MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has posted the following message on the band's Facebook page:

"I just wanted to take this time on a peaceful Sunday to stop and thank you for your tremendous support. I know not everyone here is a fan, but that's OK too; this message will be waiting for you when you change your opinion of me/us. Until then, I want to sincerely thank those of you for something you have no idea that you've done, but that is really a righteous and unbelievable thing to do. You see, all faults aside, I really am trying to live my life differently today, and part of that was in finding something to believe in.

"One of the things that has happened since I started this transformation is getting involved with helping widows and orphans, and helping the homeless. Now, here's what you've done...

"I was approached with an opportunity, and thanks to your unwavering support, my family and I have been able to fund a soup kitchen in Haiti with a ministry called Outside The Bowl, and you will be proud to know that when it is started (which will be very soon), we will be feeding up to 8,000 meals a day to the less fortunate.

"I am so very grateful, and I love you all so very much (yes, even you haters), because even when I am being vilified and having my character assassinated, I can find comfort knowing up to 8,000 meals will be served each day, along with a healthy serving of love and some spiritual nourishment as well.

"Again, I cannot thank you enough.

"Love and bruises…"

Eclipse Records has announced the signing of Stockholm, Sweden-based modern rockers BLOWSIGHT to a North American deal. The band just wrapped up production of its brand new full-length album, "Life & Death", to be released in North America on April 9.

A press release states: "Sweden has always been a guarantee for the export of infamous rock bands and epic pop melodies; however… this is rarely combined in one package. BLOWSIGHT have internalized the essence of both, and united them to create an extremely amazing, unique band with epic potential for success."

"I can honestly say that I haven't been this excited about signing an artist to Eclipse for a long, long time," states Eclipse Records president Chris Poland. "BLOWSIGHT are just amazing in every way possible. They're different, fresh, new and just what the music scene needs. I think what makes them so unique is the diversity of their songwriting."

"BLOWSIGHT is like a big melting pot of everyone's favorite music" states the band's lead vocalist/guitarist, Nick Red. "It doesn't matter if it's influenced by METALLICA, QUEEN, LADY GAGA, SHINEDOWN, TRIVIUM or MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE… everything fits together. If we want to break stuff, we write a metal song, if we're feeling emotional, we write a ballad. Sometimes we even write pop songs that sound like they could be on Top 40 stations… to us, it doesn't matter what we play, just as long as we play what we want."

BLOWSIGHT's second album, "Dystopia Lane", came out in the fall of 2010. An EP, "Shed Evil", followed in time for the band's appearance at the 2011 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

BLOWSIGHT is:

Nick Red (lead vocals/guitar)
Seb (guitar/vocals)
Mao (bass/vocals)
Fabz (drums/vocals)

Alchemy Records marked the end of days, December 21st, 2012, with the release of Burnt Belief, a progressive instrumental collaboration between bass player COLIN EDWIN (PORCUPINE TREE, METALLIC TASTE OF BLOOD, ex-WISE HEADS) and guitarist/composer JON DURANT.

A new video for the album track 'Semazen' is now available.

"The video concept follows from the theme of the album--questioning one's belief systems, and letting go of superstitions," said Durant, who also filmed and directed the video. "The woman in the video, after longing to be free of the shackles that have been placed upon her, is able to shed her inhibitions and live the life she wants to live."
Burnt Belief was released through Alchemy Records in North America and is available on iTunes, CDBaby, Burning Shed and Amazon.
Burnt Belief marks the second time that the two musicians have worked together since Edwin contributed bass to Durant's 2011 release, Dance Of The Shadow Planets. It was recorded at three studios, two in the US and one in the UK, with Edwin and Durant exchanging digital files over the Internet. Additional musicians were later brought in, with Jerry Leake on percussion and Geoff Leigh on flute.

Perhaps best described as a post-rock concept album, Burnt Belief draws from ethnic, ambient and electronic elements to create a cohesive and emotional album, inspired by a fundamental, universal question.
Timed to coincide with the end of the Mayan calendar (and the end of the world, as many have since prophesied), the album considers the polarization between religion and science, while highlighting the dissonance between belief and reality. Burnt Belief deals with issues of intellect, fundamentalism and fanaticism, set to an ambient and progressive aural landscape.

Blending electronic rhythms and acoustic elements, the musicians wove soundscapes from unique sources - synth, 12-string and cloud guitar textures, melodic fretless bass, prepared piano and Middle Eastern hand percussion - along with searing lead guitars, to tell a series of instrumental stories. Burnt Belief takes the listener on an immersive journey, with repeated listens revealing new layers and tones to the depth of the subject. While the album is intended to be a complete experience, the centerpiece comes with the dual attack of 'Balthazar's Key' and 'Uncoiled', just over 20 minutes of compelling sounds that, according to Durant, "kick enough booty to make anyone sit up and take notice."
The title of the album was inspired by Edwin's reading of social psychologist Leon Festinger's When Prophecy Fails, an account of a doomsday UFO cult in the 1950s. According to Edwin, "It got me thinking, what are all beliefs really about and where do they come from?" - a question that Durant had also been interested in for some time.

Check out an album trailer below:
More audio samples below:

Michigan-based progsters TILES have issued the following update:

"The studio is reserved in March to begin tracking drums and probably a bit of bass for the next Tiles CD. We'll split our time between Detroit and Toronto. It's been a long writing and rehearsing process, but we've worked hard to pave some new ground and pull in new influences that have captured our fancy. Terry Brown (RUSH, FATES WARNING) will again produce and engineer. It's been a great experience working with someone of his caliber so we're looking forward to another turn. Sure, we don't always get our way; but very few artists can be objective about their work."
Tiles last studio album was 2008's Fly Paper.

In September Tiles released Off The Floor, containing over 75-minutes of "live in the studio" performances which offer new perspectives on standout tracks from each of Tiles' five recordings.
Complete with a couple new interludes and adventurous extended jams, Off The Floor gives the listener more than a carbon copy of the studio versions. Especially noteworthy are guest appearances by Matthew Parmenter (DISIPLINE) on violin, vocals, and mellotron and the Motor City Horns' flautist Keith Kaminski. An expanded arrangement of 'The Wading Pool' is included as a bonus track.

Off The Floor features the following tracklisting:
'Landscrape'
'Token Pledge'
'Modification'
'Capture The Flag'
'Changing The Guard'
'Segue/Window Dressing (Part IV)'
'Dragons, Dreams And Daring Deeds'
'Dress Rehearsal'
'Hide In My Shadow'
'A Minor Interlude'
'Checkerboards'
'Wading Pool'

More on Tiles at this location.

British metalcore act ASKING ALEXANDRIA has completed work on its third album with renowned producer Joey Sturgis (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, EMMURE) at the Foundation Recording Studios in Indiana and NRG in Hollywood for an early 2013 release via Sumerian Records. Guitarist Ben Bruce confirmed to GuitarWorld.com that, as previously reported, the sound of the material falls somewhere between SLIPKNOT and MÖTLEY CRÜE. "There's a lot of heavy riffage on this record, whereas in the past we relied more on rhythms and breakdowns," he said. "So in that respect it's very much like old SLIPKNOT. But then the choruses and a lot of the bridges are more rock-based, which is our MÖTLEY CRÜE side."

Bruce was quick to add, however: "The album is by no means a regurgitation of the Eighties. If kids buy this record thinking it's going to sound like [MÖTLEY CRÜE's 1987 effort] 'Girls, Girls, Girls', it doesn't fucking sound like 'Girls, Girls, Girls'. It sounds like ASKING ALEXANDRIA."

Bruce previously told Billboard.com that that the follow-up to 2011's "Reckless & Relentless" will contain 13-15 songs, six of which will be "radio-friendly" while the rest will be "our usual balls-to-the-wall kind of stuff."

Regarding the lyrical direction of ASKING ALEXANDRIA's new material, Bruce told GuitarWorld.com: "It's a lot more mature than anything we've done before. It's not so much about partying and fucking random girls and doing drugs and stuff. We've actually taken the time to write something that's truly meaningful to us. The last two records were great, and we loved them, but we were different people then. We were a lot younger and had less experience. When you compare the albums, it will definitely show how much we've grown."

Montreal viking thrash metallers TALAMYUS have issued the following update:

"We would like to announce that we have once again added new blood to our vanguard and are preparing for war!

First, we would like to recap the addition of lead vocalist Krystal Koffin to the band in April of 2012.

Having her vocal in the foreground has added a sick demonic edge within our songs. Combined with Ben’s backing vocal, we have transcended our force into the depths from which we spawn. However, the growth of Talamyus has not stopped there!
We are honoured to announce the arrival of drummer Etienne Gallo to the band (AUGURY, NEURAXIS). He will be a permanent member of the Talamyus family, as we are now preparing our fourth release. We are greatly anticipating the new dynamics Etienne will add to our mission of metal! We are sure old and new Talamyus fans will be pleased with the direction we have chosen to take for the next album. It will still have the Talamyus feel, but with an altered atmosphere.

We are very eager to share it with you all. Keep checking in as we will be releasing new content continually and very soon!

Thank you all for supporting Talamyus throughout the years
and for years to come. You are all what matters in our world!"

For information on Talamyus and updates go to their official Facebook page here.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe will stand trial February 4 on charges of manslaughter in the death of a fan at a Prague, Czech Republic concert two years ago.

The court originally had three months to set a trial date after announcing on December 3 that Blythe was officially indicted on manslaughter charges.

Writing on his Instagram account, Blythe said earlier today (Sunday, January 13): "The last two or three days I have been getting ready mentally to leave my home and return to Prague to do this whole trial thing in early February. It's not something I particularly WANT to do; but inside, my gut and heart tells me it is the RIGHT thing to do. I cannot turn my back on the right thing."

Blythe is facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a 2010 incident in which a fan attending a LAMB OF GOD show died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage. Blythe's predicament has galvanized the heavy rock community, with artists across the hard rock genre pledging their support.

Shortly after being released from the Pankrác prison in Prague in early August, Blythe sat down with Mark Holmberg of WTVR-TV — the CBS television affiliate based in Richmond, Virginia — to discuss his 37-day stay at the notorious Czech Republic penitentiary (see video below).

Asked about his vow to go back to Prague if there is a trial, Randy said, "I feel ethically responsible to go back there and face this charge. [The victim's] family right now is in a lot of pain, and they deserve some answers. To lose a child is the worst possible thing a human can go through, I think .. I want my name cleared. I have to go around the world and tour, you know. That's what I do. I'm not going to hide here. I'm an innocent man. I'm going to go to court and see what happens."

Regarding what the "worst-case scenario" is if he returns to Prague for a trial, Blythe told Metal Hammer magazine, "Ten years with no time off for good behavior. For my particular charge — we're saying manslaughter, but it's assault in the fourth degree with intent, resulting in the death of this young man — the sentence for that is five to 10 years with no time off. So the worst-case scenario is that get out when I'm 51, 52 years old. It's not something I really try to dwell on too much, because it's scary. I don't want to go to prison, I don't want that to happen, but the fact of the matter is it could happen. I will deal with it as it comes, that's all! can do. If you have one foot in the past and one foot in the future, you're pissing on the present. And right now, all! have is the present so I prepare myself the best I can. My band is behind me and my family's behind me and we're gonna do our best to prove my innocence. But worrying about a nebulous uncertain future, or being super-bummed out that l went to prison for 37 days does me no good."

LAMB OF GOD's manager, Larry Mazer, confirmed in a statement last month that Blythe will defend himself in the case. "We believe that Randy responded professionally to the numerous amount of fans rushing the stage that day, a number of them captured on videos that have been posted on the Internet," Mazer said. "We have testimony from the venue operator that acknowledges lax security and an improper barricade being used that evening. Numerous testimonies from fans also were contradictory as to the actions of the multiple fans that tried to access the stage."

According to the New York Post, AEROSMITH lead singer Steven Tyler and his fiancée of one year, Erin Brady, have "officially" split.

It was previously reported in October that Tyler and Brady were having trouble in their relationship but "it's over for good this time," a source "close to the couple" told the paper.

Brady reportedly did not accompany Tyler when he vacationed in Hawaii with his extended family over New Year's.

Previously an accountant for Tyler on tour, Brady told Oprah Winfrey in a 2011 interview that although she bore witness to the worst of Steven's bad-boy behavior, she knew his ways could be reformed and she wanted to be the one to do it.

"I saw him, how he behaved… badly," she said, according to ETOnline.com, telling Oprah she had to step up to the plate as the womanizing continued when their relationship became romantic. Her strategy was to "play" as he would when Tyler would stray, which he admits was a wake-up call and an instigator towards treating the women of his life with the respect they deserve.

"There was some behavior I am ashamed of and I shouldn't have done," Steven explained. When asked bluntly if he believed he could remain monogamous with Erin, Tyler confidently replied that he could. "I don't want to hurt anybody again," he said. "For all the divorces I've had I've hurt those girls deeply."

Steven and Erin dated for six years, since Tyler divorced Teresa Barrick. He was also married to Cyrinda Foxe from 1978 to 1987.

According to the BBC, Claude Nobs, who founded the world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, has died after a skiing accident.
The 76-year-old suffered a fall while practising cross-country skiing during the Christmas holidays.

He had been in hospital but passed away on 10 January, a statement on the festival's website said.

The festival, which takes place on the shores of Lake Geneva, has featured the likes of Miles Davis and Santana.

"For all of us, who were fortunate enough to cross your path, you will always remain the one who questioned certainties," the statement said.

Organisers had previously said that Nobs' accident would not impact this year's event, which runs 5 - 20 July.

"We carry, and will continue to carry on in your spirit, everything you taught us," Thursday's statement added.

The festival was co-founded by Nobs and Atlantic Records president Nesuhi Ertegun in 1967, who booked CHARLES LLOYD and KEITH JARRETT as the first headliners.

Nobs even earned himself a mention as "funky Claude" who rescues children in DEEP PURPLE's 1973 song Smoke On The Water.

The song is about a fire that burned down the Montreux Casino, where the festival was held, during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971.

"Perspectives", the new video from Austrian metallers THE SORROW, ca be seen below. The song comes off the band's fourth album, "Misery Escape", which entered the official chart in Austria at position No. 18. Released on October 26, 2012 in Europe and November 6, 2012 in North America via Napalm Records, the CD was produced and mixed by Sky Van Hoff and mastered by Jens Dreesen.

"Misery Escape" track listing:

01. Retracing Memories
02. The Escape
03. Burial Bridge
04. My Oblivion
05. A Reason
06. Buried In The Deep
07. A Thin Red Line
08. Perspectives
09. Lost Chapters
10. Dead Home
11. Follow The Lights

Limited-edition bonus tracks:

12. Nails & Daggers
13. Hold on Hope

THE SORROW's third, self-titled album, entered the official chart in Austria at position No. 24.

Swiss hard rock veterans KROKUS peformed the title track of their new album, "Dirty Dynamite", on last night's "Swiss Awards" TV show. You can now watch video footage of their appearance below.

"Dirty Dynamite" will be released on February 22 in Europe via Sony Music and in North America on March 5, 2013 via The End Records.

Sony Music is offering a free download of the title track at this location (e-mail sign-up required). It was the last song that was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, England at 5 o'clock in the morning. Bassist Chris Von Rohr added some honky tonk piano licks on the original "Lady Madonna" piano at the studio.

"Dirty Dynamite" marks the return of KROKUS guitarist Mandy Meyer after 30 years.

Chris Von Rohr, along with vocalist Marc Storace, recently laid down bass and vocal tracks at London, England's Abbey Road Studios for the band's 17th album, "Dirty Dynamite". Sound engineer for the recording sessions is again Dennis Ward, who also recorded the band's last album, "Hoodoo".

KROKUS 2012 is:

Marc Storace - Vocals
Chris Von Rohr - bass
Fernando Von Arb - Lead Guitar
Mark Kohler - Rhythm Guitar
Mandy Meyer - Guitar

Sitting behind the drums on KROKUS' upcoming tour will be several guest drummers, including Kosta Zafiriou (PINK CREAM 69), who also played on the new CD.

Drummer Freddy Steady left KROKUS in May 2011 because he "concluded that he really wanted to play music just for fun in small clubs rather than conquering the world, playing arenas on huge stages with pyro props, etc.," according to guitarist Fernando Von Arb.

According to an update from UNISONIC frontman Michael Kiske's official Facebook contact page (found here), HELLOWEEN fans hoping to see Kiske reunite with his former bandmates can forget it:

"I just talked to Michael Kiske and he confirmed that he has absolutely NO interest at all in what certain persons are dreaming about loudly in a lot of interviews according to a possible reunion with Helloween or similar bullshit."
During a recent interview with TV Rock Live for the new Helloween album Straight Out Of Hell, current frontman Andi Deris (since 1994) commented on the upcoming Hellish Rock II tour with GAMMA RAY:

Deris: "My personal dream would be a Hellish Rock Part III together with (original singer) Michael Kiske maybe the next time we would have support of UNISONIC. And maybe then we could fulfill the dream for everybody it would be the whole old Helloween band, unfortunately without Ingo, but it would be a dream come true for the people."

Check out the inteview below:
Unisonic recently issued the following update:

"Hello out there, we wish you all a healthy and happy year 2013!!!

2012 was an event- and successful year for Unisonic: We released our debut CD and did the first tour, leading us to many countries in Latin America, Asia and Europe. The feedback on the CD and the live shows was phenomenal and we want to thank you all from the deepest of our hearts for your support!

2013 will be a more silent year for Unisonic. Besides working with our other bands and projects, be sure that we will use the time to write and record a new Unisonic album! Touring together for the first time and your overwhelming reactions glued us together as a band, and we can´t wait to canalize all these impressions into a powerful and melodic metal album to be released in early 2014!"
Unisonic lineup:

Michael Kiske (vocals - ex-HELLOWEEN)
Mandy Meyer (guitars - ex-GOTTHARD, ex-KROKUS)
Kai Hansen (guitars - GAMMA RAY, ex Helloween)
Dennis Ward (bass - PINK CREAM 69)
Kosta Zafiriou (drums - Pink Cream 69)

Unisonic performed at the Hellfest in Clisson, France on June 15th. Quality fan-filmed video from the show is available below:
The band's complete setlist was as follows:

'Unisonic'
'Never Too Late'
'King For A Day'
'My Sanctuary'
'March Of Time'
'Over The Rainbow'
'Star Rider'
'We Rise'
'I Want Out'

More on Unisonic at this location.

Recent Rock It Up Records signings Swedish metal band CULT OF THE FOX will release their next studio album, entitled Angelsbane in the spring. The album art created by Anna Björklund can be viewed below:
Cult Of The Foxwas formed in 2007, that year they released their first demo Kitsunetsuki. Later followed the demos The Power We Serve (2008) and The Sea Beneath The Sand (2010). In 2011, the band recorded their debut full lenght album, A Vow Of Vengeance, and gained a lot of positive feedback from the metal community.

Angelsbane features ten new tracks. More details will be revealed soon.
Cult Of The Fox lineup:

Daniel Fritze - drums
Peter Svensson - bass and backing vocals
Erika Wallberg - guitars
Magnus Hultman - lead vocals

More on the band at this location.

After releasing his Songs Of Flesh (Part I) 7” EP in early 2012, inexhaustible Swedish maniac Rogga Johansson (PAGANIZER, RIBSPREADER, DEMIURG, THE GROTESQUERY, BONE GNAWER, REVOLTING, etc.) strikes back with the debut album of his most recent project, MEGASCAVENGER.

Out now via Selfmadegod Records, Descent Of Yuggoth consists of nine Swedish-style death metal songs that will definitely appeal to all fans of Rogga's music and Scandinavian metal in general.

More than that, with Megascavenger Johansson spews out his death metal dreams by recruiting the talents of some legendary death metal figureheads including guest vocals by Dan Swano (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH), Marc Grewe (MORGOTH, INSIDIOUS DISEASE), Jörgen Sandström (ex-GRAVE, KRUX, TORTURE DIVISION) and Paul Speckmann (MASTER, DEATH STRIKE, ABOMINATION) as well as guest solos by Patrick Mameli (PESTILENCE), Jonas Lindblood (PUTERAEON), Eric Daniels (ex-ASPHYX, SOULBURN).
Descent Of Yuggoth tracklisting:

'Nihilisticon'
'Descent Of Yuggoth'
'Smokescreen Armageddon'
'Catapulted Through Aeons'
'Void Of Damnation'
'Funerals And Ceremonies'
'Death Obsessed'
'No Haven For The Sane'
'To Revel With Vermin'

Listen to the album below:

Swedish black metallers MÖRKER have released the following update regarding their current recording efforts:
"There has been drastic change of plans. Instead of releasing the full-length album that was planned from the beginning, we will release a 7" EP with two songs.

So meanwhile you're waiting for the full-length album to be released, you'll have a chance to pick up this very limited EP. Only 250 copies will be made, so make sure to pre-order it, because I think it will be sold out really fast! More info about the EP, pre-orders etc. will come later. No pre-orders can be done yet!

B-side is exclusive for this release and won't be released anywhere else. The B-side is already recorded earlier, and today we will start recording the A-side, which we hope will be ready in a couple of days. Jani's drumming will be used on the song, and for the full-length album, we will find another drummer, and that won't be a problem since we are working on that as we speak.

That's all for now! Time to get ready for the studio!"

Stay tuned for updates.

Since 2009, British music project NHOR creates its own unique art world that is characterized by a dream-like aura in all of its facets. This does not only pertain to the music ranging from doleful piano compositions to archaic black metal, but also to Nhor's own short stories – each of which was written in the context of their releases – as well as to the project's own imagery.

"I owe everything I have created to the universe," Nhor approaches the origins of his inspiration. "I owe it to the stars and the planets, to the Moon and the Earth, to the wind and the rain. To the forest and its creatures, everything I have is borrowed from them. My music is but a poor interpretation of their song, and my imagination is just a diluted replica of Mother Nature's."
After Prophecy introduced Nhor on the Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings compilation in 2010, it is our pleasure to announce the signing of a five-album contract with Nhor. The first fruits of this new collaboration will be the release of the new album, Within The Darkness Between The Starlight, as well as a re-release of the project's early works that were published in very small print-runs.

Nhor has this to say on the signing of the contract: "Prophecy has supported me since the beginning. I am confident that together we will be able to realise the full spectrum of Nhor in ways that were previously out of my reach. Prophecy are a rarity in these times; devoted to releasing honest and poignant music, regardless of current biases. This coupled with their attention to the artistic release as a whole makes them timeless, and the perfect partner to aid in the growth of Nhor."

Updates to follow. More on Nhor at this location.

Thrawsunblat II: Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings is the second album by THRAWSUNBLAT, due for release in early 2013. According to an update from frontman/founder Joel Violette, "the recording is done! Thanks to everyone who has supported us in any way throughout this process, which began in May 2012! Release date news coming soon..."
The tracklist is as follows:

'Lifelore Revelation'
'Once Fireveined'
'We, The Torchbearers'
'Goose River (Mourners' March)'
'Bones in the Undertow'
'Wanderer on the Continent of Saplings'
'Maritime Shores'
'View of a Million Trees'
'Borea (Pyre of a Thousand Pine)'
'Elegy Across the Silence'
'Song of the Nihilist'
'I Am the Viator'

The recently issued update below posted by drummer Rae Amitay includes some vocal tracking and a special announcement about the band's first album, Canada 2010:
Thrawsunblat is the brainchild of Joel Violette, former guitarist for WOODS OF YPRES. He has reprised his role as songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist for the album, and enlisted Rae Amitay and Brendan Hayter to handle drums and bass respectively. The pair was chosen to complete the Woods of Ypres line-up for the band's European tour in support of Woods 5: Grey Skies And Electric Light. Unfortunately, the tragic passing of David Gold put an end to those plans, but drummer Rae Amitay says, "Thrawsunblat II is an incredibly special way for the three of us to create music together. It's an amazing project, and I'm honoured that Joel has chosen us to be a part of it."

Thrawsunblat II was recorded in July and August, in studios in both Canada and the United States. The band hopes to release both physical copies and digital downloads of the album in January of 2013.

Thrawsunblat's first official release - the Canada 2010 "demo" - is still available via BandCamp.com. Go to this location to check out audio samples and to purchase.

The tracklist is as follows:

'Black Sky'
'Set Us Ablaze'
'Misted Shores'
'Slake the Earth'
'Through the Ice'
'Fire Still Burns'
'She, Arboreal'
'Vastland'

Reflections Records has announced their newest signing - ACID DEATHTRIP.

Hailing from Horst, The Netherlands and bringing the Blasphemous Boogie like none other, Acid Deathtrip draws influences from sludge, doom, blues, down-tuned rock and roll and good old heavy metal, making sure their sexually intimidating cocktail of sleaze and dirt hits where it hurts.

With lyrics that borderline on complete and utter retardation, drug-fuelled tales of madness, pagan midgets and nudist goat-monks radiate through raw and clean vocals surrounded by riffs that seduce elephants in heat and drums that crush the very thickest of skulls, Acid Deathtrip is ready to roll up its sleeves and unzip its pants for a golden shower of power.

Anyone into filthy, dirty and all out incredible rock’n’roll metal and bands like ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY, ENTOMBED, SAINT VITUS or ORANGE GOBLIN can’t afford to miss out.

Reflections will be releasing Acid Deathtrip's self-titled debut album on vinyl, CD and digital format on March 18th. In the meantime, check out 'The Aftermath' and visit the band on Facebook.

Jersey riffsmiths CLAMFIGHT will release their second full-length, I Versus The Glacier, on January 22nd via Maple Forum. The artwork and tracklisting can be seen below:
'The Eagle'
'Sandriders'
'Shadow Line'
'I Vs. the Glacier'
'Age Of Reptiles'
'River Of Ice'
'Mountain'
'Tower Of The Elephant II'
'Stealing The Ghost Horse'

Clamfight has also just shelled out info on a few new Spring live gigs:

January
18 - El' n' Gee - New London, CT
19 - The Bug Jar - Rochester, NY

February
9 - JB McGinnes - New Castle, DE at Eye Of The Stoned Goat 2

March
29 - Cafe 611 - Frederick, MD

Finally, check out Clamfight performing 'The Eagle' live at Kung Fu Necktie earlier this month:

Lausanne, Switzerland-based stoner rock/fuzz band FEUERZEUG have released their new album, Dead Wahines And Tsunamis.
The album includes the following tracklisting:

'Cyclops Will Be Beheaded'
'Landkreuzer'
'Evel Knievel Has Kissed The Devil'
'I'll Scratch Until I Bleed A Flood'
'Nitroghostcar'
'Fusion Van'
'Cruising The Desert (Pt. 1)'
'Cruising The Desert (Pt. 2)'
'Release The Kraken'
'Kometa'
'Lieuplorodon Vs Giant Orthocone'
'Magma, Lava And Burned Karma'
'Dead Wahines And Tsunamis'

Listen to the track 'Release The Kraken' below:
The album is available at this location.
More on Feuerzeug here.

MELTED SPACE, the French "opera metal" project created in 2007 by composer and pianist Pierre Le Pape (WORMFOOD, EMBRYONIC CELLS), is preparing to release new mini-album, "Between". The CD will feature artwork by by Strychneen Studio and guest appearances by Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES), Ashmedi (MELECHESH), Black Messiah (SETH) and El Worm (WORMFOOD).

According to a press release, "Between" will contain a mix of symphonic, black and modern metal and acoustic music. The lyrical concept will deal with Romulus and Remus, the twin brothers and central characters of Rome's foundation myth.

MELTED SPACE's first instrumental album, "There's A Place", featured 26 singers and musicians from bands like HACRIDE, DESTINITY, THE OLD DEAD TREE, CARNIVAL IN COAL, PHAZM, KELLS and OTARGOS.

"Stormcrow", the new EP from Indianapolis doomsters THE GATES OF SLUMBER, will be released on January 29 via Scion Audio/Visual, (a.k.a. Scion A/V), the in-house record label and lifestyle marketing division of the Scion marque produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market. The CD was recorded by Sanford Parker and it features cover artwork by Dave Quiggle.

"Stormcrow" will contain five brand new songs:

* Death March
* (Devil's Grip) - Driven Insane
* Son Of Hades
* Dragon Caravan
* Of That Which Can Never Be

THE GATES OF SLUMBER last year parted amicably with drummer J. Clyde Paradis, who recorded and toured behind the 2011 album "The Wretch" (Rise Above Records).

THE GATES OF SLUMBER started in 1998 as a backlash against the stoner rock trend prevalent at the time and with their mixture of BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS, PENTAGRAM, and prime-era CELTIC FROST, the band has crushed or converted unbelievers ever since.

"The Wretch" was released in May 2011 via Rise Above/Metal Blade. The CD was recorded at England's Orgone Studios with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (GHOST, ANGEL WITCH).

According to The Local, the Swedish man that achieved worldwide fame five years ago by having his love of hard rock classified as a disability and being granted social security benefits for his affliction says he remains addicted to heavy metal music.

"I'm still very addicted," Roger Tullgren, 47, told The Local this past week from his home in Hässleholm in southern Sweden. "I listen to heavy metal music 24 hours a day."

Because heavy metal dominated so many aspects of his life, the Employment Service agreed in 2007 to pay part of Tullgren's salary as a part-time dish washer — an amount of "a few thousand kronor" a month (1,000 kronor = $155). In addition, his boss gave him a special dispensation to play loud music at work.

"I have been trying for ten years to get this classified as a handicap," Tullgren told The Local at the time. "I spoke to three psychologists and they finally agreed that I needed this to avoid being discriminated against."

From time to time, Tullgren's remarkable story would resurface in international media, with articles surfacing last month on the Huffington Post and NME web sites, both of which reported the facts from five years earlier as if they had just occurred.

"It's really funny," Tullgren told The Local. "I'm not really sure why the story popped up again, but I've had a lot of people emailing me about it from all over the world."

According to Tullgren, he hasn't been receiving benefits since January 2012, because he "took a new job as a janitor. I work four hours a day and then spend most of the rest of my time with my band, PAPA MIDNITE," he said.

"Metal controls my life," he added. "I need to have my music with me wherever I go.

"I'm taking medication that makes it hard to sleep, which leaves me with even more time to listen to metal."

Photo below courtesy of PAPA MIDNITE Facebook page

GAMMA RAY frontman / UNISONIC guitarist Kai Hansen is featured in the January issue of Spain's La Heavy Magazine discussing Unisonic. Following is an excerpt translated by the official Unisonic fan page, Souls Alive.
On the live show:

Hansen: "...I think we have improved a lot as a band, we have a better coordination between us and we find ourselves on the stage. Which is very different from creating an album. It was funny to be really so close also live.""

On Unisonic being secondary to Gamma Ray:

Hansen: "Of course it is something different. Yes, it is a band, two guitarists, a bassist a drummer but it is a different thing. Not only the different musicians, also the different way to make the songs and the style is very different from Gamma Ray, there is something that makes me crazy and it is really different to me, and I only play the guitar and I have a great vocalist with me, Michael Kiske. I'm grateful that people like Kosta (Zafirious/drums) take care of that stuff like managament, organization. In Unisonic I can focus on being just a musician... of course I always contribute when there are arguments to decide or to improve the band, the responsability is shared between everybody. In Gamma Ray there is of course democracy, but I still have my position as the founder which makes me more responsible about everything that happens in the band."

On the Unisonic debut:

Hansen: "There are songs I really like in the album but I prefer more to play them live. For example: 'No One Ever Sees Me' is a track I was not really into, it was a good song but something was missing for me and I had doubts we should play it live, I was not sure if it would work well. Michael was convinced it will be great live and he was right. When we started playing it live I felt the magic of this song. There are other tracks which work better live because we give it more energy and even more passion."

On vocalist Michael Kiske's live performances:

Hansen: "Yes, its much more spontaneous live. Recording a CD is always difficult because you want to do it perfectly, too controlled. The best thing comes live. Michael will get the live experience of this last tour to use it in the studio. The next album he will do a performance more closer how he is doin' it live and he will not care very much about technical issues. He sings fantastic on the album but I prefer how he sings live."
Unisonic recently issued the following update:

"Hello out there, we wish you all a healthy and happy year 2013!!!

2012 was an event- and successful year for Unisonic: We released our debut CD and did the first tour, leading us to many countries in Latin America, Asia and Europe. The feedback on the CD and the live shows was phenomenal and we want to thank you all from the deepest of our hearts for your support!

2013 will be a more silent year for Unisonic. Besides working with our other bands and projects, be sure that we will use the time to write and record a new Unisonic album! Touring together for the first time and your overwhelming reactions glued us together as a band, and we can´t wait to canalize all these impressions into a powerful and melodic metal album to be released in early 2014!"

Unisonic lineup:

Michael Kiske (vocals - ex-HELLOWEEN)
Mandy Meyer (guitars - ex-GOTTHARD, ex-KROKUS)
Kai Hansen (guitars - GAMMA RAY, ex Helloween)
Dennis Ward (bass - PINK CREAM 69)
Kosta Zafiriou (drums - Pink Cream 69)

Unisonic performed at the Hellfest in Clisson, France on June 15th. Quality fan-filmed video from the show is available below:
The band's complete setlist was as follows:

'Unisonic'
'Never Too Late'
'King For A Day'
'My Sanctuary'
'March Of Time'
'Over The Rainbow'
'Star Rider'
'We Rise'
'I Want Out'

More on Unisonic at this location.

Brazil’s PANZER have announced the release of the new EP Brazilian Threat for free download at this location.

Brazilian Threat features three songs, two new and one remake of the track ‘Red Days’ from their previous album The Strongest.

The cover was developed in a partnership between the band and Metal Media and the production of material was handled by Henrique Baboom also responsible for the single ‘Rising’.



Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Burden Of Proof’
‘Hastening Of Death’
‘Red Days’

The band previously released the video for the track ‘Rising’. Check it out below:

Pat Douglas of GreatFallsTribune.com recently conducted an interview with former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist, and current NEWSTED frontman, Jason Newsted. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On how the NEWSTED project came about:

Jason: "METALLICA did their Fillmore shows for the 30th anniversary (and METALLICA drummer) Lars (Ulrich) called me and said they were having all the family out and anybody that played a part in the history. I said 'Let's do it.' I really didn't know what to expect. I was overwhelmed by the positive vibe from people. It truly took my breath. I heard my name in all kinds of dialects and accents and positive vibes coming. I had an epiphany and looked over the crowd and said 'I'm gonna try this one more time.' That's why we're where we are now because Lars gave me a call and asked me to jam again."

On having to go through series of shoulder surgeries on both arms and not being able to play, which made him turn to painting:

Jason: "When I had my shoulder surgeries, they took over a three-and-a-half to four-year span, back and forth, left shoulder, right shoulder, left shoulder, right shoulder. With complete bicep tears and rotator cuff tears and very ugly rehab and therapy. Painkiller addiction, the whole deal. I only had one arm at a time, so I started painting. Now, I can use both hands equally for everything. That's how the art came. I had to have something to do because I could not play my instrument."

On playing guitar and singing in NEWSTED:

Jason: "It's exciting and terrifying at the same time. It's gonna be that newness, scared, excited feeling when you first start out again. I get to taste a bunch of that."

On his 15-year run with METALLICA:

Jason: "The METALLICA thing was just a dream. Still kind of is. I don't know how to explain that. I'm the only human out of all the humans that got to be in that band and then back out, still alive and healthy and appreciating them still. I'm the only person that has that perspective and that's kind of a crazy place to be."

On the freedom he's enjoyed the 11 years since he left METALLICA:

Jason: "I filled my role every time I was asked to do something, but it does put this thing in you that you can't really make any kind of plans of serious aspects with anybody you really care about because the band has to come first. Having the freedom to be with the people you love and still do the music you want and do the paintings you want and live the life you wanna live, only do what you want to do when you want to do it, it is worth more than all the money that's ever been printed. That's the bottom line."

On his expectations for NEWSTED:

Jason: "I'm not taking anything for granted. This is like a rebirth. I don't have to start over again. I just start from where I stepped off, which happened to be the peak of the highest mountain you could climb in metal. I stepped off that spot so that's kind of where I'm at. I'm doing this because I wanna do it. It's hard for people to fathom it, but it's more valuable to have control of my time than to be in the biggest band in the world."

Read the entire interview from GreatFallsTribune.com.

"Soldierhead" video teaser: