Brazilian metallers ANGRA tapped acclaimed Italian vocalist Fabio Lione (VISION DIVINE, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, KAMELOT) to front the band for their appearance aboard 70000 Tons Of Metal, the world's biggest heavy metal cruise, which sailed Monday, January 28 from Miami, Florida and returned to the real world on Friday, February 1. Fan-filmed video footage of their performance can be seen below.

Singer Eduardo "Edu" Falaschi quit ANGRA in May 2012. He explained in a statement, "There comes a moment in a man's life when it is necessary to make a radical decision in order to move forward with dignity and renewed energy."

Falaschi joined ANGRA in 2000 and appeared on the band's last four studio albums — 2001's "Rebirth", 2004's "Temple Of Shadows", 2006's "Aurora Consurgens" and 2010's "Aqua".

ANGRA has yet to announce a permanent replacement for Falaschi, who is focusing on ALMAH and other projects.

ALMAH — the Brazilian metal band led by former ANGRA singer Eduardo "Edu" Falaschi — has announced the addition of bassist Raphael Dafras to the group's ranks.

Dafras previously recorded and produced the "A New Beginning" solo album from Germán Pascual (NARNIA).

ALMAH 2013 is:

Edu Falaschi - Vocals
Marcelo Barbosa - Guitar
Marcelo Moreira - Drums
Gustavo Di Padua - Guitar
Raphael Dafras - Bass

A photo of ALMAH's new lineup can be seen below.

ALMAH's "Living And Drifting" video can be seen below The clip was filmed in Sao Paulo and directed by producer, musician and composer Diogo Araújo from Under Control Filmes, who is well known in Brazil for his work with more mainstream artists. The video is based on a certain concept and is expected to be the most significant visual production in the history of the band.

"Living And Drifting" comes off ALMAH's third studio album, "Motion", which was released in Europe in October 2011 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded in May-June 2011 at Norcal Studios in São Paulo, Brazil and was mixed and mastered in July 2011 at Split Second Sound Studios in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Jochem Jacobs (TEXTURES).

Scott Travis (drums) and Richie Faulkner (guitar) of JUDAS PRIEST and Jeff Martin (vocals) of RACER X joined Los Angeles glam-metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER on stage on January 21 at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, California to perform the PRIEST classic "You've Got Another Thing Comin'". Fan-filmed video footage of their appearance can be seen below.

Faulkner was in IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris' daughter Lauren Harris' band prior to being tapped for PRIEST. Richie was previously described by JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford in a Billboard.com interview as "a phenomenal talent" and "a tremendous boost and a relief as well. There are a lot of different feelings we went through [after original guitarist K.K. Downing's departure], But Richie is out there night after night, tearing up the stage and delivering the goods, as we like to say."

In addition to Martin, RACER X features in its ranks Scott Travis and MR. BIG guitarist Paul Gilbert. The band released its latest studio album, "Getting Heavier", in 2002.

Dutch thrashers LEGION OF THE DAMNED will enter Stage One Studio in Bühne, Germany in March with producer Andy Classen (TANKARD, KRISIUN, HOLY MOSES) to begin recording its new album, "Ravenous Plague", for a late 2013 release via Napalm Records. Andy previously produced LEGION OF THE DAMNED's CDs "Feel The Blade", "Malevolent Rapture", "Sons Of The Jackal" and "Cult Of The Dead". However, the band's last LP, "Descent Into Chaos", was helmed by Peter Tägtgren at the Abyss studio in Sweden.

Commented LEGION OF THE DAMNED vocalist Maurice Swinkels: "Peter was a super experience to us and it was a hell of a great time. For me, it was a personal thing; I was curious to hear the result with a different producer other than Andy Classen, but the beating heart of LEGION OF THE DAMNED lies in Bühne, the home town of Stage One Studio in Germany."

Adds LEGION OF THE DAMNED drummer Erik Fleuren: "Many of the succesful albums of LEGION OF THE DAMNED were produced by Andy Classen and therefore we build such a strong team with him. He can truly push us to our limits, and that's what we need."

LEGION OF THE DAMNED also believes that since it's their first album with guitarist Twan van Geel, it's a good decision to choose a familiar environment. Former guitarist Richard Ebisch left the band more than a year ago, after serving the band since 1994, although he was to be seen as the mastermind behind all the typical LEGION OF THE DAMNED riffs.

Maurice says fans can still expect a true LEGION OF THE DAMNED album.

"Richard was the only guitarist, but writing new material in LEGION OF THE DAMNED was never a one-man job or decision — everyone is involved. Therefore, even with Twan van Geel on the heavy strings, fans can expect a typical LEGION OF THE DAMNED album since we definitely stay true to our style, although it will have its own special twist, of course, since Twan has its own style of playing."

Maurice adds: "We can't wait to record the new album, 'Ravenous Plague'. It will definitely feel as if we are 'coming home'."

Says Andy Classen: "I'm really glad to get the Legions back to stage one studio — I always felt like a band member and I love the band and their music. So now we're looking forward to do another killer LEGION OF THE DAMNED album!"

Once again, Tony "Skullcrusher" Manero is responsible for the lyrical content of the new album. The lyrics will deal with various aspects of apocalypticism, with what happens when society falls apart when everything lies in ruins and how people manage to survive.

LEGION OF THE DAMNED is:

Maurice Swinkels - Vocals
Twan van Geel - Guitar
Harold Gielen - Bass
Erik Fleuren - Drums
Hein Willekens - Guitar

Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH have enlisted former CANDLEMASS singer Messiah Marcolin to lay down guest vocals on their new album, due in June via Metal Blade Records. The CD is being helmed by British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with (MEGADETH, EXODUS, MACHINE HEAD, ARCH ENEMY and ACCEPT.

A couple of photos from the studio sessions in England with Marcolin can be seen below.

Regarding AMON AMARTH's decision to work with Sneap after utilizing Jens Bogren for the band's last three studio efforts (2006's "With Oden On Our Side", 2008's "Twilight Of The Thunder God" and 2011's "Surtur Rising"), AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Mikkonen told Decibel magazine, "We were looking for a change, and Andy has been in our thoughts for some years now. After meeting with him, we felt a good connection. We think this is going to be a ripper."

AMON AMARTH's eighth studio album, "Surtur Rising", sold around 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 34 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Twilight of the Thunder God", opened with more than 11,000 copies back in 2008 to land at No. 48.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach is collaborating with ROB ZOMBIE/ex-MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5 on music for Bach's next solo album.

Says Sebastian: "People really got off on the [John 5-co-penned] track 'TunnelVision' from [Bach's last solo CD] 'Kicking & Screaming'. Well I am happy to report that once again I will be teaming up with Jonn 5 on new songs for the next album. We are both lookng forward to it! Along with [songwriting collaborations with] Steve Stevens [BILLY IDOL] and [Bach's new guitarist] Jeff George, there is going to be some superior axe shredding going on the new disc! Coming your way SOON!"

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

According to Sebastian, "ABachalypse Now" will include "special guest appearances by Jinxx from BLACK VEIL BRIDES, Roy Z (HALFORD), and Brent Woods (VINCE NEIL)."

Bach's most recent solo album, "Kicking & Screaming", sold 6,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart. The singer's previous CD, "Angel Down", opened with 6,400 units back in November 2007 to debut at No. 190.

Finland's RadioCity.fi recently conducted an interview with legendary guitarist Slash (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER). You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.

Asked if it ever feels like there is "bad karma" following him because both his previous bands fell apart due to disagreements with their respective lead singers, Slash said: "No, I never looked at it that way, because I feel blessed that I got to work with probably two of the best singers out there. You know — especially in GUNS N' ROSES, I mean, obviously. And so what you've gotta do is you have to take the good with the bad. It's just after a while, it got to be impossible [laughs] to get anything really sort of done. But I appreciate the fact that I got the opportunity to be able to do what we did do, ya know.

Interview (audio):

Brazilian traditional heavy metallers HELLISH WAR have inked a deal with Germany's Pure Steel Records. The band's new studio album, "Keep It Hellish", will be released later in the year.

Produced by Ricardo Piccoli at PiccoliStudio in Biella, Italy, "Keep It Hellish" will mark the recording debut of HELLISH WAR's new vocalist, Bil Martins, and will include the tracks "Keep It Hellish", "The Challenge", "Reflects On The Blade", "Fire And Killing", "Scars (Underneath Your Skin)", "Masters Of Wreckage", "Phanton Ship", "The Quest", "Darkness Ride" and "Battle At Sea".

HELLISH WAR previously signed with Pure Steel in 2009 for the re-release of the band's first two albums in Europe. A live album, "Live In Germany", followed in 2010.

In October, HELLISH WAR will embark on its second European tour.

Since the release of the debut album "To Solemn Ash" (Exile On Mainstream) in October 2011, Danish metallers RISING have had an active year, playing over 50 shows, including two European tours, festival appearances at Spot (Denmark), Copenhell (Denmark) and Hultsfred (Sweden) and co-headlining the Danish MTV Headbangers Ball Tour in November. In between shows, RISING has been busy writing material for its second album, to be recorded in the spring this year. More precise details on the recording and release of the second album will follow at a later date.

In May, RISING will head to Germany to play three dates for which the band will team up with their friends and fellow Danes in THE KANDIDATE. Lead by former HATESPHERE singer Jacob Bredahl, THE KANDIDATE has shown on their two albums, and on tours with ENTOMBED and TRAP THEM, among others., that they are a considerable force in heavy music with their aggressive bastard of punk and metal. As for RISING, the setlist on the upcoming German dates will premiere new songs from the forthcoming album, along with material from the band's previous releases.

Game Over Cycles, the Polish company which specializes in the construction of custom motorcycles and vintage cars restoration, has announced a collaboration with the country's veteran extreme metallers BEHEMOTH.

Commented Game Over Cycles: "This moment has finally come. We are proud to announce unique project which will combine the automotive world with the world of music. Today we officially begin construction of a custom bike endorsed by the global Polish icon of metal music — BEHEMOTH. Behemoth Bike, as the project is initially called, will be a powerful dark machine with exceptional technical parameters and unprecedented ornamentation. Completion of construction is scheduled for May."

Check out a trailer for the Behemoth Bike below.

Joe Charupakorn of Premier Guitar recently conducted an interview with legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Premier Guitar: What prompted the decision to play all of the instruments on "Spellbound"?

Yngwie: There was no reason why it happened this way. It just happened. I got inspired, started recording stuff, and all of a sudden it was done.

Premier Guitar: It may come across as a surprise to some that you also played the drum tracks on the album.

Yngwie: When I was a kid, I played drums, and when I first got a 4-track, I would put down drumbeats and then do the rest of the tracks on top. For this album, it was live triggered drums. It was quantized a little bit to make sure it was perfect.

Premier Guitar: "Spellbound", the title track, seems more direct and less epic than some of the other selections. How do you decide when to really go all out or when to keep things simpler?

Yngwie: Some of the tracks were really demanding to put together but they're mind-blowing when I listen back. "Spellbound" has a lot of guitar playing on it, obviously, but I wanted to keep it with a more straightforward beat. It doesn't have so many stops and things like that. Whereas if you listen to "Majestic 12", that's like a little symphony.

Premier Guitar: "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" and "Iron Blues" showcase your bluesy side. Did you include these to appease the naysayers?

Yngwie: [laughs] I wish I could say "yes." I'm very selfish. I make music that I love because I only live once and I'm an artist. I don't try to revolt against anybody and I don't try to please anybody. I feel very strongly that I if love it someone else will love it — not everybody though. To quote Niccolò Paganini, "One must feel strongly to make others feel strongly."

Premier Guitar: But you don't seem like a guy who'd enjoy listening to the blues.

Yngwie: Well, no. I always include one in my shows but I wouldn't want to play more than one blues song either. A lot of people don't know this but I started out as a blues-based player and then when I realized after playing 18 hours a day that there's more than five notes per scale, that's when my stuff became what it was. I started listening to violinists and flautists and that's how my style evolved. It's such a funny thing that people think that I got the classical influence from Ritchie Blackmore. If you listen to him, he plays nothing but the blues. But I think the blues is important and you need to have that in you no matter what else you like to do. It's like a basic function that's necessary.

Premier Guitar: It seems that what separates you from your countless clones, even the really famous ones, is that while you grew up listening to classical music those guys mainly came about classical music secondhand through you.

Yngwie: That's a very good observation, my friend. I think so, too. When I was 11 or 12, I was into DEEP PURPLE and the blues. I broke away from that and got into things like harmonic minor, Phrygian, diminished, counterpoint, pedal tones, and arpeggios. It's like when a blues player naturally improvises the blues, I do the same thing but in a neoclassical way. Bach, Vivaldi and Paganini became my influences and have been for such a long time now that I don't even have to think about it.

Read the entire interview from Premier Guitar.

MEGADETH recently resumed work on its fourteenth studio album with producer Johnny K (full name: John Karkazis), who has previously worked with DISTURBED, SEVENDUST, MACHINE HEAD and STAIND. The CD is currently being recorded at MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's Vic's Garage studio in San Marcos, California for a late spring release via an as-yet-undisclosed label following the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.

In a tweet earlier today, Mustaine wrote: "[I] played guitar, sang, and did minor adjustments yesterday to songs one-four. Mixing has begun and you'll have something soon to hear! I'm so pumped!!"

Speaking to Full Metal Jackie at last month's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California, Mustaine stated about the direction of the band's new material: "[MEGADETH bassist] David Ellefson is one of those guys that's kind of the barometer of the band. You ask me, you never really know what you're gonna get, but when you ask David Ellefson, it's kind of like reading the ingredients on the back of something, 'cause he's such a straight shooter. He told some people the other day that this is music that's really similar to [MEGADETH's 1985 debut album] 'Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!', some of the stuff — really dark, really heavy and fast stuff. I mean, I don't thnk it's really as fast and heavy as 'Killing' is, to me, but Junior is a great, like I said, barometer — bad word, but he knows what's going on."

On the topic of MEGADETH's current label situation, Mustaine said: "We have a new label. We left Roadrunner; we completed our contract with them, which not a lot of many metal bands have the luxury to have been able to complete contracts. They usually either break up or quit or give up and stuff like that, but we were honorable and finished our contract with them and we moved on. And we've actually got a fantastic relationship with a brand new label that we're gonna be telling everybody about real soon. We have eleven songs already recorded. We wanna give them thirteen, 'cause, you know, the B-sides and Japanese releases and all that kind of crazy stuff."

In a January 24 post on his Facebook page, Ellefson wrote about the recording process for MEGADETH's new album: "Having a great week here at Vic's Garage laying down bass on the new songs. Really some great, great songs taking shape at this point in the recording process. I told Dave [Mustaine] today that one of them totally reminded me of the earliest stuff back when we first met. Fast, ripppin' and fully bringing the REAL old-school MEGADETH sound!!!"

Johnny K produced MEGADETH's last album, 2011's "TH1RT3EN", which was also recorded at Vic's Garage.

THE STICK PEOPLE, comprised of Mike Stone on vocals/guitars, Stephen Duffy on lead vocals/guitars, M. d'Zuir on bass, Bernie Godwin on lead guitar, and Frankie Anthony on drums, will release its debut album, "Madness", on April 23 via EFM Records/Bungalo/Universal Music Group. The CD was produced by Dito Godwin (KISS, MÖTLEY CRÜE).

While mixing elements of old school punk with alternative and a touch of pop, "Madness" delivers a rock and roll package that strikes a chord at first listen with its infectious riffs and explosive melodies, thirteen fist-pumping songs custom made for driving around with the stereo turned up and the windows rolled down.

There's a reason why THE STICK PEOPLE are so adept at touching upon a variety of styles - its members are rock music veterans, having learned their skills playing with quite a few renowned names.

Case in point, guitarist/vocalist Mike Stone has played with QUEENSRŸCHE, KLOVER, Bret Michaels and Peter Criss, and guitarist Bernie Godwin has credits that include a track on the "My Name Is Bruce" soundtrack with Bruce Campbell.

THE STICK PEOPLE formed in 2008, signed a deal in 2009 but due to industry holdups has been biding time, writing and recording what eventually became its first CD. The quintet is making plans to hit the road with reckless abandon and tour throughout 2013.

"Madness" track listing:

01. Open Up
02. Waiting
03. Madness
04. I Am the Rain
05. Bulletproof
06. Think About That
07. My Everything
08. The Box
09. Hello, Goodbye
10. Flip
11. Matter of Time
12. Trust
13. Misery's Angel

The first song to infiltrate the airwaves will be the forceful punk rock assault on your senses, "Think About That". Check it out using the audio player below (courtesy of AOL's Noisecreep).

Video footage of original ANTHRAX and current DEATHRIDERS singer Neil Turbin and guitarist Dave Reffett performing the GARY MOORE classic "Still Got The Blues" on January 25 at the Eminence Speakers booth at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California can be seen below.

The only ANTHRAX record to feature Turbin and bassist Danny Lilker — in addition to Scott Ian (rhythm guitar), Charlie Benante (drums), and Dan Spitz (lead guitar) — the band's debut album, "Fistful of Metal", was originally released in January 1984, spawning such early classics as "Deathrider" and "Metal Thrashing Mad".

DEATHRIDERS is currently recording its full-length debut, "The Metal Beast Is Alive", in Los Angeles.

Former MISFITS frontman Michale Graves will release his new album, "Vagabond" on February 26. The CD is being distributed through BFM Digital and will be available for digital download at over 250 online locations, including Amazon and iTunes. You can also pre- order the actual CD at Hydraulic Entertainment.

Graves utilized the Kickstarter project platform to create funding for the new CD project, which features never-before-released songs that display Michale's unique folk/pop sensibility.

Commented Graves: "I have been a performer for 17 years and have had the chance to travel the world and experience so many incredible people along the way. I live for performing and have been on tour so much that I haven't had the ability to record a new album in over four years. Working in conjunction with Kickstarter, I now have the ability to access those who mean the most — my fans — and create something unique for them."

"Vagabond" will include the following tracks:

* Revolution By Candlelight
* Hold On To Yesterday
* Ode To Heath
* All The Hallways
* Oh, Please Why
* Best Of Me
* I Can Fell Heaven
* Break Me Out
* Chasing After The Wind
* Vagabond
* The City
* Train To The End Of The World

The "Vagabond" tour will kick off on March 22 at the historic Stanhope House in Stanhope, New Jersey and will include "53 locations throughout the U.S."

In addition to his production relationship with Hydraulic Entertainment, Graves is the head of the company's music group.

According to People.com, former "American Idol" judge Steven Tyler made a surprise cameo on the show Thursday night (January 31) — dressed as a woman. "Calling himself Pepper LaBeija after the famous drag queen featured in the 1990 documentary 'Paris Is Burning', Tyler wore a blonde wig, snakeskin miniskirt and fake breasts that honked when squeezed," reads a report on the site.

Check out video footage of Tyler's appearance below.

Tyler announced his departure from "Idol" in July 2012 after serving as a judge for two seasons on the hit Fox program. The AEROSMITH frontman explained that he wanted to refocus on his music career.

Although he seemed to enjoy his two-year stint on "American Idol", Tyler admitted that the show was actually "not my cup of tea." He said he only signed up for the show because he was feuding with his AEROSMITH bandmates and it was "something to do while the storm blew by."

He explained to Rolling Stone, "I loved it and hated it. It was a great job, I sat next to J. Lo and I made a ton of money. It was a moment in life and it became larger than life."

However — he said he didn't like the pressure he felt to be mean to the contestants. He explained, "The show's about kids and what you do to nurture their talent. They wanted me to take the piss out of the kids and I don't have that in me. That's not what I'm about. That's more about that other guy. Not me."

"Cry For Love", the new video from VOODOO CIRCLE, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's third album, "More Than One Way Home", which will be released on February 22 via AFM Records.

"More Than One Way Home" track listing:

01. Graveyard City
02. Tears In The Rain
03. Heart Of Babylon
04. Cry For Love
05. Alissa
06. The Ghost In Your Heart
07. Bane Of My Existence
08. More Than One Way Home
09. The Killer In You
10. The Saint And The Sinner
11. Victim Of Love
12. Open Your Eyes

The cover artwork for "More Than One Way Home" can be seen below.

VOODOO CIRCLE is the German/British band featuring members of PRIMAL FEAR and PINK CREAM 69.

VOODOO CIRCLE's sophomore CD, "Broken Heart Syndrome", entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 64. The effort was once again mixed and mastered by Dennis Ward (PINK CREAM 69, KROKUS), and was described in a press release as "a huge step forward and shows the band's boundless musical possibilities."

Alex is well known throughout the rock and metal scene as the mastermind of SILENT FORCE, former guitarist of SINNER and touring guitarist of PRIMAL FEAR. His exceptional compositions and instrumental skills secured him highest respect from other musicians and a strong worldwide fan base. In Japan, where quality is still the most important aspect when it comes to music, he is hailed as a "guitar hero" and fills the venues.

According to a press release, "Alex chose to walk in huge footsteps with VOODOO CIRCLE, because the immense impact and influence that bands like RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE had are undeniable. But if there is just one German musician who can fill this big boots and arouse with new energy, we definitely talk about Alex Beyrodt."

VOODOO CIRCLE is:

Alex Beyrodt (PRIMAL FEAR, SILENT FORCE, SINNER) - Guitar
David Readman (PINK CREAM 69) - Vocals
Mat Sinner (SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR) - Bass
Markus Kullmann (DEZPERADOZ) - Drums
Zlatko "Jimmy" Kresic (LIQUID HOME) - Keyboards

VOODOO CIRCLE's self-titled debut album was released in 2008.

German epic pagan metallers WOLFCHANT will release their new album, "Embraced By Fire", on March 1 via NoiseArt Records. According to the band, the follow-up to 2011's "Call Of The Black Winds" is "the most elaborate and detailed album in our band history so far! We've made sure to create catchy and interesting song structures and to deploy a multifarious instrumentation. Andre Hofmann of Forte Fortissimo studio supplied a very forceful and clear sound, which fits perfectly to the new songs."

"Embraced By Fire" track listing:

01. Devouring Flames
02. Embraced By Fire
03. Element
04. Turning Into Red
05. Einsame Wacht
06. Autumns Breath
07. Freier Geist
08. Winters Triumph

The "Embraced By Fire" title track can now be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

WOLFCHANT was recently featured in the Cartoon Network's "Aqua Something You Know Whatever". Three members of the band appear in the episode called "Totem Pole" as the band TOTEM POLE performing the song "Polegasm". Check out snippets at this location.

"Aqua Something You Know Whatever" began its long run on Adult Swim under the title "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" for its first seven seasons, then was renamed "Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1" for a season before the creators decided to change the title again.

WOLFCHANT will take part in the Paganfest Europe tour alongside ALESTORM, ARKONA, EX DEO, THYRFING and BORNHOLM.

STONE SOUR will release "House Of Gold & Bones - Part 2", the second part of their two-album series, "House of Gold & Bones", on April 9 via Roadrunner Records. The albums were recorded at Sound Farm Studios just outside of the band's native Des Moines, Iowa with producer David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE) at the helm.

The first single from "House Of Gold & Bones - Part 2", "Do Me A Favor", will be available digitally on February 12; the video for "Do Me A Favor" will be directed by Phil Mucci, whose video for HIGH ON FIRE's "Fertile Green" was named best video of 2012 by Revolver. Singer Corey Taylor gave The Pulse Of Radio a preview of what to expect from the song. "It's quite aggressive, and actually the label asked me if I would go in and tame stuff down and I was like, 'No.' I'm not doing that," he said. "This is going out the way it is and I'm not gonna touch it up. I'm not gonna have people looking for a song that doesn't exist. This is the way it is on the album, that's the way it's going to be when we put it out to radio."

"House Of Gold & Bones - Part 2" track listing:

01. Red City
02. Black John
03. Sadist
04. Peckinpah
05. Stalemate
06. Gravesend
07. '82
08. The Uncanny Valley
09. Blue Smoke
10. Do Me A Favor
11. The Conflagration
12. The House Of Gold & Bones

When asked by ThisIsNotAScene what fans can expect from the second part of "House Of Gold & Bones", Taylor said: "Part 2 is much darker [than the first part], if I'm honest. Aside from it being a completely different album, it feels more like a soundtrack to a movie in a lot of ways, man. It's really thematic. There are themes from part 1 that reveal themselves and that come again, musically. There's actually stuff from part 2 that you'll hear that's on part 1 and you'll be like, 'Fucking hell!'"

He continued: "We essentially recorded these, and this is where technology is now, so you could have these in a playlist on your iTunes and play them top to fucking bottom and really get that experience while you read both parts. So it's some of our darkest music, our most intricate and complex music, some of the best fucking lyrics I've ever written, to be honest. Even writing from a narrative like that, it was so challenging. Plus, it's got some of our best songs on it.

"You guys think part one's good? Fuck off. 'Do Me A Favor' alone is going to kick the shit out of people and that's going to be the first single, which comes out in January, that's going to be the first taste that people get of part 2, and people aren't going to know what to do."

"House Of Gold & Bones - Part 1" came out last fall.

Music is just one of the mediums used to tell the "House of Gold & Bones" story, and Taylor recently revealed details of the new project with Dark Horse Comics of the same name, which follows, and expands on, the story contained within the albums. With stunning covers from Jason Shawn Alexander (Empty Zone, Batman, Abe Sapien), this four-issue limited series marks Taylor's debut in the comics genre. The first issue of the series will be out on April 17.

STONE SOUR is on tour in North America through February 17, and will return in March for the Road To The Golden Gods tour, which will run through May 2.

Taylor recently told Billboard.com recently that the group is planning a world tour in 2014 during which they will spend two nights in each city and perform both halves of its "House Of Gold & Bones" double album in their entirety.

"Live At Luna Park", DREAM THEATER's live concert captured on 2DVD, Blu-ray, Digital Video, 2DVD/3CD, Blu-ray/3CD, and a deluxe edition (2DVD/Blu-ray/3CD), will drop in May via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

"Live At Luna Park" was filmed over two nights in South America — home to one of DREAM THEATER's most ardent fanbases. The DVD was filmed August 19 and August 20, 2012 at Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina after a 15-month world tour, hitting 35 countries.

"This is, without a doubt, the closest a viewer at home will come to experiencing a live DREAM THEATER concert," states guitarist and founding member John Petrucci. "Between the hi-def and 3D video, the huge audio mix and the documentary-style behind-the-scenes footage, you are truly transported to the arena and completely immersed in the entire live experience."

"We have the greatest fans on the planet and the people of Argentina are no exception!" adds Petrucci. "The energy and vibe at Luna Park was truly electric and contagious. The perfect synergy between band and audience. We are immensely proud of this DVD and incredibly excited to share it with everyone!"

A trailer for the set can be seen below.

The setlists for the two concerts were as follows:

August 19, 2012

01. Bridges In The Sky
02. 6:00
03. The Dark Eternal Night
04. This Is The Life
05. The Root Of All Evil
06. Lost Not Forgotten
07. Drum Solo
08. A Fortune In Lies
09. The Silent Man (with a string quartet)
10. Beneath The Surface (with a string quartet)
11. Outcry
12. Surrounded (preceded by Jordan Rudess' keyboard solo)
13. On The Backs Of Angels
14. War Inside My Head
15. The Test That Stumped Them All
16. The Spirit Carries On (preceded by John Petrucci's guitar solo)
17. Breaking All Illusions

Encore:

18. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper

August 20, 2012

01. Bridges In The Sky
02. These Walls
03. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
04. This Is The Life
05. Caught In A Web
06. Lost Not Forgotten
07. Drum Solo
08. A Fortune In Lies
09. Wait For Sleep (with a string quartet)
10. Far From Heaven (with a string quartet)
11. Outcry
12. Surrounded (preceded by Jordan Rudess' keyboard solo)
13. On The Backs Of Angels
14. War Inside My Head
15. The Test That Stumped Them All
16. The Spirit Carries On (preceded by John Petrucci's guitar solo)
17. Breaking All Illusions

Encore:

18. Pull Me Under

Roadrunner Records e-mailed guitarist John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess to get their thoughts on these special shows.

Roadrunner Records: You played four songs with a string quartet over the two nights. Who did the arrangements?

Jordan Rudess: All the string parts were written by Eren Basbug, the young and talented Turkish musician that I discovered online through his beautiful orchestrations of DREAM THEATER's music and then his great work orchestrating and conducting the premiere of my own composition, "Explorations For Keyboard And Orchestra". For two of the songs we did live with the quartet ("Beneath The Surface" and "Far From Heaven") I had originally arranged and recorded quartet-like string parts from my keyboard, and that is what you hear on "A Dramatic Turn Of Events". Eren was able to take those two songs and really make sure what I wrote worked for real players, as well as add some nice touches! For the other two songs, "The Silent Man" and "Wait For Sleep", he created original quartet arrangements.

Roadrunner Records: How much rehearsal time did you have with the quartet?

John Petrucci: We played through each song with them a couple of times at soundcheck. We probably spent about an hour in total making sure they were comfortable and that they knew certain cues, etc.

Jordan Rudess: We had one rehearsal before the first show. I had sent all the music to coordinator Luis Gorelik (who is a well known conductor in South America) and he helped organize the players.

Roadrunner Records: How did their presence alter the way you guys in the band played those songs? Obviously they weren't just sawing away in the background; they were integral to the music, so…in what ways?

John Petrucci: Honestly, we played the songs just as we have been and they followed us. On "Beneath The Surface" and "Far From Heaven", they basically played the arrangements that are on the album. Original arrangements were created for "The Silent Man" and "Wait For Sleep".

Jordan Rudess: In our rehearsal, I was literally conducting them and we all worked quickly to get things into shape and make sure the players really understood the music and what was going to happen in the chain of events on stage. The good thing was that these four songs all really are totally suitable for real strings, so it was an easy conceptual/musical addition to our presentation.

Roadrunner Records: Other than the new album (which was played almost in its entirety each night), the albums you played the most material from were "Images And Words", "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" and "Awake". Why those albums, from your perspective?

John Petrucci: We try to create a show that has a certain curve to it. The way that it begins, unfolds and concludes are all carefully thought about. We have so much material at this point that it's difficult to fit in songs from each album. Based on what we played on past tours as well as the flow and arc of the show, we thought these were the strongest choices.

Jordan Rudess: There are so many factors that are in play to create a setlist. Generally, we all felt that we offered a night of music that was a well-balanced mixture of our material that not only spanned a lot of our albums but also flowed really well for the course of the evening.

Roadrunner Records: On the second night, you guys played "Pull Me Under" as the encore, which you've been playing a lot more on tour this year than in the past few years… but only outside the U.S. Is that a song foreign audiences want to hear more than fans at home?

John Petrucci: "Pull Me Under" always goes over, no matter what country we are in. It just has that kind of power and familiarity, I guess. We really thought that it sounded great with [new drummer] Mike Mangini playing it and wanted to share that with our listeners.

Jordan Rudess: I don't know — but I will tell you that they literally were trying to rush the stage in Buenos Aires when we played it. It was nuts!

British hard rock legends DEEP PURPLE will release their 19th studio album via earMUSIC, the Hamburg, Germany-based international rock label which is part of Edel Group, on the following dates:

Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Spain: April 26
UK, France, Benelux, Poland, Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark: April 29
North America, Italy: April 30
Sweden: May 1

A new interview snippet in which the bandmembers talk about the new tracks can be seen below.

After various songwriting sessions in Europe, the band recorded and mixed the album in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, PINK FLOYD, PETER GABRIEL, ALICE COOPER, KANSAS). The CD is expected to contain 13 tracks, including "Out Of Hand", "Hell To Pay", "Weirdistan", "Uncommon Man" and "Above And Beyond". The latter song references the band's late keyboard player, Jon Lord, in the lyric "Souls having touched are forever entwined."

According to earMUSIC, the CD is "rumored to be the perfect match from the original spirit of '70s PURPLE, and a fresh and modern production."

Regarding the album title, Gillan offered the following cryptic comment to Classic Rock: "There's a big question mark over the name at the moment. And possibly an exclamation mark as well. You can read what you like into what I've just said. All will become clear — as mud — later on. That's all I'm allowed to say. The question mark and the exclamation mark might get you intrigued."

earMUSIC will reveal details about the new DEEP PURPLE album in real time as soon as they will become available on a dedicated web site where all band members will also be able to post and interact with the fans: www.deeppurple2013.com.

DEEP PURPLE's 18th studio album, "Rapture of the Deep", was released in November 2005. It was the fourth studio CD from DEEP PURPLE since guitarist Steve Morse joined the band in 1994. It was also the second album to feature veteran keyboardist Don Airey.

"Rapture of the Deep" was produced by Mike Bradford, who also worked on the band's previous release, 2003's "Bananas".

U.K. progressive metallers TESSERACT have "just turned in a 51-minute song as their next album," according to a new tweet from the band's record label, Century Media Records.

ThrashHits.com recently spoke to TESSERACT bassist Amos Williams about the group's forthcoming CD, which is due later this year. The effort, which is rumored to be titled "Altered State", will mark the band's first release with new lead singer, Ashe O'Hara, following the departure of American vocalist Elliot Coleman (OMNOM, SKY EATS AIRPLANE, ZELLIACK) in June 2012.

"The new album has shaped up to be something of an evolution for TESSERACT," Williams said. "Obviously, there's the new voice, which is exciting for us to work with. Ashe brings such an intense level of emotion to the table, it feels as if we have added another dimension to the music. We've also travelled so much and met so many incredible and inspiring musicians since the first album. This has had a huge impact upon our songwriting."

He continued: "Also, we now enjoy playing with dynamics and instrumentation. This came from releasing an acoustic EP last year. We're no longer afraid to mix things up or stray from the expected path, which we feel we did with our first album. That was in the box, whilst this album is way out there for us. Don't be afraid, though — whilst it has evolved, our music is still somehow TESSERACT. It's like there is something just beneath the surface of everything we do, that shapes all we produce into a distinctly TESSERACT-ish form."

"Nocturne", a brand new song from TESSERACT, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

Comments the band: "'Nocturne', is one of the most uplifting and exciting pieces of music we have created. It faithfully continues down the same vein of groovy and euphoric progressive soundscapes that we're known for. Whilst at the same time allowing for the musical evolution that is essential for any band that has a lineup change."

Hailing from Northampton, Ashe spent his early years singing in many different groups, from choirs to musical theatre, and has more recently been involved with a number of ambient/alternative metal projects in addition to doing session work. Ashe currently resides in Hove, East Sussex.

Commented Ashe: "I have always been an admirer of their work so it's pretty awesome to be passed such a challenging flame. I am very aware of the anticipation and I am certainly feeling the weight of it, but I am equally excited for what shall be an amazing and shithot experience!"

TESSERACT recently picked up the "New Blood" award — as voted for by readers of Prog magazine — at the first-ever Progressive Music Awards in the U.K.

Norwegian adrenaline-pushers of heavy rock and roll, KVELERTAK will release their highly anticipated sophomore album entitled "Meir" (which means "more" in English) on March 26 via Roadrunner Records. The CD was produced by CONVERGE's Kurt Ballou and features cover artwork by John Dyer Baizley.

"Meir"'s first single, "Bruane Brenn" has early critical acclaim from several tastemaker outlets including Stereogum who raves, "It's a total blast of riffs, adrenaline, football chants, and guitar solos, and in its four minutes, you get five decades of rock ‘n' roll, compressed into one massive speedball hit." The single will be available on iTunes beginning February 5 and will be available as an instant download when you pre-order the album, an exclusive CD/T-shirt bundle will also be available that day at the Roadrunner Records webstore. Unlike the majority of heavier bands, they sing in their native language, adding even more character to their already unique sound.

About the signing, Dave Rath, Senior Vice President of A&R at Roadrunner Records said, "Every decade or so, hard rock and heavy metal gets a well-deserved kick in the ass. KVELERTAK is the band to do just that. These guys remind us that rock music should truly affect us. Roadrunner is proud to deliver KVELERTAK to a world waiting for a musical awakening. If this band doesn't get your heart racing, then you don't have one."

KVELERTAK's euphorically-received self-titled 2011 debut was iTunes 2011's U.S. Metal Breakthrough Artist of The Year. Pitchfork described their sound as having "monolithic walls of adrenal-gland-strangling sound" while LA Weekly named frontman Erland Hjelvik #2 on their list of top ten metal frontmen (and women) under 30.

Overseas the band has racked up numerous accolades. KVELERTAK was called "the best Norwegian debut of all time" by Norwegian rock authority Asbjørn Slettemark, named "Best Debut Album" by Metal Hammer Germany, "Best New Artist" and "Best Rock Album" at the Spellemannprisen (Norway's Grammy equivalent) and has received countless additional critical acclaim from Metal Hammer U.K. and Kerrang! who called them "the most exciting new band on the planet."

From storming 2011's SXSW festival to being personally invited by MASTODON to support them in Bergen, Norway, to Dave Grohl presenting them with their first gold discs at a sold-out show at Telenor Arena, Norway's largest indoor venue, KVELERTAK, or "chokehold" in English, are only getting started.

With the explosive first single "Bruane Brenn" to the slowed down guitar crunching of "Evig Vandrar" to the brutally chaotic "Nekrokosmos", "Meir" is an album that certainly lives up to the hype of giving the listener "more." Tight rhythms, inventive guitar hooks and melodies that seep into your consciousness, this is an album that constantly surprises.

"It is both catchy and heavy; we're pushing our limits in both ends of that spectre. It's very varied and there are a lot of surprises in store. I mean, it's unlike anything I myself have heard before, so we even managed to surprise ourselves," said lead singer Erlend Hjelvik.

Look for KVELERTAK North American tour dates to be announced soon.

KVELERTAK is Erlend Hjelvik (vocals), Vidar Landa (guitars), Bjarte Lund Rolland (guitars), Maciek Ofstad (guitars), Marvin Nygaard (bass) and Kjetil Gjermundrød (drums).

"Meir" track listing:

01. Åpenbaring
02. Spring Fra Livet
03. Trepan
04. Bruane Brenn
05. Evig Vandrar
06. Snilepisk
07. Månelyst
08. Nekrokosmos
09. Undertro
10. Tordenbrak
11. Kvelertak

Don de Leaumont of The Great Southern Brainfart recently conducted an interview with John Corabi, former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and UNION. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

The Great Southern Brainfart: Your fans have been waiting a long time for your debut solo album. Did you feel like it was a risky move making your first solo album an acoustic album?

Corabi: I know it's a bit of a risk after all these years of me talking about doing a solo record and the first one out is an acoustic record. I just wanted to do something different. I don't like doing what people would expect of me. I just really wanted to expand my horizons and think outside of the box. I want to show people that I'm not just that guy who can get out there and scream "Hooligan's Holiday" and "Smoke The Sky". I'm a songwriter and I'm more than just a screamer. My fans have been very supportive of me for 25 years but maybe I'll pick up some new fans that necessarily wouldn't be apt to buy a MÖTLEY CRÜE record, a UNION record, or even a SCREAM record.

The Great Southern Brainfart: It's really cool to hear you doing some of these SCREAM, CRÜE, and even UNION songs in this stripped down environment. It almost gives them all a new life of sorts.

Corabi: Right. When I started doing the acoustic shows, people would be yelling for "Hooligan's Holiday" and "Smoke The Sky" and I had no idea of how to pull them off. I got together with my bassist Topher and we worked out an arrangement for "Hooligan's Holiday" and it just morphed into what you hear on the record. It took a bit. It took some time to figure it out and it works. I love this new version of it.

The Great Southern Brainfart: Back in 1994, it was huge news when you were picked to replace Vince Neil in MÖTLEY CRÜE. Looking back on it, did you have a feeling you were walking into something that could potentially backfire on you?

Corabi: Well, I don't know how you can't not feel like it could blow up in your face. [laughs]

The Great Southern Brainfart: Were you a fan of MÖTLEY CRÜE at all before joining them?

Corabi: I knew a few of their songs like the ones that I'd heard on MTV or the radio. Honestly, I can't say that I was fan. I went in there not knowing if it was going to work or not. I will say that by the end of the first week that I was with them we pretty much had "Hammered" and "Misunderstood" written. The writing sessions and the demo sessions for that record were pretty unreal.

The Great Southern Brainfart: You were in MÖTLEY CRÜE for five years. When the split between you and the band came up, was it a surprise to you or did you really see it coming?

Corabi: Well, here's the deal. Vince Neil said in his book that it was my idea to leave MÖTLEY CRÜE. Just to set the record straight, Vince is only partially right about that. I just told the guys that I was so tired hearing about "Vince would do it this way…" I just told them, "I'm so fucking sick and tired of hearing about what Vince would do from you and your management." I was just sick of the guys comparing me to the guy that you told me for the last five years to not be. If you get hire for a job and your boss keeps talking about what great job the other guy did or compares you to the other guy, at some point, you just say, "Fuck you. Go back to that person then." I told them that if they wanted Vince and Vince was the fucking answer, maybe they should call him back and work shit out. If not, we should all just shut the fuck up and try and make this work.

The Great Southern Brainfart: It's too bad that they chose the later of your options.

Corabi: Man, I'll tell you what. I don't give a shit about the money. I couldn't give a fuck less. I'll always figure out how to make a fucking living. [laughs] Their money didn't mean anything to me when I joined the band and it didn't mean anything to me when I left the band. To me, everything was about what you say. I don't care if the deal is for $0.10 or for $10,000,000, a deal is still a deal. I hung out with those guys every day for five years and I haven't seen them more than five times in the last 15 years. That bothered me more than anything. I thought those guys were my friends and that's what I miss more than anything. I was more bummed out over the loss of our brotherhood than anything. Those guys are just the kind of people that will embrace you when you're in their circle. They've had some many buzzards and vultures picking at their bones for the last 25 years that when they look down and they see me calling them, I bet they immediately think, "What does he want?"

The Great Southern Brainfart: That's really sad, dude. Then it makes you feel like they never really knew you.

Corabi: Yeah. A good example is this. My son's band just recently got a record deal and the drums that he played on his album and in his bands video was the drum set that Tommy [Lee] gave him when my kid was like 12 years old. He's become friends with a bunch of guys like Brian Tichy, Eric Singer, Morgan Rose and Tommy Lee through me, so when he did his video, he was so proud of it and he wrote to all those guys and sent them the video. He wrote more of a person message to Tommy showing him that it was his old kit and thanked him for inspiring him. Every one of those guys responded to him but Tommy. At that point I just said, "I'm done." I'm not reaching out to those guys anymore. It takes me a little longer to figure things out than most but I figured that there really is no friendship there.

Read the entire interview from The Great Southern Brainfart.

Fans of the Showtime series "Californiacation" got a special surprise on this week's episode when Sebastian Bach had a guest role on the show. The former SKID ROW rocker is no stranger to acting, having appeared on the silver screen, the small screen and the Broadway stage, and he revealed to VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner that he's got a pretty big role coming up, but wouldn't divulge too many details.

"There's a huge role coming up that I can't, I don't think that I can tell you yet, I can't tell you yet," he said. "It's something that will be very surprising to the world and it's already confirmed but I'm not allowed to announce it yet. It's a big fucking deal."

Asked if the role would involve the stage, Bach said: "I'm not really allowed to announce really what is happening but I have starred in four Broadway musicals and once you prove to the Broadway world that you can pull off four leading roles, then they kind of say, 'Okay, maybe we'll ask him to do a fifth.' (Sings Ba-ba-ba-ba!) It could involve jazz hands. [laughs]"

In a June 2012 interview with Sonic Shocks, Bach stated about whether he had ever considered being a part of a musical like "Rock Of Ages" after previously doing both "Jekyll & Hide" and "Jesus Christ Superstar": "I was the first person they asked to do Stacee Jaxx [Tom Cruise's character in the 'Rock Of Ages' movie] on Broadway. I was the very first person they asked. They wanted me to do that for years. They wanted me to do it when it was off Broadway. And they wanted me to do it when they wanted to move on Broadway. But I don't know if I want to sing other people's music every night when I have my own music. When I did 'Jekyll & Hide', that was a story. 'Jesus Christ Superstar' was a story. That's a whole different thing; that's like legitimate theater. 'Rock Of Ages' is, like… I just don't know if I could get ready every night to sing BON JOVI and POISON. I don't know if I would be in a great mood doing that when I have my own music."

Alice Cooper joined Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist) on stage last night (Thursday, January 31) at Dubai Tennis Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to perform the legendary rocker's classic song "School's Out". Fan-filmed video footage of Alice's appearance can be seen below.

Slash previously summed up Cooper's influence this way: "Alice Cooper was the first ever to marry rock 'n' roll with dramatic horror theatrics. For 40 years he's made fantastic records and equally fantastic live performances. And still to this day he's the best at his craft bar none. Often imitated but never duplicated."

Slash made a guest appearance on Cooper's "Along Came A Spider" album, which was released in July 2008 via SPV.

New Jersey-based "mathcore" act THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN last fall entered the studio with producer Steve Evetts (EVERY TIME I DIE, POISON THE WELL, SUICIDE SILENCE, SEPULTURA) to begin recording its new album for a spring release through the group's own imprint Party Smasher Inc. via a deal with Sumerian Records.

Speaking to AOL's Noisecreep, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN vocalist Greg Puciato stated about the recording process for the band's forthcoming CD: "We're about three weeks behind! [laughs] Every time we get into the studio we think we're going to be faster. Maybe it's because we're getting older and we think that this time we have our shit together and we know the songs inside and out. And then once we get in and we start going down every little path of possible creativity you can imagine. 'Let's try this microphone.' 'Let's try this amp.' I'm like, 'I want to change these lyrics.' And then Ben [Weinman, guitar] is like, 'I want to change this guitar part.' And wait a sec, 'The drums aren't like they are on the demo. My lyrics don't line up now!' We're all extremely ADD-ish - producer included, which tends to cause us to make things take forever. Even still, everything is going to come out relatively on time — we're going to make an April or May release, it looks like."

He added: "DILLINGER is a different beast in tracking than most normal bands. Even Steve [Evetts, producer] has told me that there's no other band that he has recorded that requires this amount of attention to detail. We take a longer amount of time to do one thing than most bands take to do ten. At this point, talking to Ben about it, we only do this once every three years on average so ten years from now I don't want to look back and think, 'Fuck man, we should have finished that one three weeks earlier!' Who cares? You want it to be right and you want it to be the thing that was the closest to what your vision actually was."

Regarding the direction of the new THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN material, Puciato said: "I can hear [the influence of old punk and hardcore records] a lot. I can definitely hear that in some of the riffs, which are really aggressive. It's not a blatant hardcore record or anything like that. I actually think this is the most all over the place and weirdest record we've ever written. It's the first one since I joined the band where Ben has sent me songs and I've been like, 'What the fuck is happening? This sounds like a beehive!'"

Season of Mist has inked a deal with Philip H. Anselmo's (DOWN, PANTERA) label Housecore Records. The first Housecore release to hit European stores will be a split EP by PHILIP H. ANSELMO AND THE ILLEGALS and WARBEAST, to be made available on March 15. Entitled "War Of The Gargantuas", this EP includes two songs from each artist, marking the release of Philip Anselmo's first solo work.

"A lot of things can be said about Philip Anselmo, but one thing can't be questioned — his integrity," Season Of Mist CEO Michael Berberian comments. "He's the definition of a true metalhead, and his signings are a reflection of that. We'll be looking forward to working his brand in Europe and giving it the attention it deserves!"

"I am looking forward to working with Season Of Mist in concert with Housecore Records very, very much," Philip states. "Season has a killer roster themselves, and it'll be a pleasure doing the DIY business of propelling underground/extreme music with them. For real, and forever yours truly."

"This split is a glimpse into the future of both my solo project and ultimate thrash metallers WARBEAST," Anselmo stated about "War Of The Gargantuas". “"he title of the split is 'War Of The Gargantuas' and it is fitting on many levels because of our combined love for the '60s Japanese film of the same name, the power of our combined musical output(s) and our humorous affection that plays out within each of our 'gargantuan' personalities. Both WARBEAST and myself have full-length LPs that will be released shortly after this is released, but this split is unique musically. It is a time capsule; a loud pause 'till we both release our full-length products. Enjoy the destruction of music!"

"These two songs we have on 'War Of The Gargantuas' were the next level after [debut album] 'Krush The Enemy'," WARBEAST guitarist Scott Shelby comments. "They've been a staple in our set list for the last two years. These songs are a pure demonstration of our unique Texas thrash metal style."

WARBEAST also recently announced the upcoming release of their second full-length album, "Destroy". The LP is due later this year.

"We Are Legion", the new ThibauIt Chaumont-directed video from the French hardcore/death metal outfit THE BRUTAL DECEIVER, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's debut full-length album, "Go Die. One By One", which is due out this spring via Useless Pride Records.

THE BRUTAL DECEIVER, which features two members of the post-metal band AS WE DRAW, recorded the ten tracks on "Go Die. One By One" last summer with their drummer Amaury Sauvé at La Senelle.

"Go Die. One By One" track listing:

01. Go Die
02. Ghosts' Whispers
03. Disclosed Deception
04. I Am (My Own) Apocalypse
05. Dismember Me
06. IIIII I
07. Loneliness
08. We Are Legion
09. JSTFU
10. Legacy

THE BRUTAL DECEIVER is:

Julien Monard Lacomblez - Guitar
Pierrick Bouilly - Guitar
Quentin Sauvé - Bass
Amaury Sauvé - Drums
Damien Lehay - Vocals

On March 30th the new AVANTASIA-album “The Mystery Of Time“ will be released. If you register for the backstage section, you can now see the new artwork there. It has been hand-painted by world acclaimed British fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. Amongst Rodney's most famous artworks are not only album covers for Rock legends such as Magnum, Thin Lizzy, Asia or Nazareth. He has also designed the characters for the TV-series “Lavender Castle“ and created the covers for novels by British fantasy author Michael Moorcock and many more.Tobias: “It is a great honour for me to have Rodney create the artwork of ‘The Mystery Of Time‘. Since the new album is a conceptual album and its story has a magical and enchanting atmosphere, there was no other painter I could think of to create the artwork. I've had several creative conversations with Rodney during the process and I had the feeling that the concept was inspiring to him right from the start. I put a lot of energy into producing a very detailed and fascinating album, and Rodney had that same enthusiasm to create an artwork just as detailed and fascinating. This is a new chapter in AVANTASIA's history and I think it didn't deserve less than a magical painting by my favorite painter and childhood hero: The one and only Rodney Matthews!“