NIGHTWISH's long-awaited "Imaginaerum" film — based on the band's album of the same name — will be released theatrically in Finland on November 23.

The movie will have its premiere on November 10 at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, where the audience will be treated to both a full-scale NIGHTWISH concert and the first-ever public screening of the movie.

Eagerly anticipated around the world, "Imaginaerum" creates a musical fantasy world in the vein of David Lynch, Neil Gaiman, and Cirque du Soleil. The movie is an innovative mixture of story-telling and music, an extraordinary tale of the power of imagination… and what's ultimately important in life.

Shot and post-produced in Canada, the movie was directed by Stobe Harju and produced by Solar Films, and features appearances by all NIGHTWISH members. The screenplay is based on a wild vision that Tuomas Holopainen, the mastermind of the band, devised after the album "Dark Passion Play" came out in 2007.

"I though of how we could take our expression that had already became pretty ambitious and grandiose to the next level, and that’s when I knew I wanted to tell a story, and to tell it with love and piety," said Tuomas.

According to Holopainen, finishing the movie has been an eventful and challenging journey that has sometimes demanded superhuman dedication from the production crew.

"I want to already thank everyone from the bottom of my heart. Together we've managed to create something innovative, strange, and timeless," Holopainen said.

The "Imaginaerum" screening at Hartwall Arena will be preceded by a show by the musicians NIGHTWISH themselves in what will be their last concert in Finland this year.

The official soundtrack of the movie, "Imaginaerum By Nightwish: The Score", will be released on the day before the premiere — Friday, November 9. The album features 13 grandiose, unreleased re-interpretations of "Imaginaerum" tracks by Petri Alanko.

"Imaginaerum By Nightwish: The Score" track listing:

01. Find Your Story
02. Orphanage Airlines
03. Undertow
04. Spying In The Doorway
05. A Crackling Sphere
06. Sundown
07. Wonderfields
08. Hey Buddy
09. Deeper Down
10. Dare To Enter
11. I Have To Let You Go
12. Heart Lying Still
13. From G To E Minor

The "Imaginaerum" theatrical trailer can be seen below.

Several photos from the "Imaginaerum" movie shoot can be found at this location.

"Imaginaerum" is one of the projects which received grants from the Finnish government institution called the Finnish Film Foundation. The movie, directed by Stobe Harju, about an old man on his deathbed who glimpses a childhood dream in which he refuses to grow old, and fights aging with his imagination, reportedly got $575,000 toward its $3.7 million budget.

During a September 2011 interview with Petri Silas of Finland's Soundi magazine, NIGHTWISH mainman/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen explained that all the filming for the "Imaginaerum" movie was done in Canada with mostly Canadian actors/actresses. Post-production took place in Canada and Finland. He aso revealed the names of the actors who have two of the main roles in the film: Marianne Farley and Quinn Lord.

Speaking to Loudwire, Holopainen stated about the plot of the "Imaginaerum" film, "Basically it's about this old guy who used to be a composer and he's really sick; he's lying on his death bed in a hospital and he's going through his life, through his dreams — that's the basic storyline. It's all about praising life and life's beauty, imagination and all the strife and the bad stuff we have to face.

"[The storyline] came from the director; I just had the twelve ideas, the twelve visions. He basically wrote the script and storyline around those originally visions and the only one we had to leave out was the 'Ghost River' part, because we didn't have the finance to realize that vision."

Asked if the band appears in the film at all, Tuomas said, "A little bit, we are seen in two different scenes as a band, playing in the background. That's something that I really emphasized to the director, 'Please don't put the band into the movie,' because we want to do a believable story and we have no idea how to act. We are not actors so if your give us some lines and we tried to act, it would look goofy. He insisted to put us into the movie because it's our brainchild, so we're just playing in there as a band; it's a good compromise."

"Imaginaerum" film cast:

* Francis X. McCarthy
* Quinn Lord
* Marianne Farley
* Joanna Noyes
* Ilkka Villi
* Keyanna Fielding
* Ron Lea
* Victoria Jung
* Hélène Robitaille
* Stefan Demers
* Anette Olzon
* Marco Hietala
* Tuomas Holopainen
* Emppu Vuorinen
* Jukka Nevalainen

The "Imaginaerum" album was released in the U.S. on January 10 via Roadrunner Records.

Guitarist Patrik Jensen of Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED has released the following statement:

"It's with deep regret we have to inform you of another two departures from THE HAUNTED; guitarist Anders Björler and drummer Per Møller Jensen. No animosity whatsoever caused these events, nor are there any other feelings than that they will both be dearly missed. We wish them all the best in whatever, and wherever, their future endeavors will take them

"For all you who have any knowledge about the band, and know how to count, you will realize that there are only two band members left; Jonas [Björler, bass] and myself . We are still committed to the THE HAUNTED. However, in the light of these recent events, we honestly don't know what will happen. We hope for your appreciation of our current situation, and for your patience."

Commented Anders: "I feel that I have come to the end of the line regarding THE HAUNTED. This is not a sudden or hasty decision. I have been contemplating it for the last couple of years.

"Peter's [Dolving, vocals] departure earlier this year made me more certain than ever that I had reached my personal goal with THE HAUNTED, and that the time was right to call it quits.

"I have enjoyed every bit of the ride.

"It's been an overwhelming journey.

"I would like to thank the other band members especially, our crew through the years, and our fans worldwide for the experience and opportunity. Thank you so much! The memories will be with me forever.

"I will, of course, continue writing music, but where that leads me? Simply too early to say."

Per Møller Jensen released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET earlier today announcing his departure from THE HAUNTED. He explained, "This decision has been underway for a long time and cannot be attributed to Dolving's departure earlier this year."

THE HAUNTED's seventh studio CD, "Unseen", sold around 1,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The effort landed at position No. 33 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.

"Unseen" was released on March 29, 2011 via Century Media Records. The CD was once again recorded with longtime producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL) at his Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark.

Danish drummer Per Møller Jensen has left Swedish metallers THE HAUNTED. He says in a statement released to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, "This decision has been underway for a long time and cannot be attributed to [former THE HAUNTED frontman Peter] Dolving's departure earlier this year.

"It's been a good 13-year stint. All in all, I have no regrets.

"My penchant for music, creating — as in digging deep — and practicing has never been at a higher peak than now. When you throw musical differences between members in with that, I started feeling unfulfilled. This is not pointing fingers at anybody, but rather just seeing, accepting and acting on that fact.

"Thank you to everybody who has supported us over the years. I have countless memories from shows all over the world. I will cherish all that for the rest of my days, regardless. Thank you!

"This is my station right here, this is where I choose to get off the train and pursue new challenges.

"There will be new music shortly, some already written and recorded. News on this will follow at a later date.

"I wish all the best to Jonas [Björler, bass], [Patrik] Jensen [guitar], Anders [Björler, guitar] and Peter."

THE HAUNTED's seventh studio CD, "Unseen", sold around 1,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The effort landed at position No. 33 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.

"Unseen" was released on March 29, 2011 via Century Media Records. The CD was once again recorded with longtime producer Tue Madsen (MOONSPELL, DARK TRANQUILLITY, GOREFEST, SICK OF IT ALL) at his Antfarm Studio in Århus, Denmark.

Italian melodic rockers PERFECT VIEW have released a video for the title track to their debut album, Hold Your Dreams. The clip for 'Hold Your Dreams', directed and edited by Riccardo Farina and featuring actress Elena Marchi, can be seen below:
Perfect View's influences range from melodic rock to AOR and hard rock, balancing great melodies and vocal harmonies with hard rocking guitars while giving the keyboards lots of space to shine in many different colours.
A special edition of Hold Your Dreams is now available with the additional bonus track, 'No Mercy'.
More on A Perfect View at this location.

Norwegian-Spanish gothic metal band SIRENIA has entered the studio to record the follow-up to 2011's "The Enigma Of Life" for an early 2013 release via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented the group: "Festival season is over and it feels great to be back in the studio again.

"The progress on the new album is going very well — we feel confident that the sixth SIRENIA album will have some nice surprises up its sleeve, as we‘ve been determined to make this record somewhat different from the previous two albums.

"We have finished some recording sessions in Sound Suite Studio in France, where we tracked the choirs plus some acoustic footage. Right now we are continuing our work in Morten Veland's Audio Avenue Studio.

SIRENIA's latest album, "The Enigma Of Life", was released on January 21, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The band's "The End Of It All" video was once again directed by Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among many others.

SIRENIA recruited singer Ailyn (born: Pilar Giménez García) as the replacement for Monika Pedersen, who left the group in 2007 after only one album due to "musical differences."

Ailyn is best known as a former contestant on the Spanish version of "The X Factor", the biggest television talent competition in Europe.

Finnish cello rockers APOCALYPTICA support breast cancer research in their home country by getting behind the Pink Ribbon campaign.

The Cancer Society Of Finland's Pink Ribbon campaign is aimed at supporting Finnish breast cancer research, and its symbol is a pink silk ribbon — familiar to many as the international symbol of the fight against breast cancer.

The message of the Pink Ribbon campaign is important, for breast cancer is the most common cancer found in Finnish women — almost 4,600 cases are diagnosed every year, and the disease touches not only patients, but also their families and friends.

Says the band: "To celebrate sales of 30,000 pink ribbons, we play 'Paranoid' (in Finland 'play 'Paranoid' is the slogan people shout on every show for every band). For this campaign, several known Finns have promised to do something unusual when the sales grow. Hope you'll have fun with this and please take part in your local Pink Ribbon campaigns all over the world!!!"

APOCALYPTICA's latest album, "7th Symphony", sold around 13,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 31 on The Billboard 200 chart. The majority of the album was produced by Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, BAD RELIGION), with two other songs produced by Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, MOTÖRHEAD, PAPA ROACH).

Dutch melodic doom/death metal veterans OFFICIUM TRISTE will release of their fifth studio album, "Mors Viri", on February 18, 2013 through Hammerheart Records. The CD was recorded on several occasions during 2011 at El Pato studios in Bergweiler, Germany. Ronnie Björnström at Enhanced Audio Productions did the mix and master in Sweden. "Mors Viri" sounds mature and varied with a focus on melancholic melodies, and is definitely the band's strongest recording to date.

Says OFFICIUM TRISTE: "We've been working really hard on this new album and we are convinced we made a huge leap forward in both song writing as well as production. We are positive Hammerheart Records will be a big help in spreading our name even further. We're really looking forward working with them."

Adds Hammerheart: “When we received the new recordings of OFFICIUM TRISTE, we were blown away; the sheer quality of every aspect of this recording is simply superb. Anyone interested in strong melodic doom/death metal (think KATATONIA, MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA, NOVEMBER'S DOOM) will have a new favorite band to add!!! Great to be working with these veteran guys who are around for almost 20 years now..."

During the recording sessions for "Mors Viri", OFFICIUM TRISTE recorded a cover version of ANATHEMA's "Sleepless". The band states: "We used to play this song live quite often in our early days. We thought it was cool to record this one. It won't appear on any official release so we made it available for you to download. It's our gift to our fans, because we can."

You can listen to "Sleepless" using the SoundCloud player below.

British heavy metal legends SAXON have issued the following update:

"SAXON has never been a lazy band and especially this year we have been extremely busy!

"After we played several festivals all across Europe and some great gigs together with JUDAS PRIEST and the very first Hamburg Metal Days, we have almost finished the new album. The mix is done and the mastering is almost finished. We have guys who are right now putting the last details together and working bits and pieces out for the artwork. Watch out for further news releases like album cover, track list, some more behind the scenes info etc.

"Since most of album production work is done, the band can’t keep their feet still and have decided to play a very short Christmas run of three dates.

"We are looking forward to sharing the stage in Switzerland with our mates from MOTÖRHEAD and EDGUY and on the two Dutch shows we will be accompanied by CRIMES OF PASSION. Everybody that comes to our two headliner shows will get little Christmas surprise and we will spoil you with at least one new song from the new album which we will perform live!

"After that, the promotion machine starts; pre-listening sessions for journalists, interviews and, and, and…

"So keep your eyes open because soon you will see the media full of new SAXON stuff!"

Upcoming SAXON shows:

Dec. 07 - Bern, Switzerland - Metal Christmas Festival
Dec. 08 - Haarlem, Netherlands - Patronaat
Dec. 09 - Roermund, Netherlands - ECI

SAXON's new album was mixed by producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, ACCEPT, NEVERMORE, EXODUS and ARCH ENEMY, among many others. The follow-up to 2011's "Call To Arms" will feature cover artwork by longtime SAXON artist Paul Raymond Gregory and is tentatively due in February 2013.

Norwegian extreme metallers PANTHEON I have entered Skansen Lydstudio in Trondheim to begin recording their fourth full-length album. The drum tracks have already been laid down, with Vegar "Vyl" Larsen (KEEP OF KALESSIN, CHTON, live session drums for GORGOROTH) behind the kit in place of the band's drummer, Mads G (THE ALL SEEING I, ZEENON), who is currently unwell.

PANTHEON I have always been known for their fast aggressive sound, which is combined with interludes of sweeping melodies. The new album, which will be called "Adversus", is set to signpost the future direction of the band with a fuller, more complex sound. It was, in fact, in pre-production for some time, with the band deciding to re-work the original tracks so that they would better suit the arrival of former ABSU guitarist Aethyris McKay, who not only contributes on the writing side, but also adds clean vocals that act as a perfect foil to frontman Andre Kvebek's raw style.

As well as Kvebek and McKay, PANTHEON I's lineup includes cellist LiveJulianne, Sagstad (TROLLFEST, SARKOM) on guitars and T.R.S. on bass (1349, DEN SAAKALDTE). It is anticipated that drummer Mads G will continue with the band, and will only be absent for the recording of the new album.

PANTHEON I recently went "old school" and released a tape version of its very first album, "Atrocity Divine", through Silent Scream Records. Limited to 150 copies, the tape's artwork was created by the Norwegian artist Kjell Åge Meland, who has worked with the band on all their releases.

PANTHEON I's next live appearance will take place on October 19 at Seb's Hotel in Hamar, Norway, supported by DJEVELKULT.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, SOUNDGARDEN will add three bonus tracks to the deluxe edition of its upcoming album, "King Animal". The cuts will be demo versions of the songs "Black Saturday", "Worse Dreams" and "By Crooked Steps", all of which appear in finished form on the main 13-song album. "King Animal" is the first collection of all-new material from SOUNDGARDEN in 16 years, and first since the group reunited in 2010.

Drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio two things that he thinks made SOUNDGARDEN special then and now: "In our scene up here in the Northwest in the '80s and '90s, we were sometimes considered to be the RUSH of Seattle, just because we could sort of play our instruments maybe better than most bands. [laughs] We never really tried to flaunt any musical chops, but we always had pretty diverse tastes. We had a lot of really cool influences amongst ourselves that we tried to infuse in the music."
"King Animal" is due out on November 13. The first single from the disc is called "Been Away Too Long".

Singer Chris Cornell told OnstageWeb that the track is literally about the band's reunion, explaining, "It means that a group, in this case personified by SOUNDGARDEN, has been away and the length of that away time has suddenly become maybe overextended. So been away too long, like thank God we're back now. It seems like it might have been a little bit too long for us to be gone."

The vocalist added that he was surprised that SOUNDGARDEN seems poised to once again fill a void for "real" rock music, saying, "I always expected that after we broke up or even maybe before we broke up that there should be or would be some very vital scene, numerous interesting rock bands that are kind of taking the history of rock music and making it their own."

"Psuchagogia", the new video from Dutch death metallers ANTROPOMORPHIA, can be seen below. The clip, which was shot last month in Leizpig, Germany, was directed by renowned video producer Maurice Swinkels.

Commented ANTROPOMORPHIA singer/guitarist Ferry Damen: "We talked about recording a video for 'Psuchagögia' a few months ago and decided to bring in Maurice Swinkels from Younique Film for the visual awakening of this track. I told Maurice some of the ideas I had regarding the 'storyline,' and he came up with a great location in the eastern part of Germany, which turned out to be perfect for documenting this somewhat disturbingly and dark tale. We shot the video on September 8th and during the shoot we seriously got beneath the horrid surface of the tale we wanted to tell. It's our first-ever video and I can say that we are thrilled about the way it turned out!"

"Psuchagogia" comes off ANTROPOMORPHIA's new album, "Evangelivm Nekromantia", which will be released October 22 via Metal Blade Records.

ANTROPOMORPHIA is:

Ferry Damen (vocals, guitar)
Marc van Stiphout (bass)
Marco Stubbe (drums)

"Evangelivm Nekromantia" track listing:

01. Intro
02. Nekrophilian Mass
03. The Mourned And The Macabre
04. Debauchery In Putrefaction
05. Anointment By Sin
06. Fleisch
07. Impure Desecration
08. Psuchagogia
09. Nekrosophia
10. Evangelivm Nekromantia

ANTROPOMORPHIA was created under the influence from bands such as HELLHAMMER, CELTIC FROST, INFERNÄL MÄJESTY and BATHORY in a tiny town in Holland in 1989.

Over the years, they became more and more brutal, released several demos and the "Necromantic Love Songs" MCD in 1993, but went on a hiatus in the late '90s since their other bands became more important.

Fast forward to 2009 when other projects moved into the background and ANTROPOMORPHIA was reactivated. The lineup is still the same — original members Ferry Damen (vocals, guitar), Marc van Stiphout (bass) and Marco Stubbe (drums).

In early 2011 ANTROPOMORPHIA made its first live appearance since 2001 at the Neurotic Deathfest, where they put up a convincing brutal show.

At the end of 2011, most of the new album was recorded, resulting in "Evangelivm Nekromantia", a CD consisting of nine tracks, divided into three chapters of each three songs. Lyrically, it is driven by nekrophilae, murder, necromancy and necrolesbian lust. It was mastered at Necromorbus Studios by Tore Stjerna.

ANTHRAX recently spent time in the studio recording several cover versions of some of their favorite rock classics, to be included with the upcoming re-release of the band's latest album, "Worship Music".

In addition to RUSH ("Anthem") and BOSTON ("Smokin'") covers, ANTHRAX is also recording its versions of AC/DC's "T.N.T.", JOURNEY's "Keep On Runnin'" and BLACK SABBATH's "Neon Knights". The latter song is expected to appear on the upcoming Ronnie James Dio tribute album which is being assembled by the singer's widow and longtime manager Wendy Dio.

In an October 15 tweet, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian revealed that he spent the day tracking three songs for the "Worship Music" reissue.

A release date for the effort has not yet been announced.

"Worship Music" has sold more than 100,000 copies in the U.S. since its September 2011 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Rat Pak Records has set an October 31 release date for "Slave To The Empire", the debut album from T&N (formerly TOOTH AND NAIL), the new project featuring current and former members of DOKKEN: George Lynch, Jeff Pilson (bass) and Mick Brown (drums).

"Slave To The Empire" contains eight new original songs and four re-recorded classic DOKKEN songs that feature sensational vocal performances by Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES), Doug Pinnick (KING'S X), Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) and Robert Mason (WARRANT, LYNCH MOB). The drum tracks on the new, original compositions were laid down by Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER).

"Slave To The Empire" track listing:

01. Slave To The Empire
02. Sweet Unknown
03. Tooth And Nail (feat. Doug Pinnick)
04. It's Not Love (feat. Robert Mason)
05. Rhythm Of The Soul
06. When Eagles Die
07. Into The Fire (Jeff Pilson)
08. Alone Again (feat. Sebastian Bach)
09. Mind Control
10. Kiss Of Death (feat. Tim "Ripper" Owens)
11. Jesus Train
12. Access Denied

The song "It's Not Love" is now available for streaming below.

In a recent interview with Guitar International, Lynch stated about T&N, "We actually did two records. The first one, which will be released in September, and then the band will go out on the road at the beginning of October. We'll do a short West Coast tour, then play Loud Park festival in Japan as well as visit a few other Asian cities before heading to Europe for a couple weeks. Then it's back to the States and we will finish up before Christmas."

Earlier in the year, T&N was forced to shorten its name from TOOTH AND NAIL for legal reasons. The band stated, "We cannot keep [the name] as TOOTH AND NAIL as there is a label that has it trademarked. [Fans] can still call us TO$%H AND NA$L... We can't."

Regarding how T&N came together, Pilson said in an August 2011 interview, "The DOKKEN [original lineup] reunion has been scrapped, and I take a lot of the initial responsibility for that because of my schedule and commitment to FOREIGNER. . . Then George asked me about working with him on the next LYNCH MOB record — and I jumped at the chance. He and I started writing, got into a groove and wrote an album's worth of stuff, all with the intention of Oni [Logan, LYNCH MOB singer] writing lyrics and it being their next record. Brian Tichy laid down some incredible drums at his studio (and co-wrote some music on one track) and we had an incredibly strong start. Then Oni just wasn't feeling the music as being LYNCH MOB, so it was shelved. We figured it'd be the start of another LYNCH/PILSON record some day. Then, actually, it was Brian who had the idea that Mick, George and I should do a band, similar to what HEAVEN & HELL was to BLACK SABBATH, and call it TOOTH AND NAIL. Because of everything else we have going, it'll be just a recording project at first, but sure sounds fun. We'd record the classics keeping true to the originals but make them fresh and organic. Then the idea of doing new songs came up, and it grew from there."

He added, "I have absolute belief that the music George and I make together (along with Brian Tichy in this case) is real and inspired, and that's what it's really all about. So out of a mess of a reunion attempt, I think we'll end up with a really fabulous record, and what could be better than that?"

When asked if T&N is basically DOKKEN without Don, Pilson said, "Don is, and will always be, the singer of DOKKEN and an invaluable part of the DOKKEN chemistry. No one ever wants to take that away or dispute it one iota. But the three of us do have time tested amazing chemistry, and because we were writers on these songs, I feel we have a lot to express. If anything I think this will be a show of respect for Don, not some kind of competition. I only hope people enjoy it in the spirit for which it's intended . . . Don't think of this as DOKKEN without Don... that's misleading. Think of it as a band with great chemistry coming up with new music that excites them, and also paying tribute to DOKKEN — music which the members all are heavily invested in emotionally."

For pre-orders and audio samples, visit www.slavetotheempire.com.

"It's Not Love" (feat. Robert Mason) audio stream:

"Old Ghosts / New Regrets", a brand new song from Australian metallers PARKWAY DRIVE, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's fourth album, "Atlas", which will be released on October 30 via Epitaph Records. The deluxe package will include the "Home Is For The Heartless" DVD, a unique travelogue that follows the band's adventures touring to many obscure destinations including Colombia, China and India.

Yet another creative leap forward for the chart-topping Australian band, "Atlas" boasts some of the most up front and confrontational material PARKWAY DRIVE has ever released, while at the same time taking several unexpected turns into lush sonic terrain, redefining their trademark sound while reinforcing their position as leaders in their field.

Recorded in Los Angeles with esteemed producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, HATEBREED), "Atlas" sets the standard in musical progression by pushing musical boundaries and drawing from a wider scope of influence. From heavy, technically advanced riffs and rapid fire blast beats, to haunting death growls combined with fervent vocals and symphonic melodies, "Atlas"' ferocious mix of metal and hardcore reaches new horizons with songs such as "Dark Days", "Old Ghost / New Regrets" and "The River", all of which will have fans careening straight for the circle pit.

"Everything has been enhanced," says PARKWAY vocalist Winston McCall. "People don't have to kiss the old parts goodbye. When you think of change, you think of things being taken away, but there's not a case here where anything has been taken away. This is just more on top."

The new record is positioned to be the most highly anticipated heavy album of the year and follows 2010's phenomenally successful "Deep Blue", which debuted aat No. 39 in the U.S. on The Billboard 200, No. 2 in Australia, as well as reaching solid gold and winning the ARIA Award for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Album" and has since built steadfast momentum as a result of a groundswell of fan support in the U.S. Building on a record that was regarded as "not just a landmark album for themselves, [but] a milestone album for modern metal" (Metal Hammer)," "Atlas" cements PARKWAY DRIVE as the world's most hardcore musical superpower.

"'Atlas' is a culmination of ten years," says McCall. "Ten years of PARKWAY DRIVE, ten years of travel, ten years of being alive and watching our world spiral out of control. We're not holding anything back, we're not pulling any punches, and this world deserves nothing less."

"The Home Is For The Heartless" DVD has already reached platinum status in Australia and is only available in the U.S. via the deluxe package. According to McCall, the DVD gives an additional insight into the album's lyrical themes, which are closely related to exploration and discovery.

"Reading the lyrics to 'Atlas' after watching the DVD, I think you will have more of a sense of where we are coming from," McCall reveals. "The album is called 'Atlas' because it's a combination of the travelling we've done over the past year, while also playing on the idea of 'Atlas', who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders."

When asked if he feels as though he and the band are anything like the mythological Greek titan, bearing the weight of the world on their shoulders, McCall replies: "I think everybody feels that way at one time or another. It's a heavy place to live, and it's a heavy time to be alive. Some people watch the DVD and go, 'Man, it makes me jealous of your life.' But I think with every expanse of your horizon, you go into another bubble of society where you are able to see that others in the world aren't doing so good. It's one of those things... the more your horizon expands, the more negative things you see. For that reason, there is a lot of stuff on this record that is more confrontational than anything we've written in the past."

The track listing for the deluxe CD/DVD edition of "Atlas" is as follows:

01. Sparks
02. Old Ghosts / New Regrets
03. Dream Run
04. Wild Eyes
05. Dark Days
06. The River
07. Swing
08. The Slow Surrender
09. Atlas
10. Sleight Of Hand
11. Snake Oil And Holy Water
12. Blue And The Grey

"Old Ghosts / New Regrets" audio stream:

Four songs from "A Map Of All Our Failures", the new album from U.K. doom metallers MY DYING BRIDE, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

"A Map Of All Our Failures" will be released on October 15 in Europe and October 16 in the U.S. via Peaceville Records on CD, double vinyl and special-edition CD/DVD. The effort was recorded and mixed at Futureworks Studios in Manchester, England with the band's longtime production partner Rob "Mags" Magoolagan at the helm.

According to a press release, "a step up from 2009's 'For Lies I Sire' — which set and subsequently met new heights of expectation placed upon the legendary Yorkshire doom troupe — 'A Map Of All Our Failures' is a further voyage into the darkest depths of humanity, religion, folklore, love and death. MY DYING BRIDE's distinctively sumptuous dual-guitar melodies effortlessly flood into juggernaut doom metal riffs, with the vocals of Aaron Stainthorpe weaving a rich tapestry of tragic tales into the accompanying soundscapes. 'A Map Of All Our Failures' is perhaps best and most effectively summarized by guitarist Andrew Craighan, who describes the album as 'a controlled demolition of all your hopes.'"

"A Map Of All Our Failures" track listing:

01. Kneel Till Doomsday
02. The Poorest Waltz
03. A Tapestry Scorned
04. Like A Perpetual Funeral
05. A Map Of All Our Failures
06. Hail Odysseus
07. Within The Presence Of Absence
08. Abandoned As Christ

MY DYING BRIDE recently launched a mini-site for "A Map Of All Our Failures", featuring album info, audio, video, downloads and more . Fans can stream a brand new song, "Kneel Till Doomsday", below, and those who sign up for the MY DYING BRIDE mailing list will receive a free download of the track.

MY DYING BRIDE will embark on a European tour in December in support of the new album. The band will also make an appearance at the U.K.'s esteemed Damnation Festival in November, at which Peaceville will be a proud sponsor to coincide with the label's 25th anniversary.

French melodic death metallers DESTINITY will release their sixth full-length album, "Resolve In Crimson", on November 20 (one day earlier internationally) via Lifeforce Records. The CD was recorded at Hansen studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacon Hansen (DESTRUCTION, MAROON, HATESPHERE, ILLDISPOSED, MERCENARY, RAUNCHY, DEADLOCK) and features cover artwork by Strychneen studios.

"Resolve In Crimson" track listing:

01. Black Sun Rising
02. Reap My Scars
03. Aiming A Fist In Enmity
04. Can't Stand The Sight
05. A Scent Of Scorn (feat. Stephane Buriez of LOUDBLAST)
06. Redshift
07. Only Way
08. Break Into His Heart
09. The Hatred

The song "Aiming A Fist In Enmity" is available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

DESTINITY's last CD, "XI Reasons To See", came out in February 2010 via Lifeforce.

According to a press release, DESTINITY's music is "melodic and anthem-like while being technical and extreme at the same time. This is exactly what makes the band unique and relevant because [they are] not focusing on one single style of metal exclusively. DESTINITY pay attention to the tradition of death and thrash metal and are technically experienced. On the other hand you will find an impulsive, catchy approach to the sound of DESTINITY that will blow you away!"

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has posted behind-the-scenes and performance footage from the band's appearance this past Sunday (October 14) at the second and final day of Bacardi NH7 Weekender's Delhi chapter in India. Check it out below.

In an interview with Hindustan Times conducted prior to the gig, MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover said, "We will be playing songs from the new album that we've released, but we also play the classics and the songs our fans love."

"We haven't ever played in New Delhi before and whenever we travel to a new place, we like to go out and explore it a little. We're very excited about going to New Delhi and playing a great concert," he added.

The 20th-anniversary edition of MEGADETH's 1992 double platinum-certified "Countdown To Extinction" album will be released on November 6 via Capitol/EMI.

After wrapping up their "TH1RT3EN World Tour" this fall, MEGADETH will perform the acclaimed album in its entirety on their "Countdown To Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour" this November and December.

"Take A Bullet", a brand new song from Geoff Tate, the legendary QUEENSRŸCHE frontman and one of the most acclaimed vocalists in the history of hard rock and heavy metal, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below (courtesy of Ultimate Classic Rock). The track comes off his second solo album, "Kings & Thieves", which will be released on November 6 via InsideOut Music.

"My goal with this record was to make a solid rock album," says 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."

"Kings & Thieves" track listing:

01. She Slipped Away
02. Take A Bullet
03. In The Dirt
04. Say U Luv It
05. The Way I Roll
06. Tomorrow
07. Evil
08. Dark Money
09. These Glory Days
10. Change
11. Waiting

The cover artwork for the album can be seen below.

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.

"[Sanctuary weren't really a record company. Sanctuary was a money-making machine and they went out of business very quickly," Tate told Oregon Music News earlier this year. "I'm glad to be done with that, actually."

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

On September 2, Tate announced that he was launching his own version of QUEENSRŸCHE with RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer, former QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE and WHITESNAKE bassist Rudy Sarzo and former MEGADETH and KING DIAMOND guitarist Glen Drover. Also on board in the new group are returning QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Kelly Gray — who played with the band from 1998 until 2001 and also produced several of their albums — and keyboardist Randy Gane, who has toured and recorded with QUEENSRŸCHE and Geoff's solo group in the past.

"Take A Bullet" audio stream (courtesy of Ultimate Classic Rock):

Norwegian black metallers CREST OF DARKNESS will release their sixth album, "In The Presence Of Death", on February 11, 2013 via My Kingdom Music. The ten-track CD promises to be the most complete, extreme and dark album the band has ever recorded.

CREST OF DARKNESS recently announced a change in lineup that saw the departure of Kjell Arne Hubred after seven years with the band, and the arrival of DJEVELKULT guitarist Jan Fredrik Solheim to replace him.

"It's sad to be saying goodbye to Kjell Arne after all this time," said founder and frontman Ingar Amlien, "but he has a young family and with CREST OF DARKNESS intending to work harder than ever, it was too difficult for him to devote the amount of time to the band that would be needed, and that's something we understand. We've been very lucky in finding Jan Fredrik to replace him. He's young, talented, highly motivated and has plenty of ambition. We've rehearsed with him several times and it was obvious that he knew CREST OF DARKNESS' music long before he joined us. With the release of our new album imminent, he has brought a renewed sense of enthusiasm and purpose to the band, and as far as I'm concerned we're sounding better and stronger than ever."

Formed in the mid-Nineties by Amlien, CREST OF DARKNESS is a totally different beast from his former band CONCEPTION, which at that time was at the peak of its popularity. Whilst CONCEPTION tended towards the progressive side of power metal, CREST OF DARKNESS allowed Amlien to indulge his passion for sonic brutality and his interest in vampirism and Satanic ideology, both of which are reflected in the band's lyrics.

Aside from Amlien on bass and vocals and Solheim on guitar, CREST OF DARKNESS'current lineup includes Rebo on guitars and Kjetil Hektoen on drums.

John Doran of The Quietus recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

The Quietus: Normally, side projects seem to get cranked out in six months down time but "British Lion" must have the longest gestation period of any side project album ever.

Harris: Probably yeah. [laughs] We've actually taken longer to get this album out than GUNS N' ROSES took with "Chinese Democracy". You say side projects are usually done in a six-month period but I don't get that amount of time available to me, unfortunately. As most people realize, I'm probably the busiest one in MAIDEN and there's always stuff going on. It would be a lie to say this album was done at a leisurely pace even… it was done at a snail's pace, a little bit here and a little bit there. But that's how it had to happen.

The Quietus: Are you going to play live?

Harris: I'd love to play the album live, I think we have to wait and see what the reaction is like first though, I never take anything for granted. I'd love to start with some club shows in key cities in Europe and then see how we go. Obviously it would be really weird because I know we haven't played any clubs for years.

The Quietus: When was the last time you were actually phased by playing in front of an audience? You must be so used to big crowds now would you actually find it more frightening to play in front of an intimate audience… would the adrenaline be pumping more?

Harris: Well, I don't know for sure, but yeah, I can imagine that once you step outside of the MAIDEN comfort zone, then you don't know what to expect. I still do get a little bit nervous at the beginning of MAIDEN tours but that's mainly because of the new material. We will have rehearsed but you can rehearse until the cows come home and the first few shows will always be a little bit rusty. Once you're confident, it doesn't matter so much. I used to get more worried years ago with MAIDEN about whether people were going to turn up or not. It's different now. I may not expect every single show to sell out and I never take everything for granted, but you still know you're going to get a certain amount of people.

The Quietus: Obviously, in IRON MAIDEN you're all really fit, you play football, the gigs themselves are obviously workouts. Is there any reason why you can't keep on doing this for another ten years?

Harris: I don't know about ten years, but I think we've certainly got another five years in us but it's hard to say. As you get older it gets doubly hard to keep yourself fit and in shape. We do work really hard on doing that. It's important to us. We'd be selling ourselves and everyone else short if we didn't, so we do look after ourselves. It does get tougher. I don't play football much anymore, but I play a lot of tennis. Partly because I've had so many problems with my back that I can only play the odd match here or there. Unfortunately, it's five years since I've played a full season of football and that's something that I miss a lot, but I had to make a decision.

The Quietus: Given how abrasive heavy metal is with image, sound, philosophy, lyrics etc, how do you explain its huge global appeal?

Harris: Because it really means something to the people who listen to it. It gives them an identity where they can feel part of it. And it's appealing that outsiders don't understand it. And if people from the outside do check it out properly, then I think a lot of people end up thinking, "You know, there's a lot more to this than meets the eye." And you know what? There is.

German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS took part in an interview and "Still Loving You" acoustic performance during a recent appearance on the French TV show "13 Heures", which airs on the France 2 channel. You can now watch it below.

SCORPIONS' "Comeblack", a new album of classic rock covers and fresh performances of signature repertoire recorded last year, sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 90 on The Billboard 200 chart.

SCORPIONS' last collection of all-original material, "Sting In The Tail", opened with 18,500 units to land at No. 23. This marked the band's highest chart debut in over 20 years. The CD also landed at No. 6 on the Rock Albums chart.

Maryland rockers CLUTCH have set "Earth Rocker" as the title of their new studio album, due in March 2013 via the band's own Weathermaker Music label. The CD was produced by Machine (LAMB OF GOD, FOUR YEAR STRONG, FALL OUT BOY) and is described by the band's guitarist Tim Sult as "the heaviest and fastest CLUTCH album to date."

In conjunction with the album's release, CLUTCH will embark on the "Earth Rocker" world tour beginning in the United Kingdom in January 2013. The North American trek will run from March 8 through April 20.

Fans can keep up on the progress of "Earth Rocker" studio sessions by visiting the newly launched www.earthrocker.com web site. Expect to see daily updates, including photos, videos from the studio, songtitle announcements and samples of new songs.

Commented CLUTCH frontman Neil Fallon: "Last-minute overdubs are fun. Harmonicas, tambourines (yes, we use those), claps, the odd backing vocal.

"Recording can be monotonous, so those unintended moments can be a lot of fun. It's kind of like kindergarten music class, but with beer. And sometimes the spontaneity of a last-ditch idea breathes a lot of life back into a song that we've been beating up for weeks on end. A looming deadline can be a great muse!"

He continued: "['Earth Rocker'] has a lot in common with 'Blast Tyrant' in that Machine's production techniques are really unique. [However] it differs from 'Blast Tyrant' and a lot of other CLUTCH records in that, overall, the songs are faster and concise."

CLUTCH will take to the road on Halloween for a quick run of dates, including two stops in Flint, Michigan and two shows in Detroit, Michigan. MONSTRO will open these dates, with LIONIZE providing direct support. .

In what has become an annual tradition, CLUTCH will play a string of holiday concerts this December. The dates kick off December 26 in Washington, D.C. and conclude with a special New Year's Eve performance in Worcester, Massachusetts at The Palladium. Support on these shows will come from MONDO GENERATOR, SAVIOURS and WINO.

Singer Björn Gooßes has left German melodic death metallers NIGHT IN GALES. His statement reads as follows:

"1996-2012. 16 years NIGHT IN GALES, during which I have experienced some of the most intense moments as a musician — positive as well as negative ones.

"Well, heavy metal ain't no picnic. I don't wanna miss these memories whatsoever and I'll always be proud of what we have done as a band!

"After four albums, some great and memorable tours, many festivals and numerous shows across all Europe as well as a crazy trip to Japan, there was more or less silence for quite a while. But ten years after 'Necrodynamic', we didn't only give a sign life with our fifth record 'Five Scars', we rather returned with a bang! Yet this album is my swansong for NIGHT IN GALES.

"Since the release of 'Five Scars', we earned overwhelming response on the album and played some awesome shows.

"I will gratefully treasure the memory of my very last two shows with NIGHT IN GALES, which took place in Romania last weekend — but still time has come for me to close this chapter. With 'Five Scars', things have come full circle for me.

"I want to thank Jens, Tobbe, Frank and Adriano, our former drummer Christian and interim drummer Hartmut as well as all supporters, partners and friends of NIGHT IN GALES for pulling their weight on making this band become part of my DNA.

"1996-2012. 16 years NIGHT IN GALES. I'll miss you, but it's time to move on. Cheers!"

The remaining members of NIGHT IN GALES have released the following statement regading Gooßes' departure:

"Those of you who have digged a bit deeper into the lyrics of 'Five Scars' may have noticed that drastic changes approach for NIGHT IN GALES.

"So, Björn's story ends here, only one year after the release of 'Five Scars'. It was a worthy year of parting indeed, including lots of postive feedback from all over the globe, many live highlights and excesses after a long and necessary break.

"Of course we respect Björn's decision, yet it is a strange feeling. With his lyrics, artworks, style of singing and general presence he had a substantial share in NIGHT IN GALES from 1996 until this very day. We thank our brother of steel for the great time, for his commitment with heart and soul, for spilling sweat, blood and tears together.

"The last year has been a good one for the band, so we decided to go on. The empty position behind the microphone could fortunately be filled quickly. More info on that soon."

Gooßes will now fully concentrate on his other band THE VERY END, which will release its new album, "Turn Off The World", on November 23 via Steamhammer/SPV.

AXEWOUND recently recorded several songs — "Cold", "Post Apocalyptic Party", "Exorchrist" and "Destroy" — at the legendary BBC Maida Vale Studios in London, England for an exclusive BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" session which aired last night (Monday, October 15) as part of Daniel Carter's program. You can now listen to the show for the next seven days at this location. Also available are a couple of video clips from the recording session.

AXEWOUND is the project featuring Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) on guitar and vocals, Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) on lead vocals, Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) on guitar, Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) on bass, and Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, KILLING JOKE) on drums.

The band's debut album, "Vultures", was released in the U.S. on October 2 via The End.

AXEWOUND is an outlet for the musicians to make music that is more extreme than they can and do in their regular bands. Their inspirations for doing so hark back to a golden generation of metal acts — to such heavyweight names as PANTERA and SLIPKNOT.

"Those were the bands that I adored growing up," says Matt Tuck. "They each had that 'don't-give-a-fuck' attitude. AXEWOUND is about us taking the same opportunity to do exactly what we want. Musically, lyrically, it is what it is — no boundaries or limits."

The roots of AXEWOUND go back to 2010, when Jason Bowld filled in for BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE drummer Michael "Moose" Thomas on a brace of shows. He and Tuck kept in touch and last year began discussing working together on a project separate from the hugely successful Welsh metallers. They eventually got together in December 2011 to write the songs that make up AXEWOUND's debut album, "Vultures".

Cormier was the obvious choice to front and pen lyrics for these songs. He and Tuck had been friends for years, CANCER BATS having supported BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE on numerous tours.

The "Vultures" album was recorded in Cardiff at the start of this year, regular BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE collaborator Martin "Ginge" Ford engineering the sessions. From the outset, the aim was to work quickly and instinctively. In the event, they recorded 11 songs in 11 frenetic days.

AXEWOUND is:

Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) - Guitar, Vocals
Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) – Vocals
Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) - Guitar
Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) - Bass
Jason Bowld (ex-PITCHSHIFTER) - Drums

One of the most amazing collection of jazz-fusion and progressive rock legends ever to assemble on one CD has happened with the new release by THE FUSION SYNDICATE, available October 16th on Purple Pyramid Records. Brought together by multi-instumentalist, producer Billy Sherwood (YES, CIRCA:), who gave us the fascinating release by THE PROG COLLECTIVE earlier this year. Now, Billy has produced, recorded and written tracks for a new jazz-rock-fusion supergroup of musical virtuosos - The Fusion Syndicate!
The album features appearances from Rick Wakeman, Jerry Goodman, Nik Turner, Jimmy Haslip, Steve Stevens, Jordan Rudess, Mel Collins, Billy Cobham, Jay Beckenstein, Billy Sheehan, Gavin Harrison, David Sancious, Larry Coryell, Derek Sherinian, Eric Marienthal, Chester Thompson, Steve Morse, Jim Beard, Randy Brecker, Percy Jones, John Etheridge, Tony Kaye, Chad Wackerman, Steve Hillage, Scott Kinsley, Theo Travis, Justin Chancellor and Asaf Sirkis. Produced by Billy Sherwood.

“When I was asked to write/produce a fusion record I jumped at the chance. I've always had a deep love of jazz and fusion music having grown up listening to WEATHER REPORT, RETURN TO FOREVER, MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA among many others in the genre. The record has become a musical dream team, including some of the world's most reknowned players in the field. The music reflects a time when virtuosity was the standard and incredible musicianship was the order of the day. Each artist sharing their talent and skill, blending it all into a bigger musical picture, creating an amazing expression of unity and purpose. I'm honored to be a part of it all and I thank all the artists who joined me on this journey, they have all lifted the music to a higher level.” - Billy Sherwood, producer.
Tracks include:

'Random Acts Of Science' - Rick Wakeman (YES), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Nik Turner (HAWKWIND), Jimmy Haslip (YELLOWJACKETS, ALAN HOLDWORTH)
'Stone Cold Infusion' - Steve Stevens, Jordan Rudess (DREAM THEATER, LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT), Mel Collins (KING CRIMSON), Colin Edwin (PORCUPINE TREE), Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
'Molecular Breakdown' - Jay Beckenstein (SPYROGYRA), Billy Sheehan (STEVE VAI), Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree), David Sancious (THE E STREET BAND)
'Particle Accelerations' - Larry Coryell, Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), Eric Marienthal (CHICK COREA ELEKTRIC BAND), Chester Thompson (GENESIS, FRANK ZAPPA)
'At The Edge Of The Middle' - Steve Morse (DIXIE DREGS, DEEP PURPLE), Jim Beard (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Randy Brecker (BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, BRECKER BROTHERS), Percy Jones (SOFT MACHINE, BRAND X)
'Atom Smashing' - John Etheridge (Soft Machine), Tony Kaye (YES), Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa),
'In The Spirit Of' - Steve Hillage (GONG), Scott Kinsey (TRIBAL TECH), Theo Travis (STEVEN WILSON BAND), Justin Chancellor (TOOL), Asaf Sirkis (THE ORIENT HOUSE ENSEMBLE)

"Always a pleasure to work with Billy Sherwood and all the other musicians he chooses. Add some great music and the combination is complete." - Rick Wakeman

“Fusion music gave me a way to relate to jazz. I liked the rock energy, and the unexpected twists, turns and rhythms that made it fun to play. So, it's a big influence on the direction I took.” - Steve Morse

The Fusion Syndicate is avaliable from Purple Pyramid Records and can pre-ordered below:

"The Pride", the new video from Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, can be seen below. The clip includes footage from the band's most recent tour, which was this past summer's Trespass America trek, also featuring KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, POP EVIL and others.

"The Pride" comes off FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's third album, "American Capitalist", which was certified gold last month by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for shipments in excess of 500,000 copies. Not only is it the band's third album, but it is the third consecutive release from the group to reach the gold mark, with previous efforts "The Way Of The Fist" and "War Is The Answer" also selling more than half a million copies each. "American Capitalist" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart when it came out in October 2011.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory said in a statement, ""I think it's a huge win for all of us, not just for us as a band but for the entire genre of hard rock and heavy metal. This is a loud and clear indicator that heavy music is in demand and if a relatively new band like us can accomplish something like this, then maybe be this is just the prelude for the shape of things to come."

Bathory told The Pulse Of Radio that staying focused is the key to FIVE FINGER's success. "I think the idea of 'rock star' has changed in the last two decades," he said. "The whole idea of like, 'hey, let's party, let's drink or do stuff that's stupid' doesn't work. It's a different world now. You have to be really conscious of what's happening, because it's so much harder now. You really have to work for it, you really have to know what you're doing, you have to be aggressive, goal-oriented, and you have to have a head on your shoulders, or it's just not gonna happen."

The band has also sold 3.6 million copies total of its various singles, which include recent chart-topper "Coming Down", "Never Enough", "Hard To See", "Bad Company", "Under And Over It", "Remember Everything" and others.

The band next performs on the ShipRocked cruise from November 27 through December 1, with GODSMACK, KORN, SEVENDUST and more.

Dark Descent Records will release the self-titled debut from Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based blackened death metal four-piece PAROXSIHZEM on October 30.

Formed in 2007, PAROXSIHZEM puts forth a harsh, dark, demented, and atmospheric form of black/death metal. Their debut CD offers production that gives a very suffocating and nauseating feeling to their music which is only appropriate for the type of themes and inspiration used. There is no specific area of interest as history, philosophy, psychology and suicide are all touched upon as inspirational elements. The relation between all these is to reach the darkest, non-fictional embodiment of humanity, no spiritual, fictional or delusional inspirations used, only tangible events that convey a much more brutal and contorted view of humanity allowing for a closer association to the reality of existence. Each song in and of itself is unique, ranging from doomy and atmospheric, to chaotic and hateful, this is to help convey the insanity within humanity by utilizing a variety of powerful elements within the music.

Guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH will release his autobiography, "Sacrum Profanum", in Poland on October 17. The book, which was previously described by Nergal as "a really long in-depth interview," will initially only be made available in Polish, but "depending on interest, we might be translating this into English," he said.

The "Sacrum Profanum" cover photo was taken by Ivo Ledwozyw, with post-production by Seth Siro Anton (PARADISE LOST, KAMELOT, MOONSPELL, SOILWORK, EXODUS, JOB FOR A COWBOY, DECAPITATED, VADER).

Several promotional clips for "Sacrum Profanum" were recently directed by Dariusz Szermanowicz of Polish producers Grupa 13, with whom Nergal previously collaborated on the BEHEMOTH videos "At The Left Hand Ov God" and "Ov Fire And The Void".

The trailers were scripted by Nergal and are "little portraits of certain chapters of the book," according to the BEHEMOTH frontman. The clips show Nergal reading excerpts from the autobiography as well as acting out parts of stories that he describes as "some funny, some sad, some evil — some related to the band, some not." The series of trailers are in the Polish language with English subtitles.

The sixth trailer can now be seen below.

An excerpt from the book (in Polish) can be downloaded at this location.

In December 2010, Darski underwent a bone marrow transplant procedure after being diagnosed with a life-threatening form of leukemia.

Trailer #6: