"Resurrect Me", the new album from female vocalist Pamela Moore, who is best known for her performance as Sister Mary on QUEENSRŸCHE's 1988 epic release "Operation: Mindcrime" and 2006's sequel "Operation: Mindcrime II", will be released on May 14 via Rat Pak Records.

"Resurrect Me" is described in a press release as "an album written in timeless fashion that explores a creative landscape missed by the music industry. [It] is a masterpiece in collaborative effort showcasing powerful, yet intimate vocal imagery, paired with monstrous power metal grooves, and uncompromising musicianship. The album explores the compelling, the infectious and the dramatic. It connects with the listener on a personal level from the first listen."

"Resurrect Me" is collaboration between Moore and Michael Posch, one of Chicago's favorite power metal guitar players who made noise as a founding member of Century Media artists RADAKKA, and was hand-picked by Moore while living in Chicago. While doing shows with the Pamela Moore band, discussions about the direction of Pamela's next work were tossed about. As discussions continued, so many of the traits and concepts were so purely engrained in Posch's own style, it seemed a divine movement was at hand. Early demo work showed a collective vision and energy that was impossible to ignore.

Even after deciding to return to Seattle as a permanent base, and what seemed to be the end of a chapter, Moore requested to continue focus work with Posch, in hopes of letting the addictive collection of songs continue to develop. Both were reluctant to close the book on the collective focus that was manifesting. Magic was being made and something pushed the pair onward. The album survived location changes, loss of financial support due to the economic times, personal highs and lows, and sheer distance… to finally overcome... and achieve a polish, and brightness, that goes beyond any hardship endured in the crafting … and the character that was built thru the labor, is deeply present in the recordings.

"Resurrect Me" represents a power metal album that will ring in your head for days after listening. Song after song take you down paths of atmospheric, dark, but passionate and blood pumping metal. It's sure to satisfy Moore's QUEENSRŸCHE contingent of fans, but this moves beyond.. into a level of energy all its own. It even boasts a heavyweight guest list, including a solo from shred royalty Jeff Loomis (ex-NEVERMORE) and a duet with master vocalist Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR, GAMMA RAY).

"Resurrect Me" track listing:

01. Acquiescent
02. Melt Into You
03. Paranoia
04. We Are Damaged
05. Resurrect Me
06. The Sky Is Falling
07. Awakening
08. Breaking Down
09. Desperate By Design
10. Wide Awake (Phoenix Rising)

The song "The Sky Is Falling" can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

For pre-order bundles and sound samples, go to this location.

French metallers DAGOBA will release their fifth album, "Post Mortem Nihil Est", in Europe on May 27 via Verycords and in North America on June 14 through earMUSIC. The cover artwork for the CD was created by Seth Siro Anton and can be seen below.

Produced by former MACHINE HEAD/SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader in Los Angeles, "Post Mortem Nihil Est"s two grand opening tracks, "When Winter..." and "The Realm Black", raise the bar for the rest of the album yet the remaining songs are definitely able to match the high standard. "Kiss Me Kraken", with its strong, harmonious chorus, blends perfectly with the hard black metal, whereas the single, "The Great Wonder", confirms that "Post Mortem Nihil Est" contains a whole arsenal of heavy weapons ready to destroy everything in its path.

"Post Mortem Nihil Est" track listing:

01. When Winter...
02. The Realm Black
03. I, Reptile
04. Yes We Die
05. Kiss Me Kraken
06. Nevada
07. The Great Wonder
08. The Day After The Apocalypse
09. Son Of A Ghost
10. Oblivion Is For The Living
11. By The Sword

A trailer for the album can be seen below.

Guitarist Izakar announced his departure from DAGOBA in July 2012 due to "irreconcilable differences with one of the [other] bandmembers."

DAGOBA's fourth album, "Poseidon", entered the official chart in France at position No. 41. Released on August 30, 2010 via the French label XIII Bis Records, the CD was recorded at Hyperion Studio in Marseille, France with "Brew" Varea and was mixed by Dave Chang at Philia Studio in the U.K.

Century Media Records has announced the signing of Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire Dan Swanö to a long-term worldwide deal.

Most dedicated metalheads will not only be able to call themselves owners of certain releases by one Dan's many outstanding bands/projects (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE), but also the work at his own Unisound studio will surely have left a mark in everyone's record collection at some point: OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION, MERCILESS, 59 TIMES THE PAIN, DARK FUNERAL, HAIL OF BULLETS, MARDUK, MILLENCOLIN and NASUM, to name but a few.

Swanö has been no stranger to Century Media Records: He was originally involved with the death metal supergroup BLOODBATH (also featuring members of OPETH and KATATONIA), who released the "Breeding Death" EP as well as the amazing first two albums, "Resurrection Through Carnage" and "Nightmares Made Flesh", via Century Media. Most recently, Swanö has been heavily working again as producer and mixer of albums, including releases by Century Media artists such as ASPHYX, GRAND SUPREME BLOOD COURT, ODDLAND and MORGOTH.

Dan Swanö comments on the signing: "It's been 23 years since I signed my first-ever record-deal, but never before have I been this excited... I have now signed with Century Media Records!

"I bought the first release from Century Media back in 1989, and it is amazing to see how much the label has grown over the years.

"After working with Century Media for a few compilation CDs and for two and a half albums with BLOODBATH, I knew it would be the perfect home for me whenever I felt like returning to the recording-industry as a performer again. And now...I am back! With a vengeance!!!"

The first result of the new cooperation between Dan Swanö and Century Media will be the release of his newly founded metal outfit WITHERSCAPE, which sees Dan teaming with another talented multi-instrumentalist, Ragnar Widerberg, to create an intense concept album — which should not only musically please fans of earlier Swanö works like "Moontower" and EDGE OF SANITY, but also attract fans of contemporary progressively atmospheric metal in the vein of OPETH, BARREN EARTH and AMORPHIS.

Swanö comments on the upcoming WITHERSCAPE album: "I have just completed the final mixes of the first album from my new project WITHERSCAPE. Fans of my 'Moontower' album and the catchier parts of EDGE OF SANITY won't be disappointed! I sing, both clean and growl, play drums and keyboards. Ragnar Widerberg plays all guitars & bass and has co-written almost all the tracks with me."

Look forward to a late July 2013 release for WITHERSCAPE's "The Inheritance" via Century Media.

Photo credit: Erik Ohlsson

Pioneers of Finnish black metal BLACK CRUCIFIXION have released the first video from their new album, Coronation Of King Darkness, which is out now via Spinefarm Records on vinyl, CD and digital versions. Check out 'Millions of Twigs Guide Your Way Through the Forest' below:
Coronation Of King Darkness entered the official Finnish album charts at #40.
Coronation Of King Darkness features the following tracks:

'Coronation of King Darkness'
'What the Night Birds Sang'
'Heroes End Up on Gallows'
'Millions of Twigs Guide Your Way Through the Forest'
'Threefold'
'In the Bright Light of Night I Await the Turning Tide'
'Lodestar'
'Thieves'

Check out the track 'What the Night Birds Sang' below:
For more details on Black Crucifixion visit Facebook here.

Puerto Rico’s death metal machine SEVERE MUTILATION has posted a lyric video for the song 'I Kill For God' off their new album Spawn Of Hatred, due out on May 5th.

Spawn Of Hatred will be distributed worldwide by Khaosmaster productions. Artwork was done by Greek artist Gianni Nakos from Remedy Art (ZAFAKON, MORTAL TORMENT, REINCARNATION).

Tracklist for Spawn Of Hatred:

'God Is Not Here Today (Intro)'
'Practice What You Preach'
'Unholy Inquisition'
'Spawn Of Hatred'
'All Respect For Life Is Lost'
' The Faceless Horde'
'I Kill For God'
'Fuck The World And Bring On The Hate'
'How The Few Ruled The Many'
'My Misery Shall Be Your Tragedy'

Listen to the track 'All Respect For Life Is Lost' below:

The official video for "Live It Up", a brand new song from Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's third album, "Black Dog Barking", which will be released on May 21 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2010's "No Guts. No Glory." was produced by Brian Howes, who has previously worked with HINDER, DAUGHTRY and PUDDLE OF MUDD.

The Full Throttle edition of "Live It Up" will be made available for the opening of Full Throttle at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, the tallest, fastest looping roller coaster in the world. The track will be released to rock radio in late spring, followed by its in-park debut at Six Flags Magic Mountain with the ride opening. The Full Throttle edition of "Live It Up" will be featured throughout the newly themed five-acre section of the park where guests will experience high-energy action through fast-paced imagery, sound and lights, with additional music featuring various Roadrunner artists. The launch will be further supported nationally in all theme parks, Roadrunner and Six Flags online and social media channels, live events and press outreach.

AIRBOURNE's infectious music has been used in more than 20 video games, countless films, trailers and more.

AIRBOURNE is Joel O'Keeffe (vocals/lead guitar), Ryan O'Keeffe (drums), David Roads (guitar) and Justin Street (bass).

"Live It Up" video:

Spanish modern metallers NODRAMA have released a new video, for the track 'Untouchable Treasure', taken from their album, The Patient, available via Coroner Records. See the new clip below:
The Patient includes 11 tracks, and was mastered at Cutting Room Studios, Sweden.

Tracklisting is as follows:

‘The Bite’
‘Tail Nailed Fish’
‘Visions
‘One More Step’
‘Power Of Lavishness’
‘Waiting’
‘Undefined’
‘The Patient’
‘All Behind’
‘Believer’
‘Untouchable Treasure’

The video for ‘Power Of Lavishness’ can be seen below:
Upcoming live dates include:

April
20 - Haro, Spain - Sala Brutal Zone

May (with VICIOUS RUMORS, THE ORDER OF CHAOS)
7 - Osabrück, Germany - Bastard Club
8 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Balore
9 - Keblenz, Germany - Florinsmarkt
10 - Duisburg, Germany - Glückaufhalle
11 - Milan, Italy - Black Rose Saloon
12 - Obermarchtal, Germany - Kreuz

May
18 - Bilbao, Spain - Bilbao Ablaze Fest
25 - Donostia (Herriko Burdina), Spain - Doka Kafe Antzokia (with Elbereth, Hilotz)
More on NoDrama at this location.

"Whispers Of Heresy", a brand new song from the Chicagoland-based band STARKILL, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. Featuring a unique blend of symphonic black metal, power metal, and melodic death metal, the track comes off the group's full-length album, "Fires Of Life", which is due out April 29 in Europe and April 30 in North America via Century Media Records. The CD artwork was created by renowned metal artist Joshua Belanger and it "properly portrays the epic musical styling of the band," according to a press release.

"Fires of Life" track listing

01. Whispers Of Heresy
02. Fires Of Life
03. Sword, Spear, Blood, Fire
04. Below The Darkest Depths
05. Immortal Hunt
06. New Infernal Rebirth
07. Strength In The Shadow
08. This Is Battle; This Is Our Day
09. Withdrawn From All Humanity
10. Wash Away The Blood With Rain

Right after "Fires of Life" is released, STARKILL will head out on tour with HYPOCRISY, KRISIUN, ABORTED, and ARSIS. The band will also play a few headlining and supporting shows after their stint on the trek.

STARKILL was formed at the tail end of 2008 by Parker Jameson, Spencer Weidner and Charlie Federici. The band makes no qualms about wearing their influences on their sleeves. They combine what they love — melodic death metal, shredding guitars, blasting drum beats and the epic sounds of modern film scores — and make some of the most promising metal music heard this side of the Atlantic in years.

STARKILL is:

Parker Jameson: Lead Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards, Orchestral Programming
Spencer Weidner: Drums
Charlie Federici: Guitar
Mike Buetsch: Bass

"Whispers Of Heresy" audio stream:

German gothic/electro rockers STAHLMANN’s new album Adamant, will be released through AFM records on April 19th. Check out the cover art and tracklisting below.
Adamant tracklisting:

‘Die Welt Verbrennt’
‘Suchtig’
‘Wenn Der Regen Kommt’
‘Schwarz’ (featuring Teufel / Tanzwut)
‘Leuchtfeuer’
‘Adrenalin’
‘Der Schmied’
‘Paradies’
‘Nackt’
‘Tempel Der Lust’
‘Damonin’
‘Traumfrau’ (bonus digipack)
‘Licht’ (bonus digipack)

A new album trailer can be seen below:

For more info on Stahlmann visit this location.

Pennsylvanian rockers HALESTORM took part in an acoustic performance earlier this month at the studios of the 100.3 The X Rocks radio station in Boise, Idaho. You can now watch video footage of the session below.

The members of HALESTORM told Swedish web site Metalshrine that the band has finished recording its second covers EP. The follow-up to 2011's "ReAnimate" will be out sometime in the next few months, "probably summer," according to singer Lzzy Hale. While she and guitarist Joe Hottinger did not reveal the track list, Hale said that the EP will feature "a few things that I didn't think we'd pull off, but I think we did." The band recorded seven songs, with six likely to make the final release.

Hale said about covering the songs, "We're definitely building each one in our own way. Sometimes that's hard, but we learned a lot as musicians by doing that. You can take the 'Oh, is this a good song?' thing out of it because it's already a proven song, so you just have fun and experiment."

Hale told The Pulse Of Radio not long ago why she thinks so many bands enjoy playing cover songs. "It's a reminiscent thing of when you're trying to make it and coming up in the club scene and also maybe it's kind of nostalgic, like when you're first learning how to play guitar, some of the songs that you used to jam to with your bandmates, and it's really cool," she said."

The "ReAnimate" EP featured remakes of songs by SKID ROW, GUNS N' ROSES, LADY GAGA and THE BEATLES.

HALESTORM, which won the Grammy in February for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance", is currently on the road in the U.S. as part of "HardDrive Live Tour" with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE.

"Shallow Grave", a brand new song from 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, can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The track comes off A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH's sophomore album, "Lay My Soul To Waste", which 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.

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH is:

Sal Abruscato - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Matt Brown – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Johnny Kelly - Drums
Eric Morgan - Bass
Eddie Heedles - Guitar

For more information, visit www.apalehorsenameddeath.com.

Rachel McArthur of GulfNews.com's Tabloid! in United Arab Emirates recently conducted an interview with METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On METALLICA's first performance of 2013, which took place in Brisbane, Australia as part of the Soundwave festival:

Hammett: "I really enjoy playing live shows; anyone that asks me what the best aspect of being a musician is, I tell them it's playing live. It is enormously satisfying writing songs, and not so fun for me in the studio, because I am bit ADD. But playing live is where I thrive.

"I get the most satisfaction playing in front of the audience; really locking in with the power and energy of the band. Looking back at one of the last shows we played in 2012, I wasn't in a really good head space, and I don't think I delivered the type of show that I wanted to deliver — but I wanted to prove to myself that I still had it in me in 2013. So I put 120 per cent into the performance, and it was a great. I had a great time and the Brisbane audience was fantastic."

"It is always good to have a few months off and recharge the batteries and spend time with the family and re-prioritise. In my time off, I took a few steps away from the band and from my career and just thought about my priorities. It's important for me to do that from time to time, as I have been guilty of not doing that in the past.

"For us to do the things we set out to do, it's important that we find a balance, so that we do not feel strained or out of balance. It's really important to re-charge that energy, and recharge that fulfilment factor."

On METALLICA's longevity:

Hammett: "With us, chemistry is everything. And there's certain chemistry in the band that allows us to function, at a certain frequency. That frequency is a lot more unique than the frequency a lot of other bands have.

"We're very lucky that we're in a position where we have complete creative control over all of the things that come in and go out of METALLICA. It's a very, very special sort of thing in that other bands do not have what we have. There's a chemistry that allows us to focus on everything as a group; all four of us are expected to input."

On METALLICA's plan to release the follow-up to 2008's "Death Magnetic" in 2014:

Hammett: "That's what we're hoping would happen. Whether that's a reality, we'll see. We're recording stuff here and there, but it's a pretty slow process."

On METALLICA's upcoming full-length 3D movie, "Metallica Through The Never", directed by Nimród Antal:

Hammett: "That's kind of taking precedent over anything else at the moment. We want to make sure that this movie gets our full attention and it turns out the way we want it to turn out.

"There's going to be a point when most movies are going to be released in 3D. The genre is just beginning, and we feel that it's going to be the future. There's very little behind-the-scenes footage, and there are no interviews with the band. It's a concert performance and there's a story narrative that weaves in and out with the footage. It's interconnected in a way. It's very unique in that you don't have duality in it — it's intertwined that it becomes one entity. We're very excited about it, because we feel nothing like it has been done before."

"From the footage we've seen, it looks pretty amazing. It is a trip seeing yourself in 3D, that's for sure! Actually, it's a trip seeing yourself on a 25-feet cinema screen to begin with. The 3D aspect makes it all that much intense."

"Making a movie is such a different journey to making an album. With the movie there are a lot more cooks in the kitchen so to speak. With the music, you can just let in the cooks, close the door, and no one else can come in. With the movie, you cannot lock that door. It's a revolving door; there are people coming in and people going out. So we're adjusting to that."

On Middle Eastern fans' struggle to get their hands on METALLICA's music:

Hammett: "It's important for people to get to the music; whether people pay for the music, or they hear music free on the radio or whatever, it's important to hear our music and hear our art. We're obviously not pleased with a lot of piracy that goes on, because it directly affects us as artists and as musicians. And people would argue with us on that point until the cows come home, but at the end of the day, we are the ones that are directly affected by it.

"No one has the right to tell us that it doesn't affect us. But at the end of the day, it's important for people to listen to our music and experience our art. If they find out that they like what they do, then they'll come see us or spread the word of the METALLICA."

Read the entire interview from GulfNews.com.

Minneapolis, MN-based dark metallers COLD COLOURS will release their self-titled CD via Sleaszy Rider Records on May 31st. A release party/show for the album is planned for June15th at Station 4, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Cold Colours tracklisting:

'Orifice'
'Disgust'
'The Process Of Dying'
'This Devotion'
'Suffering God'
'A Loss Of Faith'
'Of Sand And Tears'
'Silent Speech'
'Cold Colours' (ROTTING CHRIST cover)

Cold Colours' fourth album was recorded at 14:59 Studios in Minneapolis by Will Maravelas and Zach Leteurneau and mastered by the legendary Dan Swanö (ex-EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH, NIGHTINGALE) at Unisound in Sweden.

"The new album finds Cold Colour bringing back the dark and doomy roots after many years," according to mainman Brian J. Huebner.

Stream the album below:

Cold Colours by Cold Colours

More on Cold Colours at this location.

Italy's MESMERIZE has released another song from their 25th anniversary album, Paintropy, due out this month via Punishment 18 Records. Check out
'Monkey In Sunday Best' below:
Paintropy features the following tracklisting:

'It Happened Tomorrow'
'2.0.3.6.'
'A Desperate Way Out'
'Monkey In Sunday Best'
'Midnight Oil / Within Without'
'One Door Away'
'Paintropy'
'Shadows At The Edge Of Perception'
'Mrs. Judas'
'You Know I Know'
'Masterplan'
'Promises' (THE CRANBERRIES cover)

The official lyric video for the song '2.0.3.6.' can be viewed below:
"Paintropy is a word that combines the concepts of Pain and Entropy" - says guitarist Piero Paravidino, "and it refers to a chaotic and painful state of mind, coming from the aggregation of negative events or emotions. In turn, this state can cause a reaction of total inertia or the exact opposite, unleashing a downright furious transformation. These concepts will be depicted both in the songs and in the graphics of the album."

On April 10th, Swedish/Danish sextet AMARANTHE performed in Milan, Italy at the Alcatrazz. Fan-filmed video from the show is available below:
The band's 2013 tour schedule is currently as follows:

April
26 - Arctica Club - Saint Petersburg, Russia
27 - Moscow Hall - Moscow, Russia

May
14 - Club Quattro - Tokyo, Japan
15 - Club Quattro - Tokyo, Japan
17 - Club Quattro - Osaka, Japan
24 - Bandit Boat 15 - Stockholm, Sweden

June
7 - Sweden Rock - Solvesborg, Sweden
15 - Nova Rock - Nickelsdorf, Austria
29 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, Belgium
30 - Tuska Open Air - Helsinki, Finland

July
6 - Metaltown - Gothenburg, Sweden

August
3 - Kuopio Rockcock - Kuopio, Finland
9 - ARTmania Festival - Sibiu, Romania
10 - Getaway Rock Festival - Gävle, Sweden
24 - Falkenbergs Rockfest - Falkenberg, Sweden

Amaranthe released their new album The Nexus in North America on March 26th. The album has hit #1 on the iTunes metal charts in the US.
The Nexus was recorded, mixed and mastered once again by Jacob Hansen in Ribe, Denmark. The tracklisting is as follows:

'Afterlife'
'Invincible'
'The Nexus'
'Theory Of Everything'
'Stardust'
'Burn With Me'
'Mechanical Illusion'
'Razorblade'
'Future On Hold'
'Electroheart'
'Transhuman'
'Infinity'

'The Nexus' single is available on iTunes and the video (directed by Patric Ullaeus ) can be seen below:

VAN HALEN has released video of an off-the-cuff acoustic performance of the classic KINKS cover of 'You Really Got Me' from their Downtown Sessions footage, shot at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Four other tracks from this acoustic performance are included as a DVD in the Deluxe Edition of their latest album, A Different Kind Of Truth.
(Thanks VAN HALEN News Desk)

To celebrate their first anniversary, Deathbound Records has announced the signing of their fifth act: AVOIDANT. Their crushing new EP Involution will be released digitally on April 23rd and will include their new single 'The Betrayal'.
Avoidant was formed in Lima, Peru in the winter of 2010 by musicians Daniel Ramón Ibárcena Mollyk and Giancarlo Melgar Novoa.

The band is currently hard at work promoting their newest opus Involution. The recording sessions took place last February and incorporated a seven-string guitar and the addition of new bassist Cesar Rios. The result introduced fans to new elements such as: post-hardcore, death core and progressive metal. " Involution" will be released digitally worldwide on April 23rd through Deathbound Records. This digital edition includes the previously unreleased track 'The Betrayal'.
Involution tracklisting:

'Witness'
'Enslaved'
'Interlude'
'Human'
'Animals'
'Archetype'
Bonus Tracks
'The Betrayal'

Band members:
Giancarlo Melgar - vocals
Daniel R. Ibárcena - lead guitar/vocals
Giomar Carrasco Salazar - guitar/vocals
Daniel Y. Ibárcena - drums/vocals
Cesar Rios - bass

For more details visit Avoidant on Facebook.

Portuguese dark metallers HEAVENWOOD have parted ways with longtime guitarist Bruno Silva and have replaced him with Vítor Carvalho, DEMON DAGGER's axeman and guitar-virtuoso (pictured below). Vítor Carvalho will make his live debut with the band next Saturday, April 20th in Benavente. In this very special show that will take place at SIBE B Lounge Live Club, also Daniel Cardoso, who recorded the drums on the Redemption (2008) and Abyss Masterpiece (2011) albums and played with the band during this period will take care again of the drums.

Besides the mentioned show next Saturday, the 20th April at SIDE B Lounge Live Club (Benavente), HEAVENWOOD have announced also 2 more live dates across Portugal:

April
27 - SWR Barroselas Metalfest - Barroselas, Portugal

May
4 - Mercado Negro - Aveiro, Portugal
More shows to be announced soon.

Heavenwood are currently writing and rehearsing material for its fifth album, The Tarot Of The Bohemians - Part. 1, to be released later this year beginning 2014.

The band’s fourth full length CD, Abyss Masterpiece, came out in 2011 via France’s Listenable Records.

In related news, the band is streaming in its entirety the new pre-production (not final version) track called 'Strength' below:
The new album is inspired by Papus aka Gerard Encausse (July 13, 1865 - October 25, 1916), the Spanish-born French physician and hypnotist who popularized occultism and founded the modern Martinist Order.

Multinational metallers RAVEN LORD are seeking a bass player. Players who think can fit the bill, have gear and have the time for festivals and tour in October should contact the management immediately at promo@rockngrowl.com.
Raven Lord's summer show dates in support of their debut album Descent To The Underworld are as follows.

June
22 - Mine Metalfest 2013 - Tongeren, Belgium
28 - P3 - Purmerend, Netherlands
29 - The Mix - Uithoorn, Netherlands

On April 15, SOUNDGARDEN's Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd took part in a private acoustic session for the listeners of the Phoenix, Arizona radio station 98 KUPD. Video footage of their appearance can be seen below. Check out photos at 98kupd.com.

SOUNDGARDEN released the music video on January 29 for "By Crooked Steps", the second single from the quartet's new album, "King Animal".

The "By Crooked Steps" clip was directed by FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl, who submitted a treatment for the video on his own initiative after hearing the song.

"King Animal" came out last November and was SOUNDGARDEN's first set of all-new material in 16 years.

SOUNDGARDEN reunited in 2010 after a 13-year break, releasing a retrospective collection called "Telephantasm" and a concert album titled "Live On I-5".

SOUNDGARDEN will kick off their second leg of its North American tour in May.

Heavy metal legends ACCEPT had their April 12 concert at Teatro Caupolicán in Santiago, Chile professionally filmed for their forthcoming DVD.

"We haven't done many live DVDs in our career, as most people know, so this is gonna be a very special occasion for us," ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann told Chile's Radio Futuro a few days prior to the concert. "And we chose that city, or that country, because your fans are some of the best in the world and we wanted the best possible audience."

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hung, Drawn And Quartered
02. Hellfire
03. Restless And Wild
04. Losers And Winners
05. Stalingrad
06. Breaker
07. Bucket Full Of Hate
08. Monsterman
09. Shadow Soldiers
10. Amamos La Vida
11. Guitar Solo (Wolf Hoffmann)
12. Neon Nights
13. Bulletproof
14. Aiming High
15. Princess Of The Dawn
16. Up To The Limit
17. No Shelter
18. Pandemic
19. Fast As A Shark

Encore:

20. Metal Heart
21. Teutonic Terror
22. Balls To The Wall

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

During the Radio Futuro interview, Hoffmann revealed that ACCEPT is planning to enter the studio soon to begin work on the follow-up to 2012's "Stalingrad". "We're currently gathering material," he said. "We're writing stuff actively, so give us a few more months, and hopefully, by the end of the year, we 'll have enough material to actually start working on a new studio album. But it won't be long. I can't guarantee when exactly it's gonna be happening, but we wanna definitely go back to the studio as soon as we can."

Speaking to Sweden's Metalshrine last November, Wolf stated about the band's plans to release a concert DVD: "A lot of fans are asking for it and they feel that ACCEPT is so strong now and they've seen us live. They think, 'They're on fire! Where can I get proper recorded DVD from?' We've already recorded some shows and it's actually quite challenging. Everybody's doing these live DVDs at festivals, because that's the easiest thing because the cameras are already there... I think it's almost a discrepancy, because at the live show, you really have to focus on the audience at that moment and you've got to play the greatest hits and maybe two or three songs from the new one, where on a DVD, I always wanna see more obscure songs that might not work so well at the concert while you're there. I'm always thinking, 'Wouldn't it be better if we had a sort of a special occasion where we recorded some stuff that we don't normally play live?' I'm not sure. I haven't debated that all the way through to the end, but I always think, 'If we just record a show, maybe that's not enough? Maybe we should have a special event where we just set aside for filming and look at it that way.'"

"Stalingrad" sold around 5,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 81 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Blood Of The Nations", opened with around 2,900 units back in September 2010 to land at No. 187.

"Stalingrad" was released on April 6, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was once again helmed by British producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY), who worked on the band's critically acclaimed comeback effort, "Blood Of The Nations".

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST celebrate their 40th anniversary as recording artists this year with the release of the live concert "Epitaph". A unique live career retrospective, "Epitaph" will be made available on Blu-ray and separate DVD on May 28 through Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. This release precedes a new studio album by JUDAS PRIEST which the band are working on now.

The official trailer for "Epitaph" can be seen below.

JUDAS PRIEST's current lineup comprises lead singer Rob Halford, lead guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis.

Heavy metal historians will regard "Epitaph" as the most far-reaching live concert recording in the band's career. The set revisits the climactic closing date of the 50-week "Epitaph" world tour, captured live at London's HMV Hammersmith Apollo on May 26, 2012. Adding to the drama is the fact that this was JUDAS PRIEST's final large-scale world tour ever.

"Epitaph"'s 23 tracks represent at least one song from every one of the band's 14 studio albums, from 1974's "Rocka Rolla" ("Never Satisfied") to 2008's "Nostradamus" ("Prophecy"). In the special case of "British Steel", four songs are featured: "Rapid Fire", "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and perennial set closer "Living After Midnight". Others exempted from the one-song-quota are the LPs which appeared before and after "British Steel". The first of these is 1979's "Hell Bent For Leather" (U.K. title: "Killing Machine") which lends the title song as well as "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)". The other LP is 1982's "Screaming For Vengeance", source of "The Hellion", "Electric Eye" and "You've Got Another Thing Coming".

"They have epitomized the genre with their Harley riding frontman, rapid-fire guitar assaults, and spectacular stage shows," wrote journalist Bryan Reesman in his liner notes for 2004's leather-bound, metal-spiked "Metalogy" box set. "Influential, innovative, and exuberant in expression," he wrote, "they are the true Metal Gods who have been as unwavering in their desire to expand the boundaries of their music as they have been in crossing international borders to deliver it to their disciples.

"Unabashedly committed to their cause, and unrepentant in proclaiming themselves a true heavy metal band even when others have shied away from the term, Judas Priest have forever been defenders of the faith."

"Epitaph" track listing

01. Battle Hymn (L)
02. Rapid Fire (F)
03. Metal Gods (F)
04. Heading Out To The Highway (G)
05. Judas Rising (M)
06. Starbreaker (C)
07. Victim Of Changes (B)
08. Never Satisfied (A)
09. Diamonds And Rust (C)
10. Prophecy (N)
11. Night Crawler (L)
12. Turbo Lover (J)
13. Beyond The Realms Of Death (D)
14. The Sentinel (I)
15. Blood Red Skies (K)
16. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) (E)
17. Breaking The Law (F)
18. Painkiller (L)
19. The Hellion (H)
20. Electric Eye (H)
21. Hell Bent For Leather (E)
22. You've Got Another Thing Coming (H)
23. Living After Midnight (F)

Album index:

A - from "Rocka Rolla (originally issued 1974, on Gull Records)
B - from "Sad Wings Of Destiny (originally issued 1976, on Gull Records)
C - from "Sin After Sin (originally issued 1977, on Columbia Records)
D - from "Stained Class (originally issued 1978, on Columbia)
E - from "Hell Bent For Leather (originally issued 1979, on Columbia; aka Killing Machine in UK)
F - from "British Steel (originally issued 1980, on Columbia)
G - from "Point Of Entry (originally issued 1981, on Columbia)
H - from "Screaming For Vengeance (originally issued 1982, on Columbia)
I - from "Defenders Of the Faith (originally issued 1984, on Columbia)
J - from "Turbo (originally issued 1986, on Columbia)
K - from "Ram It Down (originally issued 1988, on Columbia)
L - from "Painkiller (originally issued 1990, on Columbia)
M - from "Angel Of Retribution (originally issued 2005, on Epic Records)
N - from "Nostradamus (originally issued 2008, on Epic)

PRIEST's forthcoming album will mark the recording and songwriting debut of the band's new guitarist, Richie Faulkner, who replaced co-founder K.K. Downing in 2011.

Asked what fans can fans expect from the group's next CD, JUDAS PRIEST lead singer Rob Halford said in an August 2012 interview, "We've already got a strong cross-section of ideas, some of them complete, some of them in bits and pieces. It's shaping up to be quite intense, in terms of the riffage and the strength of certain tracks. Much like every time you try and talk about music, it's practically impossible to capture it. You can only point it in the direction of where things are shaping up, and it's just glorious. If I try to pinpoint it, there are elements of 'British Steel' and there elements of 'Painkiller' in terms of the vibe. We've got a really solid record coming together slowly in a strong metal way that will make all of our PRIEST fans around the world very happy and content. At least I hope it does."

Regarding a possible release date for the new PRIEST album, Halford said, "I'm not really sure. It'll be ready when it's ready. We're not under the same clock as we used to be. I remember in the '80s we were banging out a record almost every year, and that was on top of putting in a world tour. We have the luxury now, if you want to call it that, of taking our time. And that's just because that's the way it is. We're just as eager to get this done as ever, but we do it at a slower pace. It's that British thing, you know? [laughs] It's that monarchy thing. Let's look forward to that moment for another PRIEST record for everyone to bang their heads to."

In a November 2011 interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Halford stated about PRIEST's plans for the upcoming CD, "Glenn and I started to write in the early part of January [of 2011]. We just went to it from the heart really, there was no specific agenda or idea, as opposed to what we had to do with 'Nostradamus', which was very focused and a real anchor of a project. This one has just been some straight-forward, classic British heavy metal. Some of it feels a bit like 'Painkiller', some of it feels like 'Sad Wings Of Destiny', some like 'British Steel'. We didn't do much research, we didn't bother checking some of our previous releases, we didn't do any homework, we just sat down and played, you know? Glenn came up with riffs and I came up with vocal melodies. There was no outside influence or interference in the writing sessions. We just started the day, plugged in some amps, got the mic up and made the metal that way. It's a very pure record, in that respect."

Ozzy Osbourne has admitted to a year-and-a-half-long alcohol and drug relapse but has denied that he is planning to divorce his wife of 31 years, Sharon.

After a report surfaced in the British tabloid The Sun claiming that the BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife/manager are living apart and haven't seen each other in weeks, a spokesman for Sharon released a statement claiming that Ozzy and his wife "were still together."

The spokesman added: "They’ve both got huge work commitments. She is at the hotel for work and he is starting his BLACK SABBATH tour.

"Of course they row, but they are still together. Sharon and Ozzy have spent long periods of time apart before when she was working in the U.K. The marriage is not on the rocks."

In a statement posted earlier tonight on his Facebook page, Ozzy said: "For the last year and a half, I have been drinking and taking drugs. I was in a very dark place and was an asshole to the people I love most, my family. However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober.

"Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing. I’m just trying to be a better person.

"I would like to apologize to Sharon, my family, my friends and my bandmates for my insane behavior during this period… and my fans.

"God bless, Ozzy."

In a 2011 interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Osbourne — whose struggles with addiction have been widely reported and acknowledged throughout his career — was asked if moderation was something he could achieve. "I can‘t drink and I can't do drugs," he replied. "I mean, I live in California and I could get a bag of mild marijuana from the doctor, but who I am fucking kidding? I'd start out with a mild bag of marijuana and I'd end up with a fucking bag of crack. My mind runs away with the fantasy because one drink, or one joint, or one whatever doesn't apply to me but my head still thinks it does. I will think about it and my head runs away with the thought."

Asked why it was different now after he has tried to stay off drugs so many times before, Ozzy said: "I got fed up with quitting. The first thing I stopped was tobacco, and don't ask me how I did that. I have been in nearly every rehab around. I have been in rehab with heroin users and they say, 'I can put the smack down but I can't give up tobacco.' I put it down first. My voice would crack in concert and I felt like a soccer player kicking the fucking wall when he was not in the game. To be honest with you, I was not having a good time. I would make all of these grandiose statements about how I was Mr. Sober, now. In the National Enquirer, the following day, you would see me on the floor in a bog covered in piss. There is a lot more help these days than there used to be. It is a lot more openly spoken about then when I was a kid. My folks didn't say, 'He's got a drinking problem.' You just didn't talk about it. My drinking problem was that I couldn't get e-fucking-nough. If I knew, and I honestly thought to myself, that I could drink moderately, then I would, but I know I can't. I never ever did, I never ever will and I don't want to."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach was recently interviewed on "The Classic Metal Show", which is heard live on Saturdays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST at TheClassicMetalShow.com. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

On whether he feels his latest solo album, "Kicking & Screaming", got enough credit from the rock community and the fans:

Bach: "Yeah. To be on the Billboard chart again is enough credit for me. I like being on the chart. It's cool that I can put out an album that competes on the charts in this day and age. I'm not trying to remind anybody of the past; that's the opposite of what I'm trying to do. I never was doing that. I don't understand the nostalgia factor of rock and roll fans at all. When SKID ROW came out in 1989, we weren't singing songs that were 20 years old, we were singing songs that we just wrote. That's what I'm doing today; that's what I was doing then. So I don't get that whole idea at all."

On whether, if he had his way, he would be able to do tours without playing any SKID ROW material:

Bach: "Well, what would I play? The OZZY OSBOURNE material? Like, that's my material; that's what I do. That's like saying to Vince Neil when he plays his solo shows, would he wanna not do MÖTLEY CRÜE material. I didn't invent the music industry. I put out records and then I do concerts and I play my songs, like every other singer."

On whether his friendship with his former SKID ROW bandmates has been repaired since he was photographed last October hanging out with SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo at a DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED concert:

Bach: "I have nothing against any of the members of SKID ROW. I have talked to Snake and Scotti [Hill, guitar] and Rob [Affuso, drums] in recent years and I have nothing against them. I have not spoken to the bass player [Rachel Bolan] in about 16 or 17 years. I don't know how it's possible to be mad at somebody for something that happened 17 years ago. Everybody is different and people are different. I, myself, if I was ever mad at the bass player 17 years ago, I don't remember what it was about. [laughs] Let me repeat that: 17 years. That's a long time. So if somebody put a gun to my head and said, 'Why are you mad at the bass player from SKID ROW?' I would not be able to tell them, because it was 17 years ago. [laughs]"

On what he thinks about former PANTERA members Philip Anselmo and Vinnie Paul Abbott not being on speaking terms more than eight years since the band's guitarist (and Vinnie Paul's brother), "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, was killed on stage while performing with DAMAGEPLAN:

Bach: "I'm not in a position to comment on other bands' situations, but without being trite or insensitive, nobody in SKID ROW died, or there was no tragedy that befell us; all five of us are still alive and healthy. So I don't even think you can compare that situation. I mean, those guys have real tragedy that happened to them. Our tragedy was that 'Subhuman Race' sold two million copies, and that wasn't as much as the album before. Like, 'Wow! Oh, that's horrible!' [laughs] There was nothing, really, that bad that we went through that I can remember. Again, I wanna repeat: we're talking about 17 years ago. So it's really a long time ago."

Interview (audio):

Former GUNS N' ROSES and current VELVET REVOLVER members Matt Sorum and Slash performed at Shred Kids' Cancer's Shredfest charity event on Saturday, April 13 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. Watch video footage of the performance below. Photos and more video clips are available at Heavy Metal Hill.

Shred Kids' Cancer was started in 2009 by Teagan Stedman, who was then a 10-year-old boy. Stedman says, "Shred Kids' Cancer is a charity that lets kids try and do something for these other kids who are suffering. It's a way to make the kids who have cancer know that we are here for them and show them we care and give them strength."

While there are many non-profit organizations that raise money for cancer research, Shred Kids' Cancer offers a unique opportunity for kids to actively help their peers battling cancer.

Kids are involved in many ways: They are involved behind the scenes in the corporate world (kids on the board of directors), kids run bone marrow drives, create and update the web site, social media sites, create flyers, create mobile apps, hold and run board meetings, write letters and power point presentations, spread the word with media, meet with business owners, present and speak to other community-based charities (like City Year LA, Boys Team Charity, Hermosa Beach Woman's Club), try and get celebrities to participate, obtain auction items, help run the events and finally with kid participants involved in providing the entertainment for the events.

For more information, visit www.shredkidscancer.org.

Drummer David McGraw of San Diego-based deathgrind masters CATTLE DECAPITATION was forced to undergo surgery earlier today (Monday, April 15) in Germany for "the gnarliest abscess" under his arm pit. However, he managed to recover in time to play tonight's show in Berlin as part of the band's European tour with CRYPTOPSY.

He writes in an online posting: "Berlin! You rule! I had the gnarliest abscess under my arm pit, and you took care of me for only 50 [euros]. I had a full-on surgery, general anesthesia, private recovery room, everything, and I'm not even from here, just another foreigner on tour coming through town. I was treated like if I was at a private clinic. I had enough time to let the drugs wear off and made it to perform at the show tonight. I didn't get to see any of the sights, but instead I experienced something way more meaningful to me... seriously, thank you!"

CATTLE DECAPITATION's latest album, "Monolith Of Inhumanity", sold around 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 6 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.

Released on May 8, 2012, "Monolith Of Inhumanity" was produced by Dave Otero of Denver's Flatline Audio and sees the band exploring innovative new techniques in songwriting without abandoning their signature formula of confrontational audio wreckage and self-loathing lyrical content.

The new lineup of reactivated British extreme metal legends CARCASS performed this past Saturday, April 13 at The Metal Fest at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile. Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker at the gig were new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON).

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

CARCASS recently recruited Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ACCEPT, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY) to mix their comeback album, "Surgical Steel", after the CD's producer, Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE), quit the project two weeks into the mixing process. During last month's concert at the Underworld in London, Walker claimed that Richardson walked away from the mix in order to work on the new TRIVIUM album.

CARCASS' first studio LP in 17 years, "Surgical Steel" is due in late 2013 via an as-yet-undetermined record label. The band's first studio outing since 1996's "Swansong" will feature guest vocals from original sticksman Ken Owen.

In a brand new interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, Walker stated about the new CARCASS CD: "We think we've made a good album, so it's gonna be very interesting when people get to hear the record. We can't wait to see what people think."

He continued: "It sounds like CARCASS. Even the drumming sounds like CARCASS. Everything about it… I think it's gonna shock people, how good it is. I think it's got all the elements that people like, yet it still sounds fresh. So that's all I can say, really, 'cause we don't really sound like any other band, and the fact that after 17 years, we wrote music and it still sounds like CARCASS, I think it's good."

Guitarist Michael Amott and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, who have been touring with CARCASS since the band's reunion was announced in 2007, are no longer involved with the group due to scheduling conflicts with their main band, ARCH ENEMY.

Rock Meeting conducted an interview with former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp after his March 19 solo performance at Rocher de Palmer in Bordeaux, France. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about the possibility of a WHITE LION reunion with the band's original guitarist, Vito Bratta, Tramp said: "The thing that has been difficult is that when you always have to answer a question that [Vito] should be [answering]. And the thing is that the answer is no. Because he is not gonna get back up on stage and play music. Number two, I don't want to do WHITE LION no more. I didn't wanna do WHITE LION after the band broke up, because the sound of WHITE LION represents who Mike Tramp was at that time. Even though I am out now playing some acoustic versions of WHITE LION songs, it's different [because] I'm a completely different person. I would not say 'no' if Vito called me up and [wanted to] do a project or something like [Jimmy] Page and [Robert] Plant and they do something different. But the second you call it WHITE LION, you want Mike Tramp to sound like he was in 1987, and I can't be like that… We have our times. There are some artists who don't understand that; they keep trying to be the same. But you do change as you grow older."

Tramp will release new solo album, "Cobblestone Street", in North America on May 7 via Deadline Music, a subsidiary of Cleopatra Records. The effort will be made available in Europe on April 8 via Target Records in the following formats: CD, limited digipack CD (with two bonus tracks), LP and digitally.

"Cobblestone Street" is a departure from the sound that most people would expect from a singer that has been around since WHITE LION crashed on to the hard rock scene in the '80s. Rock fans have gotten to know Mike Tramp as a legit rock singer and frontman that looked like he was born to be just that. Therefore many might find it surprising that Tramp's roots and musical upbringing lie deeply buried in folk music.

Heavily influenced by fellow Danish artists with acoustic guitars and international stars like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, Tramp says that all of his songs through 35 years on the music stage, have always come from sitting with the old faithful acoustic guitar playing and singing. That WHITE LION songs like "When the Children Cry", "Broken Heart" and "Wait", and FREAK OF NATURE's "Rescue Me" later have ended up as epic rock classics is just a question of arranging them in that way with the band in the rehearsal room, but all songs have always been fit to play around the campfire or in the back of a shady bar.

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH entered Hertz studio in Bialystok, Poland at the end of February to begin recording their next album for a late 2013 release via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Metal Blade in North America.

Commented BEHEMOTH guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski: "Every piece of art is born in pain…and so is ours.

"We've spent last couple of months on pre-production and tracking down the songs in Hertz studio. We are producing the album collectively with help of Wieslawscy brothers and Daniel Bergstrand.

"We are driven by a mystery… exploring territories that have been unknown to us up until now. It feels exciting and very refreshing to redefine our style and yet make a strong fuckin' statement. Wait and hear…"

Speaking to Metal Storm last December, BEHEMOTH bassist Orion (real name: Tomasz Wróblewski) stated about the band's plans for the new CD: "We have scheduled the studio for the end of February. If everything goes as planned, the album will be done in the summer and we plan on releasing it in the fall of 2013."

He added: "The last recording session — I don't even remember how many studios were involved… Like, six or seven, and lots of sound engineers as well; that's just the way we work. This time we will probably do most of the work in Hertz Studio, but we might do some stuff in other places as well. Plus we are still talking about mixing of the album and that's going to be probably somewhere else other than Poland."

In an interview with Rock N Roll Industries conducted aboard Barge To Hell — the world's most extreme metal cruise — which sailed on December 3, 2012 from Miami, Florida to Nassau, Bahamas and returned to the real world on December 7, 2012, Darski stated about the songwriting sessions for BEHEMOTH's next album: "I'm really thinking about my record. I'm dreaming my record, I'm eating my record, I'm shitting my record… I mean, everything just comes to the same thing: this artistic release that's gonna take place in the fall next year. That's the plan. We already made a rough plan. We should be entering the studio in late February. We're demoing stuff now. It's actually a rehearsal studio. So this is a thing we've never done before: we get into the studio, we set up the equipment, and we just play. And we record stuff. So it's very creative. It's new and it's different energy, too. I mean, we still use our rehearsal room, but it's good to change the environment. And then in January and February, we decided to move to Warsaw to work on the record. It should be very stimulating; this change of rooms and change of cities, it can be very stimulating. But we've got plenty of stuff written already; I'm guessing 30 or 40 minutes of music is done. But I keep on writing. I'm so hyped and I'm so into delivering new stuff. I have this thought: every time I come up with a new theme or a new song idea, I think it's actually better than the one before. So I hope that this process stops at a certain point and I'm, like, 'OK, over. This is it. We're working on this bunch of songs and that's it.' Because this way I can go on forever."

In an April 2012 interview with Metal Blast, Nergal offered more information about BEHEMOTH's mindset going into the next album. "We want to take our time and not rush ourselves in any way," he said. "It looks like it might be the most important album in our career. I want to make the most honest record and I won't be bending to anyone's rules or expectations, including [BEHEMOTH's record labels] Metal Blade or Nuclear Blast. Every next BEHEMOTH album is a surprise and is never the same. . . We don't want to stress ourselves because the music business and the direction it takes is not as I would like it to be. That means we will be going against the current again and just do as we will and please. Whatever we do is going to be BEHEMOTH, 100%. It is the state of our will and nobody can deny it. I can tell you that we aren't going to come out with a reggae or country album; it's going to be BEHEMOTH, it's going to be extreme. But don't be surprised if people listened to it and said, 'Fuck, they did it. It's so amazing.' [laughs] That's what I like to say when I listen to my own music. I love to surprise myself. I hate things that are predictable. I want to surprise myself and surprise other people, as well. . . Don't get me wrong, I am a huge AC/DC fan and I expect AC/DC to be AC/DC, but don't expect BEHEMOTH to put out another 'The Apostasy', 'Demigod' or 'Evangelion' album, because that will not happen."

BEHEMOTH's ninth full-length studio album, "Evangelion", sold 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 56 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released in the U.S. in August 2009 through Metal Blade, the CD was mixed at Miloco Studios in London, England by Colin Richardson, who has previously worked with MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT, NAPALM DEATH and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, among many others.

Fan-filmed video footage of the Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE performing on April 14 at the Power Prog & Metal Fest at Lotto Mons Expo in Mons, Belgium can be seen below.

QUEENSRŸCHE has inked a deal with Century Media Records for the release of the band's new studio album. Due on June 11, the CD marks the debut release from the lineup comprised of La Torre (vocals; ex-CRIMSON GLORY), Michael Wilton (guitar), Parker Lundgren (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums). The drums for the album were recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, Washington with producer James "Jimbo" Barton — the man who engineered and mixed the band's classic 1988 LP, "Operation: Mindcrime", and its 1990 follow-up, "Empire", and co-produced 1994's "Promised Land". The rest of the music and vocals were laid down at several different facilities on the West Coast.

In a recent interview with Metal Assault, QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield stated about QUEENSRŸCHE's renewed collaboration with Barton: "It's a great thing — we're really excited about it, he's really excited about it. We've wanted to work with him for a while, but for whatever reason, we just hadn't gone there yet. This is a great time for us to do that, though. We all discussed who we wanted to do the record with, and he was one of the first names that came up. It was easy for us to pick up the phone and call him. It was like our relationship picked up right where it left off, so it's gonna be a lot of fun. He's a very creative guy that did some great records with us in the past. I think that's one of the most important things when it comes to why we want to work with him."

Asked if fans will see a return to the progressive metal sound QUEENSRŸCHE had in the '80s, Scott said: "What we're trying to do, and what has been really interesting since Todd has jumped into the band, we're trying to revisit the old QUEENSRŸCHE catalog — stuff off of the EP and "The Warning". That's always been a part of what we are, so yeah, definitely! I think in my opinion, we're really revisiting that vibe of why that music was special back then for us. There will be a modern flair to it, though, just because we're in the modern age. The fun thing about Jimbo being a part of it is that he can help tie together the two sides. He does come from our past and some of the great records and some of the great sounds that we're known for, but he's also living in the modern age and doing some interesting things as well. I think it's going to be a really great QUEENSRŸCHE record. People are going to go, 'Wow, that's QUEENSRŸCHE! That sounds just like what we've known them to be, and what we would expect them to now be.' That's what I think peple will get out of it."