Alice Cooper, Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW), Tommy Thayer (KISS), Eric Singer (KISS) and Robbie Krieger (THE DOORS) performed Thursday night (March 28) at a concert to celebrate the opening of the Brennan Rock & Roll Academy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The school is part of The Boys And Girls Club of Sioux Falls, and it offers music education programs to kids in Sioux Falls and surrounding towns.

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below. Photos are available at B1027.com.

Cooper, who founded Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation in Phoenix, was on hand to help Chuck Brennan, CEO of Dollar Loan Center and namesake of the Brennan Rock & Roll Academy, announce the academy's formation last year. "He has been an incredible mentor and supporter in helping bring the academy to my hometown," said Brennan. "I grew up just a few blocks from here and know first-hand how important it is for kids to explore their passions and be supported in that."

The Brennan Rock & Roll Academy will provide the first-ever free music education program for children in The Boys And Girls Of The Sioux Empire, focusing on rock and roll instruments, including guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums and vocals.

Cooper told radio station B102.7 in Sioux Falls that his school took nearly 14 years to open, but now serves 100 kids every day. "All kids that would have been in gangs, would have been out selling drugs, buying drugs, taking drugs or shooting people. And now they’re playing guitars, playing bass and drums."

Brennan has a lifelong love for rock and roll. Before founding Dollar Loan Center in Sioux Falls, Brennan opened and operated one of the largest rock concert halls in the Midwest, The Blitz Ballroom.

Las Vegas’ AVENGER OF BLOOD reformed last year and self-released their Spawn Of Evil three-song EP/demo. The band is putting the finishing touches on material for their full-length, which they have announced will be recorded in May at Arcane Digital Studio in Phoenix, AZ with producer Ryan Butler (LANDMINE MARATHON, EXHUMED, MISERY INDEX). The band is looking for a label to release it.

“We feel that Ryan is the best person for the job and we are very excited to work with him,” says guitarist Brandon Gulling. “We will reveal more updates on the recording and the album artwork as we get closer to entering the studio.”

In addition the band have announced some new shows below:

May
17 - Nile Underground - Mesa, AZ
29 - LVCS - Las Vegas, NV (Jered Lucero Tribute show)

June
29 - The Riff Haus - Fullerton, CA with Hatchet, Tormentor

For more details visit Avengerofbloodband.com.

Christian Olde Wolbers, who handled the bass duties in FEAR FACTORY for nine years (1993-2002) and then assumed the role of guitarist in a revamped version of the band from 2002 until 2008, has posted a video clip of him "auditioning" for the vacant bassist slot in MACHINE HEAD. Check it out below.

Despite the fact that he had played bass in FEAR FACTORY for almost a decade, the Dutch-born Olde Wolbers had started his career as a guitarist, having handled the axe in several groups in Belgium prior to joining FF in 1993.

In an interview with RoughEdge.com conducted back in August 1999, Christian recounted his decision — made on the recommendation of BIOHAZARD, with whom Wolbers was friends — to switch to the four-string instrument in order to join FEAR FACTORY.

"[BIOHAZARD frontman] Evan [Seinfeld] had seen me playing upright bass in a rockabilly band on the street in Belgium back in '90 or '91," Christian recalled. "He always thought I was a bass player. I had always played guitar in metal bands and hardcore bands. And [one night while we were hanging out] he said, 'Oh, you're a bass player — I have a band for you!' I kept telling him 'I'm not a bass player, I'm a guitar player now.' But he said, 'FEAR FACTORY needs a bass player — you're a bass player and you'd be perfect.' And I'd actually heard of FEAR FACTORY because someone told me about them while I was still in Europe. However, I really wasn't into the death metal scene too much, but I knew they were different. When I went to the audition and I was blown away when I saw Raymond [Herrera, drums] playing — I said, 'Alright, I'll play bass.' So I borrowed a bass from Evan and auditioned for a couple of days right before a tour with SEPULTURA and then I knew I was going to do the tour. After the SEPULTURA tour, the rest of the guys said, 'Do you want to be in the band?' I said, 'Hell yeah!' "

MACHINE HEAD is holding public auditions to find a temporary bass player. The San Francisco Bay Area-based band is seeking a musician to perform with them on this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival tour.

To find a temporary bassist for the duration of the Mayhem festival, MACHINE HEAD turned to the nearly 800,000 fans on their Facebook page, asking interested parties to post a video clip of them singing and playing bass along to three tracks: "This Is The End", "Halo" and "Beautiful Mourning".

Once the band has narrowed down potential candidates, they will hold tryouts in person at a to-be-determined location.

Fan-filmed video footage of MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil's March 22 performance at the Bob Rocks concert at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below.

In a December 2012 interview with MLive.com, Neil spoke about what keeps him inspired to play casinos around the country with his solo band when he is not busy performing in arenas around the world with the CRÜE. "I do it because I'm having fun," he said. "I love the arenas but it's fun to be onstage in smaller venues with these guys. You don't have to put on a big show when the music does the talking."

Neil, who penned "Tattoos & Tequila: To Hell and Back with One of Rock's Most Notorious Frontmen", a 2010 biography that captured the ups and downs of his long, wild ride, claims to have come out a better person after after his countless battles with the law and a number of legal and personal setbacks.

"I've learned from the mistakes I've made," Neil said, "and I know how to do things better next time. Through it all, you have to believe in your music. When times get bad, you can't give up. You can't be too proud. Things will get better, absolutely."

Neil's live backing band continues to consist of bassist Dana Strum and Jeff Blando (both of SLAUGHTER) and drummer Zoltan Chaney.

Neil's latest solo album, "Tattoos & Tequila", sold 7,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 57 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was issued in Europe on June 4, 2010 via Frontiers Records and was made available in the U.S. on June 22, 2010 through Eleven Seven Music.

Neil recorded "Tattoos & Tequila" in the winter of 2009 with Strum, Blando and Chaney. The album includes two new songs — "Tattoos and Tequila" and "Another Bad Day", both produced by Marti Frederiksen (AEROSMITH, OZZY OSBOURNE, DEF LEPPARD) — plus a selection of classic cuts from some of the rock giants that have influenced Vince Neil throughout his musical career. The cover songs were produced by Vince and Jack Blades (DAMN YANKEES, NIGHT RANGER).

According to SPIN.com, the release date of "Infestissumam", the sophomore album the mysterious Swedish buzz band GHOST, has been pushed back a week to April 16 after four compact disc manufacturers allegedly refused to print a piece of artwork that was meant for the deluxe version of the new CD. The manufacturers all took issue with the sacrilegious imagery, inspired by the work of Gustave Dore, which showcases what looks like a forest nymph orgy.

"We kept on getting turned down because of the CD art, which is basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy," a source close to the band told SPIN.com. "[The bandmembers] weren't surprised. The comment was 'Well, I thought this would have happened sooner.' The artwork was meant to provoke some sort of thought, but it's been one obstacle after another."

The controversial art can still be found on both the vinyl and European copies of the "Infestissuman" CD. "Vinyl manufacturers don't have a problem with the artwork. Neither does Europe," the source told SPIN.com.

"Infestissumam" track listing:

01. Infestissumam
02. Per Aspera Ad Inferi
03. Secular Haze
04. Jigolo Har Megiddo
05. Ghuleh / Zombie Queen
06. Year Zero
07. Idolatrine
08. Body And Blood
09. Depth Of Satans Eyes
10. Monstrance Clock

GHOST was forced to modify its name in the U.S. to GHOST B.C. for "legal reasons."

The band's debut album, "Opus Eponymous", was released in late 2010 in Europe and in early 2011 in North America via Rise Above Records.

Video footage of PHILM's entire March 28 performance at Gaslamp Restaurant & Bar in Long Beach, California can be seen at this location. A few of the clips are available below.

PHILM is the Los Angeles-based experimental post-hardcore triumvirate featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER), guitarist/vocalist Gerry Nestler (CIVIL DEFIANCE), and bassist Pancho Tomaselli (WAR).

The band's debut album, "Harmonic", was released on May 15, 2012 via Ipecac Recordings.

"When people hear about my involvement in PHILM, they automatically assume that it will compare to SLAYER's sound," explained Lombardo. "They couldn't be more different. I have scaled down my drum set to a four-piece, reminiscent of the drummers from the late '60s that influenced me. Each song is unique in itself, I like to refer to it as 'rhythmic emotion.' It's almost like taking all the heavy songs of the '60s and bringing that era to a modern plateau, then blending them with the modern trance and psychedelic sounds of today."

"We decided to record 'Harmonic' in the intimate setting of a home, with various vintage recording equipment," added Lombardo on the band's debut album. "The music was written collectively in an improvisational manner, unlike the majority of recordings I've done before. This was very important given this is my first recording where I'm carrying the title of producer and performer. The album achieves a dense, unholy convergence of tones and discords. We also touch on haunting, desolate, ambient sounds. Our music tends to be written in a manner where we never know the outcome until we listen back to what we recorded. A harmonic journey."

Lombardo sat out SLAYER's recent Australian tour due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Also missing from the shows was guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who is still recovering from necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease which he is believed to have gotten from a spider bite. Filling in for them were Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX) and Gary Holt (EXODUS), respectively.

An 11-minute teaser for "Skull", the fourth album from British thrashers EVILE, can be seen below. Due on May 27 in Europe on Earache Records and in North America via Century Media/Earache Records, the follow-up to 2011's "Five Serpent's Teeth" was once again recorded with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR) at Parlour Studios in Kettering, England. The artwork for the album was painted by artist Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, SODOM, HATEBREED).

Commented EVILE drummer Ben Carter: "We'd like to extend our thanks to Eliran Kantor for his amazing artistic representation of our original concept, which we'll reveal further details of in the coming weeks.

"Our fans can expect this album to be a return to our thrashier roots, as well as exploring new ground in typical EVILE form.

"We've always said we want to progress and move forward in everything we do, and this album is no exception.

"We're so amazed with everything Russ Russell and ourselves have produced, and can't wait for it to be released upon the masses!"

Added EVILE lead guitarist Ol Drake: "'Skull' is not what you think. 'Skull' is not where you think. 'Skull' is a mythical void in the deep fathoms of space."

As previously reported, EVILE will celebrate this year's Record Store Day by releasing a split seven-inch picture disc vinyl with Swedish death metal legends ENTOMBED.

The limited-edition release will feature ENTOMBED's classic 1990 track, "Drowned", along with EVILE's 2012 cover version, available on vinyl for the first time. The seven-inch will be available in independent record stores on Saturday, April 20 in strictly limited quantities.

EVILE will perform a special show for fans at Crash Records in Leeds, U.K. on April 20 at 4 p.m. Space is limited, but fans who buy the seven-inch vinyl from Crash Records on the day will get free entry to the show (space permitting).

Video footage of the mysterious Swedish buzz band GHOST performing the songs "Year Zero" and "Ritual" this past Thursday, March 28 at Tyrol in Stockholm, Sweden can be seen below.

According to SPIN.com, the release date of GHOST's sophomore album, "Infestissumam", has been pushed back a week to April 16 after four compact disc manufacturers allegedly refused to print a piece of artwork that was meant for the deluxe version of the new CD. The manufacturers all took issue with the sacrilegious imagery, inspired by the work of Gustave Dore, which showcases what looks like a forest nymph orgy.

"We kept on getting turned down because of the CD art, which is basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy," a source close to the band told SPIN.com. "[The bandmembers] weren't surprised. The comment was 'Well, I thought this would have happened sooner.' The artwork was meant to provoke some sort of thought, but it's been one obstacle after another."

The controversial art can still be found on both the vinyl and European copies of the "Infestissuman" CD. "Vinyl manufacturers don't have a problem with the artwork. Neither does Europe," the source told SPIN.com.

"Infestissumam" track listing:

01. Infestissumam
02. Per Aspera Ad Inferi
03. Secular Haze
04. Jigolo Har Megiddo
05. Ghuleh / Zombie Queen
06. Year Zero
07. Idolatrine
08. Body And Blood
09. Depth Of Satans Eyes
10. Monstrance Clock

GHOST was forced to modify its name in the U.S. to GHOST B.C. for "legal reasons."

The band's debut album, "Opus Eponymous", was released in late 2010 in Europe and in early 2011 in North America via Rise Above Records.

"Dirty", the sixth full-length album from Italo-Norwegian hard-industrial-electro extreme metallers ABORYM, will be released on May 28 in Europe and June 11 in North America via Agonia Records. The 10-track double album (cover below) will be made available in digipak, jewel case and gatefold double LP formats.

The official "Dirty" teaser can be seen below.

"Dirty" was recorded at the Fear No One Studios in Italy with Emiliano Natali, reprising his sound engineer role from the band's "Psychogrotesque" album, and was helmed by Marc Urselli of New York's Eastside Sound Studio, who previously worked with the likes of Mike Patton and Lou Reed. The electronic part of the album was engineered by D. Loop (KEBABTRAUME, LIMBO). R.G. Narchost (STORMCROW, DEMON'S SHADE, DROWNING ASHES) created "The Spiral Shaped Chamber" custom sounds library for the band. Artwork for the album is by ABORYM's Fabban.

The first CD of the album features new material, while the second CD features two tracks from previous albums, which have been completely re-arranged and re-recorded, covers of tracks by IRON MAIDEN, PINK FLOYD and NINE INCH NAILS, and a previously unreleased track performed by both musicians such as Agonia BV, Tamara Picardo, Samuel Heru Ra Ha MK, Hostis, Ulven, Mike Bizzini, David Cholasta, Tobias Dünnebacke, Jonathan Butcher, Jessy Lavallee, Thomas Hochstetler, Mary J. Rooks, Amanda Neilson and Mark Llewellyn, as well as several fans. The song was written by Alberto Penzin (CO2, ex-SCHIZO) and was spliced together from all the different sources.

"Dirty" track listing:

CD 1

01. Irreversible Crisis
02. Across The Universe
03. Dirty
04. Bleedthrough
05. Raped By Daddy
06. I Don't Know
07. The Factory Of Death
08. Helter Skelter Youth
09. Face The Reptile
10. The Day The Sun Stopped Shining

CD2

01. Fire Walk With Us (new version originally released on “Fire Walk With Us”)
02. Roma Divina Urbs (new version originally released on “Kali Yuga Bizarre”)
03. Hallowed Be Thy Name (IRON MAIDEN Cover)
04. Comfortably Numb (PINK FLOYD Cover)
05. Hurt (NINE INCH NAILS Cover)
06. Need For Limited Loss (new track)

Formed in 1992 by frontman Fabban, ABORYM started life as a covers band and went through several transformations, eventually pioneering what the band calls hard-industrial-electro extreme metal. Today's line up consists of Italians Fabban on vocals, bass and synths and Paolo Pieri (HOUR OF PENANCE) on guitars, keyboards and programming, along with Norway's Bård G. "Faust" Eithun (BLOOD TSUNAMI, MONGO NINJA, ex-EMPEROR) on drums.

With "Dirty" being the band's first release since 2010's "Psychogrotesque", all three musicians have something to say about it.

Pieri: "This is definitely the most schizoid and experimental ABORYM work so far. This time we focused on pushing the boundaries of electronic music one step forward while retaining the ruthless brutality of extreme metal in a way totally ahead of the times."

Eithun: "This time around, ABORYM push everything further; the electronic and industrial elements have never been so present. Rest assured, no matter how sick, twisted and beyond everything it sounds, it is still ABORYM."

Fabban: "I believe that 'Dirty' represents the best material ever written by ABORYM from 1992 until today. Given that it wasn't that easy to go beyond an album such as 'Psychogrotesque', I strongly believe that this time we did exceed every limit and every concept of experimentation — manipulating all the clichès of extreme metal, industrial or electronic music and pushing together elements that are so far away from each other. As a result, we achieved something really innovative, powerful, refined and of a really high standard. The quality of sounds, the nuances, the details passing through the recording quality; the quality of the machines that we used and abused, the quality of the lyrics, the artwork and the performances of each of us and of all the people who have worked with us, are definitely all at the top. 'Dirty' is a record that simply expands the range of our listeners, it's an album that everyone can enjoy and really appreciate. I am personally very excited and, at the same time, really proud of what you'll soon be able to listen to. We worked so hard for the past two years on this double album that we have no words to really explain how excited we are to finally see it released. It's an album that will further change the history of extreme music. Of that, I have no doubt."

Nina Noir (pictured below) was selected by Geoff Tate to take part in the 2013 QUEENSRŸCHE tour after making a guest appearance on the band's new album, "Frequency Unknown". She will be singing a duet with Geoff on the group's epic song, "Suite Sister Mary".

Nina mastered speech level singing with renowned vocal coach Seth Riggs. In 2011 she performed on "America's Got Talent", where she received high praise from Sharon Osbourne. She has gone on to form THE LIONS, a rock band based out of San Francisco, California. They are currently recording their debut album with producer Jason Slater (QUEENSRŸCHE, THIRD EYE BLIND, SMASHMOUTH, SNAKE RIVER CONSPIRACY). She has played many roles in music and is currently fronting an all-female QUEEN tribute band called THE KILLER QUEENS as Frederica Mercury. The girls have headlined sold-out shows on their winter tour and are currently booking dates for their 2013 summer tour across the Western United States.

Deadline Music/Cleopatra has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding the reports that "Frequency Unknown", the new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, was being remixed by acclaimed musician, record producer and engineer Billy Sherwood:

"Since previews of the new QUEENSRŸCHE album were made available to the general public on iTunes and other digital retailers, some of the response has been less than positive. Some complained about the overall quality of the recordings, and in particular the mix. We here at Deadline Music have the utmost confidence in the powerful songwriting and outstanding performances from Geoff Tate and crew on this album, but we also want the fans to know that we are listening to them as well! So, in the interest of democratic free choice, Deadline Music has commissioned the superbly talented musician/producer Billy Sherwood (formerly of YES) to remix the album. Now fans will be able to decide which mix they feel best represents the album: the original mix, which will be released on April 23rd, or the new mix by Billy Sherwood that will be made available at a future date to be announced…. WE REMIX, YOU DECIDE!"

Sherwood revealed in a posting on his Facebook page on Monday that he was hired to remix "Frequency Unknown". Sherwood wrote: "[It] seems there are sonic issues with the previous versions and so I shall be fixing it for all to enjoy. [I am] starting on it [Wednesday] morning [March 27]."

"Frequency Unknown" was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California.

Although a lineup for Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was originally announced in the fall of 2012, things have changed. The band will now feature 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). 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" is packaged with bonus tracks — four QUEENSRŸCHE classics, newly recorded, including the smash hit single "Silent Lucidity".

"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

Tate, who was fired from QUEENSRŸCHE in June 2012 after fronting the group for three decades, last year sought to prevent his former bandmates from touring and operating under the QUEENSRŸCHE name without him. While ruling against Tate, the presiding judge determined that there was no legal hurdle in Tate also using the name with an all-new lineup of musicians. "I don't see any reason that Mr. Tate can't have the benefit, if he gets other members, of whatever name he uses of using the brand," Superior Court Judge Carol A. Schapira said during the July 13, 2012 court hearing. "I think [doing that would be] inherently confusing, although I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out," she added.

Last November, Tate released his first solo CD in over a decade titled "Kings & Thieves" (InsideOut Music) and toured with his solo band in support of the CD, which included dates with the legendary ALICE COOPER.

On April 5, EVIL UNITED — the Austin/San Antonio, Texas-based band featuring Jason McMaster (WATCHTOWER, DANGEROUS TOYS, BROKEN TEETH) on vocals, a double guitar assault of T.C. Connally (PB/DC, CULT TO FOLLOW) and John Valenzuela (PB/DC, URIAL) as well as the brutal rhythm section of Don Van Stavern (RIOT, S.A. SLAYER) on bass and "Shakes" West (MURDERDOLLS, NEUROTICA, SEBASTIAN BACH) on drums — will release the first track/video from its forthcoming sophomore full-length album. The song, "Viking Funeral", celebrates the cultural ideals of a savage way of life, while respecting the accepted wisdom that death is but a celebration and only a new beginning at entrance to Valhalla.

EVIL UNITED instantly delivers what fans expect and demand from the Lone Star state: intricate, heavy, pounding rhythms, screeching guitar solos and over-the-top power-screaming vocals. The band was described by Lior "Steinmetal" Stein of Metal-Temple.com as "fresh with an old-school orientation."

EVIL UNITED's self-titled debut album was released in September 2011 via MVD Entertainment Group.

McMaster previously stated about EVIL UNITED: "I think there are a lot of bands playing this type of metal right now, but I believe that EVIL UNITED has something different about it. There is a wide range of influence, lots of peaks and valleys to explore, without losing any of the extreme.

"It's a pleasure to work with Texas metal alumni such as these guys; they shred but they are paying attention to the thrash and power as well as the melody."

After one year since their last album, Emerge, Italian metallers BEJELIT - featuring SECRET SPHERE rhythm guitarist Marco Pastorino - have parted ways with bassist Giorgio Novarino and replaced him with Luca Negro (THE RITUAL, HATETYLER).
The band have also released the video for 'We Got The Tragedy', which was directed by Gianni Galli (author of the videos 'Bejelit' and 'Saint From Beyond'). Check it out below:
Bejelit have also finished recording an original acoustic EP called Don’t Give Up which will be out on April 25th, limited to 200 numbered digipack copies.
Don’t Give Up will contain this following tracklist:
'Emerge'
'Don't Know What You Need'
'Saint From Beyond'
'Death Trip Serenade'
'We Got The Tragedy'
'Dancerous'
'Piano Medley'

For more details visit Bejelit.com.

Slovenian occult act VIGILANCE will release their new album, Queen Of The Midnight Fire, on May 14th via Metal Tank Records. Check out the first audio preview for the song ‘Under Sulphurous Skies’ below:
About the album guitarist Gilian Adam tells: “After months of hard work, the album is done. Rok Zalokar did a great job and we are very much excited to finally give you a taste of what is to come. The gates have been opened, the torches have been lit. Follow if you dare.”
Queen Of The Midnight Fire tracklisting is as follows:

‘Queen Of The Midnight Fire’
‘Behind The Cellar Door’
‘Speedwave’
‘What Lies Beyond…’
‘Night Terrors’
‘Four Crowns Of Hell’
‘Poetry And The Gods’
‘Under Sulphurous Skies’
‘Ritual Of Death’

According to a press release: “Ripping with its excellent mixture of genuine traditional speed / heavy metal filled with profound devotion for primordial occultism, Vigilance itself reflects perfectly a lethal dose of true metal, real old school attitude fueled with dark emotions and spell bound intensity.”

Enigmatic UK-based blackened death trio ABYSSAL will release the CD reissue of their debut full-length, Denouement, on April 2nd via Poland's Hellthrasher Productions, with the vinyl edition coming in the fall.
The album was primarily self-released by the band in January, 2012 on hand-assembled CDs and digitally, getting great reception with its refreshing manifestation of dark, twisted death metal, reminiscent of PORTAL and MITOCHONDRION, yet unique in its own way.

The entire album is available for streaming below:

Denouement by Abyssal

Denouement (limited to 1,000 copies) can be pre-ordered here.

Denver, CO thrash metal group HAVOK have premiered their latest video, 'From The Cradle To The Grave', from their 2012 EP, The Point Of No Return. The video, directed by Roy Warner Creative Photo and Videography, was filmed on location in Detroit.
The song’s lyrical inspiration, vocalist/guitarist Dave Sanchez says, “‘From The Cradle To The Grave’ is about America's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes. In the late 1800s, in Chicago, Holmes built a hotel specifically with murder in mind. It included doors that opened up to brick walls, staircases that lead to nowhere, and one-way rooms that once you entered, you never came out. He was a religious man and firmly believed that since he was born, the Devil was at his side. That being said, bang your head.

We will hit the road next week, teaming with GOATWHORE and THE CASUALTIES. The dates will feature new bassist Michael Joseph Leon. As many people have already heard, we recently parted ways with bassist Jesse De Los Santos. It was a mutual split and we wish Jesse all the best. I’d like to thank Jesse for the four years of killing it in studio and on stage. With that being said, we’d like to introduce our new four-string monster, Mike Leon. Mike is a fantastic bassist and a veteran of the road from his years of touring with THE ABSENCE Absence. We are very happy to have him on board.”

Leon comments: “I'm completely honored to be a part of such a well-oiled machine and to have the opportunity to play with these dudes is a dream come true! Not only is HAVOK one of my favorite new heavy metal bands out in the scene, but the guys in the band are a few of the best dudes I know! You can definitely look forward to us kickin' lots of ass together this year, and for many years to come.”

Havok will complete all work on their new record in the coming weeks. Album information and special pre-order details will be announced shortly.

Havok dates with Goatwhore and The Casualties:

April
1 - Albuquerque, NM -2H Launchpad
2 - Tempe, AZ - Rocky Point
3 - Santa Ana, CA - Observatory
4 - W. Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues
6 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Metro
7 - Reno, NV - The Alley
8 - Portland, OR - Branx
9 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven

Swedish experimental/progressive band THE MOTH GATHERER's debut album entitled A Bright Celestial Light will be released on April 16th in Europe and April 30th in North America via Agonia Records.

The band have unveiled a video clip for 'A Falling Deity' song, the album closing track. Directed and produced by Tommy Pedersen, the video can be customised up 1080p HD format at You Tube.

Commented the band: "It's kinda David Lynch-like. Very slow, very haunting. We want to create a feeling, something that makes the viewer think. Death is not entertainment, death hurts."

The clip can be seen below:
A Bright Celestial Light was mastered by Karl Daniel Liden (SWITCHBLADE) and will feature a guest appearance by THE KONSORTIUM’s Member 001.

Co-founder Alex Stjernfeldt commented: "We just want our music to be an emotional explosion. A lot of the songs are about death, missing people you loved who have passed away and losing hope in mankind. We want the music to make you feel like you can move mountains with it. I wish for that when people hear our music, they start to dream away."
Tracklisting is as follows:

‘The Water That We All Come To Need’
‘Intervention’
‘A Road Of Gravel And Skulls’
‘The Womb, The Woe, The Woman’
‘A Falling Deity’

Check out ‘A Road Of Gravel And Skulls’ below:
A short album preview can be seen below:

HELLOWEEN with KAI HANSEN, DESTRUCTION, KRISIUN and ALMAH are the latest acts confirmed for Rock In Rio 2013, being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from September 19th-22nd.
Confirmed acts now include: ALICE IN CHAINS, ALMAH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, SEBASTIAN BACH, BON JOVI, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, DESTRUCTION, GHOST, HELLOWEEN with KAI HANSEN, HIBRIA, IRON MAIDEN, KRISIUN, METALLICA, SEPULTURA + TAMBOURS DU BRONX, SLAYER, ROB ZOMBIE.

Visit Rockinrio.com.br for full event information.

Progressive instrumentalists SCALE THE SUMMIT have released a second behind-the-scenes video update from the recent recording sessions for their new album, The Migration, which will be released in North America on June 11th.

The new installment features a sneak peek into the guitar tracking process. Watch both clips below:
The Migration was recorded in January at North Carolina's Basement Studios with producer Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, HE IS LEGEND, FOR TODAY), and is the follow-up to their 2011 release, The Collective. The group, who spent much of 2011 and 2012 on tour with the likes of PERIPHERY, FAIR TO MIDLAND, CYNIC, THE CONTORTIONIST, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT, PROTEST THE HERO and TRIOSCAPES, will soon announce their first tour of 2013.
Additionally, bassist Mark Michell has released a bass instructional book titled Guide to Right-Hand Technique for Bass, via the band's official web store here. This instructional guide focuses around all of the various “plucking-hand” techniques and includes 16 chapters (143 pages), over 120 unique exercises, photos, descriptive “how-to” captions and a variety of diverse exercises targeting essentially every skill level. A full-gloss front cover and spiral-bounding for easier reading also included.
More on Scale The Summit at this location.

Tampa, Florida-based gothic metallers MENA BRINNO have revealed more details for their upcoming new album, Princess Of The Night. The album was mixed by Jens Bogren and David Castillo of Fascination Street in Sweden, and Mark Prator of Red Room Recorders in Tampa, FL.
Princess Of The Night tracklisting:

'Princess Of The Night'
'Blackmail'
'Sonorous Dream'
'Serpentine Lullaby'
'Captive Soul'
'Sacrifice'
'Drown Within'
'Cross To Bear'

Mena Brinno lineup:
Katy Decker - Vocals, Synths
Marius Kozlowski - Guitars, Synths
Doug Sellers - Guitars, Synths, Bass
Sean Currie - Drums

For more info on Mena Brinno visit this location.

A funeral service for former IRON MAIDEN drummer Clive Burr was held on Monday, March 25 at the City Of London Crematorium in London, England.

PRAYING MANTIS guitarist Tino Troy, who attended the funeral stated: "It was an honour to be one of the pallbearers and good to see so many old faces there. It was a moving service but a beautiful celebration of his life too. Like them skins... ya hit us hard, mate! RIP and thank you bro!"

Clive Burr died on March 12 in his sleep at his home at the age of 56 after suffering from multiple sclerosis for many years.

Clive joined MAIDEN in 1979 and performed on the first three albums — "Iron Maiden" (1980), "Killers" (1981) and "The Number Of The Beast" (1982). Prior to that, he was a member of SAMSON, the band Bruce Dickinson fronted before he, too, joined MAIDEN.

As a founding member of both MANOWAR and the DICTATORS, guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman needs no introduction. But it's been a while since the metal masses heard from Ross, leading some to wonder if or when he would return. The wait is now over, as his newly formed outfit, DEATH DEALER, is ready to rock and take the world by storm, with their debut album, "War Master".

The cover artwork for "War Master" can be seen below. Also available is a full-length stream of the track "Death Dealer".

"The DEATH DEALER sound is a mighty combination of five very talented, seasoned musicians," explained Ross. "It's classic power metal with the brutal edge of thrash, speed, and precision." And when he says the band is comprised of talented and seasoned musicians, he's not kidding, as DEATH DEALER also includes vocalist Sean Peck (CAGE), guitarist Stu Marshall (producer and guitarist for such voices as Udo Dirkschneider and Steve Grimmett), bassist Mike Davis (HALFORD, LIZZY BORDEN), and drummer Kenny "Rhino" Earl (MANOWAR).

Formed last year via correspondence over the Internet, as soon as work commenced on the material, Ross knew he had met his metallic match. "Well, after they sent the first tune over, I was blown away, then Stu and Sean tell me they want me to join this band, called DEATH DEALER. I say, 'Who else is in the band? They say, 'Rhino on drums.' I'm in! Stu goes, 'It was either you or we would have asked KK Downing to be on guitar.' Wow!"

As evidenced by such tunes as "Death Dealer", "Never to Kneel" and "The Devil's Mile", for fans of authentic, no-holds-barred, manly heavy metal, "War Master" is an absolute godsend. And soon, DEATH DEALER will be converting metalheads worldwide to their cause. "Our future plans? Obviously to put DEATH DEALER on the worldwide metal map, and to engage large crowds and render them shocked and satisfied," said Ross.

For more information, visit www.deathdealer.co.

Ex-EXODUS guitarist Rick Hunolt rejoined his former bandmates on stage last night (Thursday, March 28) at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California to perform the group's classic song "Strike Of The Beast". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below (courtesy of CapitalChaosTV.com).

With Gary Holt still handling guitar duties for Jeff Hanneman on SLAYER's North American and European tours, EXODUS invited none other than Hunolt to fill in for the band's shows in 2012 and beyond.

Longtime EXODUS fans will recall that Hunolt — the other half of the famed EXODUS "H-Team" who is on every studio recording from 1985 through 2004 and co-wrote some of the band's best-known songs such as "A Lesson In Violence" and "Deliver Us To Evil" — left EXODUS after the band's highly-acclaimed 2004 reunion album, "Tempo Of The Damned". "Murder In The Front Row", the photo book documenting the pinnacle of the Bay Area thrash scene, aptly documents Hunolt's tenure in the band.

Following his departure, Hunolt was replaced by HEATHEN guitarist Lee Altus.

Hunolt first rejoined his former bandmates at a special concert in celebration of Holt and Lisa Perticone's wedding on September 24, 2011 at Avalon in Santa Clara, California. He also performed with them at "Bonded By Baloff: A Decade Of Remembrance", a special concert which marked the 10-year anniversary of former EXODUS singer Paul Baloff's passing. The event took place February 4, 2012 at the Oakland Metro Operahouse in Oakland, California.

Fan-filmed video footage of SAXON's performance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise, which embarked on its second voyage March 16 and returned four days later, can be seen below.

SAXON's new album, "Sacrifice", was released on March 1 in Europe (except in the U.K., where it was made available on March 4) and March 26 in North America through UDR. Taking a sharper, reinvigorated approach to the production, on this, their 20th album, SAXON have produced 10 of their strongest, heaviest and most inspired songs for many-a-year, and a more than worthy successor to their last album "A Call To Arms". The album was recorded at LS Studios in Yorkshire and was produced by Byford, with Andy Sneap mixing and engineering by Jacky Lehmann. It fairly bristles with muscular metallic intent, Paul Quinn's and Doug Scarratt's guitar work the best it's ever been, while Biff's vocals sound fresher and livelier. The songwriting too harks back to a classic era in SAXON's history, with the likes of "Warriors Of The Road", "Wheels Of Terror" and "Stand Up And Fight" evoking the halcyon days of yore with a contemporary twist, the classic SAXON sound absorbing the snarl, ferocity and attitude of contemporary bands (and fans) such as MEGADETH, as evidenced by the crunching title cut, "Sacrifice".

The "Sacrifice" cover artwork was created by longtime SAXON artist Paul Raymond Gregory and can be seen below.

"Sacrifice" track listing:

01. Procession
02. Sacrifice
03. Made In Belfast
04. Warriors Of The Road
05. Guardians Of The Tomb
06. Stand Up And Fight
07. Walking The Steel
08. Night Of The Wolf
09. Wheels Of Terror
10. Standing In A Queue

Bonus track:

* Luck Of The Draw (on iTunes only)

01. Crusader (orchestrated version)
02. Just Let Me Rock (re-recorded version)
03. Requiem (acoustic version)
04. Frozen Rainbow (acoustic version)
05. Forever Free (re-recorded version)

Iranian one-man metal project FROM THE VASTLAND performed at the Inferno festival in Oslo, Norway this past Wednesday (March 27) by opening the Indie Recordings label night in support of MAN THE MACHETES, BLOOD TSUNAMI and ALTAAR. FROM THE VASTLAND mastermind Sina was backed up by none other than Thor Anders Myhren (MORBID ANGEL, MYRKSKOG, ZYKLON) on guitar, André Kvebek (PANTHEON I) on bass and Vegard Larsen (KEEP OF KALESSIN) on drums.

Video footage of FROM THE VASTLAND's performance can be seen below.

Indie Recordings has launched a new foundation aimed at giving recognition to bands that have defied oppression and governmental pressure to spread their music across the globe. The campaign's first point of call will be to help out Sina by selling FROM THE VASTLAND's new album via Indie at Inferno.

A Norwegian-language video report can be seen at Aftenposten.no.

Simon Füllemann of Indie Recordings said in a statement: "After being approached by the makers of the upcoming black metal documentary 'Blackhearts', we decided to help out and try to make Sina's dream of playing at the Inferno festival in Oslo come true. We also decided to take it a step further and release his CD on Indie Recordings.

"It's important to make a point and support artists like Sina. Therefore we founded the Freedom of Speech - Music Builds Bridges foundation where this project is the first we support. All profit from Freedom of Speech - Music Builds Bridges foundation will go to support Sina's art!"

Performance:

Fan-filmed video footage of JANETSHAREROXYGINA's (a.k.a. JSRG) performance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise, which embarked on its second voyage March 16 and returned four days later, can be seen below.

JANETSHAREROXYGINA is the newly formed group featuring three former members of the platinum-selling all-female '80s band VIXEN — singer Janet Gardner, drummer Roxy Petrucci and bassist Share Ross, along with guitarist Gina Stile, who was the guitarist on VIXEN's "Tangerine" album.

Gardner previously stated about the new project: "It feels so good to be reunited with Roxy and Share. And when we started jammin' some old VIXEN songs with Gina, we knew this was right."

Share Ross added: "With hits like 'Edge Of A Broken Heart', 'Cryin'', 'How Much Love', 'Not a Minute Too Soon', 'Love is a Killer' and 'Rev It Up' emblazoned upon our souls, we knew it was time to resurrect our sound. We want to give the fans what they want."

In 1987, "Edge Of A Broken Heart" climbed the Billboard chart to the Top Ten and VIXEN had hit after hit. EMI suddenly had the only platinum-selling all-female rock band of its time on their roster.

Dubbed "MTV Darlings", the hits kept coming with "Cryin'", "How Much Love", "Love Is A Killer" and "Not a Minute Too Soon". The band earned credibility as they opened up for superstars, including OZZY OSBOURNE, DEEP PURPLE, SCORPIONS and BON JOVI, to name a few. A live performance on the "Arsenio Hall" television show sealed their credibility with the fact that these girls could play.

JSRG performs all the VIXEN hits along with new songs from their as-yet-unreleased EP.

JSRG is not to be confused with the current version of VIXEN, which consists of founding member Jan Kuehnemund (guitar) alongside Jenna Sanz-Agero (vocals), Lynn Louise Lowrey (bass), and Kat Kraft (drums).

VIXEN's original members Gardner, Kuehnemund, Pedersen and Petrucci appeared together on VH1's "Bands Reunited" in October 2004 to reminisce about their start on L.A.'s Sunset Strip and their rise to fame in the late 1980s, before the onset of grunge in the early 1990s displaced metal at the top of the charts. They also took part in a short performance for the program.

The official lyric video for the song "Shades Of Gray" from Finnish melancholic dark metal forerunners AMORPHIS can be seen below. The track comes off the band's eleventh album, "Circle", which will be released on April 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. Production and mixing duties for the follow-up to 2011's "The Beginning Of Times" were handled by HYPOCRISY and PAIN mastermind Peter Tägtgren, who has previously worked with such bands as CHILDREN OF BODOM, CELTIC FROST, IMMORTAL and DIMMU BORGIR. The recordings took place at Petrax Studio (NIGHTWISH, CHILDREN OF BODOM, KORPIKLAANI) in Hollola and 5K Studios in Helsinki. The cover artwork was created by Tom Bates (BLEED FROM WITHIN, DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL) and can be seen below.
Commented AMORPHIS vocalist Tomi Joutsen: "The mystic, androgynous person on the cover represents a spiritual guide. This character was sent from another time and place to help the album's protagonist find a new path for his life."

"Circle" track listing:

01. Shades Of Gray
02. Mission
03. The Wanderer
04. Narrow Path
05. Hopeless Days
06. Nightbird's Song
07. Into The Abyss
08. Enchanted By The Moon
09. A New Day
10. Dead Man's Dream (bonus track)

The album's limited digibook version will come with a bonus DVD containing the following:

* The Making Of "Circle"
* Nightbird's Song (video clip)

The official lyric video for the song "Hopeless Days" can be seen below.

Apart from the CD+DVD digibook version, "Circle" will be available on CD (without the bonus track), black 2LP in gatefold, brown 2LP in gatefold and as a bulging limited box, including three bonus tracks and a wristband — exclusively via the Nuclear Blast mail order.

A short summary about the album's concept/story that spreads throught out the lyrics by Pekka Kainulainen, who wrote the lyrics for most recent AMORPHIS albums: "The protagonist has been dealt a bad hand at birth. He’s always felt himself an outsider with strong potential to become marginalized. Through an accident, after a crisis, he finds a connection with his inner powers. A guide is sent to him, from some other time and place. He gets a chance to take hold of his own life and change his destiny. From the past of Carelian Finland he finds his own spiritual tribe and the power to turn the course of his doomed life. This is a story of survival."

Joutsen added about the album title: "'Circle' represents integrity. Back in the days, when there was something special to talk about, wise men used to sit in circle. Not everyone was invited to join them. But in this story, the protagonist was invited among the wise men's circle."

Regarding the direction of the new AMORPHIS material, the band's guitarist and founding member Esa Holopainen said: "While promoting 'The Beginning Of Times', we started to feel that we were giving the same explanations over and over again when people asked about the studio process and how the songs came about. Even though the music was very strong, the making process didn't offer any surprises and appeared to be quite secured. Now the addition of a new dimension to the developing process has inspired us to focus on our material even more. The songs are extremely strong, bombastic and skull-pummelling."

"The Beginning Of Times" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 16 — the best chart position ever scored by an AMORPHIS album in that country. The CD also landed at position No. 1 on the Finnish chart.

The collaboration between Within Temptation and Q-Music gets a new episode: after the successful broadcast of several covers, which Within Temptation arranged and performed for the radio station by the end of 2012, the band will now release a selection of these covers on an album titled ‘The Q-Music Sessions’ on the 19th of April in the Netherlands and Belgium.

In the run up to the 15th anniversary of Within Temptation in the sold-out Sportpaleis in Antwerp, the band was asked by Q-Music to choose and perform an existing track in a ‘Within Temptation-fashion’ on a weekly basis. The band accepted this challenge enthusiastically that resulted in reworks of hits by David Guetta, Passenger, Lana Del Rey and Bruno Mars amongst others. The feedback on these covers by the fans and listeners of Q-Music was extremely positive, which made the band decide to release a selection of the covers on an album.

Front-lady Sharon Den Adel: “Our approach was to really make the cover a new Within Temptation song. So not going the easy way by using only a piano or an acoustic guitar for example, but really trying to put all the elements of a Within Temptation track in this new version. It was quite a challenge because we had only one week to get it right, while recording an original Within Temptation song can sometimes takes up half a year! But this pressure also gave us an creative boost and it was very rewarding to get it done in time each week. Also, we learned a lot from the in-depth analysis we needed to make on these hits, written by others, in combination with implementing our own sound and style in each new cover. We are glad that we’ve taken up this challenge and are very proud of the result.’’

At this moment, Within Temptation is working on their upcoming studio album that is due in the last quarter of 2013. In January 2014, the band will embark on a worldwide tour, with tickets for shows in the United Kingdom, France and Germany already on sale.

More information on The Q-Music Sessions, the tour as well as the upcoming album: www.within-temptation.com



Album: The Q-music Sessions
Artiest: Within Temptation

1. GRENADE (Originally by Bruno Mars)
2. TITANIUM (Originally by David Guetta ft. Sia)
3. LET HER GO (Originally by Passenger)
4. SUMMERTIME SADNESS (Originally by Lana Del Rey)
5. RADIOACTIVE (Originally by Imagine Dragons’
6. CRAZY (ORIGINALLY BY GNARLS BARKLEY)
7. DIRTY DANCER (Originally by Enrique Iglesias)
8. DON’T YOU WORRY CHILD (Originally by Swedish House Maffia)
9. BEHIND BLUE EYES (Originally by The Who)
10. THE POWER OF LOVE (Originally by Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
11. APOLOGIZE (Originally by One Republic)

The new lineup of reactivated British extreme metal legends CARCASS just completed a three-night residency at the Underworld in London, dubbed "Undertaking The Underworld". Fan-filmed video footage of last night's concert can be seen below. Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker at the gigs were new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON).

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

CARCASS' first studio LP in 17 years, "Surgical Steel" is currently being mixed by Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE) for a late 2013 release via an as-yet-undetermined record label. The band's first studio outing since 1996's "Swansong" will feature guest vocals from original sticksman Ken Owen.

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

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

Regarding how the material for the new CARCASS album came together, the band's guitarist, Bill Steer, told U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine: "I found myself playing riffs that sounded like CARCASS. This was after the band had finished the whole reunion cycle of shows and festivals. So, officially, I would have been playing with other bands and stuff, but for some reason whenever I picked up a guitar at home I was coming up with riffs that sounded like CARCASS. I got on the phone to Jeff and said, 'We could have a crack at writing a couple of tunes and seeing if they're strong enough and take it from there.' We also agreed if it didn't sound like carcass or have that kind of vibe to it, we would just drop it. So that was the thing, we got together and started working on some stuff and just immediately got the excitement back very quickly."

Added Bill: "It definitely sounds like CARCASS. I think we just generally by accident captured the flavor of past music that we have done and you can't help but push it forward. We have really been creative and when you are looking at things like guitar harmonies, it's way more adventurous on this record. It's not just parallel harmony like we did in the past, things branch off in different directions.

"A lot of what is happening now is based on rhythms rather than actual riffs. We were discussing this a lot during record sessions about how the riff is almost dying or dead already. People spend a lot of time chugging on the bottom string [but] that's a rhythm, it's not a riff. We can't write a song, never mind an album, without it being chock-full of riffs."

Stated Jeff Walker: "I'd like to feel like we are giving CARCASS fans what they want again. I'm a realist and I think Bill has realized and Dan know what people like about CARCASS. We're definitely delivering."

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

European female-fronted metallers FACE OFF are streaming the new track 'War Against War' from their debut album The Colour Of Rain, which was released on February 14th worldwide, via the Canadian Label Maple Metal Records.
'War Against War' is streaming online below:

Another song, the title track from ‘The Colour of Rain’ is streaming below:

Face Off will be touring Europe, and making European Festival appearances this Summer and Fall in support of their new album.

Current Face Off lineup:
Marija Kovacevic - vocals
Stefan Vitasovic - guitars
Aleksandar Djordjic - guitars
Stanislav Stanojevic - bass
Zoltan Simon - drums

More on the band at this location.