"Dismantling", a brand new song from Swedish death metallers SKINEATER, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's debut album, "Dermal Harvest", which will be released later this year via Pulverised Records.

"Dermal Harvest" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Pelle Saether at Studio Underground (CARNAL FORGE, AMARAN, MÅNEGARM), with the album cover designed and conceptualized by Matthias Björkbacka.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. He Was Murdered
02. Dismantling
03. Your Life Is Mine
04. Made Of Godsick
05. Through The Empire
06. Stab
07. Drifting
08. Thousand Dead Faces
09. Bring Them
10. Solitude Discord

SKINEATER last year announced the addition of drummer Matte Modin (DARK FUNERAL, RAISED FIST, DEFLESHED, SPORTLOV) to the group's ranks.

Formed in late 2008, SKINEATER features scene veterans Håkan Stuvemark (ex-WOMBBATH, ex-IN THY DREAMS), Stefan Westerberg (ex-CARNAL FORGE, ex-IN THY DREAMS) and Jörgen Ström (THE MARY MAJOR).

SKINEATER is:

Jörgen Ström - Vocals
Håkan Stuvemark - Guitars
Stefan Westerberg - Bass
Matte Modin - Drums

For more information, go to this location.

Southern California's HEARTIST has inked a deal with Roadrunner Records. The band's self-produced, six-song EP, "Nothing You Didn't Deserve", will be available on iTunes on October 16.

The lead track from the EP, "Disconnected", is now available for free download at www.heartistband.com.

"The band formed in early 2011," said HEARTIST vocalist Bryce Beckley. "It started with our two guitarists, Tim and John. They had come from another band that had recently broken up, and they decided to give it another shot, and they found me; I had recently left my band as well. I went over there and auditioned for them — they seemed to really like it, so we started writing together. We originally were going to do a couple of demos, but the more stuff we wrote, we were just like, let's shoot for a whole EP. We had Matt, our drummer, who at the time was playing with NORMA JEAN, track for us. Matt ended up leaving NORMA JEAN later on, after a little convincing by us. We picked up our bassist very late last year to complete the lineup."

Regarding HEARTIST's sound, Beckley said, "When we first joined together, we had a collective goal that we didn't want to get stuck in a specific scene; get locked in to where we could only play heavy shows and that kind of thing. We deliberately wrote our EP so that it was kind of a transitional sound, in between heavy rock and hardcore music, with breakdowns and stuff. And we did it that way so that if we made a transition in either direction, it wouldn't be super surprising to fans. Currently we're demoing out for a full-length, and we're going for a much heavier, dark rock sound."

HEARTIST is:

Bryce Beckley - Vocals
Jonathan Gaytan - Guitar/Vocals
Tim Koch - Guitar
Matt Marquez - Drums
Evan Ranallo – Bass

Bassist Robbie Crane has released the following statement:

"With much thought and regret, I am resigning as the bass player of LYNCH MOB...

"Thank you to all of the fans for your support of the band and 'Sound Mountain Sessions'... It has been a wild two-year ride that I wouldn't change for anything!"

Crane, who had played with RATT from 1997 until earlier this year, quit the band in March to focus on LYNCH MOB. During an appearance on the March 22 edition of the "Headbangers At 11" show on the 93.3 KDKB radio station with host Mike Gaube, Crane stated about his decision to leave RATT, "I've been playing in LYNCH MOB since October of 2010. It's a thing that I've always loved doing, and I love playing with the band. . I'd been with RATT for 15 years and it was time to move on. I love being in LYNCH MOB and this is where my heart's at."

LYNCH MOB's four-song EP, "Sound Mountain Sessions", was released on August 7 via Rat Pak Records.

"Tyrannical Decay", the new video from San Diego death metallers PATHOLOGY, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's new album, "The Time Of Great Purification", which will be released on September 25 via Victory Records. The CD was recorded at Lambesis Studios with Daniel Castleman.

"This is definitely our heaviest and most technical album to date," states drummer Dave Astor.

"The Time Of Great Purification" features artwork by Pär Olofsson, creator of the cover art for PATHOLOGY's last two albums, 2010's "Legacy Of The Ancients" and 2011's "Awaken To The Suffering". The concept is simple: the doctor is controlling the 2012 apocalypse and destroying the world!

PATHOLOGY recently completed a twenty-six city run on the "Slaughter Survivors" tour with ENFOLD DARKNESS, FALLUJAH, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and AEGAEON.

Maine progressive tech-metallists LAST CHANCE TO REASON will enter Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida later this week with producer Eyal Levi (DAATH, WHITECHAPEL, SIX FEET UNDER) to begin recording their third album for an early 2013 release via Prosthetic Records. The CD will mark the recording debut of Boston-based guitarist Mike Abdow, who joined the band last fall.

Commented LAST CHANCE TO REASON drummer Evan Sammons: "We've been working on the new album diligently and now we're headed to Audiohammer to begin tracking with Eyal. We've been sending material to Eyal and talking about production techniques and ideas for the album's tone and things are really clicking.

"Touring with great bands over the past couple years has really inspired us to up the ante for this release. We've grown as songwriters and are embracing our strengths as musicians.

"We're doing a concept piece again and we'll be making sure the music and production suits the story."

Added LAST CHANCE TO REASON vocalist Michael Lessard: "Having Eyal involved has been nothing short of excellent. He understands where we are going with the concept of this album and has only helped strengthen that vision."

LAST CHANCE TO REASON's Prosthetic debut, "Level 2", was praised by Outburn for its "climatic passages" and "stirring ethereality." The concept album, which was produced by Jamie King (BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT), revolved around the relationship between man and technology. The band took the concept one step further by teaming up with indie developer Tom Vine and pixel artist Francis Coulombe to create a fully interactive video game version of the album in which the story unfolds through the band's thematic riffs, stirring vocal hooks and progressive virtuosity while the player blasts his way through vicious gameplay inspired by classics such as R-Type, Contra, and Super Metroid.

Massachusetts metallers REVOCATION have announced a North American tour for this fall presented by Scion A/V. The trek will begin October 18 in Trenton, New Jersey and run through November 14 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Support on the tour will come from A LIFE ONCE LOST and KEN MODE.

In conjunction with the tour, Scion A/V will release a new EP from REVOCATION later this month. Titled "Teratogenesis", the effort features the first recordings with the band's new bass player Brett Bamberger.

Commented REVOCATION frontman Dave Davidson: "As some of you have already noticed, Anthony has parted ways with the band. The split was amicable and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors. We have recently enlisted the services of Brett Bamberger and we are incredibly stoked to have him on board as an official member. Come see us live and buy him a beer."

REVOCATION is currently on the road in Europe with labelmates DYING FETUS as part of "The Womb to Waste" tour.

REVOCATION's latest album, "Chaos Of Forms", was released in August 16, 2011 in North America and September 5, 2011 internationally via Relapse Records. The follow-up to 2009's "Existence Is Futile" was recorded at Damage Studios in Southbridge, Massachusetts with engineer Pete Rutcho and features 12 tracks with a running time of a little over 45 minutes.

REVOCATION is:

David Davidson - Guitar, Vocals
Dan Gargiulo - Guitar, Vocals
Brett Bamberger - Bass, Vocals
Phil Dubois - Drums

According to RockOverdose.gr, Sons Of A Dream Music will re-release WARLORD's "Deliver Us" to coincide with the album's 30th anniversary.

"Deliver Us" underwent copious restoration and remastering in order to be presented in its intended form. For the first time in almost 30 years, Sons Of A Dream Music had access to the original quarter-inch tape masters and will present the album in its entirety (including the often overlooked, speed-infused epic "Mrs. Victoria"), unlike the original U.S. release. Not stopping at the audio quality, the now-classic cover also went through an extensive restoration and will be presented in all its canvas-quality glory.

From artwork, to sound, to liner notes (including the original liner notes in addition to the new ones), the album will be presented as it was envisioned by William J. Tsamis and Mark Zonder, who also oversaw the entire process, step by step.

"Deliver Us" will be re-released on September 30, initially via iTunes, in a special mastered for iTunes digital LP format, AmazonMP3, eMusic, GooglePlay, Zune Marketplace and other major e-tailers worldwide. CD as well as LP releases will follow soon thereafter.

The expanded reissue of "Deliver Us" marks the first in a series of WARLORD releases that will bring the glory of the band's music to the 21st century, making all their music available once again and allowing a new generation of fans to be exposed to the haunting melodies of Tsamis and thundering drumming of Zonder.

Fully following Tsamis and Zonder's wishes, Sons Of A Dream Music will price all releases in all formats competitively, allowing fans with limited budget access to these otherwise unreachable until now epic works.

Sons Of A Dream Music, listening to fans requests, is currently working to secure the best possible physical distribution in order to make the CDs and LPs available to as many fans as possible.

According to MetalShockFinland.com, drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, UFO, RHINO BUCKET, DIO, DIO DISCIPLES) is featured on the second album from Italian hard rockers THE ROCKER. Entitled "Blood Strength And Soul", the CD will contain eleven tracks of "pure hard rock with some Southern [overtones]" and will be released in the coming months.

"Blood Strength And Soul" was mixed between end of August and September 10 at Command Studio in Los Angeles, California by Fabrizio Grossi, known both as a bassist (having worked with Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Neal Schon, Slash and others) and a sound engineer and producer of such artists as Glenn Hughes, Dave Navarro, Steve Lukather and HOUSE OF LORDS. The mastering was handled by Pete Doell of Universal Mastering.

In addition to vocalist Edo Arlenghi (better known as the leader of RIFF-RAFF, the famous Italian AC/DC tribute band), guitarist Sergio Aschieris and bassist Fabrizio Grossi also participated in the new album recordings.

THE ROCKER recently filmed a video for the "Blood Strength And Soul" title track in the Californian desert.

Photo credit: Marcello Catozzi

MACHINE HEAD, IN FLAMES, RAMMSTEIN, SABATON and CANNIBAL CORPSE are among the bands that were honored at this year's installment of the Metal Hammer Award Show, which was held on Friday, September 14 at Kesselhaus in Berlin, Germany.

Angela Gossow (ARCH ENEMY) hosted the event, which featured performances by SABATON, ELUVEITIE and CALLEJON.

Metal Hammer Award Show winners:

* Legend: Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR)
* God Of Riffs: Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY)
* Best Album: IN FLAMES - "Sounds Of A Playground Fading"
* Best Debut: WHILE SHE SLEEPS - "This Is The Six"
* Best German Band: RAMMSTEIN
* Best International Band: MACHINE HEAD
* Best Live Band: SABATON
* Metal Anthem: CANNIBAL CORPSE - "Scourge Of Iron"
* Up And Coming: GRAVEYARD
* Maximum Metal: Vinnie Paul Abbott (HELLYEAH, ex-PANTERA)

Fan-filmed video footage of the event can be seen below.

Check out photos at Metal-Hammer.de.

Florida-based, female-fronted power metallers SEVEN KINGDOMS will release their third album, "The Fire Is Mine", on October 9 via Nightmare Records. The CD was recorded in May at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida with legendary producer Jim Morris (ICED EARTH, OBITUARY, JON OLIVA'S PAIN, JAG PANZER).

According to a press release, "'The Fire Is Mine' shows a great solidification in [SEVEN KINGDOMS'] sound and direction; they've amped up every aspect from songwriting, vocals to production and live performance. This one goes to eleven on all counts — including the number of tracks! The vocals and beautiful crystalline melodies of Sabrina Valentine are uniquely set in a furious power/thrash metal attack, blended with epic choirs and the occasional beer-chanting of the men of SEVEN KINGDOMS."

"The Fire Is Mine" track listing:

01. Beyond The Wall
02. After The Fall
03. Forever Brave
04. Flame Of Olympus
05. Symphony Of Stars
06. The Fire Is Mine
07. Kardia
08. Fragile Minds Collapse
09. In The Twisted Twilight
10. A Debt Paid In Steel
11. The King In The North

The "After The Fall" video premiered this past weekend at the ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta, Georgia and can now be seen below.

Says the band: "We are beyond stoked to finally unleash our video. We have been working very hard on this record for over a year and this is the first public release of the new material that we have poured our hearts and souls into. We bleed power metal and hope it shows. Big thanks to our director, Dan Drescher, for his awesome work on 'After The Fall'!"

SEVEN KINGDOMS's sophomore album was released in July 2010 via Nightmare Records.

Formed in Deland, Florida in 2007 by Camden Cruz and Bryan Edwards, SEVEN KINGDOMS entered Morrisound Recording in Tampa in August 2007 to record its debut self-financed independent release, "Brothers of the Night", which was lyrically inspired by the literary works of George R. Martin.

After playing shows throughout the Southeastern region of the United States with such bands as SONATA ARCTICA, THE AGONIST, STEPHEN PEARCY and CIRCLE II CIRCLE, SEVEN KINGDOMS returned to Morrisound in 2009 to begin work on its self-titled sophomore effort.

SEVEN KINGDOMS is:

Sabrina Valentine – Vocals
Camden Cruz – Guitar
Kevin Byrd – Guitar
Aaron Sluss – Bass
Keith Byrd - Drums

Geoff Tate, the legendary QUEENSRŸCHE frontman and one of the most acclaimed vocalists in the history of hard rock and heavy metal, will release his second solo album, "Kings & Thieves", 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.

Fan-filmed video footage of Tate's June 7 solo performance at Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California can be seen below.

Reformed Seattle grunge legends SOUNDGARDEN will release "King Animal", the band's first new studio album in over 15 years, via Tom Whalley's new record label, a partnership between his Seven Four Entertainment and Republic Records, on November 13. The album's first single, "Been Away Too Long", will be available via digital retailers on September 27. The band co-produced their sixth studio album with longtime SOUNDGARDEN friend and producer Adam Kasper (FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA, PEARL JAM) and recorded at Studio X in Seattle. "King Animal" was mixed by Joe Barresi (THE MELVINS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, WEEZER) in Pasadena, California.

The writing and recording of the album was a true collaborative effort. Riotous album opener and first single "Been Away Too Long" finds SOUNDGARDEN back at it with a double-edged blast of homecoming celebration and urban angst. "King Animal" can be explosive, as in "Blood On The Valley Floor", nightmarish ("Worse Dreams") or wistful ("Halfway There"), leading us through changing sonic landscapes that can embrace both the jazz inflections of "Black Saturday" and the feral rocker "Attrition", with compelling lyrics by bassist Ben Shepherd. The subject matter is broad — Kim Thayil's lyrics for "Non-State Actor" are a sharp and cynical take on the powers behind political thrones, while Cornell's bruised and introspective "Bones of Birds" explores the terrors and vulnerabilities of parenthood.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, "Been Away Too Long" will be shipped to rock radio stations this coming Wednesday (September 19), with a digital release set for September 27.

"King Animal" track listing:

01. Been Away Too Long
02. Non-State Actor
03. By Crooked Steps
04. A Thousand Days Before
05. Blood On The Valley Floor
06. Bones of Birds
07. Taree
08. Attrition
09. Black Saturday
10. Halfway There
11. Worse Dreams
12. Eyelid's Mouth
13. Rowing

SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio that the band's 2010 reunion after 13 years apart never felt contrived. "You know, it never really felt forced or anything to try to make a big comeback and, you know, make a reunion happen, 'cause it can certainly backfire," he said. "I think we wanted to just approach it very methodically, and I think we've been doing so."

The band recently launched a web site and teaser video for "King Animal", which included an excerpt from a track called "Worse Dreams".

The only new SOUNDGARDEN song to be heard in its entirety so far is "Live To Rise", which was the lead single from the soundtrack album of the blockbuster superhero film "The Avengers" this past summer.

SOUNDGARDEN's last full-length album was 1996's "Down On The Upside". The quartet disbanded the following year. Singer Chris Cornell embarked on a solo career and also joined AUDIOSLAVE, while Cameron became a member of PEARL JAM in 1998.

SOUNDGARDEN has yet to announce live plans for the rest of 2012 and beyond.

According to MelodicRock.com, legendary singer Joe Lynn Turner (pictured below; RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) is rumored to be putting together a new supergroup. This time he is apparently hooking up with drummer Carmine Appice (KING KOBRA, VANILLA FUDGE, OZZY OSBOURNE, BLUE MURDER) and bassist Michael Anthony (CHICKENFOOT, VAN HALEN), with a guitarist yet to be announced. The group plans to write and record new music in the vein of classic '70s rock artists such as FREE, BAD COMPANY, LED ZEPPELIN and DEEP PURPLE.

Former HOUWITSER bassist Ramon Ploeg has launched a new band called BLEEDING GODS. 11 songs have already been written and a demo will be recorded soon.

Ramon will not play bass in BLEEDING GODS and will instead handle guitar duties for the first time in five and a half years.

BLEEDING GODS lineup:

* Arnold Oudemiddendorp (ALTAR, DEVIOUS, VICTIMIZER) - Vocals
* Ramon Ploeg (HOUWITSER) - Guitar
* Erwin Harreman (SUPREME PAIN) - Guitar
* Bart van Wallenberg (SINISTER) - Bass
* Marco de Groot (ALTAR, HOUWITSER) - Drums

After a five-year tenure with HOUWITSER, Ploeg left the band in March 2012, explaining that he couldn't "combine the band with [his] jobs anymore."

A mini-site for "The Manticore And Other Horrors", the forthcoming tenth studio album from British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH, has been launched, featuring album audio, information, gallery, desktop downloads, plus a chance to download the track "For Your Vulgar Delectation" for free.

"The Manticore And Other Horrors" will be released in North America on October 30 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. The Unveiling Of O
02. The Abhorrent
03. For Your Vulgar Delectation
04. Illicitus
05. Manticore
06. Frost On Her Pillow
07. Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair
08. Pallid Reflection
09. Siding With The Titans
10. Succumb To This
11. Nightmares Of An Ether Drinker
12. Death, The Great Adventure (deluxe edition digipak)
13. Sinfonia (deluxe edition digipak)

Recorded in eight weeks at both Springvale and Grindstone studios (where it was also mixed by Scott Atkins), Suffolk, "The Manticore And Other Horrors" is a testament to the longevity of the 'FILTH, as not only does it reek of CRADLE's (feared or revered) brand of delicious metal vamperotica, but this thoroughly modern album places the band firmly in fresh killing fields anew.

"The Manticore And Other Horrors" itself possesses an altogether new atmosphere for the band, incorporating a heavier, faster NWOBBM punk vibe that is both current and cruel, blended with ornate orchestration and the quirky immediateness of 2000's "Midian" opus.

The album's title can be likened to a bestiary, a collection of stories on monsters - personal demons, Chimeras, literary fiends and world-enslaving entities to blame but a few. "Manticore", the ravening title track, is a song about a beautiful mythological horror that comes to be feared as the disfigurehead of foreign occupation in the Indian provinces.

The songs "Illicitus" and "Pallid Reflection" bear the sweet ingredients of vampirism and lycanthropy; the wicked "For Your Vulgar Delectation" and "Frost On Her Pillow" are woven perversely into grim fairy tales, whilst classic, monumental tracks like "The Abhorrent And Siding With The Titans" both extol tentacular Lovecraftian values.

Speaking to Metal-Trails.com at this year's Wacken Open Air festival, which took place August 2-4 in Wacken, Germany, CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani "Filth" Davey stated about the musical direction of the band's new album, "It's a slightly different direction for CRADLE OF FILTH. It's very fresh for people who appreciate our other works. It's a slightly shorter album, but we've concentrated on melody and different techniques that have been slightly missing from our music — it's a bit punkier, a bit more structured, a bit more singalong, but it's still extreme and it's still CRADLE OF FILTH."

He continued, "It's very hard to speak about it, because it's only been two years since our last record, so if it was so familiar, trying to explain what that record was like and what this record is like… Because there's so much going on in our music — there's symphonic parts and then there's really fast parts and slow, romantic interludes and, like I said, punk and New Wave Of British Heavy Metal in there. But it's all kind of wrapped up in theology and cinematic kind of soundscape. So it's hard to break it down and say, 'Well, this is what we're doing this time that's a bit different from the last time.' But it's good. We're really proud of what we're doing. I think people are gonna be very surprised when they hear it and go, 'Wow, that's CRADLE OF FILTH for 2012.'"

CRADLE OF FILTH is:

Dani Filth - Vocals
Paul Allender - Guitar
James McIlroy - Guitar
David Pybus - Bass
Martin Skaroupka - Drums

"We Are The Others", the new video from Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers DELAIN, can be seen below. The song is the title track of the band's third full-length studio album, which was released in North America via the New Jersey-based top-tier progressive metal label Sensory Records. CNR Entertainment handled the release in The Netherlands and Roadrunner Records issued the CD in the rest of Europe.

"We Are The Others" track listing (North American version):

01. Mother Machine
02. Electricity
03. We Are The Others
04. Milk And Honey
05. Hit Me With Your Best Shot
06. I Want You
07. Where Is The Blood (feat. Burton C. Bell)
08. Generation Me
09. Babylon
10. Are You Done With Me
11. Get The Devil Out Of Me
12. Not Enough
13. The Gathering (live)
14. Control The Storm (live)
15. Shattered (live)
16. Sleepwalkers Dream (live)

The "Get The Devil Out Of Me" video can be seen below. The clip features footage from the recording sessions for the new CD and live material, including footage from the Sonisphere festival in the U.K. (used with kind permission of BlinkTV).

Described as "the band's most powerful, most atmospheric and intoxicating album to date," "We Are The Others" was helmed by producer Jacob Hellner — renowned for his work with RAMMSTEIN, CLAWFINGER and APOCALYPTICA — while the vocals were tracked with the Epicentre team of Fredrik Thomander and Anders Wikström (SCORPIONS, BACKYARD BABIES).

At first glance, some songtitles on "We Are The Others" may sound mysterious and conspiratorial, but there is a very serious background: The lyrics to the title track were inspired by the hate crime against a British girl named Sophie Lancaster in 2007. She and her boyfriend were beaten comatose by a gang of youths, because of their goth looks, and Sophie later died from her injuries. This tragedy sent shockwaves throughout the world.

Commented singer Charlotte Wessels: "Sophie's story hit close to home for us, being part of a subculture ourselves but it's in no way an individual case; people are discriminated against — all the time, to the point of violence — based on their cultural or ethnic background everywhere.

"'We Are The Others' is our own 'outsiders anthem' for everybody who, deliberately or not, diverts from the norm. Whether it's by looking different, acting different, or choosing a different path in life then is expected from you."

Swedish death metallers DEMONICAL will enter Necromorbus Studio (WATAIN, UNANIMATED, DESTRÖYER 666) in Alvik, Sweden in November to begin recording their fourth album for a tentative April/May 2013 release.

Commented DEMONICAL bassist Martin Schulman: "The past weekend was spent at the DEMONICAL headquarter rehearsing new material and making preparations for the pre-production phase of the next album. Five tunes were nailed and completed, deadly material that is still good old death metal (which we all worship) but with some new perspectives and varied influences."

DEMONICAL recently parted ways with guitarist Pablo Magallanes. A replacement axeman has not yet been announced.

DEMONICAL's third album, "Death Infernal", was released in April 2011 via Germany's Cyclone Empire Records.

"Mermaids From Their Moons", the new video from Italian power/progressive metallers VISION DIVINE — founded by guitarist/songwriter Olaf Thorsen (LABYRINTH) and singer Fabio Lione (RHAPSODY OF FIRE) — can be seen below. The song comes off the band's seventh studio album, "Destination Set To Nowhere", which is being released on September 14 via Germany's earMUSIC, the Hamburg, Germany-based rock branch of Edel Group.

"Destination Set To Nowhere" is a melting pot, a perfect mix of all the styles the band has crossed and experimented with over the years. The concept album is kept in their well-known style, spiced up with a futuristic twist. The high-class production adds up to the unbelievably driven sound.

The concept of "Destination Set To Nowhere" takes place in space, starting from the social-political troubles everybody is experiencing in every-day life. It follows a man on his journey through open space, after having left the earth together with like-minded people. They set out to search a new home, a new planet to make everything better, to live their vision of peace. Finally, after a long journey, a new planet to call home has been found. But slowly, the crew falls back into the same old routines. The new found heaven has turned into the same hell they all wanted to leave behind. The only way to escape is to set out again, one man leaving alone – destination set to nowhere.

Commented Thorsen: "We are sure this album will finally give us the chance to show all of our potential, and we worked hard on it in order to give the best possible album. In the end, we went even beyond our expectations, and I must admit it’s also thanks to the excitement and the good vibes we got from starting this adventure."

Added Lione: "We almost couldn’t believe our eyes when, a few weeks ago, we understood we would become label-partners with so many great bands we have deep admiration for... it’s simply an honour to have become part of this great family and to work with some of the best guys around."

"Destination Set To Nowhere" track listing:

01. S'io Fosse Foco
02. The Dream Maker
03. Beyond The Sun And Far Away
04. The Ark
05. Mermaids From Their Moons
06. The Lighthouse
07. Message To Home
08. The House Of The Angels
09. The Sin Is You
10. Here We Die
11. Destination Set To Nowhere

VISION DIVINE is:

Fabio Lione - Vocals
Olaf Thorsen - Guitars
Federico Puleri - Guitars
Alessio Lucatti - Keyboards, Piano
Andrea "Tower" Torricini - Bass
Alessandro Bissa - Drums

British power metal mercenaries TANK — featuring Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans on guitar alongside ex-RAINBOW/YNGWIE MALMSTEEN frontman Doogie White and ex-BRUCE DICKINSON bassist Chris Dale and former HELLOWEEN drummer Mark Cross — will release a new DVD, "War Machine Live", on November 12 in Europe via Metal Mind Productions and December 11 in the USA through MVD. The set will feature live performances filmed on March 9, 2012 at Stodola in Warsaw, Poland and August 10, 2011 at Metal Hammer Festival in Katowice, Poland, plus band interviews, on-the-road footage and the promotional video for "War Nation", the title track of the band's most recent studio album.

Commented Evans: "This is our first official live DVD release so we wanted to make sure it would appeal to all TANK fans, old and new. With such an extensive back catalog to choose from, we think we've selected some real gems that all fans of real British metal will enjoy. We've captured the raw energy that TANK is known for in a performance that features classic tracks such as 'This Means War', 'Power Of The Hunter' and 'Honour And Blood' plus new fan favourites 'Judgement Day' and 'Phoenix Rising'. Also featured is a live version of the new song 'Don't Dream In The Dark' from our latest album, 'War Nation'."

"War Machine Live" track listing:

01. This Means War
02. Judgement Day
03. Echoes Of A Distant Battle
04. Phoenix Rising
05. Feast Of The Devil
06. Honour And Blood
07. Great Expectations
08. T.W.D.A.M.O.
09. Don't Dream In The Dark
10. Power Of The Hunter
11. (He Fell In Love With A) Stormtrooper
12. The War Drags Ever On

Bonus video:

* "War Nation" video
* Interview with Mick Tucker, Cliff Evans and Doogie White
* Live at Metal Hammer Festival 2011
* At the Studio / On the Road

Extras:

* Photo gallery
* Biography
* Discography
* Desktop images

The band plans to promote the DVD on a tour in Europe in December.

Commented Evans: "It's been a while since our last shows earlier this year in Scandinavia and Poland, so we're looking forward to hitting the road again and making some noise. We'll be adding songs from our new album, 'War Nation', to the set plus a couple from 'War Machine' plus all the old classics. The tour will be announced in the coming weeks."

"War Nation" was released on June 5 via MVD (one day earlier in Europe through Metal Mind Productions). The follow-up to 2010's "War Machine" was helmed by new hotshot producer Phil Kinman at his west London studios.

NIGHTWISH songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen recently spoke to Artisan News about the band's North American tour; how their latest album, "Imaginaerum", has been received; and the forthcoming premiere of the "Imaginaerum" movie. You can now watch the report below.

"We got some criticism for 'Imaginaerum', saying that this is no more metal, it's just soundtrack, there's too much orchestra, all that," Tuomas revealed. "There is a lot of that; that's what we wanted to do with this album, 'cause it's a soundtrack for a movie. Maybe next album will be total black metal without any orchestras or keyboards or totally acoustic. Who knows?! The main thing is that you always need to do what feels right."

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.

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.

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

"Veilburner", a brand new song from Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's twelfth studio album, "RIITIIR", which will be released in Europe on September 28 and in North America on October 9 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The track listing for the "RIITIIR" European and North American digipak is as follows:

01. Thoughts Like Hammers
02. Death In The Eyes Of Dawn
03. Veilburner
04. Roots Of The Mountain
05. Riitiir
06. Materal
07. Storm Of Memories
08. Forsaken

The track listing for the "RIITIIR" 2LP double-gatefold is as follows:

Side A:

01. Thoughts Like Hammers
02. Death In The Eyes Of Dawn

Side B:

01. Veilburner
02. Roots Of The Mountain

Side C:

01. Riitiir
02. Materal

Side D:

01. Storm Of Memories
02. Forsaken

A track-by-track review of "RIITIIR" is available at Terrorizer.com.

"It has been only two years since we last released an album [2010's award-winning 'Axioma Ethica Odini'], and we've been touring Europe and North America several times since then," reflects ENSLAVED guitarist, songwriter, and founding member Ivar Bjørnson. "Some might think that this schedule, and the fact that we celebrated our 20th anniversary last year, should result in some time off in the end. Nah. Like a space vessel that gains momentum by entering slingshot-orbits on its way through space, we seem to gain speed, direction, and strength on our journeys, through new releases and subsequent tours.

"Describing the sound on the new album is both easy and hard," Bjørnson continues. "It is easy because it sounds like ENSLAVED, whatever that means. It is hard because there are so many layers and different focal points. I have a feeling that it has a deeper complexity than our previous efforts, but at the same time, I do find it more catchy and moving. Then again, I am the opposite of objective in this, so again I'll leave it up to the people outside the band to make up their mind."

ENSLAVED's last two CDs — "Vertebrae" (2008) and "Axioma Ethica Odini" (2010) — were released via Indie Recordings in Europe and Nuclear Blast in North America.

German Viking metallers VARG will release their new album, Guten Tag, on October 5th as digi-pack with 20-page booklet and bonus DVD. The album will also be released as standard CD and download.

The band has now released the track ‘Angriff’, online for streaming. Check it out below:



The clip for 'Schwertzeit', which comes off the official bonus DVD, has been released and can be viewed below:



Guten Tag tracklisting is as follows:

‘Willkommen’
‘Guten Tag’
‘Frei Wie Der Wind’
‘Was Nicht Darf’
‘Blut Und Feuer’
‘Angriff’
‘Horizont’
‘A Thousand Eyes
‘Wieder Mal Verloren’
‘Gedanke Und Erinnerung’
'Leben’
‘Anti’
‘Apokalypse’

Bonus DVD content:

Live at Wolfszeit Festival 2011:

‘Jagd’
‘Wir Sind Die Wölfe’
‘Schwertzeit’
‘Sieg Oder Niedergang’
‘Wolfszeit’
‘Blutaar’
‘Viel Feind Viel Her’
‘Donareiche’
‘Nagelfar’
‘Wolfskult’
‘Skal’

Wolfstage:

Band documentary/tour movie featuring interviews, backstage- and live material.

The video for the title track 'Guten Tag', directed by Grupa13 (BEHEMOTH, ENSIFERUM, KREATOR), can be viewed below:

Video footage of MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine being presented with a birthday cake and the crowd singing "Happy Birthday" to him during the band's September 13 concert at Estadio Cubierto Malvinas Argentinas in Buenos Aires, Argentina can be seen below.

Mustaine tweeted afterwards, "Thursday night was one of the best birthday parties I've ever had! Argentina…Thank you!!!"

Dave was born on September 13, 1961 in La Mesa, California.

An original member of METALLICA before being kicked out in early 1983, Mustaine feuded with his former bandmates for more than two decades before finally patching things up over the last couple of years.

In 2009, Dave was ranked No. 1 in Joel McIver's book "The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists".

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.

Presented in a 2CD lift-top box and digitally, "Countdown To Extinction"'s new commemorative edition pairs the remastered original album with a 1992 concert, recorded live at San Francisco's Cow Palace, which has never before been released in its entirety. The concert audio has been newly remixed for this release. The physical and digital versions both include a booklet with a new liner notes essay by music journalist Kory Grow, and the 2CD box also contains a 24" x 36" poster and four collectible postcards.

After 12 years, 6 albums, and tours around the world, vocalist Roberto "Ramon" Messina parted ways with Italian power metallers SECRET SPHERE back in March 2012 due to musical differences. He has contacted BW&BK directly with an update on his new band, 6008 DAYS:
"The band, relatively young, is made up of experienced musicians with years of published discography and international tours. We are on the way to publish our first single-video clip 'The Bad Day', made and produced in collaboration with the video-artist-director Antonio Masiello. The imminent release is October 2012 in Italy and worldwide."

Stay tuned for more information and website links to 6008 Days in the coming weeks.

Secret Sphere issued the following statement upon Messina's departure:

“We are very thankful for what Roberto did for the band during all these years, we are friends before musicians, he was with us since the beginning and the fans are really closed to his voice. The split happened during the recordings of the seventh album, but in a friendly way we wish Roberto all the best for his future. We still have in our hands our best album so far and we are 100% concentrated to give to the band a new incredible voice. A new singer means to give a new face to the band and our fans deserve the best and we'll give 'em the best!"

German power metallers REBELLION have announced they will release a digital compilation, entitled The Best Of Viking History, on October 5th.

The compilation will be available for a special price on iTunes, Musicload, Amazon and other digital download stores only.

The Best Of Viking History is available for streaming now at this location.

Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Ynglinga Saga (To Odin We Call)’
‘Blood Rains (The Saga Of King Olaf Trygvason)’
‘Canute the Great (The King Of Danish Pride)’
‘Harald Hadrade’
‘Sweden’
‘Kiew’
‘Taste Of Steel’
‘God Of Thunder’
‘The Uprising’
‘Arise’
‘Odin’
‘Runes’
‘Ragnarök’
‘Einherjar’

Rebellion will also be playing a string of dates this November. Tour dates are as follows:



November
1 – Köln, Germany - Blue Shell
3 – Oberhausen, Germany - Helvete Metal Club
10 - Hamburg - Ballroom
16 – Kerkrade, The Netherlands - The Rock Temple
17 – Bremen, Germany - Meisenfrei
24 - Primasens, Germany - Zur Schwemme

Fan-filmed video footage of singer Geoff Tate and his solo band performing the QUEENSRŸCHE classic "Eyes Of A Stranger" this past Friday, September 14 at Wiens Family Cellars in Temecula, California can be seen below.

Tate will release his second solo album, "Kings & Thieves", 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 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.

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.

Swedish modern metal band ONE WITHOUT has released the following statement:

"We have jointly decided to not continue with ONE WITHOUT, and are going separate ways to focus on other bands instead. ONE WITHOUT will not continue to function as a band, and we won't be working with the band at all.

"This is not due to any hard feelings in between us as members; we are still very good friends and everyone feels this is the right thing to do. It's just a natural move in musical taste combined with having a lack of energy for keeping ONE WITHOUT alive.

"We have put all our hearts and all our energy in this band for so many years, and, unfortunately, we just don't have it in us anymore to continue as it is, as it has been a long uphill battle in too many ways.

"When there is no joy left, and everything concerning the band becomes a struggle, there is no reason to continue as we all play and create music first and foremost because we love doing it. And at the end of the day it should be fun."

ONE WITHOUT released a new EP, "Numbers", at the end of June via all bigger online music stores (and Spotify). The effort was produced, mixed and mastered by Joonas Niskanen and Kenny Boufadene, with cover art by Markus Mönttinen.

ONE WITHOUT previously released two albums, 2011's "Sweet Relief" and 2009's "Thoughts Of A Secluded Mind", has toured with DEAD BY APRIL, EVERGREY, KATATONIA, MARIONETTE and the GENITORTURERS, been featured in numerous magazines and radio shows and shared stages with bands like SOULFLY, EPICA, DORO, KRYPTERIA, PARADISE LOST, CARPARK NORTH, and ALL ENDS.

ONE WITHOUT was:

Catrin Feymark - Vocals
Kenny Boufadene – Guitar, Screams
Joni "Jupiter" Kaartinen - Bass
Joonas Niskanen - Guitar
Håkan "H-Can" Strind - Drums

A new trailer for "King Animal", SOUNDGARDEN's first all-new album in 16 years, can be seen below. The CD is due on November 13 via the Universal Republic label.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, a new SOUNDGARDEN song called "Been Away Too Long" will be shipped to rock radio stations next Wednesday (September 19).

SOUNDGARDEN drummer Matt Cameron told The Pulse Of Radio that the band's 2010 reunion after 13 years apart never felt contrived. "You know, it never really felt forced or anything to try to make a big comeback and, you know, make a reunion happen, 'cause it can certainly backfire," he said. "I think we wanted to just approach it very methodically, and I think we've been doing so."

The band recently launched a web site and teaser video for "King Animal", which included an excerpt from a track called "Worse Dreams".

The only new SOUNDGARDEN song to be heard in its entirety so far is "Live To Rise", which was the lead single from the soundtrack album of the blockbuster superhero film "The Avengers" this past summer.

SOUNDGARDEN's last full-length album was 1996's "Down On The Upside". The quartet disbanded the following year. Singer Chris Cornell embarked on a solo career and also joined AUDIOSLAVE, while Cameron became a member of PEARL JAM in 1998.

SOUNDGARDEN has yet to announce live plans for the rest of 2012 and beyond.