2013 will be a momentous year for DEEP PURPLE. Not only is the band's new album on the way (to be released April 30 via earMusic/Eagle Rock Entertainment), but 10 classic recordings from the DEEP PURPLE cannon will be exhumed, starting with the 2CD/digital release of "Live In Paris 1975" on January 29.

"Live In Paris 1975" has been digitally remixed and remastered from the original multi-track recordings, sonically transmitting all the power and electricity of DEEP PURPLE's live stage prowess. Originally released via Purple Records, this historic concert is now presented in stunning, updated audio quality.

Recorded on April 17, 1975 at the Palais des Sports in Paris, this was the very last concert with famed guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who was leaving DEEP PURPLE to form RAINBOW. Blackmore, vocalist David Coverdale, bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, keyboardist Jon Lord, and drummer Ian Paice roared with strength on such classics as "Burn", "Stormbringer", "Highway Star", "Space Truckin'" and the smash hit "Smoke On The Water". Immersed in high-energy solos and noteworthy improvisations, "Live In Paris 1975" captures a significant moment in time in the band's history, and is essential for any DEEP PURPLE fan.

"Live In Paris 1975" track listing:

Disc 1:

01. Burn
02. Stormbringer
03. The Gypsy
04. Lady Double Dealer
05. Mistreated
06. Smoke On The Water
07. You Fool No One

Disc 2:

01. Space Truckin'
02. Going Down
03. Highway Star
04. Bonus 1975 interview with David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes and Ian Paice

Check out audio samples of all the tracks at Amazon.co.uk.

Multi-camera video footage of the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada-based metal band THE ORDER OF CHAOS performing the song "Sexwitch" on Septemer 13, 2012 at K17 in Berlin, Germany can be seen below. The clip was filmed during the group's European tour with HELSTAR and EMERALD, which consisted of 15 shows in nine countries.

"Victim Of Circumstance" comes off THE ORDER OF CHAOS's two-song EP, "Sexwitch", which was released in Europe on August 28, 2012 as a seven-inch vinyl limited to 500 copies through Killer Metal Records. It is also available for purchase on CD and digital download through iTunes, Bandcamp, and the band's web site.

THE ORDER OF CHAOS features in its ranks current INTO ETERNITY touring singer Amanda Kiernan.

In a February 2012 interview with The Regina Leader-Post, Amanda stated about her decision to join INTO ETERNITY, "I couldn't pass up on the INTO ETERNITY thing because I could never sit at home and wonder what could have been."

She added, "Some of [my THE ORDER OF CHAOS bandmates] might not understand, but I think that in the long run, this will be very good for THE ORDER OF CHAOS. They're a little jealous and upset. But I think I just need to prove to them that I'll work 100 percent at both bands."

THE ORDER OF CHAOS is currently working on material for its third full-length album.

Acclaimed Dutch vocalist Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH, AFTER FOREVER, REVAMP) sang a version of the song "Oh, Mio Babbino Caro" by classical music composer Giacomo Puccini for "Tiende Van Tijl", a show about classical music presented by Tijl Beckand. Floor says, "They invite 'pop singers' to sing a classical piece. And even though I studied classical singing, I am not a opera singer full time."

She added, "It was great to do again. I did their trailer a few years ago as well and now the shows on TV a lot, it's really nice to be invited again. It was on a short notice, however, so I had no time to prepare a new aria. I wore a dress you would normally not see me wear!"

Jansen's appearance on "Tiende Van Tijl" was taped in November and aired yesterday (Wednesday, January 2). You can now see it below.

Floor made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington.

Jansen is handling lead-vocal duties on all of NIGHTWISH's currently scheduled tour dates after the group parted ways with Anette Olzon at the end of September.

Finnish death metallers TORTURE KILLER will enter the studio tomorrow (Friday, January 4) to begin recording their next album for a tentative March/April release. The band states, "Santeri Salmi is coming here tomorrow and we will start tracking the drums in Noisecamp Studios (Turku). We were very pleased with the sound we got with him for our 'I Chose Death' EP, and are sure we are able to tweak things here and there to make this sound even better."

The group adds: "Going into the studio has never felt this relaxed. We have nine songs on the list; we'll see if all of 'em end up being on the album. No title yet. We will let you know once that is set."

TORTURE KILLER released a three-song EP entitled "I Chose Death" in March 2012 via Dynamic Arts Records. It contained two new tracks and a cover version of DEMIGOD's "Succumb To Dark" song from the "Unholy Domain" demo tape. The cover artwork was created by Mark Riddick.

"I Chose Death" marked the recording debut of TORTURE KILLER's new singer, Pessi Haltsonen (RETALIATORY MEASURES), who is described by his new bandmates as "a perfect fit" and "a human powerhouse."

TORTURE KILLER's third album, "Sewers" came out in 2009 via Dynamic Arts Records.

The band's sophomore CD, "Swarm!", was released by Metal Blade Records and featured legendary death metal vocalist Chris Barnes from CANNIBAL CORPSE and SIX FEET UNDER.

TORTURE KILLER 2013 is (left to right in photo below):

Tuomo Latvala - Drums
Kim Torniainen - Bass
Pessi Haltsonen - Vocals
Tuomas Karppinen - Guitar
Jari Laine - Guitar

"I Chose Death" audio stream:

UNISONIC, the band featuring former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske and Hansen alongside guitarist Mandy Meyer (ASIA, GOTTHARD and KROKUS), bassist Dennis Ward and drummer Kosta Zafiriou (both of Germany's PINK CREAM 69), has issued the following end-of-year update:

"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's self-titled debut studio album was released in North America on May 22, 2012 via Eagle Rock imprint Armoury Records.

"Unisonic" was recorded at ICP Studios in Brussels, Belgium. The CD — which features 11 tracks, plus a bonus live version of HELLOWEEN classic "I Want Out", only available on the domestic edition, and cover art by Martin Häusler (MEAT LOAF, GOTTHARD, HELLOWEEN, MOTÖRHEAD) — marked the first full-length musical union between Kiske and Hansen in 23 years!

UNISONIC released its debut EP, "Ignition" on January 27, 2012 via earMUSIC/Edel. The effort included the track "Unisonic" plus one demo song and a cover version of the HELLOWEEN classic "I Want Out", recorded live on October 15, 2011 at the Loud Park festival at Saitama Super Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Saitama City, Japan.

Hansen's position in GAMMA RAY is unaffected by his involvement with UNISONIC.

UNISONIC is:

Michael Kiske (vocals)
Mandy Meyer (guitar)
Kai Hansen (guitar)
Dennis Ward (bass)
Kosta Zafiriou (drums)

Resurrected late '80s/early '90s death metallers PESTILENCE will enter the studio in February to begin recording their new album, "Obsideo". The drum tracks on the CD will be laid down by Dave Haley of Australia's PSYCROPTIC. Songtitles set to appear on the effort include "Necromorph", "Saturation", "Soulrot", "Laniatus" and "Superconcious". According to guitarist/vocalist Patrick Mameli, the CD's overall lyrical theme will be "the journey of the human soul."

The "Obsideo" cover art as now been unveiled and can be seen below.

PESTILENCE 2012 is:

Patrick Mameli - Lead guitar/Vocals
Patrick Uterwijk - Lead guitar
Stefan Fimmers - Bass
David Haley - Drums

PESTILENCE's latest album, "Doctrine", was released in North America in July 2011 via Mascot Records. The eleven-track CD was recorded and mixed at Woodshed Studio in southern Germany with engineer Victor Bullok (a.k.a. V. Santura; TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS). The artwork was designed by Marko Saarelainen.

Northern Germany's Lovecraftian act CTULU will release its third full-length studio album, "Seelenspiegelsplitter", on April 12-13. The album will be launched at two gigs in Hamburg and Erfurt, respectively, and will be made available via Nocturnal Empire. Joining the band on stage during the release gigs will be Bristol's FEVER SEA, Kiel's AEBA (which features CTULU's studio drummer) and Bremen's NEBUKADNEZAR.

"Seelenspiegelsplitter" is intended to take you on a journey deep into the halls of the Esoteric Order of Dagon where your skin shall become grey as the sea, your eye color will vanish into grey nothingness and your soul shall be bound to the depths of the ocean.

"Seelenspiegelsplitter" track listing:

01. Seelenbrand
02. Amokkoma
03. Im Widerlicht Blutbefleckter Spiegel
04. Insignia Dagonis
05. Bleichenblass
06. Tornasuk
07. Flammengestirn
08. Tränenfinsternis
09. Tiara Aus 10 Phobien
10. Serenadenhallen

CTULU has already confirmed one summer festival appearance: Czech Republic's MetalGate Czech Death Fest, which will take place on June 14-15.

German heavy rockers THE NEW BLACK are preparing to enter Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, PRETTY MAIDS, AMARANTHE, RAUNCHY) to begin mixing their third album for an early 2013 release via AFM Records.

THE NEW BLACK will embark on the "Rock N' Roll Overdose" tour of Germany in April with PSYCHOPUNCH, MOTORJESUS, '77 and SUPERCHARGER.

The band's sophomore CD, "II: Better In Black", came out in January 2011 in Europe via AFM.

THE NEW BLACK's music was previously described as "BLACK LABEL SOCIETY inviting the NICKELBACK guy over for some THIN LIZZY covers, all dressed in PANTERA shirts."

THE NEW BLACK is:

Fludid (Vocals)
Christof "Leimsen" Leim (Guitar)
Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz (Guitar)
Günt (Bass)
Chris Weiß (Drums)

Swedish metallers DEATHDESTRUCTION have finished recording their sophomore album, tentatively titled "Death Is The Winner", at Bohus Sound studios in Kungälv, Sweden with producer Roberto Laghi (IN FLAMES, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, LOK, SONIC SYNDICATE). Laghi is currently mixing the CD, whose sound is described by the new DEATHDESTRUCTION singer Tony Jelencovich as "much wider than [that of] the debut album; it's harder, more mature and has more melancholy."

The following songs were laid down during the "Death Is The Winner" sessions:

* Set The Sail
* Divine Justice
* False Flag
* I Am The Plague
* Moscow Morning
* Dead Pilot
* Taste The Mud
* Insane Stays Sane
* Towards The Light
* I Promised You Nothing
* Dead Tomorrow
* Money, Blood, Crucifixus
* A Shelter From Harm
* Give It A Try

Vocalist Jimmie Strimell quit DEATHDESTRUCTION in June 2012 in order to focus on his other band, DEAD BY APRIL.

Regarding Tony's addditon to DEATHDESTRUCTION, the other members of the group said, "Tony is a friend to the band, and he has truly made a mark in the Gothenburg scene with bands like B-THONG, TRANSPORT LEAGUE and MASSIVE AUDIO NERVE. He's also worked with bands like MNEMIC and the Russian band ICON IN ME.

"Tony has everything we look for in a lead singer and a frontman, so the choice was just so easy when we had to find ourselves a new singer. We're totally stoked about what he will contribute to DEATHDESTRUCTION! This is going to be so fucking good, people!!"

DEATHDESTRUCTION in 2011 inked a deal with the Swedish branch of Sony Music Entertainment. The band's three-song EP, "Fuck Yeah", was released in April 2011 and was followed by the group's self-titled debut album in August 2011. The CD was recorded at IN FLAMES' IF Studios with Laghi.

DEATHDESTRUCTION is:

* Tony Jelencovich (B-THONG, TRANSPORT LEAGUE, MASSIVE AUDIO NERVE) - Vocals
* Henrik Danhage (ex-EVERGREY) - Guitar
* Fredrik "Loppan" Larsson (HAMMERFALL) - Bass
* Jonas Ekdahl (ex-EVERGREY) - Drums

Hollywood, California-based act SYNICAL, which features in its ranks record producer Brian Haught (L7) and notorious musician Eric Griffin (former member of MURDERDOLLS, WEDNESDAY 13, GENITORTURERS and current member of DAVEY SUICIDE), has just released its debut album, "Quit While You're Behind", via the French label Deadlight Entertainment. The CD features guest appearances by Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR, ex-SOULFLY), Alex Carapetis (NINE INCH NAILS, JULIAN CASABLANCAS) and Racci Shay (MURDERDOLLS).

SYNICAL was formed by Brian Haught in 1989 as a solo project in Atlanta, Georgia. Its initial sound was created using state-of-the-art electronics with limited rock-based instruments and eventually began to evolve into something much more original.

Dutch female-fronted thrashers IZEGRIM have issued the following update:

"Our alliance with Listenable Records proved to be so fruitfull that we will release a second album on this excellent label.

"As we are firm believers in 'never break a winning team,' we will record the new CD at the Soundlodge Studio Germany.

"Recordings will start late April. Release date has been set for September 2013."

IZEGRIM's latest album, "Code Of Consequences", came out in 2011 via Listenable.

Immediately after the release of the band's 2009 EP, "Point Of No Return", IZEGRIM started writing/composing material for its new CD. Their mission was to create the most versitale, riff-packed, in-your-face-sounding record in the history of IZEGRIM. After more than a year of working as hard as they ever did, they've accomplished their objectives. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jörg Uken (Soundlodge Studio), this record has become exactly the way they wanted it to be.

IZEGRIM is:

Jeroen Wechgelaer - Guitar
Marloes Voskuil - Bass/Vocals
Bart Van Ginkel - Guitar
Ivo Maarhuis - Drums

Charly Steinhauer, guitarist/vocalist of long-running German metallers PARADOX, underwent open-heart surgery on December 27. His bandmates state: "We've been in the hospital to visit Charly and he's getting better. He wants to thank you all for the good wishes and the love and support you showed him in the last few days! That really does mean a lot to him.

"We shall tell you: PARADOX will never die! As long as it's possible for him, he will write new stuff, and if possible, we will return on stage!

"All planed shows for the next half year had been canceled, but if Charly's health condition allows it, we want to be back on stage in August at Queens Of Metal Open Air!"

The official lyric video for the song "Brutalized" from PARADOX can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Tales Of The Weird", which was released on December 14 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Steinhauer and was mixed and mastered by Victor Bullok (a.k.a. V. Santura; TRIPTYKON, DARK FORTRESS) at Woodshed Studio in Landshut, Germany. The cover art was created by Claudio Bergamin.

"Tales Of The Weird" features guest appearances by Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND) and Gus Drax (SUNBURST).

The new PARADOX lineup is as follows:

Charly Steinhauer (vocals, guitar)
Christian Muenzner (guitar)
Olly Keller (bass)
Daniel "Evil Ewald" Buld (drums)

"Brutalized" lyric video:

Swedish old-school death metallers NOMINON will celebrate their 20th anniversary this year by playing "a few special shows." In addition, the band is thinking about releasing a "best-of" album and is taking suggestions from fans on Facebook for other possible ways to commemorate the occasion.

NOMINON's fifth album, "The Cleansing", was released in October via Deathgasm Records. The CD was recorded at Studio Hell by Robert Ericsson and was mixed and mastered by Javi Feléz and Perra Karlsson at Moontower Studios in Barcelona, Spain. The CD digipak version of "The Cleansing" comes with a 12-page booklet.

NOMINON's fourth album, "Monumentomb", was released in March 2010 via Deathgasm Records.

NOMINON is:

Henke Skoog - Vocals
Juha Sulasalmi - Bass, Backing Vocals
Perra Karlsson - Drums
AntiChristian - Guitar
Alex Lyrbo - Guitar, Backing Vocals

"Until The Sun Comes", the new video from California blues rockers RIVAL SONS, can be seen below. The clip was filmed in November 2012 with director Simon Gesrel, who is well known for his stop-motion work and his collaboration with Michel Gondry (THE WHITE STRIPES, BJORK).

Commented RIVAL SONS frontman Jay Buchanan: "I really dig this video; it's a completely new direction for us.

"Filming videos can be very awkward for me, but this time I got to ride a dirt bike out in the desert where I'm most comfortable; it just felt so natural for the song. We're all pretty good on a bike so we just took turns doing tricks and trying to outdo each other. We ended up with some sweet footage. Nice."

"Until The Sun Comes" comes off RIVAL SONS' new album, "Head Down", which was released in Europe on September 17, 2012 via Earache Records. The CD, which will be made available on physical formats in the USA on January 22, 2013, was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with Grammy-nominated producer Dave Cobb (JAMIE JOHNSON, SHOOTER JENNINGS) and Grammy-wining engineer Vance Powell (JACK WHITE, THE WHITE STRIPES, KINGS OF LEON). The artwork was created by Jason Holley (JOSH RITTER, RAY LAMONTAGNE) and can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Shindig! magazine's hip little sister Happening, RIVAL SONS guitarist Scott Holiday stated about "Head Down", "We toured for over a year straight on the back of 'Pressure & Time', lots of improvisation. Making a lot of shit up on a nightly basis — getting very tuned in. Doing this made us closer to each other, the songs, and our audience. Much more in touch. That said, I think we put together a more live, conversational record (musically) than any of our others. It's our fourth record, technically. We knew where we wanted to fill in the gaps. It's more of a 'long-form record for us, too, which I wanted because that will better reflect the live show. We really got to stretch out, hit some new influences. I definitely got to explore and show a few new tricks in my bag. That's what it's all about though, right? Pushing your personal boundaries. It still sounds very much like a RIVAL SONS record, though. I think it's definitely our best-'sounding' record sonically. And most complete, as far as the concept, songs, artwork. And I will mention it's a double vinyl, which I can really dig, with gatefold cover of a beautiful painting created for us by Jason Holley."

Video footage of Helsinki, Finland-based female-fronted metallers SHEAR performing an acoustic set on December 26, 2012 at On The Rocks in their hometown can be seen below.

SHEAR last year parted ways with bassist Eerik Purdon and replaced him with Silver Ots (DEAD SHAPE FIGURE, THE NIBIRUAN, AMORAL).

SHEAR released its full-length debut, "Breaking The Stillness", in March 2012 via Lifeforce Records.

SHEAR guitarists Mikael Gronroos and Lauri Koskenniemi, and keyboardist Lari Sorvo have played together since 2001.

SHEAR is:

* Alexa Leroux - Vocals
* Mikael Grönroos (CRYSTAL BLAZE) - Guitar
* Lauri Koskenniemi (THE NIBIRUAN, ELENIUM, CRYSTAL BLAZE, ex-IMPERANON) - Guitar
* Silver Ots (DEAD SHAPE FIGURE, THE NIBIRUAN, AMORAL) - Bass
* Lari Sorvo (CRYSTAL BLAZE) - Keyboards
* Juhana Karlsson (AMORAL, CRYSTAL BLAZE) - Drums

ASESINO — the death metal/grindcore project featuring FEAR FACTORY/DIVINE HERESY guitarist Dino Cazares and ex-STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos (on bass/vocals) — is preparing to enter the studio to begin recording its third album, "La Segunda Venida" (English-language translation: "The Second Coming") for a late 2013 release via Odio Records.

Prior to laying down the new CD, ASESINO will embark on a short tour, dubbed "Regresando Odio Gira 2013" (English-language translation: "Returning Hate Tour"), consisting of the following dates:

Jan. 11 - West Hollywood, CA - Key Club
Jan. 12 - Las Vegas, NV - Cheyenne Saloon
Jan. 18 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
Jan. 19 - Fresno, CA - Starline
Jan. 28 - Fullerton, CA - Slidebar

In a 2011 interview with Noisecreep, Cazares stated about ASESINO's planned follow-up to 2006's "Cristo Satanico": "On the first record [2002's 'Corridos de Muerte'], it's an introduction to who Asesino [official character based on an actual person, who was an assassin for a certain mafia] is. It introduces what his job is — to kill. At the end of the album, he gets caught, gets sentenced to death on the electric chair. He dies and goes to hell. Unfortunately, the way he dies was a priest was frightened by what he said on the electric chair. The priest pulled the lever on the assassin. He goes to hell and strikes a deal with the devil. The devil says, 'I will grant you life on Earth but you have to carry out this one task for me.' Asesino says, 'No problem.'

"So, on the second album, 'Cristo Satanico', which means 'Satanic Christ,' Asesino comes back to Earth, since Lucifer granted him life on Earth if he carries out this one task. He had to go out and kill somebody. No problem. But also Asesino had revenge that he wanted to seek on the priest who killed him. He found out that his boss, a person he was killing for, was the person who set him up, got him in prison, and got him into the death sentence in the first place. So he had two people he wanted to go kill. That was his boss and the priest. Obviously when an assassin is going to kill somebody, he investigates where they go, where they work, what time they go to bed, what time they shit... he knows everything about the person before he kills them. So he's investigating the priest, he finds out the priest is a pedophile. He likes to fuck little boys. He's been taking money from the community. He's been living very lavishly, very rich and wealthy. All of the money has been coming from the church and from the people. He's also been molesting little boys and raping them.

"So Asesino goes and captures the priest, tortures him and makes him admit to everything he's doing wrong. He tortures him and buries him alive, so he could suffer down there for all the suffering he's caused. At the end of the album, he confronts his boss and has his boss on his knees, saying 'I know why you set me up.' His boss was jealous of the assassin because he was gaining respect amongst the mafia, more than his boss. He ended up cutting his head off with a machete.

"On the new album, the reason we are calling it 'The Second Coming' is because when he buried the priest alive, the priest gets out. He gets out of the grave that he buried him in. The priest is resurrected in a way. So it's going to be a battle of evil [against] evil... A battle between Asesino and the priest."

Rockabye Baby! — which transforms timeless rock songs into beautiful instrumental lullabies — will release "Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions Of Rush" on January 29.

Album description: "Do you have a modern-day warrior putting up a fight at bedtime? Looking for a reliable way to put baby to sleep and not some fly-by-night sandman? Try Rockabye Baby’s tender lullaby versions of RUSH's hard-rock hits. This magic music will bring your baby closer to the heart of slumberland."

"Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions Of Rush" track listing:

01. Fly By Night
02. The Trees
03. Freewill
04. Closer To The Heart
05. A Farewell To Kings
06. Limelight
07. 2112: Overture
08. Tom Sawyer
09. The Spirit Of Radio
10. Working Man
11. Subdivisions
12. Red Barchetta

Check out audio samples of all the tracks at RockabyeBabyMusic.com.

"Fly By Night" audio sample:

Video footage of the Todd La Torre-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE performing live on December 31 at Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Queen Of The Reich
02. Speak
03. Walk In The Shadows
04. The Whisper
05. En Force
06. Child Of Fire
07. Warning
08. The Needle Lies
09. Prophecy
10. Road To Madness
11. I Don't Believe In Love
12. My Empty Room
13. Eyes Of A Stranger

Encore:

14. Take Hold Of The Flame
15. Jet City Woman
16. Silent Lucidity
17. Empire

QUEENSRŸCHE has finished recording the drums for its new album at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, Washington with producer James "Jimbo" Barton — the man who engineered and mixed the band's classic 1988 LP, "Operation: Mindcrime", and its 1990 follow-up, "Empire", and co-produced 1994's "Promised Land". The rest of the music and vocals are being laid down at several different facilities on the West Coast.

In a recent interview with Metal Assault, drummer Scott Rockenfield stated about QUEENSRŸCHE's renewed collaboration with Barton: "It's a great thing — we're really excited about it, he's really excited about it. We've wanted to work with him for a while, but for whatever reason, we just hadn't gone there yet. This is a great time for us to do that, though. We all discussed who we wanted to do the record with, and he was one of the first names that came up. It was easy for us to pick up the phone and call him. It was like our relationship picked up right where it left off, so it's gonna be a lot of fun. He's a very creative guy that did some great records with us in the past. I think that's one of the most important things when it comes to why we want to work with him."

Asked if fans will see a return to the progressive metal sound QUEENSRŸCHE had in the '80s, Scott said: "What we're trying to do, and what has been really interesting since Todd has jumped into the band, we're trying to revisit the old QUEENSRŸCHE catalog — stuff off of the EP and "The Warning". That's always been a part of what we are, so yeah, definitely! I think in my opinion, we're really revisiting that vibe of why that music was special back then for us. There will be a modern flair to it, though, just because we're in the modern age. The fun thing about Jimbo being a part of it is that he can help tie together the two sides. He does come from our past and some of the great records and some of the great sounds that we're known for, but he's also living in the modern age and doing some interesting things as well. I think it's going to be a really great QUEENSRŸCHE record. People are going to go, 'Wow, that's QUEENSRŸCHE! That sounds just like what we've known them to be, and what we would expect them to now be.' That's what I think peple will get out of it."

CORRECTIONS HOUSE, the new collective featuring Mike IX Williams (EYEHATEGOD), Scott Kelly (NEUROSIS), Sanford Parker (NACHTMYSTIUM) and Bruce Lamont (YAKUZA), has scheduled a string a rare live shows in January/February. The 19-date trek will commence on January 21 in Brooklyn, New York and wind its way through much of the of the East Coast before concluding in Denver, Colorado. Special solo sets by Parker, Lamont, Kelly and Williams will be performed prior to closing each night as CORRECTIONS HOUSE.

CORRECTIONS HOUSE winter tour 2013:

Jan. 21 - Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY
Jan. 22 - Great Scott - Boston, MA
Jan. 23 - BAR - New Haven, CT
Jan. 24 - Metro Gallery - Baltimore, MD
Jan. 25 - DC9 - Washington, DC
Jan. 26 - Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
Jan. 27 - Kings Barcade - Raleigh, NC
Jan. 28 - The Atlantic - Gainesville, FL
Jan. 30 - Churchill’s - Miami, FL
Jan. 31 - Crowbar - Tampa, FL
Feb. 02 - Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
Feb. 06 - Siberia - New Orleans, LA
Feb. 07 - Rudyyards - Houston, TX
Feb. 08 - Korova - San Antonio, TX
Feb. 09 - Red 7 - Austin, TX
Feb. 10 - Bryan Street Tavern - Dallas, TX
Feb. 11 - Opolis - Norman, OK
Feb. 13 - Slowdown - Omaha, NE
Feb. 15 - Moon Room - Denver, CO

METALLICA, VAN HALEN, SCORPIONS and AEROSMITH had some of the top-grossing tours of 2012 worldwide, according to industry tracker Pollstar.

The top spot went to Madonna, whose 2012 tour took in a whopping $296.1 million from 88 shows.

METALLICA landed at No. 8, with a gross estimate of $86.1 million for 30 concerts.

The "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" did a combined gross of $3 billion, which was down about 2 percent from $3.07 billion in 2011.

Total tickets sold was 34.9 million which continued the decline from 35.48 million the previous year and is well off the pace from 2009 when the Top 50 sold 45.3 million. The average global ticket price was $85.93 which was down 60 cents from last year but still well above the $73.83 charged in the more robust year of 2009.

Heavy metal/hard rock artists on Pollstar's 2012 "Top 50 Worldwide Tours" chart:

#8 - METALLICA: $86.1 million from 30 shows
#15 - VAN HALEN: $49.9 million from 50 shows
#38 - SCORPIONS: $32.7 million from 74 shows
#44 - AEROSMITH: $31 million from 33 shows

According to AOL's Noisecreep, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt, SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo, AMEN vocalist Casey Chaos and ex-QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE bassist Nick Oliveri have joined forces in an as-yet-unnamed project. The new group is currently recording music for a documentary about House Of Shock, the infamous New Orleans haunted house attraction founded in 1992 by ex-PANTERA frontman Philip Anselmo. Helming the sessions is producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, KORN, DEFTONES), who was approached to provide music for the film by director Dean Karr (best known for his landmark videos for MARILYN MANSON) and producer Sean E. Demott.

Holt, who has been touring with SLAYER for the past two years, filling in for Jeff Hanneman (who is still recuperating from the spider bite that nearly cost him his arm), tells Noisecreep: "Whenever Dave and I would get on deck for soundcheck [during the SLAYER tours], we'd go up there first and jam make up stuff every day. It just comes easy for us. We're both into being spontaneous and improvising. We probably have an album's worth of material."

He adds: "The [song] we were working on today, it's like a combination of all of our bands with DISCHARGE and THE EXPLOITED and GBH on it. Really, really punk. Super crunchy and super brutal. It just came together so naturally. There's a beat and a riff and Casey starts spewing some venom on top of it. It's awesome!"

Read more from Noisecreep.

Pictured below (left to right): Ross Robinson, Gary Holt, Dave Lombardo, Casey Chaos

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

"This split is a glimpse into the future of both my solo project and ultimate thrash metallers WARBEAST," says Anselmo.

"The 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 'til we both release our full-length products. Enjoy the destruction of music!"

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS is:

Philip H. Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA) - Vocals
Marzi Montazeri (ex-SUPERJOINT RITUAL) - Guitar
Bennett Bartley - Bass
José Manuel Gonzales (WARBEAST) - Drums

In a recent interview with U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine, Anselmo spoke about his forthcoming full-length solo debut, "Walk Through Exits Only", which will be released in early 2013 via Housecore.

Asked what prompted him to make a solo CD now, Anselmo said, "I am a lover of all sorts of music but really my heart is ... really I love extreme music, underground music, whether it be grindcore, death metal, thrash, black metal, [or whatever other] subgenre, and I find beauty in a lot of this stuff."

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

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

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

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

Asked what expectations he has for the solo record, Anselmo said, "Me being the pessimist, some people will love it, some people will hate it. Will I break new ground? I don't know. I really don't have any fucking idea. Music is vast, people's opinions are vast and boy can you read them on the comments section today.

He continued, "If you enjoyed stuff in the past, then I think you 'll really enjoy the fucking solo record and people who still to this day [say], 'Ah I wish Phil would sing more. He's got such a pretty voice when he sings' then its gonna be a gigantic fucking letdown. [laughs] I cannot wait, truthfully, for the likes of yourself and fans alike to consume this shit. Love it or hate it, it's coming."

According to VVN Music, METALLICA upped their platinum album totals in December on two of their classics, with the band's self-titled LP (a.k.a. the Black Album) getting its 16th platinum certificate from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America), signifying 16,000,000 copies sold, while "Ride The Lightning" landed its sixth. They also secured six gold certificates for passing 500,000 digital downloads of individual songs and two gold certificates for songs that exceeded 500,000 downloads as ringtones.

Multi-Platinum Album (1,000,000 units sold)

* Metallica (16x Platinum)
* Ride The Lightning (6x Platinum)

Digital Gold Single (500,000 units sold)

* Nothing Else Matters
* Fade to Black
* The Unforgiven
* For Whom the Bell Tolls
* Master of Puppets
* The Day That Never Comes

Mastertone Gold Song (500,000 ringtone downloads)

* Enter Sandman
* One

"Metallica" in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era.

Although METALLICA had scored their first radio and video airplay with their previous effort, 1988's "...And Justice For All", the black album was the band's biggest commercial breakthrough, producing five singles and making them into one of the most popular rock bands in the world.

METALLICA played the complete "black album" at its own Orion Music + More festival, which took place last June in Atlantic City, New Jersey. METALLICA headlined both days and performed its entire 1984 album "Ride The Lightning" for the first time ever on the other day of the festival.

"Lie To Me", the new video from Italian power metallers SECRET SPHERE, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Ludovico Galletti and Sam Skenia for LAB35 Films, and it features actress Chiara "Dirty" Brambilla from Ladydiabolika Dolls. The song comes off the band's seventh album, "Portrait Of A Dying Heart", which was released on November 25, 2012 via Scarlet Records. The CD features a 40-page booklet, including the novel "She Complies With The Night" on which the album is based.

"Portrait Of A Dying Heart" track listing:

01. Portrait Of A Dying Heart
02. X
03. Wish & Steadiness
04. Union
05. The Fall
06. Healing
07. Lie To Me
08. Secrets Fear
09. The Rising Of Love
10. Eternity

SECRET SPHERE last year announced the addition of former VISION DIVINE and THAUROROD vocalist Michele Luppi to the group's ranks.

Said Luppi in a statement: "'Portrait Of A Dying Heart' is by far one of the best album I've done."

He added, "I wanna thank [the other members of SECRET SPHERE] for their trust and belief, and I'm willing to share all my experience and passion in order to write and perform our music the best way we can... For us and, most of all, for you."

After 12 years, six albums, and tours around the world, Roberto "Ramon" Messina decided to leave SECRET SPHERE due to musical differences.

SECRET SPHERE's sixth album, "Archetype", was released in Europe in September 2010 via Scarlet Records.

Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY will release their sixth studio album, "Confessions", on February 13. The disc will be BUCKCHERRY's first domestic release with new label Century Media Records. The CD will be made available via Eleven Seven Music in other parts of the world.

"Confessions" is a loose concept album that revolves around the notion of the seven deadly sins and is inspired by events in singer Josh Todd's childhood. The vocalist told The Pulse Of Radio how first single, "Gluttony", fits into this. "Seven of the songs on the record are the seven sins, so 'Gluttony', you know, it's just about over-consuming everything in your life, you know, and just being a glutton," he said. "And it's got a great hook and I really love the lyrics and everybody likes the song."

"Confessions" track listing:

01. Gluttony
02. Wrath
03. Nothing Left But Tears
04. The Truth
05. Greed
06. Water
07. Seven Ways To Die
08. Air
09. Sloth
10. Pride
11. Envy
12. Lust
13. Dreamin' Of You

Todd has helped co-write a short film that will come out around the same time as the album and expand upon the record's themes. It's not clear yet how the film will be distributed. BUCKCHERRY did do some sort of video shoot in November in Los Angeles for an unspecified song from the album, putting out an open casting call for fans to appear in the clip.

Todd said that "Confessions" is "definitely a heavier, musically, record than we've ever had, and more melodic. It's pretty intense, but everybody's gonna love it. It's quintessential BUCKCHERRY at the end of the day."

The band will join KID ROCK as special guests on his upcoming "Rebel Soul" tour, beginning February 2 in Kansas City, Missouri.

German melodic folk/death metallers SUIDAKRA have entered the studio to begin recording their new album, "Eternal Defiance", for a mid-2013 release.

The first photo from the sessions can be seen below.

Commented SUIDAKRA singer Arkadius Antonik: "As on the previous two releases, it will be a concept album again, created by [famous Belgian graphic artist] Kris Verwimp in cooperation with us. Our new concept includes a lot of new elements and suprises which will be reflected in the music as well."

In a 2012 interview with Metal Kaoz, Antonik stated about SUIDAKRA's new material: "The songs we have finished [so far] are bombastic and we also finished the first song with Tina's [Stabel] female vocals. This time, it's gonna be a faster song with a real epic and catchy chorus."

Bassist Marcus Riewaldt last year announced his departure from SUIDAKRA. He said in a statement, "After more than 250 shows and 10 years being in the band, I feel that now time has come to change my priorities a bit and see what else life has to offer for me. No hard feelings involved; it's just that I cannot motivate myself for another writing-rehearsing-recording-promoting-touring cycle and that I'm really annoyed by some of the music business mechanisms that one has to deal with in order to continue this beautiful and exciting, but at the same time very time- and energy-consuming hobby. I wish SUIDAKRA much luck and success for the future — it would all be well deserved!"

SUIDAKRA has already secured a replacement bassist in Tim Siebrecht, who was a stand-in guitar player for SUIDAKRA on several occasions in recent years.

SUIDAKRA's tenth album, "Book Of Dowth", was released on March 25, 2011 via AFM Records.

The cover artwork for "Temper Temper", the fourth studio album from Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, can be seen below. Due on February 12, the LP will be available in both standard and deluxe editions on RCA Records.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE in November filmed a video for the song "Riot" in New York City with renowned director P.R. Brown, who has previously worked with such artists as MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, Prince, AUDIOSLAVE, MÖTLEY CRÜE and SIXX: A.M. The track will be available at all digital providers on January 15.

"Temper Temper" was once again produced by Don Gilmore (LINKIN PARK, GOOD CHARLOTTE), who worked on the group's last LP, 2010's "Fever", and was mixed by noted engineer Chris Lord-Alge (DEFTONES, NICKELBACK, AVENGED SEVENFOLD).

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE frontman Matt Tuck recently revealed that the band's recording process on this album was influenced in part by his work in his side project AXEWOUND. "We approached the record a lot differently this time around," he said. "It was kind of more inspired by the way I did the AXEWOUND record. And that was basically: Get in the studio and write and record as you went along."

"Temper Temper" track listing:

01. Breaking Point
02. Truth Hurts
03. Temper Temper
04. Pow
05. Dirty Little Secret
06. Leech
07. Dead To The World
08. Riot
09. Saints n Sinners
10. Tears Don't Fall (Part 2)
11. Livin Life (On The Edge of A Knife)

Deluxe-edition bonus tracks:

12. Not Invincible
13. Whole Lotta Rosie (from the "Live Lounge" show on BBC Radio 1)
14. Scream Aim Fire (from the "Live Lounge" show on BBC Radio)

The "Temper Temper" title track was released on November 25 across all digital providers.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE will embark on a U.K. tour in March. Support on all dates will come from HALESTORM.

"The Distance", the new video from U.K. post-hardcore veterans FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's sixth studio album, "Conduit", which will be released in North America on Tuesday, February 5 via The End Records.

"Conduit", the follow-up to 2011's critically acclaimed "Welcome Home Armageddon", an album which saw the band approach their music with renewed vigor following the addition of new members Gavin Burrough and Richard Boucher, belts out a tightly wound collection of tracks, bursting with emotion and personal conflict but also full of commentary on the inner workings and experiences of an established band. It's the sound of a band growing and progressing both as a unit and individually.

Again with producer Romesh Dodangoda (MOTÖRHEAD, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, LOSTPROPHETS) at the helm, the album's opening track "Spine", a song handling the issue of intense pressure and overcoming tough obstacles in your life to achieve a sense of personal fulfillment, hope and love, went for radio adds in December.

Last year, the group tapped director Ryan Mackfall of Team Crashburn (FOUR YEAR STRONG, SHARKS, FOXY SHAZAM) to direct the video for "Best Friends And Hospital Beds". Set in a bleak and derelict landscape, the song revolves around themes of friendship and death.

The End Records has assembled the ultimate FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND fan package! The exclusive limited-edition box set contains the new album "Conduit", an exclusive second disc "Live From The Roundhouse", FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND t-shirt, signed poster, cassette version of the album and booklet featuring handwritten notes from all the band about the album. Additionally, the label is taking pre-orders for a limited edition run of 12-inch gatefold splatter color vinyl. All orders will come signed and numbered, strictly limited to 500 copies. Also includes digital download card.

"Conduit" track listing:

01. Spine
02. Conduit
03. The Distance
04. Best Friends And Hospital Beds
05. Nails
06. Death Comes To Us All
07. Travelled
08. Grey
09. Sun-Less
10. Elements
11. High Castles

Quality video footage of Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE) performing the IRON MAIDEN classic "The Clansman" on November 11, 2012 at Masters of Rock Café in Zlín, Czech Republic can be seen below.

Blaze will release his upcoming collaborative acoustic EP with Belgium-based classical guitarist Thomas Zwijsen, "Russian Holiday" on February 5. The effort, which is available for pre-order in Basic, Silver (name mentioned in the booklet) and Gold (name mentioned in the booklet and a limited edition t-shirt) packages, features four re-arranged songs from previous albums and one brand new song written by Bayley and Zwijsen.

"Russian Holiday" is expected to include a "full classical guitar arrangement" of the IRON MAIDEN song "Sign Of The Cross", which the duo performed on their recent U.K. acoustic tour.

Bayley's new studio album, "The King Of Metal", was released in March 2012. The CD was recorded at Fear Studio in Ravenna, Italy.

The 49-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to replace Bruce Dickinson as the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN.