German pagan metallers ADORNED BROOD will release their seventh album, "Kuningaz", on November 23 via Massacre Records. The CD was recorded at the Kohlekeller Studio in Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany with producer Kai Stahlenberg. Guest musicians on the album include Mario Pontigo, Moritz "Mo" Stübing (ALL WILL KNOW) and Florian "Blutaxt" Tamm (BLACK UNICORN). The cover artwork for the CD was created by Kris Verwimp (ABSU, MELECHESH, SUIDAKRA).

"Kuningaz" track listing:

01. Einkehr
02. Kuningaz
03. Call Of The Wild
04. Victory Or Valhall
05. Hugin
06. Men!
07. Kreuzeslast
08. Just A Fight
09. Munin
10. A War Poem
11. We Are Legion
12. Totenmarsch (limited-edition digipak bonus track)

The track "Victory Or Valhall" will be released digitally tomorrow (Friday, October 26).

ADORNED BROOD's latest album, "Hammerfeste", was released in October 2010 via Black Bards Entertainment.

HATRIOT, the new San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band led by former EXODUS and LEGACY (pre-TESTAMENT) frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza, will release its debut album, "Heroes Of Origin", on January 25, 2013 via Germany's Massacre Records. The CD was recorded with producer Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TESTAMENT) and features guest appearances BY TESTAMENT 's Chuck Billy and MACHINE HEAD 's Phil Demmel . The cover artwork is being created by Mark Devito, who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD and ANVIL CHORUS, among others.

HATRIOT's new drummer is none other than Steve's 18-year-old son, Nicholas Souza. Nicholas auditioned for the band after the recent departure of Alex Bent and "proved himself to be the best choice," according to Steve.

HATRIOT's lineup also includes Zetro's 21-year-old son Cody, who got his first bass as a present from his father after Zetro bought it off current EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson. "I told him," Zetro said in a recent interview with Metalholic.com, "'You have to try out [for the bassist position in HATRIOT if you want to be in the band]. There's no nepotism here, boy. If you can hang, you're on.' So he actually tried out, and he got the gig."

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

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

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

HATRIOT's "Blood Stained Wings" video can be seen below.

HATRIOT is:

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

GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose took part in his first sit-down, live television broadcast interview in more than 20 years last night (Wednesday, October 24) on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!". You can now watch his appearance in three parts below.

The "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" interview was another in a series of firsts for the celebrated GUNS N' ROSES frontman, who will spend this fall at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for a 12-night run of shows. The historic "Appetite For Democracy" residency will run October 31 through November 24.

Rose's first broadcast interview in years aired on November 11, 2011 via VH1 Classic's "That Metal Show", which devoted its full hour to the interview and the preparations for it. The talk took place at 5:30 a.m. following GUNS' performance on October 29, 2011 in Miami.

Axl Rose skipped GUNS N' ROSES' induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April and declined to be inducted along with the rest of the group. The singer also reaffirmed that there is no chance of the original lineup reuniting, and seemed to speak directly to fans still hoping for a reunion when he added, "Time to move on. People get divorced. Life doesn't owe you your own personal happy ending especially at another's, or in this case several others', expense."

In at least a partial nod to his former bandmates, however, Rose wrote, "For the record, I would not begrudge anyone from GUNS their accomplishments or recognition for such. Neither I or anyone in my camp has made any requests or demands of the Hall Of Fame. It's their show, not mine."

Original GN'R members Slash, Steven Adler and Duff McKagan, along with later members Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke, performed three songs at the induction ceremony in Cleveland. They were joined on vocals by Myles Kennedy, who sings in Slash's solo band.

In addition sole original member Axl Rose, the current lineup of GUNS N' ROSES includes guitarists Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba, bassist Tommy Stinson, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman and drummer Frank Ferrer.

Swedish tech metal supergroup NONEXIST, featuring former ARCH ENEMY and current HEARSE vocalist Johan Liiva and ANDROMEDA/SKYFIRE guitarist Johan Reinholdz, will release its new, digital-only full-length album, "From My Cold Dead Hands", on November 2 via Pivotal Rockordings. The CD was recorded at Multipass Studios and will feature nine blistering new tracks, to be accompanied by cover songs that Pivotal will make available for free on SoundCloud and YouTube.

"From My Cold Dead Hands" track listing:

01. Dark And Tortured Universe
02. Presence Everlasting
03. Flesh Falls From The Bone
04. Days Without End
05. Fire At Will
06. Collective Coma
07. From My Cold Dead Hands
08. Lost In Darkness And Confusion
09. Here Comes The Pain

Bonus tracks

* "In My Darkest Hour" (MEGADETH)
* "Masked Jackal" (CORONER)
* "Death Walks Behind You" (ATOMIC ROOSTER)
* "Realm of the Dark" (MERCILESS)
* "Greeting Immortality" (EUCHARIST)

The "In My Darkest Hour" cover version can be streamed below.

Commented Reinholdz: "Dave Mustaine and MEGADETH has always been one of my biggest influences. When the time came to pick cover songs, I thought 'In My Darkest Hour' would be a very good choice. I figured it would fit Liiva's voice perfectly — the lyrics and the mood; I could really hear in my head how great it would sound. And boy — Liiva sure delivered it superbly! Also — it's not a track that has been covered that much, at least not by any bands I know. Liiva's vocals, the addition of the blastbeats, the very calm, atmospheric first verse (where I actually sing myself), the detuned guitars plus the added solos make it sound like a NONEXIST track, I think. Which is the whole point of doing a cover in my opinion — to make it sound like your own song."

Regarding the band's forthcoming album, Reinholdz said: "I'm really excited about unleashing the second assault of NONEXIST! Even though 'Deus Deceptor' came out ten years ago, NONEXIST never died. It has always been alive in my heart and I've written songs for it every now and then. Because I love it, I love this kind of music which I grew up with. A couple of years ago, the NONEXIST songwriting became more frequent and I came up with the title — 'From My Cold Dead Hands' — and I started to focus on getting the album done. I also began dabbling with cover songs, something I've never really done before but it's great fun! Some of these song choices might surprise you — but they're all done NONEXIST style! I then asked Johan Liiva if he wanted to join NONEXIST again was pleased when he said yes. He is one the great singers in extreme metal and I'm proud to work with him again!"

Added Liiva: "It's been like 10 years now since the debut came out. I actually had this 'fantasy' ever since to make a sequel. For various reasons (like for example 'life,' haha) it took us all this time to finally get there. Thankfully, Johan and I stayed in touch every now and then… and now *kazaam!* — the time has come! Filled to the brim with new and fresh ideas — as well as retro ones, for sure! Let's hope you people out there who digged and asked for another one appreciates this new one. Hailz and salutes — it's time… metal to the very bone!"

NONEXIST will make its live debut at the Scorched Tundra festival, set to take place December 28 at Sticky Fingers in Gothenburg, Sweden. Playing alongside ZOMBIEKRIG, SWITCH OPENS, NO HAWAII and labelmates ELDRIMNER, NONEXIST's lineup for the concert will feature the following musicians:

Johan Liiva (ex-ARCH ENEMY) - Vocals
Johan Reinholdz (SKYFIRE, ANDROMEDA) - Guitar
Linus Abrahamsson (ANDROMEDA) - Bass
Johan lgard (FAITHFUL DARKNESS) - Guitar
Joakim Strandberg-Nilsson - Drums

NONEXIST's debut full-length record, "Deus Deceptor", was released in 2002 via Century Media/New Hawen Records and the lineup at the time included Liiva, Reinholdz and DEFLESHED/DARK FUNERAL drummer Matte Modin. The CD was produced by Tommy Tägtgren and Reinholdz at Abyss Studios and featured a musical direction described as a cross between early ARCH ENEMY and CARCASS (circa "Heartwork").

Superskum conducted an interview with guitarist/vocalist Ola Lindgren of Swedish death metal veterans GRAVE before the band's October 7 concert at Gothic Theatre in Englewood during their North American tour with MORBID ANGEL and DARK FUNERAL. You can now watch the chat below. Also available is quality footage of GRAVE's performance in Englewood.

GRAVE's 10th studio album, "Endless Procession Of Souls", was released on August 27 in Europe via Century Media Records. The cover artwork for the CD was once again created by Costin Chioreanu, who also worked with GRAVE on the previous two studio albums. In addition to designing the cover artwork, Costin was responsible for some of the extra art for the inside of the CD booklet and the vinyl.

"Endless Procession Of Souls" was recorded at GRAVE's own Studio Soulless and was previously described by GRAVE guitarist/vocalist Ola Lindgren as "a mix of our latest two releases with some more old-school, groovy 'Soulless' parts."

According to a press release, "Endless Procession Of Souls" "promises to be yet another death metal masterpiece in GRAVE's revered catalog, featuring nine tracks of uncompromising no-bullshit death metal, flawlessly executed by the sole survivors of the real legendary Swedish Dödsmetal scene. 'Endless Procession Of Souls' combines the brutality of GRAVE's last two studio albums with the groove of 'Soulless' and — of corpse — a lethal dose of 'Into The Grave' darkness."

GRAVE recently parted ways with its guitarist of three years, Magnus Martinsson.

GRAVE's current lineup is as follows:

Ola Lindgren - Guitar/Vocals
Mika Lagrén - Guitar
Ronnie Bergerstål - Drums
Tobias Cristiansson - Bass

Interview:

San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT have announced several European tour dates for November/December. The appearances include re-booked shows that had to be rescheduled due to drummer Gene Hoglan's commitments with his other band, DETHKLOK.

"The LAMB OF GOD and DETHKLOK U.S. tour had to be canceled and DETHKLOK re-booked some shows," TESTAMENT said in a statement. "This has caused some conflicts with a few previously scheduled TESTAMENT dates since Gene couldn't participate in them. Mark Hernandez (pictured below; ex-FORBIDDEN) will be helping us out but he wasn't available until November 25. So various shows will be staying the same but others may be moved to 2013."

All refunds for cancelled shows are available at point of purchase.

Confirmed appearances as of now are as follows:

Nov. 27 - Garage - Glasgow, Scotland
Nov. 28 - Wulfrun Hall - Wolverhampton, UK
Nov. 29 - Ritz - Manchester, UK
Nov. 30 - Koko - London, UK
Dec. 01 - Hard Rock Hell - Prestatyn, Wales, UK
Dec. 03 - Dynamo - Eindhoven, Netherlands
Dec. 05 - KKZ - Moscow, Russia
Dec. 06 - Za Ozhidaniya - St. Petersburg, Russia

TESTAMENT recently wrapped a co-headlining North American tour with fellow American thrash metal greats ANTHRAX and Nuclear Blast labelmates DEATH ANGEL.

TESTAMENT's new album, "Dark Roots Of Earth", sold more than 20,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No, 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on July 31 via Nuclear Blast Records.

TESTAMENT's previous studio album, "The Formation of Damnation", opened with 11,400 units back in May 2008 to debut at position No. 59.

"Dark Roots Of Earth" was produced, mixed and mastered by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, ACCEPT, EXODUS). Special bonus tracks were recorded, mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER) at his Trident Studios. The cover artwork for the effort (see below) was painted by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

MAEGI, the power-progressive metal project of Oganalp Canatan (DREAMTONE, NEVERLAND), will release its debut album, "Skies Fall", in early 2013. The CD will feature guest appearances by Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN), Chris Boltendahl (GRAVE DIGGER), Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DIO DISCIPLES), Zak Stevens (SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, CIRCLE II CIRCLE) and Jerry Outlaw (JON OLIVA'S PAIN).

After working with DREAMTONE and NEVERLAND for about a decade, Canatan decided to move on with his solo ideas, forming MAEGI.

"Skies Fall" was recorded, engineered, mixed and produced by Canatan. The artwork was created by Yigit Koroglu. The booklet and layout design were handled by Canatan and Ali Yücel Ozdemir.

"Skies Fall" will be made available as a regular CD edition and a collector's edition featuring extra goodies and a story inspired by the "Skies Fall" theme, approximately 40,000 words in length. The story is being written by Prarabdh Thakur.

"Skies Fall" track listing:

01. News Broadcast (intro)
02. Skies Fall
03. No Response
04. Communications Breakdown
05. Take No Prisoners
06. Hide And Seek
07. Those We’ve Left Behind
08. A Different Fate
09. The Resistance
10. Demise Of Hopes
11. In Silence
12. Requiem

METALLICA will enter the studio "in the next couple of months" to begin work on its next full-length album, tentatively due in 2014. Speaking to Loudwire, the band's guitarist, Kirk Hammett, stated about the status of the songwriting process for the next CD, "We just filmed a 3D movie up in Vancouver. That's been at the forefront of our attention right now. We've been dealing with the audio aspect of that and pretty soon we're going to start seeing footage from the concert. Once that particular project kind of dies down and we complete what we need to do with that, then we're going to start writing songs. We're going to meet up and start throwing ideas together. That should be really, really interesting. I'm really looking forward to that. What's not going to be so fun is going through all the musical ideas that we have. I'm not really good at editing myself because I think it's all good. To be more thorough on that, though, I foresee us starting to get together fairly soon, like in the next couple of months. We'll start hammering away on it."

"Death Magnetic" was METALLICA's last under its contract with Warner Music Group — where the band has been making records since 1984.

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield told The Pulse Of Radio about the end of the band's contract with Warner, "It's kind of a good feeling to feel that you're free from any piece of paper that binds you to something. But over our career, we've learned a lot about record companies, the goods and evils of the business and this and that, and we're not very focused on that right now. It is what it is, and when it becomes time for us to either renegotiate or shop around or do things ourselves or something like that, we don't know. There's nothing but options, which is great."

METALLICA's 3D movie will reportedly mix concert footage with a storyline.

The band is financing the project itself and has hired "Predators" director Nimród Antal to get behind the camera. Antal filmed METALLICA's three concerts in Vancouver, Canada for use in the movie.

The show featured a brand new 140-foot-by-50-foot stage that included what a post at the band's web site called "colossal components and striking visual elements spanning METALLICA's entire 30-year career."

Photo below courtesy of Metallica.com

As previously reported at tobiassammet.com Tobias is currently in the studio working with a legion of guest instrumentalists and vocalists on a new AVANTASIA album to be released in spring 2013. The album will once again be a Rock Opera based on a conceptual story very similar to the early AVANTASIA albums. Nevertheless, Tobias explains that the album is not a mere journey back in time:

"The new material sounds very fresh and new and yet you can hear the old classic AVANTASIA vibe on the album, it will be an enchanting fairytale again, far away from any musical trends. Our latest album was our most successful album of all time, but I guess it was only that successful because it came from the heart. That's the only proven remedy I wanna stick to. I tried to lay down any thought of expectations, but instead just do a completely unseasonable, unfashionable and even unreasonable piece of art. Anyway, I feel at home when I listen to those melodies, choirs and guitars. I just talked to Michi Kiske and he said that the stuff reminds him a lot of the old classic AVANTASIA material in the good old Keeper style. As a fan, now that sounds even exciting to me, so the circle shuts. For myself it's hard to describe the material in words, I had and have so many ideas that I had to restrain myself a little, otherwise the album would become too long, and I'm trying not to do a double album this time. However, I am really excited, and I just thought I'd let you know how excited I am. I'll try to give you more updates from now on. -Cheers, Tobi"

Heavy Metal Television, a live television station, streaming worldwide 24 hours a day in hi-def video and hi-fi audio, will launch on November 15th.
The channel brings the classic MTV format back to life with band’s such as JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN as well as newer bands LIKE FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and SHINEDOWN.

The format will play conceptual videos presented by young V.J.'s with short segments of rock news and interviews sprinkled throughout with heavy metal promos of all kinds driving the content. Concerts will be shown Saturday nights. Specialty programing is being developed.

Sponsors will enjoy banner ads, 10-15 second motion graphic commercials (produced by the channel and approved by the label and management) and specially tailored to the sponsors promotions and giveaways. The sponsors can also use the graphics and content developed for them for use on their own sites or promos as well. All with any kind of internet connection.

For more info visit HeavyMetalTelevision.com on November 15th.

British hard rock legends DEEP PURPLE are among 15 finalists for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2013, but the band's former guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, recently told Billboard he "couldn't care less" about the possible honor.

Speaking to VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner, Blackmore elaborated on his comments, saying, "I was quoted as saying I couldn't care less about it, and, yes, I couldn't care less, but at the same time, I don't wish to throw it back in their faces. I mean, I wouldn't turn up to any kind of such event. It's not, to me, anything to do with music. Music is about playing and getting on the stage, not receiving awards. I'm pretty bad at receiving awards."

Ritchie also spoke more about what he has against the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

"No disrespect to the Hall Of Fame, whatever that is, I really don't keep up with it," he said. "I mean, there are so many Hall Of Fames and places that are honoring people and a lot of the time I see who they are honoring and it really has nothing to do with rock and roll — very strange people."

For the first time, the public gets to vote alongside the artists, historians and music industry insiders of the Rock Hall voting body. From now until December 5, fans can vote on RollingStone.com for the nominees they'd like to see inducted. The top five acts will comprise a "fan's ballot" that will count as one of the more than 600 ballots that determine the Class Of 2013. The results will be announced in mid-December.

The April 18, 2013 event is set for Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, marking the first time the ceremony will be held in the city since 1993. HBO will tape the show for broadcast at a later date.

Artists are considered for inclusion in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first recording.

London, England-based blackened death metal outfit LVCIFYRE has inked a deal with Dark Descent Records for the release of the band's as-yet-untitled sophomore album, due in early 2013.

Commented LVCIFYRE: "We are proud to announce the addition of LVCIFYRE to the Dark Descent Records roster. The label will be responsible for releasing LVCIFYRE's second full-length opus and follow-up to the seminal debut 'The Calling Depths'.

"Over the past three years, Dark Descent has built up a notorious reputation of delivering the highest-caliber works of death metal darkness from the underground and proudly propagating the Fallen Light. Thus, it is the perfect lurking place for LVCIFYRE.

"With the new album, LVCIFYRE will unleash the most wrathful and apocalyptic sonic plague heard by Man; manifesting the hidden forces beyond the threshold to awaken the Darkness lurking deep inside you!"

"The Calling Depths" was released in June 2011 by Blood Harvest and Pulverised Records.

Fan-filmed video footage of QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate's October 22 solo performance at House Of Rock in White Marsh, Maryland can be seen below.

Tate's second solo album, "Kings & Thieves", will be released on November 6 via InsideOut Music.

"My goal with this record was to make a solid rock album," said Tate. "I wanted it to be an album that I could play live that would be both satisfying and fun, because, as a singer, you need to create a show that has a lot of dynamics to it and takes people on a ride."

Tate previously told AnthologySD.com about the musical direction of his forthcoming CD, "Well, it's very different from my last one, for sure. It's a new bunch of people I've been working with to write and record it, so that changes things. When you're working with different people, it really changes the record. This one is really hard rock. The last one was really all over the place with different styles of music and everything, but this one really keeps with the hard rock style. It does it in kind of a different way — more of my way or what I would envision. I guess it's experimental in some ways, while in others it's very traditional. What I tried to do was take traditional rock instrumentation and apply it in kind of a different song structure."

Tate released his first solo CD in 2002 on Sanctuary Records. Self-titled, the LP was a huge departure from the work he had previously done with QUEENSRŸCHE.

German death metallers FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING will release their fifth album, "The Art Of Coming Apart", on November 30 via Cyclone Empire. According to the band, the CD "will contain eight brutal Swedish death metal songs and two instrumentals." The group adds, "The songs sound awesome after being mixed in Soundtunnel Studio by Ingo Maier and mastered by Dan Swanö."

"The Art Of Coming Apart" track listing:

01. The Art Of Coming Apart
02. Barren And Bleak
03. Four Winters
04. Hours Of Suffering
05. Memorial Stone
06. A Silence Dressed In Black
07. Sundown (instrumental)
08. Trapping The Unseen
09. Seasons Of Tranquillity
10. Fathomless (Epilogue)

Check out the cover artwork below.

FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING's fourth album, "The Everhaunting Past / Chapter IV - A Splendid Retrospection", came out in October 2009 via Cyclone Empire. The CD's cover artwork was once again created by Sascha Ehrich.

FRAGMENTS OF UNBECOMING in 2009 announced the addition of bassist Christopher Körtgen (SMILODON, CHAOS HD) to the group's ranks.

The band's third album, "Sterling Black Icon", was released in March 2006 via Metal Blade.

Madison, Wisconsin-based vocalist Mary Zimmer — formerly of the band LUNA MORTIS (originally THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE) — made her long-anticipated return to the stage on Saturday, October 13 at The Frequency in Madison.

Zimmer performed as METAL MARY AND THE HIRED GUNS — a special one-time event with a group of established musicians from the Wisconsin rock and metal scenes.

THE HIRED GUNS are:

Emily Zimmer (FREDDIE LEE BAND) - Guitar
Jon Liedtke (FACE OF RUIN, SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY) - Guitar
Jerry Hauppa (CONCENTRIC, NORTHLESS) - Guitar
Brian Van Wychen (WISFITS, ex-ONUS) - Drums

Video footage of METAL MARY AND THE HIRED GUNS performing a cover version of the TEMPLE OF THE DOG song "Say Hello To Heaven" at The Frequency show can be seen below.

2010 saw the breakup of the LUNA MORTIS, whose final album, "The Absence", was released via Century Media Records.

Mary's return to the stage was her first major live appearance after the dissolution of the acclaimed Madison metal outfit.

Mary can be heard doing classical/operatic background vocals on the upcoming MOTIONLESS IN WHITE album "Infamous", which is due in November via Fearless Records. The album was produced by Jason Suecof, who was also responsible for production on the final LUNA MORTIS record, "The Absence".

"Dirt Wizard", the new Whitey McConnaughy-directed video from the Portland-based stoner rock band RED FANG, can be seen below. The song comes off the group's latest album, "Murder The Mountains", which was recorded with THE DECEMBERISTS' Chris Funk and was mixed by three-time Grammy Award winner Vance Powell (THE WHITE STRIPES, THE RACONTEURS).

RED FANG is completing work on a documentary that was shot by the band's resident director Whitey McConnaghy. Whitey followed the band while they were on the road in Europe with Relapse labelmates BLACK TUSK. This short film is being sponsored by Converse and will be released soon.

RED FANG performed as part of the inaugural Orion Music + More Festival curated by METALLICA on June 23 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Danish/American hard rockers ROYAL HUNT will release a 20-anniversary special-edition "best-of" CD/DVD set with bonus material. The package will consist of three CDs and one DVD, including the best ROYAL songs from all 11 albums a brand new track plus three newly recorded acoustic versions of three additional cuts and a DVD containing all the promotional video clips shot by the band during their long ride.

Release dates:

Europe (Frontiers): November 23
USA (Frontiers): January 22
Japan/Southeast Asia (Marquee/Avalon): November 21

CD 1:

01. Flight
02. Kingdom Dark
03. Stranded
04. Clown In The Mirror
05. Wasted Time
06. Epilogue
07. Time
08. Far Away
09. 1348
10. River Of Pain
11. Tearing Down The World
12. Message To God

CD 2:

01. Cold City Lights
02. Follow Me
03. Surrender
04. The Mission
05. Can't Let Go
06. Paper Blood
07. Season's Change
08. The First Rock
09. Tears Of The Sun
10. The Well
11. Shadowman
12. Hard Rain's Coming
13. Half Past Loneliness

CD 3:

01. Save Me (new song)
02. One By One (unplugged)
03. Bodyguard (unplugged)
04. Restless (unplugged)
05. Bad Luck
06. Double Conversion
07. U-Turn
08. Sixth Sense
09. Day Is Dawning

DVD

01. Land Of Broken Hearts
02. Day In Day Out
03. Clown In The Mirror
04. Far Away
05. Last Goodbye
06. Stay Down
07. River Of Pain
08. Tearing Down The World
09. Martial Arts
10. Third Stage
11. Wasted Time
12. Message To God

ROYAL HUNT's 11th studio album, "Show Me How To Live", was released on November 29, 2011 in North America and December 2, 2011 in Europe via Frontiers Records. The follow-up 2010's "X" was recorded at NorthPoint studio in Copenhahen and will be mixed at RoastingHouse Studios in Malmö, Sweden. The mastering duites were handled by Jan Eliasson at AudioPlanet in Copenhagen.

In 2011, ROYAL HUNT was rejoined by D.C. Cooper, the American singer that performed on the band's two most successful releases in the '90s: "Moving Target" and the concept album "Paradox".

"Show Me How to Live" was described in a press release as "highly melodic with rich, lush arrangements and stellar production" and certain to "please the fans of neoclassical yet progressive music."

According to MusicTAP, Mercury Records will reissue a Super Deluxe CD/BD version of RUSH's classic 1976 album "2112" on December 18. The set is expected to contain a 5.1 version of the album.

"2112" was included in the "Sector 1" box set release last year, but no 5.1 edition of the album was made available.

A unique blend of classic rock and synthesizers that made RUSH a sensation both in Canada and the United States, "2112" is one of two RUSH albums listed in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" (the other being "Moving Pictures"). In 2006, a poll of Planet Rock listeners picked "2112" as the definitive RUSH album. In 2012, the album came in at No. 2 on Rolling Stone's list for "Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time," as voted for in a reader's poll, being one of three RUSH albums included on the list (the others being "Moving Pictures" and "Hemispheres").

Fan-filmed video footage of Slash's October 20 conceert at Zenith in Paris, France can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Halo
02. Nightrain (GUNS N' ROSES song)
03. Ghost
04. Standing In The Sun
05. Back From Cali
06. Been There Lately (SLASH'S SNAKEPIT song)
07. Mr. Brownstone (GUNS N' ROSES song)
08. Rocket Queen (GUNS N' ROSES song)
09. Bad Rain
10. Far and Away
11. We're All Gonna Die (Todd Kerns on vocals)
12. Out Ta Get Me (GUNS N' ROSES song) (Todd Kerns on vocals)
13. No More Heroes
14. Starlight
15. Blues Jam (with "Only Women Bleed" by Alice Cooper intro)
16. Anastasia
17. You're a Lie
18. Sweet Child O' Mine (GUNS N' ROSES song)
19. Slither (VELVET REVOLVER song)

Encore:

20. Fall to Pieces (VELVET REVOLVER song)
21. Paradise City (GUNS N' ROSES song)

Slash's second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love", came out in May and was recently certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales in excess of 35,000 copies.

"[The album has] been really well received and I was really pleased with the record in the first place; it's great," Slash said. "You never know what exactly is going to happen and I never have any what you'd call expectations, but once it's out there and people sort of dig it for the right reasons, it's always a good feeling."

Slash recently revealed that he and singer Myles Kennedy have already begun working on music for the guitarist's next album, to be recorded sometime next year.

"We are working on material, gathering ideas for another [record] at this point," Slash told Rapid City Journal. "We are sort of like in those early stages where I'm just recording different guitar ideas and I turn Myles on to it. He's thinking about his stuff and what he's going to do with it and so on."

"Forevermore", a new demo track from SUNBURST, the Greek progressive-melodic metal band featuring guitarist Gus Drax (BIOMECHANICAL, PARADOX, BLACK FATE), vocalist Vasilis Georgiou (INNOSENSE, BLACK FATE), drummer Kostas Milonas (BLACKLEGS, N.U.R.V., G.K GROUP) and bassist Vasilis Liakos (INNOSENSE, BLACK FATE), can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

SUNBURST was formed in 2010 and is currently working on its debut album.

The band's "Beyond The Darkest Sun" video, which can be seen below, was produced and directed by Bob Katsionis and PVG.

"Forevermore" demo track:

Alan Sculley of the Toledo Free Press recently spoke to Rob Zombie about the progress of the recording sessions for Rob's new album, tentatively due in early 2013.

"It seems to happen every couple of years or every 10 years or every five years or whatever, you have a moment when it all comes together," Zombie said. "Not that the other records are bad, but not every record can be like the most inspired event in your life. But for some reason, this one feels like it is. The songwriting, the sound of it, the vibe, the production — it's special."

According to Zombie, fans can expect an album that touches quite a few musical bases.

"It's stylistically sort of a little bit of everything," Zombie said. "Fans of my really old stuff will love it because there's a certain aspect of it that's very reminiscent of that. But it also is very looking to the future. It's hard to describe music to somebody if they haven't heard it, but I feel like it's the best of all of the things I've done. I've finally found a perfect match between the old stuff I did and the new stuff. That's the way it sounds to me anyway."

The new ROB ZOMBIE album is being produced by Bob Marlette, who has previously worked with everyone from BLACK SABBATH and ALICE COOPER to WILSON PHILLIPS and LYNYRD SKYNYRD.

The singer released a collection of remixes of various ZOMBIE tracks on August 7 called "Mondo Sex Head". The remixes feature some of the hottest names in the growing electronic dance music scene, along with contributions from Jonathan Davis of KORN and Chino Moreno of DEFTONES.

MOTÖRHEAD will enter the studio in January with longtime producer Cameron Webb to begin recording its next album for a mid-2013 release. "We'll go into the rehearsal room about a month before the album and just band stuff out," MOTÖRHEAD mainman Lemmy Kilmister tells Billboard.com.

In a recent interview with Artisan News, MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee stated about the band's plans for a new CD, "We have a lot of songs done already. It's not finished. We're gonna keep writing and we'll record it next year, and it will come out next year."

MOTÖRHEAD released "The Wörld Is Ours – Vol 2: Anyplace Crazy As Anywhere Else" in Germany on September 21, three days later in the rest of Europe and October 9 in North America via UDR/EMI. The follow-up to 2011's "The Wörld Is Ours – Vol 1: Everywhere Further Than Everyplace Else" features the band's 2011 Wacken Open Air headline appearance as well as highlights from Sonisphere (United Kingdom) and Rock In Rio (Brazil) shows.

MOTÖRHEAD's latest album, "The Wörld Is Yours", sold 7,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 94 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous effort, "Motörizer", premiered with 6,400 units back in 2008 to debut at No. 82, while 2006's "Kiss Of Death" registered a first-week tally of 3,500.

Swedish melodic metallers HAMMERFALL will release a concert DVD+2CD and Blu-ray+2CD, "Gates Of Dalhalla", on November 30 via Nuclear Blast. The set will feature the band's extraordinary 135-minute 15th-anniversary show that took place on July 28 on the historic open-air stage Dalhalla, built in an old quarry near the small Swedish village Rättvik. The footage was captured by Swedish director Patric Ullaeus of the Revolver Film Company AB, who has previously worked with IN FLAMES, DIMMU BORGIR, EUROPE and LACUNA COIL, among many others.

Commented HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak: "The set contained 26 tracks and lasted two hours and 15 minutes, by far the longest and most comprehensive gig of our entire career! We played songs from every album and then some. There were lots of guests and pyros, and we had 80 Marshall cabinets and the big shield with the HF logo carved out in the middle hanging brought out of storage, all set in an extremely unique venue. You really have to see it to understand. This concert really captured the essence of HAMMERFALL live in 2012 very well!"

Special guests during the concert included original HAMMERFALL members Jesper Strömblad (IN FLAMES) and Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY), as well as ex-HAMMERFALL guitarist Stefan Elmgren.

Added Oscar: "Everything concerning this release is special: the venue, the occasion, the setlist, the guests. If you are going to celebrate something, do it properly, and this is exactly what we have done. HAMMERFALL with extra everything, 100% live, 0% bullshit."

The setlist for the concert was as follows:

01. Patient Zero
02. Heeding The Call
03. Any Means Necessary
04. B.Y.H.
05. Riders Of The Storm
06. Let's Get It On
07. Crimson Thunder
08. Renegade
09. Blood Bound (special guest: Stefan Elmgren)
10. Last Man Standing (special guest: Stefan Elmgren)
11. Fury Of The Wild (special guest: Stefan Elmgren)
12. Drum Solo: Anders Johansson
13. Always Will Be
14. Dia De Los Muertos
15. Steel Meets Steel (special guest: Mikael Stanne)
16. Threshold
17. The Dragon Lies Bleeding (special guest: Jesper Strömblad)
18. Let The Hammer Fall
19. När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn (special guest: Roger Pontare)
20. Something For The Ages
21. The Templar Flame
22. Oh Fortuna (special guest: Team Cans)
23. Glory To The Brave (special guest: Team Cans)
24. One More Time (special guest: Team Cans)
25. Hammerfall
26. Hearts On Fire (featuring all special guests)

A second "Gates Of Dalhalla" "preview teaser" can be seen below.

The members of HAMMERFALL announced in March that they were take an extended break immediately following their festival appearances this summer.

"It has been an unbelievable first 15 years, to say the least," said guitarist Oscar Dronjak, "and now we are taking a pause to ensure that we have another 15 years ahead of us."

There will be no HAMMERFALL activities in 2013, but the band promises to return strong the following year. "The plan is to use the year off to recharge our batteries and come back more vital than ever with a new album in 2014," explained singer Joacim Cans.

HAMMERFALL's new album, "Infected", sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD debuted at No. 16 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

HAMMERFALL's previous CD, "No Sacrifice, No Victory", opened with 1,400 units to land at No. 38 on the Top New Artist Albums chart.

"Infected" entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 2 (right behind LADY GAGA!). The CD was released in Europe in May 2011 and was made available in North America in June via Nuclear Blast Records. Laying down the foundation themselves in their own studio in Sweden, the members of HAMMERFALL then traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to finish it up with acclaimed producer James Michael (MÖTLEY CRÜE, SCORPIONS, MEAT LOAF). He also mixed the album, giving it a decisive updated edge without losing any of the essence of the band's sound.

HAMMERFALL was among the five final nominees that competed for the "Best Hard Rock/Metal" honor at the Swedish Grammis awards (Swedish Grammy equivalent), which was held February 14, 2012 at Kungliga Operan in Stockholm.

British metalcore act BRING ME THE HORIZON has set "Sempiternal" as the title of its fourth album, due in early 2013 via RCA. The follow-up to 2010's "There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret" was recorded at Angelic Studio in Banbury, Oxfordshire with producer Terry Date, who has previously worked with such acts as DEFTONES, PANTERA, SOUNDGARDEN and PRONG.

"I've never been so confident about an album," BRING ME THE HORIZON frontman Oli Sykes tells Kerrang! magazine. "It makes our last record just sound shit. We're doing stuff we could never dreamed of doing before."

BRING ME THE HORIZON will play its only U.K. show of the year at the Alexandra Palace in London on November 10 as the co-headliners of the Vans Warped Tour with LOSTPROPHETS.

"There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret" sold 20,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 17 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD also entered the official chart in the U.K. at position No. 13.

"Panophobia", the new video from Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based female-fronted melodic death metallers THE AGONIST, can be seen below. Featuring behind-the-scenes and live footage from THE AGONIST's performance at Heavy MTL 2012, the clip was directed by Ben McKinnon of Five Knights Productions.

THE AGONIST will play a few shows in Asia this November in support of its third album, "Prisoners". The CD debuted at No. 19 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Prisoners", was released on June 4 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by Christian Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, SUICIDE SILENCE) and it "picks right up where 2009's 'Lullabies For The Dormant Mind' left off, with soaring melodies over complex metal passages that fans of thinking-man's metal can appreciate," according to a press release.

In regards to the album artwork, singer Alissa White-Gluz stated: "We wanted to really include a chaotic visual to reflect the chaotic sound of the band, but we also wanted to show that the lyrics on this album are a lot more introverted…The human face was left non-descript on purpose — it doesn't belong to any particular person, but we could call him the Lonely Solipsist."

New York hardcore/metal veterans BIOHAZARD have begun writing and demoing material for the follow-up to this year's "Reborn In Defiance".

A photo of BIOHAZARD frontman Scott Roberts "layin' some bad-ass vocals" in the studio can be seen below.

"Reborn In Defiance" was released in Europe on January 20 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Not only is "Reborn In Defiance" BIOHAZARD's first original lineup album in 18 years, but it also marks the last album recorded by the band before the departure of bassist and co-vocalist Evan Seinfeld. The effort remains a testament to the four founding members (Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel, Evan Seinfeld and Danny Schuler) and their unique chemistry.

Seinfeld left the band in June 2011 after the band's new CD was completed and was replaced by Roberts, who played on the band's 2005 "Means To An End" album and has been part of the BIOHAZARD extended family since.

Southern California traditional metallers HOLY GRAIL will release their sophomore album, "Ride The Void", in Europe on January 18, 2013 via Nuclear Blast Records and in North America on January 22, 2013 through Prosthetic Records. The effort will be made available as a limited CD version including a bonus track, a black 2LP version and a strictly limited clear 2LP version.

The follow-up to 2010's "Crisis In Utopia", "Ride The Void" was recorded with producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED, CHILDREN OF BODOM) throughout the year, working around national tours with DRAGONFORCE and VALIENT THORR. The cover artwork was created by famous American digital matte artist Dylan Cole, who is well-known for his work on movies like "The Lord Of The Rings", "Avatar" and "Daredevil".

"Ride The Void" track listing:

01. Archeus
02. Bestia Triumphans
03. Dark Passenger
04. Bleeding Stone
05. Ride The Void
06. Too Decayed To Wait
07. Crosswinds
08. Take It To The Grave
09. Sleep Of Virtue
10. Silence The Scream
11. The Great Artifice
12. Wake Me When It's Over
13. Rains Of Sorrow
14. Can't Hide The Wolf (bonus track)

The official lyric video for "Dark Passenger" can be seen below. The artwork for the single was designed by Sam Turner (3 INCHES OF BLOOD), who also did the art for the band's 2011 holiday EP "Seasons Bleedings". The seven-inch edition also includes an unreleased B-side, "Go Down Swinging", which will not appear on "Ride The Void".