Fan-filmed video footage of U.D.O.'s April 10 concert at Gramercy Theatre in New York City can be seen below.

Guitarist Igor Gianola recently left U.D.O. and was replaced by Finnish axeman Kasperi Heikkinen.

U.D.O. last year announced the addition of guitarist Andrey Smirnov to the group's ranks. He replaced Stefan Kaufmann, who left the group for health reasons.

U.D.O. will release its new album, "Steelhammer", on May 24 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Dirkschneider and Fitty Wienhold.

Stefan will continue to work with U.D.O. behind the scenes and produce other bands at his Roxx studio.

Kaufmann was the drummer for ACCEPT on nine albums but was forced to give up drumming towards the end of the band's initial run due to health problems.

Stefan joined U.D.O. as a guitar player in 1996, following ACCEPT's second breakup, and has recorded nine albums with them.

"Live In Sofia", the new DVD+CD and Blu-ray+CD from U.D.O., entered the Music DVD chart in Finland at position No. 1 and in Germany at No. 4.

"Live In Sofia" contains footage of U.D.O.'s November 16, 2011 concert at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria.

ALICE IN CHAINS were the musical guests on last night's (Wednesday, April 10) edition ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The band performed three songs — "Stone", "Hollow" and "Man In The Box" — on the show's outdoor stage in front of a standing-room-only crowd. You can now watch video footage of the group's appearance below.

ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here", is scheduled for release on May 28. Those who can't wait that long to hear new music can receive an instant download of new single, "Stone", by pre-ordering the album on iTunes.

"Stone" follows the album's hugely successful first single "Hollow", which hit No. 1 on both the Mainstream and Active Rock radio charts, while its companion video has amassed more than a million views on YouTube.

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Nick Raskulinecz (FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES). ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell recently told Rolling Stone that the CD is "a unique record that's completely different from anything we ever did," adding, "The band is moving ahead in new territory that we haven't been to before, but we haven't lost our identity." The Pulse Of Radio asked Cantrell to talk more about the band's evolution on its fifth studio effort. "The cool thing about record is it's a snapshot of time, of that group of individuals," he said. "And when you line up all of those records back to back, you can see where the band changes, evolves, you can maybe feel what they're going through, you know, and I think you could probably say that with all of our records. You can get a pretty good snapshot of what's going on there and, you know, we're in a different place now."

Cantrell told Revolver magazine that the title track's lyrics take on the beliefs of certain organized religions, saying, "What I've seen is the most basic message to most faith systems is in contradiction with how it gets applied . . . It always amazes me that some of the most hateful and hurtful things are done in the name of some sort of belief system."

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is ALICE IN CHAINS' second with William DuVall on vocals. It follows up 2009's "Black Gives Way To Blue", the group's first all-new collection of material in 14 years and first since the 2002 death of original singer Layne Staley.

"The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" track listing:

01. Hollow
02. Pretty Done
03. Stone
04. Voices
05. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
06. Lab Monkey
07. Low Ceiling
08. Breath On A Window
09. Scalpel
10. Phantom Limb
11. Hung On A Hook
12. Choke

ALICE IN CHAINS will hit the road on a spring trek that starts on April 25 in Miami Beach and includes headlining slots at the Rocklahoma, Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville and Rock On The Range festivals.

A person going by the online handle "TheSorceressKnight" at BLABBERMOUTH.NET has unveiled two additional images hidden in the cover artwork for the album.

When loaded into Photoshop, the main picture of a dinosaur skull reveals first a mirror image of that photo, and then underneath both what looks like a skull belonging to a demon or devil.

Marilyn Manson has collaborated with singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne on a song for her upcoming fifth studio album.

The as-yet-untitled CD will be Lavigne's first for Epic after leaving RCA Records.

"The record's really diverse," Lavigne told Billboard.com. "We've got these pop-rock tunes, and then these piano ballads with orchestras.

"I have a heavier song that Marilyn Manson's on called 'Bad Girl', and then I've got a song called 'Hello Kitty' that sounds like nothing I've done before."

She added: "'Here's To Never Growing Up' is one of the rock tunes on it, but it's all over the place."

DEVICE, the new band fronted by DISTURBED singer David Draiman, made its live debut last night (Wednesday, April 10) at Soul Kitchen in Mobile, Alabama. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

The self-titled debut album from DEVICE is likely to sell between 35,000 and 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on April 9 via Warner Bros.

Draiman told The Pulse Of Radio that DEVICE's CD is a showcase for musical and vocal styles he couldn't do with DISTURBED. "This was just kind of experimentation of other things that I've always been able to do but never really tried in any effective way," he said. "But, you know, I love going in these different directions and trying these different textures and taking songs to have a little bit more of an ambient feel to them — things that don't go hand in hand with DISTURBED."

Draiman launched DEVICE last year with ex-FILTER guitarist Geno Lenardo, after DISTURBED went on hiatus in late 2011.

Lenardo will not tour with DEVICE due to previous commitments. The live band includes EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt and DOPE guitarist Virus.

The DEVICE album features guest appearances from AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows, SYSTEM OF A DOWN vocalist Serj Tankian, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and ex-DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes.

Irish cult entity SLIDHR will release their first full-length album, Deluge, in a noble six-panel digipack CD on May 24th (May 28th in North America) via Debemur Morti Productions.

The front cover was conceived by band mastermind J. Deegan and the layout assembled by Kontamination Design.
Tracklisting is as follows:

'Wielding Daggers'
'Hex'
'Earth's Mouth Opens'
'Symbols Obscuring'
'Rejoin The Dirt'
'Their Blood'
'Death Of The Second Sun'
'Unseen'
'As The Dead'
'Rays like Blades'
The track 'Hex' is now streaming below:

Hex by SLIDHR

Listen to the song 'Death Of The Second Sun' below:

Death Of The Second Sun by SLIDHR

More on Slidhr at this location.

CIVIL WAR — the new Swedish metal band featuring former SABATON members Rikard Sundén (guitar), Daniel Mullback (drums), Daniel Mÿhr (keyboards) and Oskar Montelius (guitar) alongside singer Patrik Johansson (ASTRAL DOORS, LION'S SHARE) and bassist Stefan "Pizza" Eriksson (VOLTURYON) — will release its full-length debut, "The Killer Angels", on June 11 via Despotz Records. The group states: "The album deals with a lot of stuff: heroes, traitors, battles and heavy metal....and yes: we have a song called 'Gettysburg'."

"The Killer Angels" track listing:

01. King Of The Sun
02. First To Fight
03. Saint Patrick's Day
04. Rome Is Falling
05. Sons Of Avalon
06. I Will Rule The Universe
07. Lucifer's Court
08. Brother Judas
09. My Own Worst Enemy
10. Gettysburg
11. March Across The Belts (bonus track)

The song "I Will Rule The Universe" is now available for streaming in its entirety below.

CIVIL WAR's debut EP was released on November 13, 2012 via Despotz Records.

According to Sundén, CIVIL WAR's sound is "more old-school hard rock," with "a little less keyboards" than that of SABATON. He says, "With Patrik's vocals on top, it becomes a different thing, but there are some parallels [to our previous band]."

Regarding how CIVIL WAR came together, b>Mullback told the Swedish-language newspaper Dalarnas Tidningar (DT), "It came pretty naturally. We always thought Patrik had a good voice and he accepted our offer when we asked him to join the band."

"I had no hesitation about getting involved," Patrik said. "ASTRAL DOORS certainly has a solid fan base, but we are a little more underground. I see this as an opportunity to reach a wider audience."

The four ex members of SABATON were never involved in the songwriting process with their former band since those duties were usually handled by vocalist Joakim Brodén. But in the new group, everyone is contributing ideas.

"This has been a reawakening of sorts," Mÿhr said. "I have never been in a situation where there has been so much creativity."

On the topic of whether CIVIL WAR will continue SABATON's tradition of focusing on war-related themes in its lyrics, Mÿhr said, "No, we won't. Now the lyrics can be about anything. [CIVIL WAR was just] a good name that sounded good."

An invite-only listening party for BLACK SABBATH's new album, "13" — the first in 35 years to feature bassist Geeezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and singer Ozzy Osbourne — was held yesterday (Wednesday, April 10) at The Montalban in Los Angeles, California.

The following eight songs were played back to a small theater full of select media and VIPs:

* End Of The Beginning (8:07)
* God Is Dead? (8:54)
* Loner (5:06)
* Zeitgeist (4:28)
* Age Of Reason (7:02)
* Live Forever (4:49)
* Damaged Soul (7:43)
* Dear Father (7:06)

Check out a report at the Black Sabbath Online web site.

"13" is due out June 11 on Vertigo/Republic. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!" They have sold more than 70 million albums together.

Ozzy told an Australian radio station that "13" is "mind-blowing," adding, "It's better than my wildest dreams; it's so good."

The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.

BLACK SABBATH will make a rare television appearance when the band performs a new song on the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". The episode is set to air on Wednesday, May 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS-TV. The band will world premiere a song called "End Of The Beginning" from "13". The episode's plot follows the "CSI" team as they investigate a series of murder that resemble the sins in "Dante's Inferno", with the trail leading the detectives played by Ted Danson and Marc Vann to attend a SABBATH concert.

Although SABBATH vocalist Ozzy Osbourne has extensive TV experience thanks to the now-legendary reality series "The Osbournes", he told The Pulse Of Radio he's generally shied away from showing up on the small screen. "'The Osbournes' was like an experiment that went way over what I ever expected it to do," he said. "Sharon and I have been offered so much TV stuff, but I can't stand it, you know. I mean, I don't like to see me on TV, I don't like to see me on film or anything, you know."

SLAYER singer Tom Araya spoke with Andrew Haug from AndrewHaug.com - Australia's Only Dedicated 24/7 Rock-Metal Station - at the Melbourne stop of Soundwave 2013. He was asked about the status of guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who was hospitalized in early 2011 with necrotizing fasciitis (likely rooted in a spider bite) and continues to this day in recovery-mode. The band has since enlisted EXODUS' Gary Holt for live shows.
"Even though he's not in the picture, he's still part of the picture," Araya says. "It's taken him a lot longer than he even thought. He can play and he can work out the material but… It's like everything else, depending on how you are health-wise as a person, that affects how you heal. Even though you haven't seen him live, he's still part of the band."

Check out the 15-minute chat below:

Shadow Kingdom Records has set June 11th as the release date for Strange Conflicts Of The Past, a collection of early recordings from Finnish heavy/doom metal band CARDINALS FOLLY.

One of the best Finnish bands performing this style, their early material is all out of print and impossible to get. This is a fine package of all of their early works and arguably their very best material. The tracks one-three are from the Heretic's Hangover EP, which was released in early 2008 as the first release under the name of Cardinals Folly. This release was just a few hundred copies and was sold out pretty fast. They left out the last track of this EP, ‘Uncharted Seas’ because that was already on the debut album. Shadow Kingdom wanted to offer some unreleased songs instead. Tracks five-eight are from the Orthodox Faces EP (2009), which was also sold out quickly and received a notable welcoming in the doom circles. Tracks four, nine and ten are unreleased tracks from the same era of these two EPs, also recorded in 2008-2009. Track four was featured on THE COVEN´s 2006 demo-EP Beltane, but this version of the song is much better, as it's recorded in 2008 with the Cardinals Folly line-up.

Strange Conflicts Of The Past tracklisting:

‘Intro’
‘The Right Hand Of Doom’
‘Raputin (The Mad Monk)’
‘Serpent Nights’
‘Opening Ceremony’
‘Blood Axis Raider’
‘Cardinals Folly’
‘They Found Atlantis’
‘The Model’
‘Transmission From The Mad Arab’

For more info visit Facebook.

Slovenian hard rockers STONE ORANGE will release its second album The Dreamcatcher on April 23rd by Street Symphonies. This will be the band’s first work in English and a new single, titled ‘Nobody Cares’ has been released.


Check out the song below:

The Dreamcatcher tracklisting:

‘Broken Man’
‘I Am (Whatever)’
‘Pride And Pain’
‘Rockin’ & Rollin’
‘It Keeps On Raining’
‘Lovetron’
‘Scare Me’
‘Nobody Cares’
‘Whites Of Their Eyes’
‘Frozen Sky’
‘The Age Of Stars’

Stone Orange are:
Marko Erjavec – vocals, guitar
Tomo Jurca – guitar
Davorin Kovacic – bass, backing vocals
Vid Zgonc – drums

For more info visit Facebook.

ICED EARTH's first officially filmed headline show, "Live In Ancient Kourion", will hit stores on April 15 in Europe and April 16 in North America via Century Media. This incredibly powerful package will come to you in various configurations and, a first for Century Media Records, also on Blu-ray disc. The limited-edition deluxe book features the main show and a plethora of bonus content on DVD and a Blu-ray disc, as well as the entire concert on a 2CD set (4 discs in total). You can also enjoy the audio version of the full concert in a 3LP gatefold vinyl package or as a 2CD set. A standard DVD and digital audio download will also be available.

In a new posting on ICED EARTH's official Facebook page, the band writes:

"Dear ICED EARTH fans around the world:

"We have noticed comments about the Blu-ray for 'Live In Ancient Kourion' not being available separately and, in North America, the deluxe package that includes the Blu-ray, DVD and 2 CDs plus extended booklet as well as the 3-LP vinyl box set only being available from CM Distro.

"There is one thing to be said here:

"As a band, you deliver a product. You make it as good as humanly possible, you pour your blood, sweat and tears into it and at some point, you hand it over to the label.

"As a band, you only have limited input into whatever happens next.

"We would have loved to see a Blu-ray as a stand-alone format and for that format to be available worldwide, in as many stores as humanly possible.

"We would have loved to see the deluxe edition and 3-LP vinyl version to be available in record stores across the U.S., however few it may be that still exist.

"Ultimately, labels make these decisions. They base it on economics, what they think is the demand of the market and what will sell.

"Band and label live together and work together, but not always do they agree. But this is above our influence.

"In reality, the only way to influence for this to change and for the U.S. to offer the same packages Europe is getting, is if the orders for these configurations are large enough to make the label listen and see that there IS indeed a demand for it and change their outlook on this in the future.

"Again: we are sorry and we wish it was different.

"We just wanted you guys to know how things really work."

The setlist for ICED EARTH's August 19, 2012 concert was as follows:

01. Dystopia
02. Burning Times
03. Angel Holocaust
04. Slave To The Dark
05. V
06. When The Night Falls
07. I Died For You
08. Invasion
09. Motivation Of Man
10. Setian Massacre
11. Stormrider
12. Pure Evil
13. Wolf
14. Dark City
15. End Of Innocence
16. Dracula
17. Ten Thousand Strong
18. End Of Innocence
19. Anthem
20. Decleration Day
21. Days Of Rage
22. Melancholy (Holy Martyr)

Encore 1:

23. In Sacred Flames
24. Boiling Point
25. Damien
26. Watching Over Me
27. Dantes Inferno
28. Iced Earth

Encore 2:

29. The Hunter

Since ICED EARTH's latest album, "Dystopia", was released in October 2011, the band has been on the attack in a big way, playing more shows in the past year than in the previous ten years... combined.

Comments ICED EARTH guitarist/mainman Jon Schaffer: "I feel this is a testament to a new beginning, a new energy and a rock solid determination that will see us taking the music of ICED EARTH to every corner of the globe; spreading the awareness of our brand of metal in a way that hasn't been done before. I've never been more proud of this band, our crew, and the people behind the scenes that are responsible for much of our success."

Early on in the world tour, the band decided that they wanted to capture this newfound energy and passion on film. The biggest question was deciding where to film. There were so many great shows and audiences around the world that it was very challenging to decide which city to choose for this special event. When the offer came in to film at the ancient Kourion Theater in Limassol, Cyprus, they were immediately attracted to that idea. The history and culture there, as well as the Cypriot audience, which the band experienced in December 2011, solidified the decision to film the DVD in Cyprus. Filming and recording a two-and-a-half-hour show in an amphitheater that is 6000 years old and is not set up for a rock concert, paired with 40-degree-Celsius heat, were just some of the obstacles to overcome. But the finished product makes up for any of the challenges that the band and crew faced on that special night.

"Stormrider" performance (video):

Swedish rock act WE ARE THE CATALYST will release their debut EP Panem Et Circenses on May 2nd digitally. It features previous singles ‘Beware Of Snakes’, ‘This Is Paranoia’, ‘Tomorrow’ as well as two unreleased songs, ‘Sad Reality’ and ‘Being Number One’.

Panem Et Circenses tracklisting:

‘This Is Paranoia’
‘Beware Of Snakes’
‘Tomorrow’
‘Sad Reality’
‘Being Number One’
The EP was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Kenny Boufadene at Studio Meltdown in Varberg, Sweden.

For more info visit Facebook.

Finnish death metallers DECAYING has announced their third full-length album The Last Days Of War will be released on May 20th via Hellthrasher Productions. The follow-up to their acclaimed sophomore effort Encirclement features eight new tracks with a total running of 46 minutes and marks the debut of new bass player Sebastian Bergman.

Check out the new song ‘Code Name Overlord’ below:

The Last Days Of War tracklisting:

‘Preparation’
‘Code Name Overlord’
‘The Ardennes Offensive’
‘Firestorm’
‘’The Last Days Of War’
‘Passchendaele’
‘El Alamein’
‘The Pacific’
Decaying are:
Matias Nastolin - Guitars, Vocals
Henri Hirvonen - Guitars
Sebastian Bergman - Bass
Benjam Lahdenpää – Drums

For more info visit Facebook.

Video footage of ANTHRAX's March 9 performance at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas during the "Metal Alliance Tour" can be seen at this location (courtesy of Tom Bachonski). A few of the clips are available below.

The "Metal Alliance Tour", which also features EXODUS, HIGH ON FIRE, MUNICIPAL WASTE and HOLY GRAIL, will stay on the road through late April.

"Anthems", ANTHRAX's long-awaited, eight-track EP that pays tribute to the classic songs by some of the band's favorite acts from the 1970s, sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 52 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released in North America on March 19 (MRI/Megaforce), and on March 22 in Europe (Nuclear Blast).

ANTHRAX's latest full-length album, "Worship Music", sold 28,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at No. 12. The band's previous studio CD, 2003's "We've Come For You All", opened with just under 10,000 units to debut at No. 122.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno's previously announced U.S. tour, which was originally scheduled to kick off in January and was then postponed until May/June, has once again been called off. According to Paul, the trek "is now being rescheduled to the later part of this year."

In other news, fan-filmed video footage of Di'Anno performing a brand new song, "You've Been Kissed By The Wings Of An Angel Of Death", on March 24 at The Rock Temple in Kerkrade, The Netherlands can be seen below.

Di'Anno completed his first North American tour in early 2010, 17 years after he was deported following a prison term for guns and drug offenses.

On August 27, 2011, Di'Anno played his first show since serving time in a U.K. prison after he falsely collected U.K. government benefits by claiming he suffered nerve damage to his back that prevented him from working.

Due to a number of health issues, including a knee problem which will require surgery soon, Di'Anno announced in July 2012 that he will stop touring next year.

Michael Salenius, Di'Anno's Swedish booking manager and tour manager, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET that this year will be "a big, fantastic" last touring year for Paul, with a lot of solo shows, festival appearances and Di'Anno vs. Blaze Bayley concerts. You will also see various guest musicians joining Paul on stage.

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

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

In a recent interview with the "Shockwaves"/"HardRadio" podcast, Mustaine stated about the "Super Collider" title track and cover artwork: "I was up in Santa Barbara, and USA Today, as a newspaper, I started reading a long time ago because it had Sudoku in it. I'm not really down with a lot of the viewpoints of the newspaper, but I kind of got used to reading it because of the puzzles in it — 'cause I love word puzzles; I like to enrich my word power. And there was a story in there about how they finally had identified the mass that goes around the molecules and stuff; it's called the Higgs Boson and we had done that with the Super Collider. And I thought, 'Wow, that's a really cool story.' Actually, the stuff's called the 'God particle.' And I thought, knowing how closed-minded people are with my faith and thinking that that's gonna change who I am as a person — which it did — and that that would also correlate into changing my guitar playing, which it didn't, I didn't wanna have a song called 'God Particle', because every village has its idiots, and unfortunately for me, a bunch of them follow me on the Internet. So we opted to call it 'Super Collider'. And this first song is kind of, like, a song about no matter how bad things get, come with me, we'll take the high road and we'll hang out and have a great time and we'll stick together until the end of the world, so to speak, when the world explodes like a Super Collider. Because the whole theory of the super collider is atoms swirling into one another at millions of miles an hour, I guess. I love the concept, I love the artwork that we have for this record — it's the Hadron Collider, and that is a remarkable machine. And if you look at the Super Collider, the thing itself — whether it does a damn bit of good or not, nobody really knows; I don't know how it's gonna correlate to lowering gas prices or anything like that, or getting people to stop trying to run everybody's lives right now and the dumbing down of America… But it's really cool if you look at how big it is. A lot of pictures on the 'Net will show this enormous machinery and guys the size of ants next to it. And the one picture that we used for our cover was, like I said, the Hadron Collider and it's just beautiful stuff, man. Science is really interesting. I mean, I don't believe in evolution, I believe in creation, so science only goes so far with me, but I really dig looking at that whole way that's set up with the tubing and the piping and the reactors and all the stuff that goes along with it. You have to see it for yourself."

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

Los Angeles glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER have revealed that they will perform at the wedding of NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger and singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne.

A video message from STEEL PANTHER guitarist Satchel and bassist Lexxi Foxx in which share their excitement about taking part in such an event can be seen below.

Kroeger contributed guest vocals to and collaborated on the song "It Won't Suck Itself" from STEEL PANTHER's 2011 album, "Balls Out".

"We play a lot of shows, and we have weekly residencies in L.A. and Hollywood," STEEL PANTHER drummer Stix Zadinia told Audio Ink Radio. "Chad was in L.A. for a while, and he would come to our shows and get up onstage and jam. We got to know him, and at one of the shows, we were like, 'Dude, we should write together!'" Kroeger did the classic, "Yeah, bro!" But for a while, nothing came of the friendly exchange. "We kept saying it enough times that finally, we were like, 'Let's do it.'"

When STEEL PANTHER was in Vancouver, they called Kroeger. "We started writing the song together from scratch, and it's a true collaboration," Zadinia said. "It wasn't a riff lying around that hadn't been used yet or something that was recycled. We walked out of there with the core of what is that song."

HATRIOT, the new San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band led by former EXODUS and LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT) frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza, filmed a video for the song "And Your Children To Be Damned" on March 10 at Arlene Francis Center in Santa Rosa, California. The clip — whih was directed by Mike Sloat (MACHINE HEAD, TESTAMENT), can be seen below.

"And Your Children To Be Damned" was written about Countess Bathory, a countess from the renowned Báthory family of nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary, who has been labeled the most prolific female serial killer in history, although the number of murders is debated.

Several photos from the video shoot can be seen below (all pictures courtesy of Walter Morgan).

"And Your Children To Be Damned" comes off HATRIOT's debut album, "Heroes Of Origin", which was released on January 25 via Germany's Massacre Records. The CD was recorded with producer Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TESTAMENT) and features guest appearances BY TESTAMENT 's Chuck Billy and MACHINE HEAD's Phil Demmel . The cover artwork, which can be seen below, was created by Mark DeVito, who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD and ANVIL CHORUS, among others.

"Heroes Of Origin" track listing:

01. Suicide Run
02. Weapons Of Class Destruction
03. Murder American Style
04. Blood Stained Wings
05. The Violent Time Of My Dark Passenger
06. Globicidal
07. And Your Children To Be Damned
08. The Mechanics Of Annihilation
09. Shadows Of The Buried
10. Heroes Of Origin

The entire album can now be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

HATRIOT's drummer is none other than Steve's son, Nicholas Souza. Nicholas auditioned for the band after the departure of Alex Bent and "proved himself to be the best choice," according to Steve.

HATRIOT's lineup also includes Zetro's son Cody, who got his first bass as a present from his father after Zetro bought it off current EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson. "I told him," Zetro said in a recent interview with Metalholic.com, "'You have to try out [for the bassist position in HATRIOT if you want to be in the band]. There's no nepotism here, boy. If you can hang, you're on.' So he actually tried out, and he got the gig."

Regarding HATRIOT's musical direction, Zetro said, "It's in the vein of typical Bay Area thrash, but these guys are a lot younger, so there's gonna be some blast-beats in there. There's gonna be some kind of death [metal] approach to it, a little bit. 'Cause these guys are new. They're raw, and they're fast, young, heavy, hard and aggressive, and I'm trying to convey that along as well."

He added, "These new kids seem to understand what we did in the '80s, but still bring a little bit of a new essence to it. We put that together with what I write vocally and it's turned out to be really, really killer. It's good stuff."

Asked why he thinks thrash metal has enjoyed something of a revival in more recent years, Zetro told Über Röck, "You know, I get asked this a lot, and I think it is because the first wave of thrash came and went so fast. I mean, it started in the mid-'80s and was gone by 1991 or so. The older bands still have something to say, and I feel that's why they are still able to put out great music so many years later. Now the fans that were young kids back then have bands of their own, so these new bands are naturally influenced by the old sound and it has come full circle. Of course, with technology and things like they are today, it is a totally different ballgame when it comes to marketing the music. I don't know that there will ever be another band as big as the 'Big Four' or anything, because the business structure just isn't there anymore, but it is really cool to see these new bands carrying the torch of what we helped invent back in the old scene."

HATRIOT is:

Steve "Zetro" Souza - Vocals
Kosta Varvatakis - Guitar
Miguel Esparza - Guitar
Nicholas Souza - Drums
Cody Souza - Bass

SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo revealed to Greece's Rock Overdose in a new interview that Casey Chaos from AMEN will front a resurrected version of Lombardo's GRIP INC. project. A tour is in the works, with the possibility that a new studio album will follow.

GRIP INC.'s fourth studio LP, "Incorporated", was released in March 2004 through SPV Records. The follow-up to 1999's "Solidify" was recorded and mixed at Woodhouse studios in Hagen, Germany and was produced by the group's guitarist, Waldemar Sorychta (THE GATHERING, LACUNA COIL, SENTENCED, MOONSPELL).

GRIP INC.'s lineup also included vocalist Gus Chambers, who died on October 13, 2008 at the age of 52. Chambers reportedly took his own life.

Lombardo, Chaos, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt and ex-QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE bassist Nick Oliveri recently joined forces to record music for a documentary about House Of Shock, the infamous New Orleans haunted house attraction founded in 1992 by ex-PANTERA frontman Philip Anselmo. Helming the sessions was producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, KORN, DEFTONES), who was approached to provide music for the film by director Dean Karr (best known for his landmark videos for MARILYN MANSON) and producer Sean E. Demott.

Pictured below (left to right): Dave Lombardo and Casey Chaos

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees BLACK SABBATH — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler — will make a rare television appearance when they perform a new song in the season finale of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation", Wednesday, May 15 (10:00-11:00PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

As the "CSI" team investigates a trail of murders with horrifying similarities to the sins in "Dante's Inferno", the band will share a scene with D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) when he and Conrad Ecklie (Marc Vann) attend a BLACK SABBATH show. The appearance will mark the band's world premiere of the song "End Of The Beginning" from their much-anticipated new album "13", due out June 11 on Vertigo/Republic. This marks BLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!" They have sold more than 70 million albums together.

"When we first heard that BLACK SABBATH was interested in premiering a song on 'CSI' from their first studio album in 35 years, we were all really excited. So many of us are longtime fans," said executive producer Don McGill. "And seeing as the album is titled '13' and this is the finale of 'CSI''s Season 13, it seemed like the perfect match. We couldn't be more thrilled."

Currently, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" wins its Wednesday (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) time period in viewers (11.85m), adults 18-49 (2.9/08) and adults 25-54 (3.8/09). It is also a global ratings hit, earning the International TV Audience Award for the "most-watched show in the world" for the third consecutive year, its fifth time in seven years.

Osbourne told Australian radio station Triple M that the new BLACK SABBATH album is "mind-blowing." Ozzy added, "I'm so over the moon about the way the album turned out. We wrote 16 songs ... and I put it on my CD player, expecting me to be unhappy with the end result, but this big grin came on my face and my hair on the back on my neck (stood up) . . . It's better than my wildest dreams; it's so good."

Ozzy said, "If you're a SABBATH fan, you will not be disappointed. It's so SABBATH-y, it's scary. It's the album we should have made after [1973's] 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath'."

The legendary singer continued, "Believe me, I'm the guy that goes, 'Ah, there's a mistake there.' I look for the mistake. If there's one mistake, I'll find it. But this album is great, perfect. It's very, very heavy, there's no getting away from the fact that it is BLACK SABBATH, and you can hear every instrument and everything clearly. It's so heavy. I'm so excited about it."

Songs set to appear on the disc include three seven-plus-minute behemoths called "End Of The Beginning", "God Is Dead" and "Epic", along with "Dear Father" and "Methademic".

The drum tracks on the album were laid down by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE sticksman Brad Wilk following original drummer Bill Ward's decision to bow out of the reunion.

SABBATH will launch a world tour in support of the album later this month in New Zealand, Australia and Japan, with North American dates to follow this summer.

The band, with Ward initially on board, announced its current reunion in November 2011, six years after they had last played together.

Plans for extensive touring were curtailed by the January 2012 revelation that Iommi had been diagnosed with an early stage of cancer. He continues to receive treatment.

In late 2012, Italian epic death metal band RAGING AGE signed a deal with Wormholedeath/Dreamcell11/Aural Music Group. On January 14th the band entered Realsound Studio in Parma, Italy with producer Wahoomi Corvi (CRYSALYS, THE WAY OF PURITY, HATERIAL).

Wormholedeath/Dreamcell11 will release their debut album, Regions Of Sorrow, worldwide in September through Aural Music Group. The album artwork can be seen below:
As a preview, the band are streaming the album's title track. Listen below:
The band previously commented: "We spent some months into examinating several bids, but now we are pleased to announce we have signed with WHD Label. Its absolute professionalism has convinced us. Raging Age needed a strong network for the lauch of the first full lenght and signing with WHD was a natural choice."
Wormholedeath label manager Worm further commented: "It was quite a long time that we didn't sign bands from Italy but Raging Age just broke into our office, with very violent a kick on the door ... Unpolite?? No, they just didn't talk much, they just acted and that's how I like it...

The ‘Italian style bla bla bla’ can be left to the politicians, musicians can't talk so much, like them. Raging Age's music is absolutely intense, epic and brutal at the same time, the guys are real musicians but of course this was not enough for WHD's standards but when I met the guys I suddenly understood that they were ready to join our roster of selected bands... Simple people, with anti-rockstar attitude: let's welcome Raging Age, they deserve your support!"
More on Raging Age at this location.

THE RELAPSE SYMPHONY's five-song EP, Time's Running Out, was released on December 4th, 2012, via Standby Records. The band have released an official video for the track 'Panic! (Time's Running Out)'.

Says the band: "Shooting 'Panic! (Time's Running Out)' was quite an experience. We filmed it entirely outside in the middle of winter, in 14 degree weather! Between takes we would huddle together in heat blankets just to make it through to the next shot. We were honored to work with Director Scott Hansen, and he really understood what we were going for as a band. We wanted to capture the intensity of our live show, as well as the very real emotion of the song. Despite the trying shoot, we couldn't be more pleased with how our very first music video came out and we hope all of our fans enjoy it!"

Watch the new video below:
A lyric video for 'Panic! (Time's Running Out)' can be seen below:
The band commented on their debut EP: "Time's Running Out is the soundtrack to the last seven months of our lives. It is the culmination of personal experiences, a sense of rebellion against the fleeting trends in "the scene", and an unbridled release of emotion. We are so proud of what we have created for our fans and we can't wait to get to work on our upcoming full length album."
Tracklisting:

'Forgotten'
'Make Your Move'
'The Other Side Of Town'
'Burning Bridges'
'Panic! (Time's Running Out)'

Audio samples at this location.

Italian death metal veterans WORSTENEMY recently signed a deal with Wormholedeath/Aural Music Group. The band released their debut album, Revelation, world-wide through Aural Music Group with a further help from Grom Records in the eastern countries. The album was recorded and mixed at Mathlab Recording Studio (Italy) with producer Jonathan Mazzeo, and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finvox Studios (Finland).
Listen to the album track, 'V.I.T.R.I.O.L.', below:
A&R "Worm" stated: "Worstenemy is a solid band since 1997 and finally they have found their way with this great new album. Wormholedeath decided to support them as they never gave up in 15 years of hard work and struggle. This is not a release for death metal fanatics only as we are sure that fans from many other musical styles will love this very fresh and tuneful release. Check Worstenemy out, this is not only a sonic assault...This is true passion for death metal and underground. "
More on Worstenemy here.

Metal Kaoz has posted an audio interview conducted with MOONSPELL frontman Fernando Ribeiro, who discusses the band's future plans, including constant touring in and outside the US for 2013, his thoughts about releasing an EP in Portuguese, the release of the
band's photobook celebrating their 20th anniversary, underlining his love for reading, and his participation in the next CHAOSTAR album.
You can listen to the entire conversation at this location.

Billboard is reporting that BON JOVI mainman Jon Bon Jovi has put his 7,400 square-foot duplex in Soho on the market for $42 million, according to a listing on Zillow.com.
Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, purchased the property for about $24 million in 2007.

A description reads:

Astonishing Soho Duplex. The journey begins when you step off the elevator into the lower level foyer. Off the foyer is the massive Great Room, which has a wood-burning fireplace, a dining area and a modern chef's kitchen. On this level is the outstanding Master Bedroom Suite with a dressing room and marble bath. Additionally, on this level, are 4 bedrooms, each with a bath, a powder room and laundry room. This apartment offers protected, panoramic views looking over all of Soho and beyond. The 11 foot ceilings and the unique arched windows add to the drama. The journey continues up the staircase to the upper level which can also be accessed directly from the elevator. One finds a formal Living/Dining Room with a wood-burning fireplace, plus another chef's kitchen. There are three landscaped terraces of unparalleled proportions with staggering views. The largest terrace is designed for entertaining while the others have a Zen quality. There is a private screening room with projection room. A bedroom, home office, full bath and a powder room complete this level. This one of a kind apartment is for the discerning buyer who can appreciate fine craftsmanship and all of the modern conveniences. Experience living high above Soho on a quaint cobblestone street in the New Museum Building, a full service, prewar, Landmarked condo. The apartment is offered furnished with all of the audio/visual equipment included. This penthouse is truly captivating, a unique masterpiece.

Madrid, Spain-based symphonic metallers DARK MOOR have announced the release of their new album, Ars Musica, on June 18th via Scarlet Records. The album artwork can be seen below:
With the follow-up to their Ancestral Romance album, Dark Moor have taken another step forward in their career, forging a more identifiable sound and expanding their songwriting in multiple directions. They still pay homage to the Spanish cultural heritage in songs such as 'First Lance Of Spain', ‘Gara & Jonay’ and ‘El Último Rey’, but elsewhere they go more personal, still giving high priority to their trademark melodies and elaborate harmonies. Talented singer Alfred Romero offers his best performance to date, whilst orchestrations are less classical and more grandiose and epic.

Ars Musica was once again produced by Luigi Stefanini (RHAPSODY OF FIRE, LABYRINTH, VISION DIVINE). Further details are forthcoming.
Dark Moor lineup:

Alfred Romero - vocals
Enrik Garcia - guitars
Roberto Cappa - drums
Mario Garcia - bass

More on Dark Moor at this location.

Spanish four-piece KILLUS have reveald the official video teaser for their new opus entitled Feel The Monster:
Scheduled for release on May 31st in Spain, and sometime in June throughout the world via Art Gates Records, Feel The Monster will be characterized by a more devastating, direct and metal based sound than the previous albums of the band, which will be reflected by the anger of the band on stage.

Feel The Monster has been completely produced and recorded by Killus, and mastered by Portugal's Daniel Cardoso (NOCTEM, ANATHEMA).

Feel The Monster tracklist:

'We're Alone In This World' (Intro)
'Feel The Monster'
'Bastards'
'I Can'T Feel It'
'Forever And Ever'
'Crush Our Minds'
'Fuck'N'Roll'
'The Night Of The Knife'
'The Darkness Of The Crypt'
'Holy Bible'
'I'm Dead Tonight
'Satanic Verse'
(Bonus Track)

Norwegian power/thrash metallers WITCHHAMMER have issued the following update:

"As you may have noticed there have been some silent weeks from the Witchhammer camp - this don't mean that nothing have happened...

Our time has been filled with ups and downs, where we can start with our biggest issue, finding a replacement for Thomas, as he now has decided to leave the band. All has been sorted out in friendly matters, and we wish Thomas and his family all the best in the future .

At the same time, our creativity with the new forthcoming album has been outstanding.

We are now looking for someone who really wants to put his creativity, effort and mind into this project, as we've now almost finishing the writing process for our new yet-untitled album, but need an inspirational final touch from our new singer.

For those of you who wants to apply for an audition, or feels like this is the band you want to be a part of - send an email to
witchhammer@witchhammer.com."
Witchhammer line-up 2013:
Totto Håkonsen - guitar
Finn Gjerlaugsen - bass
Morten Skute - guitar
Marlyn Smørsgård - vocals, keyboards
Jan Erik Eide - drums

For more details visit Facebook.

Swedish death metallers DEMONICAL have parted ways with drummer Fredrik Widigs and guitarist Johan Jansson due to "personal and priority-related matters." The remaining members of the band write in a statement: "These decisions have been in the making for quite some time but now all parties consider them final and official. Both Johan and Fredrik have been loyal soldiers and we thank them for their participation. However, rest assured, as the main songwriters are still in the band the mission, goal and outcome of DEMONICAL stays determined and intact."

They add: "Currently we are looking to secure new members and we are hoping to present an updated lineup within the nearest future (applications are welcome, although we are already trying out a couple of potential candidates).

"We are soon rounding up the recordings of our fourth album, 'Darkness Unbound', at Necromorbus Studios in Stockholm but we have decided to postpone the release date to August in order to better match our upcoming live activities and anticipated world tour."

Regarding the musical direction and visual presentation of "Darkness Unbound", DEMONICAL previously said: "The new material is clearly our most sinister, vicious and dark work up until to date and we are confident that 'Darkness Unbound' will be an important milestone not only for us as a band but also an album that will have a certain impact on the current death metal scene and especially the Swedish old-school wave.

"The artwork and visual concept of the album follows the same somber path as the music making it a solid entity of perpetual death metal darkness."

DEMONICAL last year announced the addition of guitarist Daniel Gustavsson to the group's ranks.

The band's third album, "Death Infernal", was released in April 2011 via Cyclone Empire.

"Kingmaker", a brand new song from SPIRITUAL BEGGARS — the Swedish band featuring ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott and bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, along with vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (ex-FIREWIND) — can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below. The song comes off the group's eighth studio album, "Earth Blues", which 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

The "Wise As A Serpent" video can be seen below.

Commented Amott: "We chose this particular song as the first video off 'Earth Blues' 'cause it's an explosive track and also the shortest song on the album! I filmed and directed the video myself and Anders Björler (AT THE GATES) did a great job on the edit. We're more than pleased with the end result; it's done in true DIY spirit...raw and authentic."

Amott previously stated about the upcoming 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."

In order to promote this upcoming release as well as the band's anniversary, SPIRITUAL BEGGARS have confirmed a European tour for April with support by German rockers ZODIAC, as well as some European summer festivals.

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