who were now joined by guitarist/sound engineer Ivan Chernikov. With Imbriaco taking over lead vocals and Garnaev taking full creative control of the music, a new sound began to take shape.
Clocking in at just over an hour long, the debut full-length Man’s Last Portrait is the culmination of the band’s efforts to date. The album features material new material alongside tunes written over the course of many years, telling stories of loss, longing, and the gradual decay of an ignorant world. Some songs hearken back to the strength of the band’s earlier aggression; others feature strains of darkness and melancholy, ambient keyboards, and acoustic interludes. All told, the latest release combines the best of the old with previously uncharted waters, inviting listeners on a journey that is at once despondent and hopeful, treacherous and alluring.

More on Forlorn Path at this location.

Blackened heavy metal band FAETHOM from Fort Lauderdale, Florida have released a lyric video for their song 'Beware The King' off their debut album, In The Name Of The Father, The Son, And The Unholy.
The video features the song’s lyrics and displays in a very special way the album’s artwork by artist Fernando Saavedra. In The Name Of The Father, The Son, And The Unholy is a concept album and tells the harrowing story of an old hermit named Victor Garcia who is witness to the desecration of an innocent nun named Ophelia by a demon named Ezrahmael, which is what the song 'Beware The King' describes. Victor not only has to deal with the demon’s pressure to bring the demon-child to him at its birth but also the bitter wrath of the cruel Mother Superior Beatriz Cruz. Lucky for Victor he has the aid of Eterna, a ancient witch, who holds all knowledge of the demon Ezrahmael’s past and gives much needed counsel to Victor.
Faethom are currently working on their second concept album that they hope to release by the end of 2013.

For more details visit Faethomweb.com.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem conducted interviews with various hard rock and heavy metal musicians on the "black carpet" at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards, which was held on May 2 at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles, California. Featured artists include members of ANTHRAX, SUICIDE SILENCE, MEGADETH, ROB ZOMBIE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and CHILDREN OF BODOM. You can now watch the footage below.

The sold-out Revolver Golden Gods awards was broadcast live on national television for the first time through AXS TV and broadcast in the United States and key international markets through Xbox LIVE and Revolver's Facebook page. In addition, May 2 was declared Golden Gods Day in the City of Los Angeles, with Councilwoman Jan Perry opening the show with an official proclamation.

Glenn Danzig took the stage at this year's show with fellow MISFITS legend Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein for a very special live MISFITS set. Also performing at the event were METALLICA, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and HALESTORM.

In addition to the not-to-be-missed performance lineup, this year's show featured appearances by some of the biggest names in hard rock and heavy metal. The list included Gene Simmons, Lemmy Kilmister of MOTÖRHEAD, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Philip Anselmo, Jason Newsted, Zakk Wylde, Kerry King of SLAYER, Munky and Brian "Head" Welch of KORN, Taylor Momsen, David Draiman of DISTURBED/DEVICE, David Ellefson and Chris Broderick of MEGADETH, HEAVEN'S BASEMENT, TESTAMENT and IN THIS MOMENT.

FOZZY frontman and WWE pro-wrestling legend Chris Jericho reprised his role as host for the fourth consecutive year. Returning as well was the Black Carpet pre-show special, which was hosted by iconic heavy-metal frontman Sebastian Bach and SiriusXM's Jose Mangin. The special aired on AXS TV, Xbox LIVE and Revolver's Facebook page.

Fans everywhere were given the opportunity to vote to help decide who will take home the awards for Best Guitarist, Best Drummer, Best Vocalist, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Live Band, Best New Talent, Most Metal Athlete, Comeback Of The Year, Paul Gray Best Bassist and Most Dedicated Fans. Voting ended on April 15 with over 3.25 million fans weighing in, and the results were unveiled live during the show.

This year's Golden God Award, which is given to one special honoree a year who embodies the spirit of hard rock and metal, went to Rob Zombie. Performers and hard-rock icons METALLICA received the Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Riff Lord Award , given each year to a legendary guitarist in the field of hard rock and heavy metal, went to none other than BLACK SABBATH axeman Tony Iommi.

Razor & Tie, the North American record label of Finnish "love" metallers HIM, has released the following statement:

"HIM's North American tour (which was due to kick off in Los Angeles on May 3rd at the House Of Blues) has been cancelled due to unforeseen medical circumstances. HIM's lead vocalist Ville Valo has been diagnosed with severe asthma with presumptive pneumonia. Tickets for all dates will be refunded at the point of purchase. HIM will be back later this summer as part of the Rock Allegiance tour."

HIM's new album, "Tears On Tape", was released on April 30 via Razor & Tie in North America and on April 29 through DoubleCross (Cooking Vinyl's specialist rock imprint) in the U.K. and Ireland. The "love metal" act's eighth official album was recorded at Helsinki's Finnvox Studios with longtime producer Hiili Hiilesmaa (APOCALYPTICA, AMORPHIS, MOONSPELL) and was mixed in London, England by Tim Palmer, who previously helmed 2005's "Dark Light" and 2007's "Venus Doom".

In addition to the 13 new tracks, the very exclusive and very limited "fanpack", presented by Metal Hammer magazine and DoubleCross Records features some not-to-be-found-anywhere-else content. Exclusively available from April 29 for four weeks, it comes with a bespoke 132-page magazine edited by frontman Ville Valo himself that plays as the ultimate sleeve notes to the album.

The album's artwork was described by artist Daniel P. Carter as having come about via "a series of strange coincidences involving Lee Dorrian, sacred geometry and the ramblings of a madman."

HIM's current lineup is Ville Valo (vocals), Mikko "Linde" Lindström (guitar), Mikko "Migé" Paananen (bass), Janne "Burton" Puurtinen (keyboards), and Mika "Gas" Karppinen (drums). The band is managed by Seppo Vesterinen at Hinterland, Inc. and represented for U.S. touring by Justin Hirschman/AGI.

Swedish/British modern metallers SONIC SYNDICATE have commenced the songwriting process for the long-awaited follow-up to 2010's "We Rule The Night" for a tentative late 2013/early 2014 release.

A short video update from the band can be seen below.

SONIC SYNDICATE bassist Karin Axelsson gave birth to her first child on October 12, 2012. The baby girl weighed in at 3.02 kilograms and measured 46 centimeters long.

Axelsson is engaged to André Gonzales, guitarist of the Swedish band BY NIGHT.

After an almost year-long hiatus, SONIC SYNDICATE co-headlined the Vekeri Fesztival at the end of June 2012 in Hungary.

"We Rule The Night" was released in Europe on August 27, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was recorded at Bohus Sound studios in Kungälv, Sweden with producer Toby Wright, who has previously worked with KORN, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS, FEAR FACTORY, IN FLAMES, STONE SOUR and OZZY OSBOURNE, among others.

AEROSMITH, BOSTON, EXTREME and GODSMACK are among the artist who will perorm at "Boston Strong: An Evening Of Support And Celebration", a benefit concert to be held at the TD Garden on Thursday, May 30. Net ticket proceeds from the historic concert will benefit The One Fund Boston, set up by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15.

Tickets for the event will go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster for $35 to $285 (including all fees and service charges). In an effort to make sure all net proceeds from ticket sales go directly to The One Fund, all tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster's paperless ticket delivery. Fans must have the credit card used to make the purchase and a valid, government-issued ID to gain entry.

"Live Nation and TD Garden have hosted thousands of concerts over the years, but none with such a sense of purpose as 'Boston Strong: A Concert Of Support And Celebration'," said Don Law, President of Live Nation New England, in a press release. "Boston is a city with strong roots, and homegrown artists reached out to us to see what could be done. We are proud to help solidify this huge concert lineup."

While on the "black carpet" at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods award show presented by Epiphone this past Thursday (May 2) at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California, members of METALLICA spoke about SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who passed away earlier that day at the age of 49.

"Well, it's always difficult when you lose a metal brother, especially one that grew up in your area, grew up in your time zone, [was part of the] same genre, [had the] same goals in life… same everything," METALLICA guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield told Artisan News (see video report below). "And to see someone go too early always sucks. It's not the first time for us, but it's never easy… never easy. And God bless him, and R.I.P. Jeff Hanneman."

Added METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo: "I've gotta say Jeff Hanneman was an amazing human being. He was very low profile; he actually chose to lie low and just write some of the greatest riffs ever. So rest in peace, Jeff. We're gonna miss you tremendously."

Hanneman died at about 11 a.m. on Thursday (May 2) near his Southern California home. He was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure.

Hanneman had been on hiatus from SLAYER since early 2011, when he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease that doctors believed might have been caused by a spider bite. Hanneman almost lost his arm, and was briefly placed in a medically induced coma. After a series of skin grafts, he had been working on his physical rehabilitation. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry.

Following recent live dates in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, METALLICA played a four-song set at Revolver Golden Gods — "Disposable Heroes", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "Rapid Fire" JUDAS PRIEST cover, featuring a guest appearance by PRIEST singer Rob Halford) and "Seek And Destroy" — where the group was also honored as "Golden Gods."

ROB ZOMBIE/ex-MARILYN MANSON guitar virtuoso John 5 was named "Best Guitarist" at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods award show presented by Epiphone this past Thursday (May 2) at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California.

John 5 is one of the most sought-after players and composers of the last decade. His ability to play many styles to perfection on multiple-stringed instruments, from guitar to banjo, has led him to being one of the newest trailblazers in the music industry. He has won the hearts of thousands, and even the legendary Les Paul gave John 5 the ultimate compliment by saying, "Not many people impress me, but tonight you did."

"I'm so honored that I got the best guitarist award for the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards," states John 5. "It really does mean the world to me and thank you to all the fans that have voted."

Best known for his early stint with MARILYN MANSON and mostly his current home of the last nine years with ROB ZOMBIE, John 5 has written with an eclectic group of artists — a list that includes MEAT LOAF, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, David Lee Roth and Rob Halford — and recently penned the first U.K. single, with Kevin Savigar, from Rod Stewart's new album, "Time". Speaking about the collaboration, John 5 said: "Rod is a tremendous artist to work with and it's an absolute honor to co-write this song with him. I hope everyone enjoys it."

Dallas, TX-based hard rock outfit BRAND NEW MACHINE have revealed the cover art and tracklisting for their upcoming new album, The Devil Made Me Do It, which is scheduled for a July 23rd release via Epochal Artist Records/Capital Music Group.

The Devil Made Me Do It was recorded at Validus Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA under the watchful eye of producer/mixer Ryan Greene (ALICE COOPER, CHEAP TRICK).

"The album ended up being everything we set out to create. It's just raw rock 'n' roll riffs with soaring anthem hooks and melodies," said Brand New Machine bassist Wiley Oliver. "Everyone in the band has a diverse background which helped us create a unique sound in a familiar genre. If you are a rock 'n' roll fan at heart you will hear, feel, and identify with this album immediately."

Brand New Machine recently returned from touring overseas supporting GUNS N' ROSES on select dates and will be touring this summer. The band is currently riding high off the success of their current single 'Girls Like You', which has began to heat up local radio request lines around Dallas earlier this year. Brand New Machine's new album takes the band's hard-living lifestyle and mixes it with arena ready rock anthems to create a soundtrack for debauchery. Brand New Machine's explosive live show has earned them countless opening slots for national acts.
The Devil Made Me Do It tracklisting:

'Here I Am'
'Girls Like You'
'Devil Made me Do It'
'Dust The Sky'
'Here And Gone Today'
'Living for Another Day'
'Always On The Run'
'Blackout Overdose'
'Lettin It Roll'
'What Do I Gotta Do'
'Let Me Go'
More on Brand New Machine at this location.

A new version of the HALESTORM song "Here's To Us" featuring guest appearances by a number of well-known hard rock and heavy metal musicians has surfaced online and can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. Joining the band on the song are Slash, SHINEDOWN's Brent Smith, ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy, SIXX: A.M.'s James Michael, THEORY OF A DEADMAN's Tyler Connolly, DISTURBED and DEVICE's David Draiman and IN THIS MOMENT's Maria Brink.

HALESTORM is also offering its fans a chance to record their own shout-outs for the song and they intend on taking some of the best pieces and working them into a "fan edit" of "Here's To Us".

"Do you love your mom? Your awesome boyfriend? Want to tell the graduating class of 2013 how much you love them? We want to hear it!," states the band on its web site. Fans are encouraged to say their first name, where they are from, offer their shout-out and then upload their video for the band to check out. Submissions are being taken through May 8.

For more information, click here.

"Here's To Us" (Guest Version) features guest appearances by:

* Slash (appears courtesy of Dik Hayd Records)
* Brent Smith of SHINEDOWN
* Myles Kennedy of ALTER BRIDGE & THE CONSPIRATORS
* James Michael of SIXX: A.M.
* Tyler Connolly of THEORY OF A DEADMAN
* David Draiman of DISTURBED / DEVICE (appears courtesy of Reprise Records)
* Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT (appears courtesy of Century Media Records)

"Here's To Us", which is featured on HALESTORM's 2012 album "The Strange Case Of….", was previously covered on the hit television show "Glee". The musical comedy show did a cover of the tune on a February 2012 episode.

Agony Defined, the debut LP from Baltimore-based thrash division NOISEM - formerly known as NECROPSY - is set to break loose on June 11th via A389 Recordings.

A press release describes the album: “The riot-inducing whiplash of the album boasts high-octane death/thrash with a filthy and crispy delivery, unloading nine tracks in under twenty-six minutes, every attack surging with massive divebomb guitar solos and punishing beats.”

NPR, National Public Radio, has offered to bring a new Noisem track to the masses, and today the rasping, bludgeoning title and closing track to Agony Defined has been featured as the Viking’s Choice in this week’s All Things Considered podcast.

Check out the track at NPR.

Agony Defined tracklisting:

‘Voices In The Morgue’
‘Birthing The Bestial’
‘Desire And Disgust’
‘Mortuary’
‘Rotten Remains’
‘Severed’
‘Split From The Inside Out’
‘Chronic Dementia’
‘Agony Defined’

A389 will release Noisem’s Agony Defined on CD, LP and digital download on June 11th; fans of AUDIOPAIN, HAVOK, TOXIC HOLOCAUST and the originators/masters of the style will not be disappointed, and all nonbelievers will be extinguished.
Coinciding with the album’s release, Noisem has been confirmed to annihilate the masses of extreme music fans invading their turf for Maryland Deathfest 2013, set to storm the stage opening night, Thursday, May 23rd alongside ABIGAIL, BOLT THROWER, COBALT and more. The band has also been confirmed to take part in the upcoming installment of the Scion Rock Fest in Memphis, Tennessee on June 1st. Additional tour news will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more info on Noisem visit Bandcamp.

Athens, Greece-based melodic power metal band THE SILENT RAGE have announced the addition of new singer Steve Venardo, known from his work with AIRGED L’AMH, DOUBLE SQUARE, VALET PARN while in the past he was also a member of VERDICT, DREAM DEVOID, HEATHENDOM among others.
Founding member/guitarist Nikos Siglidis comments: “I still can’t believe that Steve has joined our ranks. Having known his work, I have always been a huge fan of him. Luckily now he’s a part of The Silent Rage family and all I can say, is that we are truly blessed for having him. Welcome aboard Steve!”

Steve Venardo adds: “I'm more than happy to be part of The Silent Rage family and eager to the formation of some really heavy music for our debut album as well as many live gigs that will surely follow to promote it.”

The band adds: "We have already started working on the band’s new material, which sounds a bit heavier comparing to our previous releases. Two of those songs, 'Between Harmony & Sorrow' and 'Stormwarrior', will be performed live on the 28th of June at Gagarin 205, Athens, Greece where the band will be the opening act to Finnish power metal pioneers STRATOVARIUS, alongside with our friends SECRET ILLUSION."

CARRIER FLUX - an avant garde black metal project fronted by Jeff Phillips of Minneapolis - has signed a three-album contract with Aural Music imprint Code666. Carrier Flux’s third album titled Objection, due for release in June, is an exploratory work that frays the edges of the genre, according to a press release. Fans of dark, atmospheric metal will appreciate the intricate song structures and evocative qualities. the Visionary Artwork has been created by the very talented artist Costin Chioreanu.
A multi-instrumentalist, Jeff Phillips plays guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals and programs drums for Carrier Flux, mixing and mastering the audio in his Minneapolis-based sound studio. Phillips has also been involved with a number of metal and dark ambient projects, including COLD COLOURS, BLOOD OF THE EARTH and VEDISNI.

Kaotoxin Records will release a new single from French U.S.-style Death Metallers DARKALL SLAVES on June 3 (June 4th in the UK). Abysses Of Seclusion, from the revamped, two-vocalist band - featuring past and present members of UNSU, AMPUTATED REPUGNANCE and VISCERAL CARNAGE - began as a pre-production demo (Tsun Tsun Productions) that Kaotoxin decided to release it as a single featuring two tracks (plus an intro) of bulldozer-ing brutal death metal performed in a style that is distinctly American.

Abysses Of Seclusion tracklisting:

‘Intro’
‘Mindless Damnation’
‘Abysses Of Seclusion’

Darkall Slaves is:
Moots - vocals
Markus - vocals
Gaut - guitars
Mupp's- drums
Alex – bass

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In March 2011, Japan was beset by a huge earthquake, a monstrous tsunami and the subsequent meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant. In the autumn of 2011, despite advice to the contrary, AEROSMITH brought their "Back On The Road" tour to Japan, a country with which they'd always had a special relationship. The Japanese fans came out in their droves and AEROSMITH responded with some of the finest gigs of their distinguished career.

"Rock For The Rising Sun" follows the band on that tour combining full-length live tracks with behind-the-scenes footage which is at times touching and emotional and at others humorous and insightful. More than anything else it demonstrates the Japanese fans' love affair with AEROSMITH and their music.

AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler wrote on Facebook about the movie: "Hey, ya'll…How 'bout sum of our new movie!!! 2 start ur day or nite. Can't wait for u to see it."

"Rock For The Rising Sun" was directed by Casey Patrick Tebo, and combines live performance material with behind-the-scenes footage that shows the nation coping with the destruction. The movie is due for release on DVD and Blu-ray in June.

Check out a trailer for the film below.

Denver’s ARCANIUM has announced the addition of new bassist Ryan Dehart.

“It feels great to have a solid lineup that we can depend on, and to bring another person into the writing process for the record we are working on now, which should be released sometime in 2014," says J-Sinn, Arcanium’s lead vocalist.
Dehart, an accomplished tattoo artist and owner of Bombshell Bodyworks in Greeley, CO exclaims: “I can’t wait to see what the future holds, I’ve known a couple of these guys for years and it’s pretty bad ass to join them and represent what they have worked so hard for. I am excited to begin the writing process with them as well and to be a part of the band on a permanent basis.”

The band’s sophomore record Ontogenesis is set for release in stores and digitally on June 18th and Arcanium will appear live on July 20th at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, CO. Arcanium states that they will be touring through the rest of 2013 as much as possible.

For more details visit Arcanium.info.

BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne spoke to Mojo magazine about original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the band's reunion early last year.

The drum tracks on BLACK SABBATH's first LP with Ozzy since 1978, "13", were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk.

Ozzy's touring drummer Tommy Clufetos sat behind the kit for SABBATH's three shows last year — a warm-up gig in Birmingham, England, a headlining spot at the U.K.'s Download festival in June, and a second headlining set at Chicago's Lollapalooza in August — and is currently on the road with the band in Australia.

Regarding Ward's absence from the SABBATH reunion, Ozzy told Mojo: "I guess it's to do with finances or something. But there was also another side to it. When Bill came along, we all had to ask, 'Can he do an hour-and-a-half, two-hour gig? Can he cope?' My suggestion was that we run through a set and see how he got on because he was so out of condition and the drummer is the most demanding job in the whole band. We looked at Bill, and he couldn't remember what the fuck we were doing. But he didn't come clean and say, 'I can't cut this gig, but can we work something out, guys, where I'll come on but with another drummer backing me up?' Or, 'I'll come and play a few songs.' That would have been cool."

He continued: "I get where he's coming from, though. His pride was hurt and I get it. I really do get it. The guy will always be a dear, dear friend and a brother to me, but ... He can't be surprised that he didn't get the gig. ... You know them yellow fucking stick-on memo notes? He had them all over his fucking drums. I was like, 'What the fuck's that for, Bill?' He said, 'I can't remember what I'm doing.' I go, 'How are you gonna remember out of those 500,000 bits of paper stuck all over your kit, which one you're looking at, Bill?' (He said) 'I'll know.' Ah, OK great. I'm not gonna give Bill a hatchet job, but at the same time we haven't got the patience to deal with it."

Ward in May 2012 announced again that he was declining to join his former bandmates for its scheduled 2012 dates, as well as the recording of a new album, due to a contractual dispute.

He also allegedly had his lawyers direct SABBATH to remove him from photos of the band posted at the official BLACK SABBATH web site "so as to not give the public the wrong impression about his involvement in the current BLACK SABBATH lineup," according to a statement issued by the band's publicist.

Bassist Geezer Butler issued a lengthy retort at his own web site, writing that Ward "hadn't told any one of us he was having contractual problems, and frankly those things are worked out between our representatives, and never between the four of us, let alone in public."

Until now, Iommi told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the members of SABBATH stayed friendly even when there were legal or other issues going on. "We've always been talking. We've always been in touch with each other," he said. "There might be a lawsuit in the thing between us, but we still talk to each other like nothing's happened, you know."

Asked if there is any chance of Ward rejoining the band, Iommi said last October, "We'll always have a heart for Bill, but I think it's gone past that now, because it's gone on so long that I don't see that happening at the moment. Maybe at some point we might [play together again]."

SLAYER's estranged drummer Dave Lombardo has commented on the passing of the band's guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died at about 11 a.m. yesterday (Thursday, May 2) near his Southern California home. He was 49. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure.

Said Lombardo via Twitter: "I'm deeply saddened, shocked and speechless. It's difficult for me to write my feelings at this moment. My heart goes out to Kathy Hanneman."

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).

Asked if he will be sitting behind the kit for SLAYER when they return to Europe this summer, Lombardo told Greece's Rock Overdose: "I don't know yet. I hope to be there, but at this point, I don't know if I'm returning or not." He added. "I love my fans so much and they've been so supportive through the years; they've always been there. And their concern and sadness for what happened in Australia is more than I could have ever imagined fans to react. It's unbelievable. I just love my fans and I hope to continue playing for them. This is all I do. This is my life. I don't do anything else. I don't have a snakefarm, I don't have a farm with cows… I'm not like that. Music is my passion and my life, and this is all I do. So for the fans to be this nice and kind and concerned, I just love them."

Hanneman had been on hiatus from SLAYER since early 2011, when he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease that doctors believed might have been caused by a spider bite. Hanneman almost lost his arm, and was briefly placed in a medically induced coma. After a series of skin grafts, he had been working on his physical rehabilitation. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry.

Guitarist Gary Holt of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS has commented on the passing of SLAYER axeman Jeff Hanneman, who died at about 11 a.m. yesterday (Thursday, May 2) near his Southern California home. He was 49. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure.

Holt has spent the last two years filling in for Hanneman who had been on hiatus from SLAYER since early 2011, when he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease that doctors believed might have been caused by a spider bite. Hanneman almost lost his arm, and was briefly placed in a medically induced coma. After a series of skin grafts, he had been working on his physical rehabilitation.

Said Holt: "I'm at a loss for words. The news yesterday of Jeff's passing hit me like a ton of bricks. Totally devastating sadness is all I have right now. 'In shock' are the best words I can come up with to describe how I'm feeling.

"Jeff, it's been an honor, my brother, to TRY my best to honor your songs best I could.

"There is only one Jeff Hanneman. All I ever could HOPE to do was play those songs you wrote with the conviction with which you played and wrote them, 'cause there is only one of you; that mold was broken long ago.

"My old friend, we had some amazing times on the greatest shows and tours I've ever done (VENOM, SLAYER, EXODUS, anyone?), young and hungry thrashers out to lay waste to everything, and had the best time ever while doing it. Exactly why we all started playing in the first place.

"Much love and respect, and my deepest condolences to the Hanneman family and the whole SLAYER family. Gone but NEVER forgotten and always missed. R.I.P."

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King led the crowd in a "moment of noise" followed by a toast in honor of the band's late axeman Jeff Hanneman at the Revolver Golden Gods on Thursday night (May 2) in Los Angeles. Video footage of King's tribute can be seen below.

Hanneman died at about 11 a.m. yesterday (Thursday, May 2) near his Southern California home. He was 49. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure.

Hanneman had been on hiatus from SLAYER since early 2011, when he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease that doctors believed might have been caused by a spider bite. Hanneman almost lost his arm, and was briefly placed in a medically induced coma. After a series of skin grafts, he had been working on his physical rehabilitation. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry.

In a March 1, 2013 interview with MetalObsession.net's Nick Tevelis, King stated about Jeff Hanneman's health status: "I don't have an update. I haven't seen Jeff in forever. He's always been a recluse, and he's even been more of a recluse since he's not going on tour with us. But our manager talks to him from time to time and sees him in L.A. just randomly. But I'm far from L.A., so I'm not in that loop. But I guess he's just getting better. It's just one of those things where he can do anything in life. He could be hanging here having a good time with us. He can probably play 'South Of Heaven', but he's not gonna be playing 'Jihad', you know what I mean?! So it's just a muscle memory kind of thing, I guess, at this point."

Asked whether Jeff had been involved in the songwriting process for the new SLAYER album, Kerry said: "It's just all my stuff for now. But I did that just in case, 'cause I don't know what Jeff's intentions are. So I wanted to have SLAYER covered in case he doesn't come to the party. If he comes to the party, then we've got tons of songs."

Regarding whether contingencies had been made in case Jeff doesn't make it back to SLAYER in the near future, Kerry said: "I think Gary [Holt, EXODUS guitarist who has been filling in for Jeff for the past couple of years] is in for the long haul. I haven't really discussed it with him. But he keeps his schedule free when he knows we're on tour. And I'm pretty sure, if Jeff all of a sudden came back in June, we would probably pay Gary for freeing up his time. I don't wanna treat somebody that's bailed us out for two years badly. But if Gary played with us forever? I'm OK with that. But if Jeff got better and said, 'Hey, man, I'm ready to play,' and he came to rehearsal and showed us he was good enough, that's his show."

Guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn of San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD (pictured below) has comented on the passing of SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died at about 11 a.m. yesterday (Thursday, May 2) near his Southern California home. He was 49. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure.

In the latest installment of his online blog, "The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman... And Other Ramblings - Life Affirming", Flynn wrote: "Still can't believe the Jeff Hanneman from SLAYER is dead. Things like that just don't happen. Thrashers don't die??!! WTF!!??

"I'm not going to sit here and say how him and I were best buds or something; we definitely weren't, I'd barely call us acquaintances, I did 8 tours and over 120 shows with the dude and honestly, I never really got to 'know him.' I was always closer with Kerry [King]. Jeff was super quiet, really kept to himself, would get rowdy when he was drunk, but was a bit aloof, and seemed annoyed at the people partying around him despite the fact that he himself would be getting hammered.

"I can remember some good hangs with him, though. The first was in Basel, Switzerland back in November, 1994 when MACHINE HEAD was main support to SLAYER on the 'Divine Intervention' tour. It was one of those shows were something so random happens, it just never leaves you, in this case, the show was sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes and every kid entering the show got 2 free packs of smokes. I've never seen so much smoke in a venue in my life. I remember walking onstage and yelling at our roadie / everything-guy Mike Scum, 'DUDE, turn off the fuckin' smoke machine,' he said 'YOOOOO, it's not the smoke machine, bro, it's the cigarettes!' It was damn near impossible to breathe onstage.

"After the show, we were hanging backstage and Jeff walked back, we started bitching about the crazy cigarette show, and he invited me back to the dressing room to grab a beer. We sat down and chatted for a while, and then I went all SLAYER-nerd on him and started grilling him on what songs he wrote.

Me: 'Who wrote 'Angel Of Death'?'
Jeff: 'I did'
Me: 'Lyrics too?'
Jeff: 'Yep'
Me: 'Raining Blood'?'
Jeff: 'Me'
Me: 'Dead Skin Mask'?'
Jeff: 'Yep'
Me: 'South Of Heaven'?'
Jeff: 'Me'
Me: 'Black Magic'?'
Jeff: 'You know it'
Me: 'Hell Awaits'?'
Jeff: 'Yep'

"On and on it went, that man wrote both the music and lyrics to a large goddamn portion of my favorite SLAYER songs. He was a huge influence on my songwriting growing up in particular with arrangements and the bold use of key changes. The one thing SLAYER band always had over so many other bands is they were all over the guitar neck when it came to key changes. Leads would be in some of the most random keys ever, but somehow it made it all that much more frantic, and when the chorus kicked back in, BOOM! CRUSHING! Set up perfectly. He was one of the few metal heads I met who never really got into PANTERA, he told me he 'liked some stuff,' but thought they were 'too bluesy at times,' and that he 'liked more evil notes or sad riffs.'

"Another good memory was sharing a tour bus on the August 2001 Korean / Japan / Australia tour, it was all 'fly' dates and hotels, we were sharing crew, tour manager and manager, so we all rode on the bus together to and from the airport to the hotel every day. Sometimes the rides were an hour or two, so you'd just all BS and hang. One time a kid in Australia bum-rushed the bus while we were all sitting in it, hammered after partying one night. He was desperate for autographs and came on the bus screaming (what else?) 'SLAAAAAAAAAYYYYYEEEEERRRR!!!' He then saw me and went all, 'Oh shit, Robb Flynn, mate I fuckin' LOVE MACHINE HEAD, but it's fuckin' SLAAAAAAAYYYYYYYEEEERRRRR.' I looked the fucker right in the eye and slurred, "Oh just FUCK RIGHT OFF!!" Hanneman fell out dying, he laughed for 10 minutes straight, cracked him up, that slightly feminine high-pitched giggle that he always did.

"Dude backed me when Kerry King and I were beefin all that time long ago, he would come up to me at festivals and would talk, just be normal. He even backed me in Decibel magazine when they asked him about the beef, saying 'Robb is a good dude,' and that 'Kerry was like the girlfriend of the band, always beefin' with someone.' I got a good laugh outta that.

"The last memory I'll share is from the American leg of the 'Divine Intervention' tour in March 1995. It was SLAYER band, BIOHAZARD supporting, and MACHINE HEAD opening. We were playing the International Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia. He had been sitting out some of the new songs from 'Divine', which was odd to me. We were hanging out in their dressing room before the show, just him and I, and I mustered up the nerve to ask him what the deal with it was. At first he joked that he just 'didn't feel like learning them, didn't like 'em, Kerry wrote them.' He was chuckling, and then he stopped. He looked down and got serious. He said he'd been having a lot of pain in his wrists, his hands and wrists were going numb all the time, and would go numb during those songs because they were really fast, then he started to cry. It was a startling confession. I offered some awkward feel-good comment, but he just continued to cry, and I decided to sit there in the silence with him for a minute. He gave me a hug, and said 'Whoa!' and laughed, walked out toward the stage, turned back and said, 'Thanks, dude.'

"It was an intense moment, one of those rare, intense moments you have with someone, let alone with someone from another band.

"It made me really respect the dude.

"That's the Jeff I'm gonna remember.

"To Kerry, Tom, Dave, Paul, Rick Sales Mgmt and Jeff's family, my sincere condolences.

"R.I.P brother."

Metal Kaoz recently conducted an interview with former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

Asked if she has been approached to rejoin NIGHTWISH following the departure of singer Anette Olzon last September, Tarja said: "I don't think it will ever happen. I doubt it very seriously — deeply, deeply I doubt it will happen, because so many things changed. I'm in a very good place at the moment. I'm happy, I'm healthy, I am not looking backwards — I'm only heading towards some kind of dreams of mine and living my dreams. So I think it's better this way."

She added: "I completely understand [fans who always ask that question], and I do feel for these people. But life sucks sometimes — it sucks big time — people change also. But, you know… It's difficult."

Turunen, who currently resides in Buenos Aires, Argentina with her husband and manager Marcelo Cabuli, was in NIGHTWISH from 1996 until 2005.

Marcelo Cabuli and his business partners in 2011 demanded nearly 100,000 euros (approximately $135,000) in defamation damages from the parties behind "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006". Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book, which was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later, blames Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

The court ruled that the book — which criticizes Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH a year before the book was published.

Interview (audio):