Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based death metallers KATAKLYSM have recruited ex-NEURAXIS drummer Oli Beaudoin (pictured below) to sit behind the kit during the recording sessions for their new album, "Waiting For The End To Come". Beaudoin will also play all of KATAKLYSM's currenty announced shows starting on June 30 in Costa Rica.

"Oli played with KATAKLYSM before on the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise last year and he did a phenomenal show," commented KATAKLYSM guitarist Jean-François Dagenais. "He is extremely talented , focused and ready to do the job needed. Some of you might be familiar with him from his work with NEURAXIS and session work with KEEP OF KALESSIN and BELPHEGOR. We are very happy to have him on board and he comes with a thumbs-up approval from Max as well. We have one hell of a ride in store for you with this new album, so let it begin."

Max Duhamel announced on April 8 that he was taking a break from KATAKLYSM to deal with issues related to alcohol abuse.

KATAKLYSM has set "Waiting For The End To Come" as the title of its new album, tentatively due in late 2013/early 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2010's "Heaven's Venom" will be recorded by KATAKLYSM guitarist Jean-François Dagenais, who has previously worked with MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX and DESPISED ICON, among others, and mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (SUFFOCATION, HATEBREED, ARSIS).

KATAKLYSM's multidisc DVD, "The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined", entered the German chart at position No. 98. The set depicts the ups and downs of KATAKLYSM's long, turbulent career, as well as footage of the band's performance at last year's Summer Breeze festival, which took place August 18-20, 2011 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. The cover art for the release was created by artist Colin Marks (ORIGIN, EXODUS, NEVERMORE).

KATAKLYSM's latest album, "Heaven's Venom", sold around 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 8 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.

Philip Anselmo, legendary frontman of PANTERA and DOWN, will release his career-first solo album, "Walk Through Exits Only", on July 16 via his own Housecore Records (MRI/Megaforce). "Walk Through Exits Only" will be available digitally, on CD and on vinyl.
Produced by Anselmo and Michael Thompson, and recorded over the past couple of years at Philip's New Orleans studio, Nodferatu's Lair, with his band THE ILLEGALS — guitarist Marzi Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL) and drummer José Manuel Gonzales (WARBEAST) — "Walk Through Exits Only" is abrasive, aggressive, anthemic and 100% Anselmo. The album's eight songs are as unstrained as it gets, from "Battalion Of Zero" to "Usurper's Bastard Rant", to the album's title track that goes against the grain and right through the exits. Brash, brutal guitars cut through punishing percussion as Anselmo screams with uncompromising ferocity and uncontainable fire.

"It wasn't about doing a paint-by-numbers thrash or heavy metal record," Anselmo explained about the project. "It's an angry album that only I could do. I don't see anybody else out there screaming about the same shit I'm screaming about. On this album, there isn't any wordplay, there isn't any hidden message, it's all right there in front of you."

In a recent interview with U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine, Anselmo was asked what prompted him to make a solo CD now. "I am a lover of all sorts of music but really my heart is ... really I love extreme music, underground music, whether it be grindcore, death metal, thrash, black metal, [or whatever other] subgenre, and I find beauty in a lot of this stuff," he replied.

"I wanted to do an extreme record that didn't necessarily fit in any of those aforementioned categories, really, but it's metal. It's very tough for me to describe, man. I really wanted to do an extreme record again. I did it out of pure, fucking need — need — and love. I just needed to do it for myself."

Anselmo said that he chose to release the CD under his own name because "if I was to name it something, to me, it may be tough on the fans, or people, that might be interested in hearing what I'm doing, just to buy into a whole new band, where in all truth, I'm very, very, what's the word, just very guarded and I wrote every fucking goddamn note of it and that's just how its going to fucking be."

He added, "I don't want another all-star band, I don 't want another supergroup, if you will, I don't want it to be misconstrued, and this is something I can take as a solo artist, as a free agent, I can take this wherever I want to go. If I want to make the next record a completely different style, yet still extreme in its own right, I can do that … So it's gonna be up to y'all to figure it out: it's really not my place to say it's death metal or it's extreme thrash or black metal, I'm not gonna put it in a category. It is extreme, though, in its own right. Anything that was completely traditional, I would stop it and fuck with it a little, make sure it wasn't so paint-by-numbers, because that's the last thing I wanna do, and as a matter of fact, I believe that's what people will be expecting."

On the topic of his lyrical approach on "Walk Through Exits Only", Anselmo said, "[It's] very real, very honest, very close to the sleeve, close to the heart, close to the fingertips, close to everyday life, and maybe [about] periods of my life that I've gone through. People that have heard the record have said it is the angriest record that they've heard in a very, very long time. And I have to agree with them — it is an angry, angry album. It is just a statement of my condition a lotta times. Daily I still deal with heaps of chronic pain, if you will, whether it be my knee, my hip, the shoulder sockets, the elbow, the fucking back — you name it, man. I've busted everything, man, so there is a frustration there that you can't necessarily get across in DOWN, so it does have an angry edge to it and really, truth be told, the name of the record could be 'Songs From The Bedroom Of Philip Anselmo'; it's not a pretty place. [laughs] [It's] not as sexy as it sounds'l [It's a] fucking, raging fucking place where I can simmer and boil over in private."

Audio samples of the songs "Conflict" and "Family, 'Friends,' And Associates" from Anselmo can be streamed at Amazon.com. Both tracks appear on "War Of The Gargantuas", the new split album featuring Anselmo and Texas thrashers WARBEAST, which was released on January 8 via Philip's Housecore Records. This album served as the first release of any solo work by Anselmo during the span of his nearly 30-year legacy.

Anselmo and THE ILLEGALS will support the new album with a major North American tour planned for this summer. Anselmo, who is up for "Best Vocalist" at this year's Revolver Golden Gods awards, will make a special appearance at that event.

British doom metal outfit SOLSTICE will enter an undisclosed studio in Huddersfield, Yorkshire at the end of April to begin recording its first new material since 1998's "New Dark Age" album. Tracks set to be laid down include "I Am The Hunter", "Fortress England" and "Death's Crown Is Victory".

Video footage of SOLSTICE performing the song "Death's Crown Is Victory" during rehearsal can be seen below.

SOLSTICE released only two albums and one EP before going their separate ways more than a decade ago.

Formed in the early 1990s by vocalist Simon Matravers, the band included guitarists Richard M. Walker and John Piras, bassist Lee "Chaz" Netherwood, and drummer Lennaert Roomer. According to AllMusic, the group introduced its particularly sorrowful style via its 1994 debut album, "Lamentations" (Candlelight). The "Halcyon" EP (featuring guitarist Gian Pyres, later of CRADLE OF FILTH) followed in 1995, after which SOLSTICE experienced numerous business-related and internal difficulties. By the time "New Dark Age" was released, the band featured only two original members (Walker and Netherwood) alongside vocalist Morris Ingram, guitarist Hamish Hamilton Glencross and drummer Rick Budby.

SKID ROW's new EP, "United World Rebellion - Chapter One", is available for streaming in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below. Released in North America on April 16 via MRI, the effort is the first in a series of EPs that the reincarnated band — Dave "Snake" Sabo (guitar), Rachel Bolan (bass), Scotti Hill (guitar), Johnny Solinger (vocals) and Rob Hammersmith (drums) — plans to release in the near future.

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" reignites the youthful energy and blistering sound that SKID ROW is recognized for around the world. "That sound and energy is what resonates with people and knocks them on their ass," says Hammersmith. "We had a lot of great ideas to work with, so we're all really excited about this new music."

SKID ROW's rebellious tunes hit the big time in the late 1980s. However, after several Top Ten singles, gold and multi-platinum sales, No. 1 Billboard-charting tracks and more, the band split in 1996. In 2000, to the delight of fans everywhere, SKID ROW reformed and returned to the stage to open for KISS. They then released two new musical offerings in the form of 2003's "ThickSkin" and 2006's "Revolutions Per Minute" with new singer Johnny Solinger out front. Seven years later, the band is back again with new music, ready to take over in the new age of heavy metal.

"When we put the band back together, we needed to reintroduce SKID ROW as relevant without relying too much on past success," explains Bolan. "We sunk our heart and soul into it, letting people know we weren't doing it for lack of nothing better to do."

For the new EP series, Bolan and Sabo tapped again into the potent songwriting collaboration that built SKID ROW. Sabo says they were eagerly up to the challenge. "We seem to be at our best when we're faced with adversity. It's us against the world again — and by us I mean the band and the fans who stick with us and carry the SKID ROW torch without fail."

"The idea [of releasing EPs] really appealed to me," adds Bolan, "Especially with the constantly changing musical climate. I like the idea of a steady flow of new music, as opposed to releasing a full-length album then riding it for the next two years."

And although striving to reintroduce themselves and try something different, these boys are still strong in their roots. They got older, but SKID ROW never really grew up. "United World Rebellion" is still the youth gone wild, their musical spark still burning gasoline.

"I will always be that 16-year-old kid in front of the mirror, pretending to be Ace Frehley or Michael Schenker," admits Sabo. "It's still about writing a great song with your friend, praying it connects with someone. That has never left me. That willfulness will always exist, and there's so much left to say!"

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" track listing:

01. Kings Of Demolition
02. Let's Go
03. This Is Killing Me
04. Get Up
05. Stiches

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" will be released in Europe at the end of May via Germany's UDR Music. The European version of the EP will include two bonus tracks, both of them cover tunes. "I won't say what they are," guitarist Scotti Hill told Eyes From The Mosh Pit. "One of them you'll know very well and one of them you may have to go back into the archives… [It's] a little more obscure. But it's really cool."

"One-Way Mirror", the new video from ONE-WAY MIRROR — the French band featuring Guillaume Bideau (MNEMIC) and David and Franck Potvin (LYZANXIA, PHAZE I) — can be seen below. The 3D animated clip was directed by Cyril Taussat of Blinn Studio and was inspired by the Guitar Hero avatars combined with retro GTA style. The song comes off the group's sophomore album, "Destructive By Nature", which was released on April 16, 2012. The cover artwork was once again designed by plastic arts master Alain Tréhard at the Maria Hell Studio in La Rochelle, France. According to a press release, "Alain was inspired by the title of the album to create this unstructured masterpiece."

ONE-WAY MIRROR previously stated about the album, "Even though they composed these latest bombtracks in the similar vein of their first album, ONE-WAY MIRROR was able to nurture the fresh and perfectly controlled combination of violence and pure melodies with catchy components.

"This album is not unlike shrapnel as it will embed itself in your system upon explosion. Some songs will make the fans bang their heads while others will simply decimate them altogether.

"The band’s goal will remain playing the very music they want to listen to. No constraints, no limits or barriers and no rules apply. The musicians of ONE-WAY MIRROR agree that the motivation to compose and to record a metal album is pure pleasure before any other consideration.

"David Potvin and Guillaume Bideau [produced] the album and . . . the sound is extremely powerful, natural and modern."

ONE-WAY MIRROR's self-titled debut album was released in June 2008 via Metal Blade Records.

ONE-WAY MIRROR is:

Guillaume Bideau (MNEMIC) - Vocals
David Potvin (LYZANXIA, PHAZE I) – Lead Guitar
Franck Potvin (LYZANXIA, PHAZE I) – Rhythm Guitar
Clément Rouxel (T.A.N.K) - Drums
Vincent Perdicaro (GENERAL LEE) - Bass

IN THIS MOMENT's May 21 concert in Madison, Wisconsin will be professionally filmed for the band's first-ever DVD. The group states: "We are planning some special surprises to make this a one-of-a-kind event. We see you, our dedicated fans at every show and now is your chance to be involved in something extra special that will be a part of our history forever. If you live in or around Madison, get your tickets now before they sell out! If you don't live nearby, get to Madison and come be a part of our first live DVD!!"

IN THIS MOMENT's fourth album, "Blood", has sold around 142,000 copies in the United States since its August 2012 release. The CD was once again produced by Kevin Churko, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, among others.

IN THIS MOMENT began work on the new album just a few months following the departures of drummer Jeff Fabb and guitarist Blake Bunzel, who left the band in 2011 in order to join the backing group of "American Idol" finalist James Durbin. Fabb and Bunzel have since been replaced by Tom Hane (THYATEIRA) and Randy Weitzel (FLATLINE, 3/13, AMERICAN MASSACRE), respectively.

"Blood" was released in December as a double-disc set through Hot Topic. The special package contained the full original "Blood" album on one disc, and a second disc that featured a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS classic "Closer", as well as four additional new remixes of songs on "Blood":

* "Blood (Sluggo Remix)"
* "Adrenalize (Mr. Kane Remix)"
* "Whore (Nikka Bling Remix)"
* "The Blood Legion (Mitch Marlow Remix)"

Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records will release "Frequency Unknown", the new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, on April 23. The CD, which was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California, is now available for streaming in its entirety using the SoundCloud widget below.

Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records recently released "Cold", the new single from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, via iTunes. The track, which was mixed by Anthony Focx (NEWSTED, AEROSMITH, NIGHT RANGER, TED NUGENT), will also be released as a special limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single with a newly recorded version of the QUEENSRŸCHE classic "Silent Lucidity" — mixed by Jürgen Engler (DORO, DIE KRUPPS) — on the B-side.

Asked about the decision to remix "Frequency Unknown" shortly before the album's release, Tate told "The Continental Breakfast With James & Raina": "We were a little rushed on the mixing end of it, so after listening to it back, we're having some of the songs remixed now before the album comes out. But that's typical with records — you have to have them in on time. So sometimes you compromise in areas. Luckily, with this situation, we get to go back and correct some areas in the sound where we thought it was kind of lacking. So that's fine. I've done that on… gosh… probably three quarters of the records I've ever made. It's no new thing, but it's a luxury when you get to fix it."

"Frequency Unknown" is packaged with bonus tracks — four QUEENSRŸCHE classics, newly recorded, including the smash hit single "Silent Lucidity". Guest musicians on the CD include K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST), Chris Poland (MEGADETH), Ty Tabor (KING'S X), Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS), Lita Ford, Brad Gillis (NIGHT RANGER), Dave Meniketti (Y&T) and Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN).

"Frequency Unknown" track listing:

01. When Lightning Strikes
02. Running Backwards
03. Fallen
04. Life Without You
05. In The Hands Of God
06. Cold
07. The Weight Of The World
08. Slave
09. Dare
10. Everything

Bonus tracks: (2013 versions)

11. Silent Lucidity
12. Empire
13. Jet City Woman
14. I Don t Believe In Love

Although a lineup for Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was originally announced in the fall of 2012, things have changed. The band now features Tate along with bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, DIO, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT), guitarist Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE 1998-2001), keyboardist Randy Gane and new additions, guitarist Robert Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, HURRICANE) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, RHINO BUCKET).

BODY COUNT, the metal band fronted by legendary rapper Ice-T, will enter the studio in May to begin recording its new album, due later in the year via Sumerian Records.

In September 2009, BODY COUNT made an appearance at the Vans Warped Tour 15th-anniversary party at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. The group played a 20-minute set, covered SLAYER, talked a ton of trash and closed with their controversial classic "Cop Killer". Also on the bill were NOFX, KATY PERRY, PENNYWISE, BAD RELIGION and RISE AGAINST.

BODY COUNT's last album, "Murder 4 Hire", came out in 2006 via Escapi Music. Lyrically, the songs ranged from political ("The End Game"), personal ("You Don't Know Me [Pain]"), and religious ("The Passion Of The Christ"), to obsession ("In My Head"), armegeddon ("Dirty Bomb"), hate ("Lies") and relationships. A eulogy for fallen band member D-Roc was also included ("D Rocs [RIP]") as was a hilarious take on deep south rednecks ("Down In The Bayou"). The CD closed with "Mr. C's Theme", a show-stopping hard-rock instrumental.

Fan-filmed video footage of Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) and Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) performing LED ZEPPELIN, VAN HALEN and SKID ROW classics on April 5 at The Viper Room in West Hollywood, California can be seen below.

Bach and Stevens are collaborating on material for Sebastian's next solo album. According to the singer, Stevens "has come up with one track so far that will definitely be on my next record. It is a kick-ass cool rock 'n' roll song that I guarantee will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Just how I like it."

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

Fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's April 15 performance in Prague, Czech Republic can be seen below.

SKID ROW's new EP, "United World Rebellion - Chapter One", will be released in Europe at the end of May via Germany's UDR Music. The European version of the EP will include two bonus tracks, both of them cover tunes. "I won't say what they are," Scotti told Eyes From The Mosh Pit. "One of them you'll know very well and one of them you may have to go back into the archives… [It's] a little more obscure. But it's really cool."

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" is being made available in North America on April 16 via MRI. The effort is the first in a series of EPs that the reincarnated band —Dave "Snake" Sabo (guitar), Rachel Bolan (bass), Scotti Hill (guitar), Johnny Solinger (vocals) and Rob Hammersmith (drums) — plans to release in the near future.

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" reignites the youthful energy and blistering sound that SKID ROW is recognized for around the world. "That sound and energy is what resonates with people and knocks them on their ass," says Hammersmith. "We had a lot of great ideas to work with, so we're all really excited about this new music."

SKID ROW's rebellious tunes hit the big time in the late 1980s. However, after several Top Ten singles, gold and multi-platinum sales, No. 1 Billboard-charting tracks and more, the band split in 1996. In 2000, to the delight of fans everywhere, SKID ROW reformed and returned to the stage to open for KISS. They then released two new musical offerings in the form of 2003's "ThickSkin" and 2006's "Revolutions Per Minute" with new singer Johnny Solinger out front. Seven years later, the band is back again with new music, ready to take over in the new age of heavy metal.

"When we put the band back together, we needed to reintroduce SKID ROW as relevant without relying too much on past success," explains Bolan. "We sunk our heart and soul into it, letting people know we weren't doing it for lack of nothing better to do."

For the new EP series, Bolan and Sabo tapped again into the potent songwriting collaboration that built SKID ROW. Sabo says they were eagerly up to the challenge. "We seem to be at our best when we're faced with adversity. It's us against the world again — and by us I mean the band and the fans who stick with us and carry the SKID ROW torch without fail."

"The idea [of releasing EPs] really appealed to me," adds Bolan, "Especially with the constantly changing musical climate. I like the idea of a steady flow of new music, as opposed to releasing a full-length album then riding it for the next two years."

And although striving to reintroduce themselves and try something different, these boys are still strong in their roots. They got older, but SKID ROW never really grew up. "United World Rebellion" is still the youth gone wild, their musical spark still burning gasoline.

"I will always be that 16-year-old kid in front of the mirror, pretending to be Ace Frehley or Michael Schenker," admits Sabo. "It's still about writing a great song with your friend, praying it connects with someone. That has never left me. That willfulness will always exist, and there's so much left to say!"

"United World Rebellion - Chapter One" track listing:

01. Kings Of Demolition
02. Let's Go
03. This Is Killing Me
04. Get Up
05. Stiches

Progressive rockers URIAH HEEP will be rejoined by an old friend for a limited run of dates in May 2013 when they tour The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. John Lawton, who was lead vocalist between 1976 and 1979, will reunite with the group to cover for Bernie Shaw, who requires some time off for a routine medical procedure. John had already been confirmed to perform as a one-off guest at an outdoor amphitheatre HEEP show in Spain on July 12. This show at San Javier will now feature both singers and will serve as an occasion for the band to thank John. As the shows will be recorded for official bootlegs, it promises to be a real treat for the fans. The sets will be skewed to songs reflecting John's original tenure with the band, a celebration of classic 1970s URIAH HEEP. this will be a unique chance to catch such a nostalgic performance, fronted by an ex-URIAH HEEP legend, always a friend of the band, who has returned while Bernie Shaw recuperates.

URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box has answered several questions regarding the return of John Lawton.

Q: Would you like to say a few words about John Lawton deputizing for Bernie?

Mick: I am delighted to welcome back my old mate to the band. With Bernie off duty for a short while, John was the most obvious choice. Having worked with John on a recent feature film called "Love.net", I knew that his pipes were in great shape, and that he would also be accepted readily by the HEEP fans. All credit to John, though, as once he had heard of the problem and was asked, he re-arranged a lot of his schedule to fit in with ours, which was really cool!

Q: What is the set structure likely to be?

Mick: To be honest, it will probably be a nostalgic set, drawn from the '70s, featuring the Byron and Lawton period. It would be unfair to ask John to start learning songs from the last studio recordings, as they have Bernie's trademark vocals all over them. This will make it an extra-special concert for the fans in that regard.

Q: Can you share a special memory of John from the late Seventies?

Mick: One of my abiding memories is HEEP playing "Wise Man" on "Top Of The Pops". If ever there was a song which did not give a hint of the band's hard rock background, this was it, and I was worried that we would be accused of selling out to commercialism. I needn't have worried, as John sang it so powerfully that he not only made the song his, hard rock fans loved it, too!

Q: And a message to the fans.

Mick: This will be a special set of dates with John, as we will be playing some classic songs in this nostalgic set, that may never be repeated.. We hope to see you all there to enjoy this historic HEEP moment.

In true HEEP style, the gig schedule is as busy as ever. The "Nail On The Head" tour has already seen the band perform 10 acclaimed shows across the U.K. and the band will have performed across much of Europe by the time they take the Download stage — helping to kick things off in style with an appearance on the opening date, June 14.

Originally founded by Mick Box in 1969, URIAH HEEP is truly one of the pivotal classic acts that helped define the rock sound and an era. Part of the fabled "Big Four" alongside LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE, the HEEP story still has a long way to go. With classic songs like "Lady In Black", "Gypsy", "Easy Livin'" and "Stealin'" full of ambition, sophisticated writing, memorable tunes and, of course, the vocals — the five-part harmonies were a clear influence on the operatics of QUEEN.

URIAH HEEP was the first Western rock band to perform in Russia, they have headlined at stadiums worldwide: truly they've ensured their place at rock's top table. With Mick Box always at the helm, URIAH HEEP tours all over the world and is one of music's most exciting and reliable live acts.

In a more-than-40-year career, URIAH HEEP has released 23 studio albums and sold more than 40 million units; the most recent release was 2011's "Into The Wild".

While the band is thrilled to welcome back an old friend in John Lawton, the HEEP story rolls on, and more new music is to come soon.

U.K. thrashers XENTRIX played their first show in almost seven years this past Sunday, April 14 at the Moses Gate in Bolton, England. Video footage of the concert can be seen below.

XENTRIX has returned to action with a handful of live dates as special guests for KREATOR and EVILE in April as well as the promise of new material!

The band have had numerous offers to reform over the years but original singer Chris Astley always declined and as guitarist Kristian Harvard states "without him, it wasn't really XENTRIX." Astley has since had a change of heart and the promise of recording new material has prompted him to return to the fold and bring back one of the U.K.'s best-loved thrash bands.

Originally thrust into the public eye in the late '80s after their demo received a five-K review in Kerrang!, which in turn caught the attention Roadrunner Records, XENTRIX soon found themselves in the studio making "Shattered Existence".

Of course, their now-infamous cover of "Ghostbusters" remains a firm favorite with fans old and new as does the band's phenomenal second album, "For Whose Advantage?", which is regarded as a bonafide thrash classic.

The band went onto enjoy a short-but-successful career that saw them share stages with SLAYER, TESTAMENT, SEPULTURA, ANNIHILATOR, SABBAT, TANKARD and SKYCLAD before calling it a day in 1996, having become disillusioned with the U.K. metal scene.

XENTRIX previously reunited with their original lineup in 2006 for a two gigs in their home country.

XENTRIX released four albums on Roadrunner Records: "Shattered Existence" (1989), "For Whose Advantage" (1990), "Dilute to Taste" (1991) and "Kin" (1992). They also issued "Scourge" (1996) on Heavy Metal Records with Simon Gordon on vocals and Andy Rudd on guitar.

Caleb Smith of New Zealand's "The Sick Room" radio recently conducted an interview with Chris Astley. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

Performance:

InsideOut Music has announced the signing of progressive-rock powerhouse BIGELF. The band's new album will be released later this year.

InsideOut Music head honcho Thomas Waber says about the signing: "We have been talking to BIGELF for quite some time now and I am really pleased that we finally managed to make this happen! BIGELF are an excellent addition to the InsideOut Music roster!"

It's been a few years since we've heard any activity from the BIGELF camp, so who better to explain to us what's been going on than the band's mastermind Damon Fox himself.

"Finally! BIGELF lands on a planet whose atmosphere is synonymous with progressive rock and heavy metal," Fox says.

"One of my all-time favourite quotes is, 'Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid...'

"I'm ecstatic that InsideOut/Century Media and Mike Portnoy have joined 'forces' with BIGELF.

"First, I want to elaborate on what has been happening 'inside' the band since 2010. There have been numerous rumors on the Internet that I fired everyone in BIGELF; this is completely untrue.

"After the juggernaut of 'Cheat The Gallows' came to a halt, the business and personal infrastructure of BIGELF imploded and an unexpected hiatus occurred leaving the band in complete disarray. A myriad of personal, financial and domestic matters had enveloped myself as well as certain members of the group. There also comes a time when deep down inside it just doesn't feel right anymore, and one has to face the music that the end is near. Transparency no longer exists and with that, clarity and perspective are lost. I'm speaking for myself now but clearly this was a mutual feeling and I believe it was obvious amongst the band. Subsequently, Ace Mark decided to move on and left BIGELF in the summer of 2011, and a request by the remaining members for a dissolution of business followed. To put it simply, we went our separate ways without malice.

"I had been keeping in close touch with Mike Portnoy after his very public and difficult departure from DREAM THEATER. At this time, my musical future seemed quite bleak and I was very vocal to Mike about not being able to sustain the band any longer on my own. He implored me to carry on and to not let BIGELF slip away. His encouragement and enthusiasm meant the world to me. Recognizing that I needed some new allies, I asked him if he would help fight the good fight and lend his extraordinary drum majesty to the new BIGELF record and he readily agreed. Also... sharing a passion for all things rock and roll, my good friend Duffy Snowhill climbed aboard the Viking ship for another round of thundering bass guitar and for that too I am grateful.

"I also want to acknowledge our amazing and dedicated fans that send emails all the time saying how they feel about BIGELF. These emails inspire me greatly and they're the reason that I continue to play this kind of music, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can't wait for everyone to hear the new wondrous landscapes we've been sculpting, there are lots of surprises around the corner, stay tuned."

The three-robot act COMPRESSORHEAD — consisting of four-armed drummer Stickboy, guitarist Fingers and bassist Bones — presented a new automatic guitar tuner, in collaboration with the famous guitar producer Gibson, at the Musikmesse Frankfurt 2013 fair, which took place April 10-13 in Frankfurt, Germany. You can now watch a video report from NTD.TV below.

"The robots really actually discovered us because we are collectors of new artists and new bands," Borise Loehe of Gibson said. "They like to come to us and like working together with us. And one day the robots knocked on our door and said, 'Man, Gibson is such a great name and we also play Gibsons, should we not maybe work together?' It worked well because we are trying to be innovative and there is a robot technology which we have just built into our guitars, it is a self-thinking guitar which also works with a new technology. So it was clear quite quickly that we said, it all fits together."

COMPRESSORHEAD was created from recycled metal by a technical artist in Berlin, Germany and performs a setlist which includes classic songs from LED ZEPPELIN, MOTÖRHEAD, HELMET, AC/DC and BLACK SABBATH.

"Well, I think it is these special robots which are a bit wilder, a bit edged and angular and also a bit dirty," Loehe said. "This goes well with the music. People are able to identify with this. They had their first concert at a metal festival in Australia and it all fitted perfectly."

Blake Judd of Chicago-based extremists NACHTMYSTIUM has shot down reports that the band is on the verge of a breakup, claiming that a new studio album from the group will arrive before the end of the year.

NACHTMYSTIUM recently canceled all of its previously announced live activities after parting ways with its longtime lead guitarist Andrew Markuszewski and recording engineer/synth player Sanford Parker. In a posting on the Facebook page of Belgian festival Metal Méan, it was further claimed that the remaining three bandmembers of NACHTMYSTIUM had decided to "bring the band to a state of hiatus."

In a recent article on Stereogum, Judd revealed that he was taking a break from NACHTMYSTIUM to focus on new act HATE MEDITATION. "HATE MEDITATION is my main focus currently as NACHTMYSTIUM is on somewhat of a hiatus for the time being," Judd said.

After several sites reported earlier today that NACHTMYSTIUM was on the verge of calling it quits, Judd made an online posting on his personal Facebook page in which he said: "Apparently, some metal news sites have reported today that NACHTMYSTIUM has either 'broken up' or is on 'indefinite hiatus'. Neither of these things are true. The band has gone through some personnel changes in the last few months and I've made the decision to cancel all of our summer tour / festival plans while the band regroups. Instead of touring, we will be writing and recording our next full-length album in the coming months, to be released on Century Media worldwide sometime in late 2013. Also, we have pulled our Facebook page offline to revise and update it (giving it a full overhaul with new photos from the past and the present, scans of interviews from magazines throughout the band's 13 years of existence, etc.) … For the last time and for the record, NACHTMYSTIUM has NOT disbanded and is only on a hiatus in regards to playing shows."

NACHTMYSTIUM's sixth album, "Silencing Machine", was released in July 2012 via Century Media Records. The CD, which is described by Judd as "a fuckin' black metal record," was recorded at Engine Studios with the band's own synths/electronics specialist Sanford Parker (YOB, PELICAN) handling production duties.

"I Believed In God", the new video from Canadian rockers DANKO JONES, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's latest album, "Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue", which was reissued on April 9 via iTunes. The re-release features an exclusive, brand new, unreleased track called "Crazy In Bed", which was recorded during the "Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue" sessions.

In addition to fronting one of the hardest working bands in the world and writing for the Huffington Post as well as several music magazines around the world alike, DANKO JONES frontman and namesake has also found the time to host a podcast with a growing popularity featuring an impressive set of guests.

DANKO JONES is currently touring North America on a sold-out tour with VOLBEAT on the back of scoring their biggest U.S. radio hit so far with "Just A Beautiful Day", which peaked at No. 26 on the Active Rock chart.

"Our tour with VOLBEAT across North America has been amazing, to say the least," stated Danko. "We're having a blast. The good dudes in VOLBEAT are treating us so well that it's feeling almost like a working vacation. Getting to go onstage with them every night is a thrill and a half!"

"I Believed In God" video:



Behind the scenes of "I Believed In God" video shoot:

"The Death Of Me", a brand new song from the British metalcore act ASKING ALEXANDRIA, has been released digitally via iTunes, Google Play and Amazon MP3. The track comes off the band's third album, "From Death To Destiny", which will be released this summer via Sumerian Records. The CD was recorded with renowned producer Joey Sturgis (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, EMMURE).

In a recent interview with Billboard.com, ASKING ALEXANDRIA guitarist Ben Bruce revealed that the follow-up to 2011's "Reckless & Relentless" will contain 13-15 songs, six of which will be "radio-friendly" while the rest will be "our usual balls-to-the-wall kind of stuff."

"We spent a long time honing in on song structures and writing techniques and stuff like that, but there are still heavy songs on the record," Bruce said. "We're not just going to throw that away and kick our original fan base in the teeth by getting rid of all that. There will still be a lot of riffing and screaming. But we feel like we did find a happy medium between being heavy and then being light enough to be on radio, but still keeping the balls in the song."

Most of the new CD was recorded at Sturgis' studio in Indiana, while the vocals and strings and choir parts were laid down at NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California. "On the last one a lot of that extra stuff was all fake; we did it on computer," Bruce said. "This time we wanted to be more organic, so we got a live orchestra conducted by the brilliant Stevie Black (ALICE IN CHAINS, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) and did all the strings. Then we got a live church gospel choir to come into the studio for a few days to sing over a few tracks. It really sounds special."

ASKING ALEXANDRIA's remix record, "Stepped Up And Scratched", came out in November 2011.

ASKING ALEXANDRIA is:

Danny Worsnop - Vocals
Ben Bruce - Guitar
Cameron Liddell - Guitar
Sam Bettley - Bass
James Cassells - Drums

"Odyssey", a brand new song from progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new album, "The Migration", which will be released in North America on June 11 via Prosthetic Records. Recorded earlier this year at North Carolina's Basement Studios with producer Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, HE IS LEGEND, FOR TODAY), the CD will feature cover artwork by illustrator Duncan Storr (HAWKWIND, EDGE OF SANITY).

"The Migration" track listing:

01. Odyssey
02. Atlas Novus
03. The Olive Tree
04. Narrow Salient
05. Oracle
06. Evergreen
07. The Dark Horse
08. Willow
09. Sabrosa
10. The Traveler

"The Migration" marks the recording debut of new SCALE THE SUMMIT bassist Mark Michell. The album will be released just days after SCALE THE SUMMIT hits the road with INTRONAUT on a summer North American tour.

SCALE THE SUMMIT's 2011 effort, "The Collective", saw the band tour alongside the likes of PERIPHERY, CYNIC, FAIR TO MIDLAND, THE CONTORTIONIST, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, PROTEST THE HERO and TRIOSCAPES. Since that album's touring cycle ended late last year, the band has kept busy, with guitarist Chris Letchford launching his own signature series Strandberg guitar and bassist Mark Michell releasing an instructional book.

SCALE THE SUMMIT's third album, "The Collective", sold around 1,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 39 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.

The follow-up to 2009's "Carving Desert Canyons", "The Collective" was recorded at Paint It Black Studios in Orlando, Florida with producer Mark Lewis (DEVILDRIVER, ALL THAT REMAINS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER).

SCALE THE SUMMIT formed in 2005 while attending the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. The band relocated to Texas in 2006, where they recorded their first, self-released album. After signing with Prosthetic, they issued "Carving Desert Canyons", which Revolver called "a cinematic blast of intricately melodic fretwork and pummeling percussion," in 2009.

In a brand new interview with MSN, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx was asked about his recent statement that the band's next studio album will likely be the last one and then they will do a farewell tour and call it quits.

"MÖTLEY CRÜE has been the core of our life," Sixx explained. "It's been the reason we have anything at all. The four of us made MÖTLEY CRÜE, and the four of us want to leave it in a way that we feel proud, and not be one of these bands, where we're sitting around going, 'Why are those guys doing that? There's two versions of that band? Why are they doing it? The lead singer is dead. Why are they touring?' We don't ever want to be like that. Through the years we talked about when we're absentee, let's call it. Leave it where everyone's like, 'That was an awesome experience.' We can always forever feel proud about that. We're not there yet. We're going up to Canada. We're doing shows. We're writing music. We're getting everything in line for the movie [adaptation of MÖTLEY CRÜE's New York Times bestselling collaborative autobiography 'The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band']. We're cool. Don't freak out yet."

MÖTLEY CRÜE last year released a brand new song called "Sex" to coincide with the launch of the band's North American co-headlining tour with KISS.

Written when the group was together during their residency in Las Vegas in February 2012, "Sex" was the first studio track from the CRÜE since their June 2008 release of "Saints Of Los Angeles".

MÖTLEY CRÜE will return to The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for a dozen shows September 18 through October 6.

The CRÜE's first Las Vegas residency in February 2012 consisted of 12 sold-out concerts featuring pyrotechnics, aerialists, special effects, vixens galore and tons of hits from a catalog stretching back to the band's formation in 1981.

Iuri Sanson, singer of the Brazilian metal band HIBRIA, fronted Japanese metallers LOUDNESS for their appearance last night (Sunday, April 14) at the Live N' Louder festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Ex-LOUDNESS vocalist Mike Vescera, who was originally supposed to rejoin his former bandmates for this one-off concert, was unable to make the event.

LOUDNESS released its 25th studio album, "2012", last August via Tokuma Communications.

The band last year inked a deal with FrostByte Media for the release of the "Eve To Dawn" outside Japan. The CD was originally made available in the group's home country in September 2011.

HIBRIA's third album, "Blind Ride", was released in January 2011 via King Records in Japan.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS — the Swedish band featuring ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott and bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, along with vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (ex-FIREWIND) — kicked off its European tour earlier tonight (Monday, April 15) at Logo in Hamburg, Germany. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS eighth studio album, "Earth Blues", will be released on April 16 (one day earlier internationally) via InsideOut Music.

"Earth Blues" track listing

01. Wise As A Serpent
02. Turn The Tide
03. Sweet Magic Pain
04. Hello Sorrow
05. One Man's Curse
06. Dreamer
07. Too Old To Die Young
08. Kingmaker
09. Road To Madness
10. Dead End Town
11. Freedom Song
12. Legends Collapse

Amott previously stated about the new CD: "I had the idea for this artwork from my time as a child, seeing posters of two young lovers watching a romantic sunset on the beach — just your typical tacky bedroom art in the '70s, really... Also, growing up in what is now referred to with some nostalgia as the Atomic Age — the threat of nuclear war was always looming over our heads it seemed. I wanted to combine these two images of my youth in one paradoxical image and Per Wiberg of Hippograffix (and SPIRITUAL BEGGARS keyboardist) really managed to capture the melancholic feeling perfectly. Earth Blues, indeed."

Regarding the making of "Earth Blues", Amott said: "We started the recording process of 'Earth Blues' with an eight-day-long session at Fat Guitar Studios (Sweden) with knob-twiddler Roberth Ekholm, a truly great dude who really knows how to capture a band jamming live, sadly a rare quality in recording engineers nowadays! We continued with some overdubs at various studios in Sweden, and it's all come together super easy this time. Sonically, I think this might be our finest hour yet. It's a raw, heavy and honest record."

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS 2013 is:

Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY, CARCASS) - Guitar
Ludwig Witt (FIREBIRD) - Drums
Per Wiberg (OPETH) - Keyboards
Sharlee D'Angelo (ARCH ENEMY, MERCYFUL FATE) - Bass
Apollo Papathanasio (FIREWIND) – Vocals

Pepper Keenan, who has spent the last few years focusing on his guitar-playing duties in DOWN, rejoined his CORROSION OF CONFORMITY bandmates on stage this past Saturday, April 13 at The Metal Fest at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile to perform two songs: "Señor Limpio" and "Vote With A Bullet". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Keenan joined CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1990, but he did not become the band's lead singer until the recording of "Deliverance", which came out in 1994.

In a 201 interview with Blistering.com, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY bassist/vocalist Mike Dean was asked if the band will ever do anything with Pepper again. "There's no firm plans, but there is a firm desire to make it happen," he said. "We had a really good time doing 'In The Arms Of God' and I'm really proud of that album. The only thing missing was Reed [Mullin]. I thought Stanton Moore did a great job. If you're not going to have your original drummer, then it's novel to get someone who's flamboyant to do their take on it. I thought that was a good move. I came away from that thinking that if we had this level of creativity and also had Mullin… that would be a bonus. But yeah, I hope we don't just get that lineup together for shows or 'Deliverance' nostalgia shows, but get it together with the idea of putting out a record. There's some controversy to doing the three-piece. People are like, "Oh my God, no Pepper!" People haven't even heard it and complain. I'm like, "Complain on, you'll see!" There's a good story behind this version, and there would be a good story behind doing the four-piece again."

Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division, in 2010 released "Playlist: The Very Best Of Corrosion Of Conformity", a new CORROSION OF CONFORMITY best-of collection in the "Playlist" compilation albums series.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's most recent studio album with Keenan, "In the Arms of God", came out in 2005 on Sanctuary Records.

Greek melodic metallers FIREWIND, who feature in their ranks current OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Gus G., will celebrate their 10th anniversary by releasing a live album on June 24 via Century Media Records in Europe. Entitled "Apotheosis - Live 2012", the CD will contain 17 songs recorded at special anniversary shows in Greece as well as all over Europe during the band's "Few Against Many" tour in 2012. With a playing time of 69 minutes, the effort is a great overview of the band's career so far, which consists of seven studio albums. It also marks FIREWIND's final release with singer Apollo Papathanasio, who decided to leave the group at the end of last year.

Stated Gus G.: "Apotheosis = the glorification of a subject to a divine level. That is the word that came to my mind while thinking of how I could best describe the feeling and the vibe of those four anniversary shows we played in our homeland Greece and our last European headline tour in 2012! So that had to be our live album's title. You can feel the energy on these recordings, you can hear the screams of the most hardcore fans and the FIREWIND chants... it's all there. No doubt about it, it's the sheer love from our fans and supporters that has kept us alive and strong for 10 years and we wanted to celebrate all that with this album. We recorded all those shows, chose the best performances and now we can't wait to release this one!"

FIREWIND recently completed an extensive North American tour with TURISAS and STOLEN BABIES. Filling in on vocals for the trek was Kelly Sundown Carpenter (ADAGIO, BEYOND TWILIGHT).

In a recent interview with Metal Assault, Gus G. stated about Apollo's departure: "People following the band for the past few years would know that we've had different session guys at the live shows even when Apollo was in the band because he just had to skip a few tours during the year. So whenever the schedule was getting too heavy for him and he would have to take care of stuff back home, we had to get other guys. So this time, he had to skip again and he was like, 'You know, instead of holding you guys back, I might as well just quit.' I think he did the right thing for him, for us as well, because we can only do that [getting session vocalists] so many times and we're better off trying to find a new permanent guy instead of getting replacements for a tour. So at least now we know that we have to find somebody new, and in a sense it's a bit sad, but at the same time it's some sort of relief."

Asked if Carpenter is going to be the permanent replacement for Papathanasio, Gus said: "We don't know yet. We're not going to rush that decision. We're really happy with what he's doing on stage; he's doing a really good job. But we have this tour and then we have a few festivals back home and then FIREWIND might be on hiatus for a while, so we're going to see what we're going to do."

FIREWIND's latest album, "Few Against Many", entered the official chart in Greece at No. 42 and in Germany at No. 90. Released in Europe on May 21, 2012 via Century Media Records and in North America on May 22 through DisManic, Inc. via eOne Distribution, the CD was mixed by Jason Suecof and Eyal Levi at Audiohammer Studios (TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, DEATH ANGEL) in Sanford, Florida.

Stern Pinball, Inc., the world's leading maker of real pinball games and the AAMA 2012 Manufacturer Of The Year, has announced the availability of the METALLICA pinball game. The newest addition to the iconic Stern collection of rock and roll machines honors one of the world's foremost rock bands. METALLICA's notoriously fast tempos and aggressive musicianship sets the tone for an exciting player experience.

Players will be able to bang their heads and their flippers to 12 classic METALLICA hits, including "Master Of Puppets", "One" and "Fade To Black". Other action-packed game features include an electric chair, snake, grave marker and unparalleled magnetic action.

"We are proud to release our newest music-themed game designed to capture the raw, rebellious nature of METALLICA," said Gary Stern, Chairman and CEO of Stern Pinball, Inc.

Says METALLICA: "After years of playing on Kirk's [Hammett, METALLICA guitarist] machines at [the band's headquarters in San Rafael, California], we jumped at the idea when Stern Pinball came to us with some designs and ideas some time ago. Features will include an electric chair, snake, grave markers and lots of other bells and whistles along with art by our friend Dirty Donny."

The METALLICA game continues both the Stern Pinball and the Stern family tradition of producing quality pinball machines for young and old. The company traces its lineage to Philadelphia in the 1930s when Sam Stern entered the business of operating pinball games. Sam Stern subsequently became part owner and president of Williams Manufacturing, a pioneer in the pinball industry, and passed his lifelong enthusiasm for the game and the business of pinball to his son Gary Stern, who founded Stern Pinball. Today pinball remains one of America's favorite pastimes.

The METALLICA pinball machine is available through authorized Stern distributors and dealers.

* Pro Version: $4,995
* Premium Version (road case): $6,995
* Limited-Edition Version: (Master Of Puppets) $7,595

To learn more about the METALLICA pinball game and Stern Pinball, visit www.sternpinball.com.

PHEROZE, former singer of SCAR CULTURE, is releasing his Ennui EP on April 23rd.
In anticipation of the release, he has premiered a commentary video giving fans insight into the writing and recording of the EP. You can check it out below:
In addition, Pheroze has launched his new website at this location. The site features more information about Ennui as well as a chance to pre-order the EP and get a free download of the song 'The Path Towards December'.

Pheroze shared some details about Ennui, which was drafted in his desire to mesh modern rock genres and offer a fresh sonic perspective. "Ennui is a journey into making my tendency to meld rock genres meet with a bigger resonant sound than in the past," he said. "There are so many monster riffs and dynamic vocal parts in these songs that I wanted to make sure that the production really worked to enhance these elements instead of just being a means to deliver the song. I focused on getting to the essence of each of these songs, throwing out unnecessary parts, and capturing the depth and breadth of emotion in the performances on record. Frankly, after the grueling overtly picky process that went into my last album, Crows Into Swine, the streamlined way I approached writing and producing Ennui was like pure much needed therapy."

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more commentary videos as well as the premiere of the music video for 'Today I Belong To The Dead'. For fans in NYC, mark down Tuesday, April 23rd for a free EP release show at Bowery Electric.
More on Pheroze at this location.

Algy Ward, founder and frontman of British metal legands TANK, has signed a deal with 4Worlds Media for the release of "the definitive" new TANK album entitled "Breath Of The Pit", Due in May, the CD will feature 10 brand new recordings that "will blow your face off in true filth hounds tradition," according to a press release. Algy himself produced the effort, which is being described as "a real TANK album for genuine TANK fans."

Algy's TANK is not to be confused with the other version of the band — featuring Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans on guitar alongside ex-RAINBOW/YNGWIE MALMSTEEN frontman Doogie White and ex-BRUCE DICKINSON bassist Chris Dale and former HELLOWEEN drummer Mark Cross — which released a new DVD, "War Machine Live", last December in the USA through MVD. The set, which came out in Europe in November via Metal Mind Productions, features live performances filmed on March 9, 2012 at Stodola in Warsaw, Poland and August 10, 2011 at Metal Hammer Festival in Katowice, Poland, plus band interviews, on-the-road footage and the promotional video for "War Nation", the title track of the band's most recent studio album.

In a 2009 statement to Classic Rock magazine, Ward slammed his former bandmates for taking a version of the band out on the road in Europe without him. He said: "I wish the loyal TANK fans around the world to know that the band playing various European festivals under the name of 'TANK' do so without my consent.

"The band name TANK, associated logos and images are my sole intellectual property and copyright.

"I am currently unable to perform live due to poor health but continue to write and record."

Algy Ward's ReverbNation TuneWidget:

Detroit thrashers BATTLECROSS are putting the finishing touches on their sophomore album for a summer release via Metal Blade Records. The drum tracks on the CD were laid down by Shannon Lucas (ex-THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) following the departure of Mike Kreger earlier in the year.

The follow-up to 2011's "Pursuit Of Honor" was recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida and features a guest guitar solo by producer Jason Suecof. Eyal Levi handled engineering duties on the record and ARMORED SAINT's Joey Vera, who mastered the band's cover version of PANTERA's "Fucking Hostile", will master.

Comments Lucas: "Being a fan of BATTLECROSS, it is an honor to be a part of their new record. I can't wait for the world to hear this album."

Added Levi, "I am so beyond excited for the chance to produce Shannon Lucas on the new battlecross record. He's one of the true BEASTS of metal drumming. The man's skills are literally untouchable. Combine that with a badass rising star of a band and I think we've got the makings of a crushing record!"

As previously reported, BATTLECROSS has tapped SIX FEET UNDER drummer Kevin Talley to sit behind the kit for their performances at the New England Metal & Hardcore (April 19) and Orion Music + More (June 8-9) festivals.

Talley, who has also played with DAATH, CHIMAIRA, MISERY INDEX, NOTHNEGAL and DYING FETUS, said: "I'm stoked to play these shows with such an energetic and impressive band like BATTLECROSS. I had a chance to see them play on Trespass America and at the Scion A/V Metal Blade anniversary show and was blown away! New England Metal festival and Orion Music + More are huge opportunities for the band and I'm honored to fill in behind the kit; they are definitely one of my favorite new bands!"

BATTLECROSS has just completed the "Another Year, Another Tour" with IN FLAMES, DEMON HUNTER and ALL SHALL PERISH.

"Pursuit Of Honor" topped the SiriusXM Liquid metal chart, garnered great reviews and earned the band high-profile tours, including last summer's Trespass America with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and TRIVIUM.

DEFTONES guitarist Stephen Carpenter (pictured below) has released a statement in remembrance of the band's bassist, Chi Cheng, who passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2013, following complications from a 2008 car accident that left him in a semi-comatose state. He was 42.

He said: "There are so many things I can say, and yet at this moment, none of it matters or compares to the loss everyone feels.

"There will be a hole in our lives where Chi once was. But that will be filled every day with all of our love and memories we all have in our heart. He will always be here because of love.

"It's time we all give our love and best, and do our best to love. Especially ourselves. Chi would want that for everyone. All our healing will begin with love.

"I love you, Chi."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Cheng was riding in a car driven by his sister Mae that flipped three times after a collision with another vehicle on a road in Santa Clara, California. Cheng was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the car.

He underwent surgery to remove part of his brain after the accident, although he was strong enough to come off life support seven months later.

Although Cheng never recovered full consciousness after his accident, he was gradually able to emerge for brief periods of time from his coma and see and hear things happening around him, although he could not respond verbally.

Cheng was also in and out of hospitals for various infections over the last four years, as his family struggled with mounting medical bills. Cheng was dropped by his insurance company just months after his accident.

DEFTONES and other acts held benefit concerts to raise money for Cheng's medical bills, and DEFTONES continued to donate money from the band's own tours as well.

Sergio Vega stepped in to play for the band on tour after Cheng's accident, staying on to record 2010's "Diamond Eyes" and 2012's "Koi No Yokan".

The last record that Cheng worked on, an abandoned project called "Eros", remains unreleased.