I LEGION will release its debut album, "Beyond Darkness", in October. The CD will feature 13 tracks, produced and mixed by former MUTINY WITHIN singer Chris Clancy.

I LEGION is the musical work of Frederic Riverin, who shaped and wrote all the songs in fall 2011 at his home in Quebec. Helped by friend Clancy, he crafted these recordings into a melodic metal machine. Metal monsters Björn Strid (SOILWORK), Jon Howard (THREAT SIGNAL) and Chris himself took the vocal duties and put their melodies and talent over the 12 songs of the album. I LEGION also features modern guitar heroes Peter Wichers (SOILWORK), Angel Vivaldi, and Brandon Jacobs (MUTINY WITHIN) on the lead guitars for tasteful and melodic solos.

All these musicians helped Frederic to create his own album: alone, but with a legion behind him.

"Beyond Darkness" track listing:

01. Hexagram
02. Beyond Darkness
03. Deceive The Light
04. Night Calls
05. Despite Your Grace
06. Escape As Deliverance
07. This World So Black
08. Signs From Above
09. Faithless
10. We Will Fight
11. Dead Inside
12. Search For I
13. Love Is A Battlefield

The second installment of UFOMAMMUT's two-part "Oro" album series — "Oro: Opus Alter" — will be released in North America on September 18 via Neurot Recordings. The CD's intriguing cover art was brought to life once again by the unstoppable force that is the Malleus Art Collective. Additionally the band has continued its tradition of visually presenting each track from the "Oro" series with their fans, and has unveiled the album's second hymn, "Luxon", in full video style.

"Oro: Opus Alter" track listing:

01. Oroborus
02. Luxon
03. Sulphurdew
04. Sublime
05. Deityrant

As with all previous UFOMAMMUT albums, the concepts behind "Oro" are expansive and multi-faceted, mutating the Italian palindrome which translates to "gold" with the Latin translation of "I prey." "Oro" explores the concept of knowledge and its power; the magical stream controlled by the human mind to gain control of every single particle of the world surrounding us. "Oro" is the alchemical process to transform the human fears into pure essence; into Gold.

Although "Oro"'s two chapters will be released months apart from each other, they must be considered as a single track in which the musical themes and the sounds appear and reappear, mutate and evolve, progressively culminating in the crushing final movement. "Oro" is an alchemic laboratory in which substances are flowing, dividing and blending themselves in ten increments from the alembics and stills, culminating into the creation of Gold.

"Opus Alter" is going to fulfill and widen the perspective of the new work of UFOMAMMUT. Starting where "Opus Primum" ended — the album released as well by Neurot in April of this year — "Opus Alter" evolves deeper into devastatingly powerful new territory, where chaos is metamorphosed by cacophonous sound, until the final notes resonate, knowledge is forged and the band strike gold.

UFOMAMMUT is continually updating its tour itinerary, having new performances confirmed across the European continent for the months ahead, with plans coming together to bring their otherworldly mammoth sludge magic across the Atlantic in the near future.

MURDERDOLLS frontman Wednesday 13 recently entered the studio to begin recording a new EP, "Spook & Destroy", for a tentative October 9 release.

The effort will contain the following tracks:

01. M.F.T.W.
02. Halloween 13-13
03. Bad Things (2012)
04. Rambo (2012)
05. Mr. Motherfucker (2012)
06. Curse of Me (studio acoustic)
07. Bad Things (Suffocation Celebration Remix)
08. Rambo (Bullets and Bloodshed Remix)

The "Spook & Destroy" cover artwork can be seen below.

Wednesday 13's last solo album, "Calling All Corpses", sold around 1,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at No. 21 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.

"Calling All Corpses" was released on October 11, 2011. The artwork for the CD was created by D.A. Frizell, who has worked on SEVENDUST's "Cold Day Memory" as well as AVENGED SEVENFOLD's "Nightmare", "Book Of Nightmare" and "Diamonds In The Rough/ Live In The LBC" and the AVENGED video "A Little Piece Of Heaven".

"Calling All Corpses" was mastered by Tom Baker at Precision Mastering who has previously worked with NINE INCH NAILS, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON and MINISTRY, among others.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe was released from a prison in Prague, the Czech Republic, last Thursday (August 2), more than a month after he was arrested and incarcerated on charges of alleged manslaughter. Blythe was facing the possibility of conviction and a long-term jail sentence after a 2010 incident in which a fan attending a LAMB OF GOD show died almost a month later, allegedly from injuries sustained when he was thrown off the stage. Blythe's predicament galvanized the heavy rock community, with artists across the hard rock genre pledging their support.

Blythe and his bandmates will appear at SLIPKNOT's two-day festival, Knotfest, later this month and are already rescheduling a canceled U.S. tour for October.

"Randy's been a good friend of mine for a really long time, and it was killing me, being a friend and being in this position in the industry and whatnot, there wasn't a lot we could for him," SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor tells RollingStone.com. "We were kind of running all over hell and back trying to figure out if there was anything we could do for him, not just because of the Knotfest show, but because he was our bro."

He continued, "Even if he landed and he said that he didn't want to do the shows, I would still be so happy that he's home. He's out of that prison, he's back with his family and I'll get to see him, hopefully soon. The fact that LAMB OF GOD is going to play Knotfest is icing on the cake for me."

Although Blythe paid $200,000 bail shortly after his arrest, prosecutors challenged the bail action and forced Blythe to remain behind bars.

A judge doubled the bail to $400,000 and this time ordered that Blythe go free once it was paid.

Blythe was set free Thursday afternoon and boarded a flight home to the U.S. on Friday (August 3).

"I'm really proud of the metal fans for giving their support and doing everything they can to get the word out and get as much focus on that situation as possible," Taylor tells RollingStone.com. "I'm really proud of them for that and sticking with it, and it's paid off — he's coming home."

Interviewed by a Czech media outlet while waiting for his plane, Blythe said, "I'm relieved to be out of jail but if it's necessary for me to return to Prague to go to this court thing, I certainly will, I'm no flight risk."

Blythe added that he had no memory at all of the incident in question, saying, "I feel very bad that a fan of my band is dead and his family has to go through it, it's terrible, I feel awful for them but it's a tragic coincidence . . . we had no knowledge whatsoever that someone had been injured much less died."

Reactivated late 1980s Portland, Oregon-based thrash metal/hardcore band WEHRMACHT has announced the addition of vocalist Eric Helzer to the group's ranks. Eric joins WEHRMACHT as the replacement for the band's original singer, who exited the group earlier this year due to creative differences and to focus on his DJ career.

After a couple months of rehearsals, WEHRMACHT played its first show with Eric at the Revelations Of Death festival on July 13 in Portland with GHOUL, WITCHAVEN, SPEEDWOLF and others. The response was overwhelming and extremely positive.

According to a press release, WEHRMACHT is "stronger than ever and feels re-energized."

New music is being written and recorded, with a projected release date of either the fall 2012 or early 2013.

In between writing new songs, the band is also rehearsing for upcoming shows.

In the mid-'80s when most west coast metal bands in America were copying either METALLICA or MÖTLEY CRÜE, WEHRMACHT had a different approach which set them apart! By 1986 the band's self-distributed demo cassette and an appearance on the "Speed Metal Hell" compilation series had gained the group considerable acclaim in the metal underground. Music publications such as England's Metal Forces and the Netherlands' Aardschok were among many to praise WEHRMACHT's original sound.

In 1987, New Renaissance Records released WEHRMACHT's debut album entitled "Shark Attack". Although "Shark Attack" was well received by the metal underground, until 1999, it was never available in America on compact disc.

After "Shark Attack", the band set out to record their second album. That album, "Biermacht", was released in spring of 1988 on CD, LP, and cassette. Despite substantial pre-orders for "Biermacht", many record shops and distributors returned the products to the record company after discovering a song entitled "Suck My Dick" was listed on the album's cover. Many distributors also complained about the cover artwork.

Finnish metallers RUINSIDE have inked a deal with Mighty Music. The band's debut album, "The Hunt", will be released on October 29.

RUINSIDE is a group of thrash metal troopers from Tampere, Finland formed in 2005. After stabilizing in its current cast-in-iron form with the introduction of vocalist Toni Salminen (ex-FARMAKON), in November 2010 the band's lineup was complete. With two independently released EPs — 2008's "To Only Kill For Sport" and 2009's "Rise Up!... To Extermination?" — under their belt, RUINSIDE was ready to hit the studios in spring 2011 to begin work on its debut album. The CD was recorded at MSTR studios and was mxed and mastered by Jussi Kulomaa (MASTERSTROKE).

In addition to the RUINSIDE bandmembers themselves, a long string of session musicians has been attached to the project, playing classical instruments like contrabass, cello, and violin, as well as synthesizers and keyboards. There is also a collaboration with Erkki Seppänen and Seppo Kolehmainen from the Finnish power metal band DREAMTALE.

"The Hunt" track listing:

01. The End (intro)
02. Shower Of Accusations
03. Beware!
04. Hunters Of Divine Society
05. Witch Hammer (Malleus Maleficarum)
06. Hide-And-Seek
07. Labyrinth Of Silence
08. Wounded And Defeated
09. Within Hammer And Tongs
10. Beleaguered
11. T.O.R.T.U.R.E.
12. Forced Confession
13. Burst Into Flames

RUINSIDE is:

Toni Salminen - Vocals
Kimmo Jankkari - Guitar and Growling
Erno Tarvainen - Guitar
Lauri Aitonurmi - Bass
Timo Anttonen - Drums

"Catalyst", the title track of the new album from the Los Angeles-based progressive/aggressive metal band PROTOTYPE, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The track will be available for purchase starting August 21 on iTunes.

"We are really stoked to finally unleash some of the music from 'Catalyst'!" said PROTOTYPE guitarist Kragen Lum. "It's been a long time in the making and we're very proud of the album. Whether you're new to PROTOTYPE, you discovered the band by playing 'The Way It Ends' on Guitar Hero III or you've been with us from the beginning, the title track is a perfect example of what we do. Prepare for an epic sci-fi journey!" Vocalist/guitarist Vince Levalois added, "The song 'Catalyst' sets the tone for the new album, combining aggression, melody and an ominous feel. It's like an action-packed movie intro to get you settled in for the ride..."

"Catalyst" will be released on September 11 via Nightmare Records. The first new material from the band in over six years is a story-based science fiction concept effort containing over 60 minutes of new music. Produced entirely by the band and mixed by Neil Kernon (NEVERMORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, QUEENSRŸCHE, DEICIDE), the album also sees the return of the classic "Trinity" lineup of Kragen Lum (guitar), Vince Levalois (vocals, guitar), Kirk Scherer (bass) and Pat Magrath (drums). With "Catalyst", PROTOTYPE continues to expand its sound by adding new elements to its unique blend of thrash metal and progressive music, creating its heaviest, and clearest album to date.

The cover artwork for "Catalyst" was created by Travis Smith of Seempieces, who has previously worked with OPETH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, NEVERMORE, ICED EARTH, DEATH and AMORPHIS, among many others.

The partnership of Lum and Levalois has flourished for the better part of two decades, during which time they have developed local, national and international recognition, achieving regular to heavy rotation on radio in addition to praise filled reviews and interviews. PROTOTYPE's music represents the consummate intersection of aggressive and progressive song construction, offering a high-energy performance that showcases exceptional musicianship in compositions that remain astonishingly melodic.

"Catalyst" track listing:

01. Inceptum
02. Catalyst
03. Cynic Dreams
04. The Chosen Ones
05. Illuminatum
06. My Own Deception
07. Into Oblivion
08. Impetus
09. Gravity Well
10. The Ageless Heart Of Memory
11. Exiled
12. Communion

PROTOTYPE's last album, "Continuum", was released in 2006 and featured the song "The Way It Ends", which appeared in the best-selling music video game of all time "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock".

PROTOTYPE is:

Vince Levalois - Vocals/Guitar
Kragen Lum - Guitar
Kirk Scherer - Bass
Pat Magrath - Drums

Virginia grindcore titans PIG DESTROYER have set "Book Burner" as the title of their fifth-full length album, due on October 23 via Relapse Records. The band's first LP in over five years at guitarist Scott Hull's Visceral Sound Studios in Alexandria, Virginia. The CD is described in a press release as "a return to a raw, primitive sound and will feature 19 songs of their signature misanthropic grind."

For the recording of PIG DESTROYER's new album, the band enlisted Adam Jarvis (MISERY INDEX) to lend his inhuman drumming skills to the aural hatred.

In other news, PIG DESTROYER has announced a series of summer and fall festival appearances in support of the new record. The band will head to Europe on August 10 to play the Czech Republic's Brutal Assault festival and Belgium's Ieper Fest, followed by a string of Japanese and Canadian dates. Then in November, they are set to headline the U.K.'s Damnation Festival and play a round of headlining dates. These shows will mark the band's first live performances with Jarvis behind the kit.

Hull previously stated about the recording sessions for "Book Burner", "I'm honestly amazed at how Adam stepped up to the task of learning some challenging shit outside of his standard comfort zone. He came into the studio ready to destroy and destroy he did. And in the haze of long studio hours, he never settled for a bad take. He's a real soldier. Adam has helped breathe new life into the band and we feel like we are starting fresh. Everyone here is excited for people to check out the new jams."

PIG DESTROYER's last album, "Phantom Limb", came out in 2007 via Relapse Records. The CD was recorded at Omega Studios (BAD BRAINS) in Rockville, Maryland under the helm of guitarist/producer Scott Hull.

"Thoughts Like Hammers", a new song from Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED, can be streamed at NPR.org. 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.

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."

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

The cover artwork for "RIITIIR" was once again created by Truls Espedal and can be seen below. He stated about his latest collaboration with the band, "ENSLAVED's music is constantly evolving and expanding, and we early on decided that the artwork should reflect this. From my first collaboration with the band on [2001's] 'Monumension' and forward, we have slowly merged different aspects into the work; what we wanted to do now was to further expand and change things up a bit, without losing the connection to earlier work. It still has a strong sense of symbolism, symmetrical compositions and references to Norse art. But there is an even bigger emphasis on realism on 'RIITIIR', which hopefully adds atmosphere to the finished work."

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.

Before Johnny Depp aped Keith Richards' mannerisms in his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow, he cut his teeth as a guitarist in several garage and punk bands – and he likes to return to those roots occasionally with his various superstar pals. On Monday night, Depp strapped on his ax and joined Aerosmith onstage during their show at the Hollywood Bowl to run through a riotous cover of the blues staple "Train Kept A-Rollin'," which you can watch here. The onstage jam follows their recent in-studio collaboration for Aerosmith's forthcoming LP, Music From Another Dimension!

Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the rest of Aerosmith have a longtime love for the classic song; they recorded it for their 1974 album Get Your Wings, and it appears in their game Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. However, their version takes on a whole new charisma with Depp's committed playing – and it helps that his shaggy haircut matches the band, too.



Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/johnny-depp-rocks-out-with-aerosmith-20120807#ixzz22xSBHSnr

The first four albums from TALISMAN — the now-defunct Swedish-American melodic hard rock band featuring singer Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY) and bassist Marcel Jacob (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) — will be re-released on September 12 in new digipak artwork design with exclusive booklets and previously unrelesed pictures and audio.

Former TALISMAN members Fredrik Åkesson (now in OPETH), Pontus Norgren (HAMMERFALL) and Jamie Borger (TREAT), have contributed old demo recordings, featuring Marcel on bass and guitar.

The first four reissues:

* "Talisman" (1990)
* "Genesis" (1993)
* "Five Out Of Five - Live In Japan" (1994)
* "Humanimal" (1994)

"Live In Japan" was remixed during the summer of 2012 by Pontus Norgren.

More TALISMAN albums will be re-released later in the fall and a DVD/Blu-ray is also in the works.

Marcel Jacob was a Swedish musician, best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands TALISMAN and LAST AUTUMN'S DREAM.

In 1978, he formed the band RISING FORCE together with guitarist Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Four years later, Jacob joined the band FORCE, which later changed its name to EUROPE, replacing John Levén, who took Jacob's place in RISING FORCE. During his time in FORCE, Jacob wrote the song "Black Journey for My Soul" together with vocalist Joey Tempest. The song was eventually included on EUROPE's second album, "Wings of Tomorrow", re-titled "Scream of Anger". After spending three months in FORCE, Jacob traded places with John Levén again, who apparently had issues with Malmsteen.

In 1987, Jacob played on the album "Total Control", the first solo LP released by EUROPE guitarist John Norum. Jacob also co-wrote several of the songs included on that album.

Two years later he formed the band TALISMAN together with vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. Throughout the years TALISMAN was Jacob's major project and the band released several studio and live albums until 2007.

Jacob died on July 21, 2009. He was 45 years old. TALISMAN vocalist Jeff Scott Soto stated about Marcel's passing: "It is with deep regret and remorse I, along with fellow members of TALISMAN, am announcing our brother, longtime colleague and overall greatest musician we've ever played with, Marcel Jacob, is no longer with us as of today, Tuesday July 21, 2009. Marcel took his own life after many years of personal and health issues he was battling."

For more information, visit www.talismanmusic.se.

"In Dreams Of Terror", the new video from British thrashers EVILE, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Ash Pears of ASHTV, and is the third video to be released from EVILE's latest album, "Five Serpent's Teeth", following "Cult" and "In Memoriam".

Commented EVILE lead guitarist Ol Drake: "Surprise! Here's a new EVILE music video! Instead of building up any kind of hype and making people wait, we thought we would just throw the latest one at you out of the blue as a treat. We had loads of fun doing this with Ash Pears of ASHTV and we really think we've got a video that suits the song greatly. Here is 'In Dreams Of Terror'. And if you're coming to Bloodstock this weekend, you just may hear this one!"

EVILE will perform at Bloodstock Open Air this Sunday, August 12 at 3:15 p.m. on the Ronnie James Dio main stage. The band will also take part in a signing session at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

"Five Serpent's Teeth" sold around 680 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 35 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.

EVILE's previous CD, "Infected Nations", opened with around 460 units to debut at No. 132 on the Heatseekers chart.

"Five Serpent's Teeth" was once again recorded with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR) at Parlour Studios in Kettering, U.K. and was released in Europe on September 26 via Earache Records.

"Third Revelation", the new single from the Long Island, New York's tech-metal group CAR BOMB, is available on iTunes. The track, which features a guest appearance by GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier, can also be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

"Third Revelation" comes off CAR BOMB's long-awaited new album "w^w^^w^w", which will be released on September 25.

CAR BOMB's debut CD, "Centralia", was released in 2007 via Relapse Records.

CAR BOMB was formed out of the dissolution of vocalist Michael Dafferner and guitarist Greg Kubacki's previous band NECK and spent a few years fine-tuning its brand of wildly progressive, technical style of heavy music. Modell also previously played as a touring member of SOILENT GREEN.

CAR BOMB will open for GOJIRA on August 14 at the Studio at Webster Hall in New York City, and on August 15 at The Crofoot's Pike Room in Pontiac, Michigan.

Professionally filmed video footage of Taiwanese metallers CHTHONIC performing the song "Takao" — with a special guest appearace by violinist Olli Vänskä of Finnish "battle metal" warriors TURISAS — on August 2at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany can be seen below.

CHTHONIC's sixth full-length effort, "Takasago Army", was released in North America last September via Spinefarm Records. Produced by Rickard Bengtsson (ARCH ENEMY, NEMESIS) at Sweet Spot Studios in Halmstad, Sweden, this 10-track outing completes a trilogy of CHTHONIC releases, telling a story that binds together the band's "Seediq Bale" and "Mirror Of Retribution" albums, released in 2007 and 2009, respectively.

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman joined CHTHONIC on stage at the Fuji Rock Festival on July 29 at Naeba Ski Resort in Yuzawa-machi, Niigata, Japan.

Video footage of WINDS OF PLAGUE's August 6 performance at Ace Of Spades in Sacramento, California can be seen below.

WINDS OF PLAGUE recently parted ways with drummer Art Cruz due to creative differences.

"After many years of having Art Cruz with us we have decided its best for both parties involved to go our separate ways," stated WINDS OF PLAGUE vocalist Johnny Plague. "Art is a great drummer and I'm sure he will be back behind the drums one way or another soon."

WINDS OF PLAGUE recently entered the studio with producer Will Putney (SHADOWS FALL, SUICIDE SILENCE) to begin recording its fourth album for a late 2012 release via Century Media Records. Sitting behind the kit during the studio sessions and for the The All Stars Tour is Brandon Gallindo (ex-DEAD IN EXISTENCE).

WINDS OF PLAGUE's third full-length CD, "Against The World", sold 8,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 60 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on April 19, 2011 via Century Media Records, the effort featured guest appearances from members of HATEBREED, TERROR, FOR TODAY, STRAY FROM THE PATH and former world heavyweight wrestling champion and sports entertainment legend Ultimate Warrior (who performs an epic spoken-word track entitled "The Warrior Code").

"Tarnished Gluttony", the new video from Arizona extreme metallers JOB FOR A COWBOY, can be seen below. The disturbing nine-and-a-half-minute clip was directed by Michael Panduro, who has previously worked with SAINT VITUS and CEPHALIC CARNAGE.

Comments JOB FOR A COWBOY founding frontman Jonny Davey: "'Tarnished Gluttony' originally runs off the idea of blind faith into our government and monetary system. The director ran with the idea and spliced it with a H.P. Lovecraftian twist. The video streams the fascination of religion and the actions people justify in the name of religion, and this video is a spin on the old biblical tale of Abraham and Isaac, however, set in the world of Lovecraftian mythology. The point is, acting blindly in faith to a Christian deity is just as absurd as worshiping squid like monsters from space who live under the sea."

Adds Panduro: "As a commercial director, I'm a complete failure. The band asked for just one thing and I couldn't deliver. Indeed, this video has no boobs."

"Tarnished Gluttony" comes off JOB FOR A COWBOY's new album, "Demonocracy", which sold 4,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 87 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's sophomore full-length CD, "Ruination", opened with around 10,600 units back in July 2009 to land at No. 42.

Released on April 10 via Metal Blade Records, "Demonocracy" was produced by Jason Seucof (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, TRIVIUM) who recorded the band's blistering "Ruination" full-length, at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida, and features another strikingly detailed concept cover by artist Brent Elliott White.

"In My Sword I Trust", the new video from Finnish folk metallers ENSIFERUM, can be seen below. The clip was filmed in early July in Poland with director Rafal Szermanowicz of Grupa 13, which has previously worked with BEHEMOTH, KREATOR, ELUVEITIE, SONATA ARCTICA and DECAPITATED, among others.

Commented the band: "The shoot took place in a really nice medieval castle and it went really well, even though it rained a lot. It was great to work with such a professional team and we were lucky to get such great actors to help us out.

"The video tells about how ordinary town people rise up and rebel against a greedy and cruel king and the upper class. There [are] swords, corpses and drinking; pretty much all you need for a great video!

"We are looking forward to presenting this new ENSIFERUM anthem to our fans around the world with the best music video we have ever made. Folk on!"

"In My Sword I Trust" comes off ENSIFERUM's fifth album, "Unsung Heroes", which will be released on August 27 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED) at Petrax studio (CHILDREN OF BODOM, NIGHTWISH) in Hollola, Finland and other locations in the Hämeenlinna area. According to a press release, the hour-plus follow-up to 2009’s "From Afar" "sees the Finnish five-piece — founded in 1995 — pushing their signature sound to bold new heights of drama and excess. A cinematic experience from first note to last, 'Unsung Heroes' takes the listener on a journey of genuine light and shade, with the 16 minute-plus 'Passion Proof Power' showing that when it comes to the epic statement, ENSIFERUM are very much in the front-line, swords at the ready."

Commented the band: "We've tried to push the different aspects of what we do as far as we can; the sonic scope is wider than ever. The folk elements go further down that path and the metallic parts will absolutely rip your face off!"

Once again, album art (see below) has been supplied by Kristian Wåhlin, with featured special guests including members of APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER and legendary Finnish singer and actor Vesa-Matti Loiri.

"Unsung Heroes" track listing:

01. Symbols
02. In My Sword I Trust
03. Unsung Heroes
04. Burning Leaves
05. Celestial Bond
06. Retribution Shall Be Mine
07. Star Queen (Celestial Bond Part II)
08. Pohjola
09. Last Breath
10. Passion Proof Power

ENSIFERUM's fourth album, "From Afar", sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 44 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.

"From Afar" was released on September 9, 2009 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was produced by Tero Kinnunen (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS) and Janne Joutsenniemi ('Victory Songs' producer) and was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED, AMORPHIS).

"In My Sword I Trust" video:

"Raise Your Fist In The Air", the new video from German metal queen Doro Pesch can be seen below. The song comes off the singer's new EP, "Raise Your Fist In The Air", which was released on August 3. A full-length album, "Raise Your Fist", will follow on October 19 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Pesch loves New York, which she considers her second home. However, when the rock lady from Düsseldorf, Germany recalls the "Raise Your First" video shoot, she still gets an uneasy feeling. That's because the filming didn't take place on Broadway or in Times Square, but far away from the American glitter world, in the dark corners of the Bronx.

Comments Doro: "For Manhattan we would have needed permissions to film for each and every street corner — in the Bronx, nobody cares." At least no police officers, that is. The activities of Doro and her bandmates didn't remain unobserved, of course. "We purposely trudged around the most rundown quarters in our video truck," she says. "The gangs that hung around there were watching every step of ours very, very suspiciously. We felt anything but safe. At times we were downright besieged by dark shapes."

She adds, "I explained to the guys who we were and that 'Raise Your Fist…' can be considered quite a critical song that names and shames the constantly growing injustice in the world." And when the singer offered the gang members and homeless people an opportunity to appear in the video, the subliminal aggression quickly turned into sheer enthusiasm.

"That was the best we could have done," Doro explains. "The video came out absolutely great. And the parts with the people from the Bronx are the ones I like most." She jokingly adds, "And it was also way better for our health."

"Raise Your Fist In The Air" EP track listing:

01. Raise Your Fist In The Air
02. Victory
03. Engel
04. Lève Ton Poing Vers Le Ciel (French version of "Raise Your Fist In The Air")

Adds Doro: "Everyone who likes the EP will sure be delighted by the album with its 13 to 14 songs as well. I've put all my passion, blood, sweat and tears into my first record for Nuclear Blast."

"Raise Your Fist" was recorded and written in the U.S., Germany, and Scandinavia. Doro says, "For the diehard fans of German songs like 'Für Immer' ['Forever'], there are two songs in the same vein — sensitive and quite dark 'Human Rights' and the very emotional 'Engel' ['Angel']. There are also a lot of fast songs like 'Little Headbanger' and various fist-pumping ones featuring amazing guests like Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIREWIND) on 'Last Man Standing' which fans will for sure dig live. We also have a song that honors the late Ronnie James Dio called 'Hero' and another highlight named 'It Still Hurts' featuring MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy Kilmister. The cover artwork has once again been created by British artist Geoffrey Gillespie who is a close friend and companion since he made it into the Guinness Book Of World Records for his 'Triumph And Agony' cover as the biggest album cover in the world. Since then, he's done ten covers for us!"

In a 2011 interview with Canada's XplosiveMetal.com, Pesch spoke about the song "Raise Your Fist In The Air" which she played for the first time at last year's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany. "It got great feedback [from the Wacken audience]. . . . It was originally written by a Wacken fan, a metalhead, and then I did my own thing to it. It was actually a diehard Wacken fan who did a demo and sent it to the promoter. He sent it to me and said, 'Hey, how about we make a Wacken anthem and here's an idea from a diehard Wacken fan.' I listened to it and thought, 'Hey, that's great.' Then we worked on it and continued working on it. Just to tell you how that song came about, it was a collaboration with a diehard fan and it was actually really good. Sometimes the fans have the best ideas. It was so dead-on."

German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION have tapped Thomas "Angelripper" Such (SODOM) and Andreas "Gerre" Geremia (TANKARD) to lay down vocals on an as-yet-undisclosed song from their forthcoming 30th-anniversary album, "Spiritual Genocide", to be released in November via Nuclear Blast Records.

DESTRUCTION vocalist/bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer previously said that the band's new CD would be "much more intense than 'Day Of Reckoning'! And that wasn't a blues album ...haha!"

DESTRUCTION earlier in the year completed the North American "30th Year Anniversary Tour" with support from WARBRINGER, VITAL REMAINS (who were alternating each night) and PATHOLOGY.

Inspired by IRON MAIDEN, MERCYFUL FATE, MOTÖRHEAD and VENOM, DESTRUCTION was formed as KNIGHT OF DEMON in 1982. The band's original lineup included vocalist and bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, drummer Tommy Sandmann, and guitarist Mike Sifringer. They soon changed their name to DESTRUCTION and released a demo titled "Bestial Invasion Of Hell" in 1984.

"Day Of Reckoning", the latest album from DESTRUCTION, sold around 800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 58 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.

"Day Of Reckoning" was the first album to feature drummer Vaaver (real name: Wawrzyniec Dramowicz; INDUKTI, ex-UNSUN).

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN have posted a six-minute video report from the Canadian leg of their "Maiden England" tour. You can watch it below.

The 34-date "Maiden England" tour is IRON MAIDEN's most extensive visit to North America for many years and includes a number of other cities the band have not played in a very long time such as Atlanta, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City and Sacramento, and places like Sarnia (Ontario, Canada) and Cadott, Wisconsin where they have never visited before. The tour is based on the band's "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son Tour", with a setlist almost exclusively from the 1980s featuring all the classic songs and hits. The same spectacular stage set as was used on the original 1988 tour has been recreated, complete with a magnificent light show, pyro and a newly reincarnated Eddie!

When asked by The Aquarian Weekly what the reason was behind choosing a setlist like that of the famous 1988 excursion, 7th Tour Of A 7th Tour, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said, "Well, we just thought it'd be fun to revisit that period in time — there were some good songs there. It's just great revisiting some of the songs we haven't played for a long while. It keeps us fresh and it's just, you know, we got a lot of new fans coming on board now, a lot of younger fans who probably never saw or were around when we did that tour. That's one factor of it for us revisiting that time and I think there's some good songs from that period, so it's fun to do."

On the topic of how this tour differs from those in the recent years, Adrian said, "Well, this is a new set; we haven't taken the stage set out, for example, so it's a new stage set. We got new effects. I think it's going to be actually more spectacular than the original tour and probably, technically, you got more stuff now to put into a live show in terms of lighting and that, which will make it quite spectacular, so I think this is going to be pretty special, this tour. What with the songs, we love playing these songs, and with the stage set and effects and of course we got Eddie, he's back, so it should be fun."

The extraordinary and legendary ALICE COOPER was IRON MAIDEN's very special guest on all shows up to July 21. After that date, special guest was COHEED AND CAMBRIA, the inspiring, cutting-edge band from New York.

For a complete list of "Maiden England" 2012 tour dates, visit IronMaiden.com.

EMI has set an October 8 European release date for the 40th-anniversary edition of DEEP PURPLE's classic 1972 album, "Machine Head". This five-disc special edition will be accompanied with a fully illustrated 60-page hardback booklet, housed in a luxury box.

Contents include:

* CD1: "Machine Head" original album 2012 remaster
* CD2: 1997 remix by DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover
* CD3: Original album Quad SQ stereo (2012 remaster)
* CD4: "In Concert '72" - 2012 Mix (recorded live at Paris Theatre, London on March 9, 1972)
* DVD: 2012 high-resolution remaster and surround mix

Booklet features:

* Detailed essays from original bassist Roger Glover and Mojo magazine editor Phil Alexander.
* Quotations from DEEP PURPLE fans Mikael Åkerfeldt, Luke Morley, Sebastian Vettel, Eddie Jordan, Brian Tatler, Janick Gers and Peter Hook.
* An interview with famed photographer Didi Zill, whose photos of the legendary recording sessions in Switzerland illustrate the booklet.

Official Metallica.com footage of METALLICA's pre-show meet-and-greet, tuning-room jam and "Fuel" performance on July 30 at the second show of the band's eight-concert run at Palacio de los Deportes (Sports Palace) in Mexico City can be seen below.

METALLICA's setlist for July 30 concert:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Fuel
04. Ride The Lightning
05. One
06. Cyanide
07. The Memory Remains
08. Wherever I May Roam
09. Sad But True
10. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
11. ...And Justice for All
12. Fade To Black
13. Master Of Puppets
14. Battery
15. Nothing Else Matters
16. Enter Sandman

Encore:

17. Breadfan
18. Seek & Destroy

Two members of METALLICA's road crew caught fire during each of the the first Mexico concert, as the two stagehands were seen struggling with a malfunctioning pyro launcher during "Enter Sandman" when both were suddenly engulfed in flame. As frontman James Hetfield called for the band to stop playing, other crew members doused the men with fire extinguishers and took them off the stage in stretchers, with the band resuming its show a few minutes later.

A spokesperson for the promoter said the stunt was "all part of the show," and in fact METALLICA has staged this type of "accident" before during its 1997 tour, on which the show ended with the stage seemingly collapsing around the band as one crew member caught fire and another dangled upside down from the fallen lighting rig. The effect was caught on the band's "Cunning Stunts" DVD.

The show on July 28 marked the debut of a new 140-foot-by-50-foot stage that features "colossal components and striking visual elements spanning METALLICA's entire 30-year career," meaning that the "accident" stunt could be back for an encore.

At a press conference before the show, frontman James Hetfield said that the band was focused on "staying alive" while performing alongside the "dangerous elements" of the new production, with bassist Robert Trujillo adding, "Like James said, it's very dangerous — we've got stuff flying every which way."

A post in the "Tour Journal" section of METALLICA's official web site related that "shit really hit the fan (during 'Enter Sandman' with) loud bangs, random fireworks, falling towers, falling spot light guy, falling scaffolding, guy was caught on fire . . . then a complete blackout."

Following its Mexico City stand, METALLICA next plays the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco and then two shows in late August in Vancouver, which will be filmed for the band's upcoming 3D movie.

The first official live CD from STAIND, "Live From Mohegan Sun", was made available by Eagle Rock Entertainment on July 10, and will be followed by the DVD and Blu-ray release on August 14. This concert was recorded and filmed in high definition at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Montville, Connecticut on November 25, 2011.

Raw, uncompromising, loud, and totally, energetically exciting, STAIND pulls out all the stops in this sixteen-song set. Singer/guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok and bassist Johnny April pummel through a career-spanning set that includes "It's Been Awhile", "Not Again", "Eyes Wide Open", "Right Here" and "So Far Away". Drummer Sal Giancarelli gives a swift kick and a solid boost (replacing original drummer Jon Wysocki who left the band in May 2011).

"Live From Mohegan Sun" track listing:

01. Eyes Wide Open
02. Falling
03. Right Here
04. Throw It All Away
05. Spleen
06. Fade
07. Failing
08. So Far Away
09. Crawl
10. For You
11. Paper Wings
12. Outside
13. Not Again
14. It's Been Awhile
15. Mudshovel
16. Something To Remind You

The "Something To Remind You" performance from "Live From Mohegan Sun" can be seen below.

STAIND plans to go on hiatus after completing the touring cycle for its self-titled seventh album, according to Billboard.com. But Lewis says that the band is not breaking up, telling The Pulse Of Radio that it's just time for a breather. "We've got this next tour and we might do something next year and then, you know, we're going to take a little break for a second," he said. "We're not breaking up. We're not gonna stop making music. We're just going to take a little hiatus that really hasn't ever been taken in our career."

STAIND will co-headline this summer's Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival tour, which begins on August 17 in Bonner Springs, Kansas.

Jacksonville, Florida hard rock quintet ALLELE has inked a deal with MTV's Hype Music label. The band recently spent time with Scott Bush of Timeline Studios in Cape Coral, Florida recording five new songs.

A press release states: "In today's repetitious rock world, it's refreshing when an artist comes along with a truly engaging and entertaining sound that can grasp the listener's attention and leave a mark that is not soon forgotten. As you listen to an album and accurately experience the passion the artist felt, you carry that connection and share it with everyone around you. This is definitely the case with Jacksonville's ALLELE, as the Florida five-piece has been tearing up stages across the U.S. alongside major artists like SALIVA, CHIMAIRA, TANTRIC, SOIL, TAPROOT, NONPOINT, STAIND, SEVENDUST and SHINEDOWN, all along the way building an army of devoted followers."

ALLELE's sophomore album, "Next To Parallel", was released lat year via Goomba Music. The CD was produced by the band and mixed/mastered at Jacksonville's MyPlatinumSound by Paul Lapinski (RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS, ALICIA KEYS, EVERGREEN TERRACE, PUDDLE OF MUDD, MOLLY HATCHET, YELLOWCARD). The vocal tracks were engineered by Pete Charell (bassist of TRAPT) at Dexter Dog Studios in Laguna, California.

ALLELE (pronounced Uh-Leel) was formed in 2002 by vocalist Wally Wood and guitarist Lane Maverick.

ALLELE is:

Vocals: Wally Wood
Bass: Tim Tobin
Drums: Dusty Winterrowd
Lead Guitar: Lane Maverick
Guitar: Jessie Rush

New York hardcore/metal veterans MERAUDER will enter the studio this fall to record a brand new EP, to be issued on Rebel Sound Records. Also planned for release is a live album from the band's "God Is I" tour.

MERAUDER will kick off its first U.S tour since 2009 in late September, with support from MURDER DEATH KILL, WAR HOUND and DARASUUM. Footage will be taken every night for a 25-year MERAUDER documentary that will be released in the near future, along with a music video.

For any MERAUDER fans that will attend these shows, the band will play songs off the "Master Killer" (1995) and "God Is I" (2009) albums.

Keep a look out for more announcements from the band, including an Australian tour in October/November.

Upcoming MERAUDER shows:

Sep. 22 - The Space - Bronx, New York
Sep. 23 - Shaka's - Virginia Beach, Virginia
Sep. 24 - One Unit Art Space - Columbia, South Carolina
Sep. 25 - Burro Bar - Jacksonville, Florida
Sep. 26 - The Brass Mug - Tampa, Florida
Sep. 28 - The White Rabbit - San Antonio, Texas
Sep. 29 - House of Rock - Corpus Christi, Texas
Oct. 01 - La Grange - Dallas, Texas
Oct. 02 - Outland Ballroom - Springfield, Missouri
Oct. 03 - Downtown Music Hall - Little Rock, Arkansas
Oct. 04 - Longbranch Saloon - Knoxville, Tennessee
Oct. 05 - The Bunker - Huntington, West Virginia
Oct. 06 - Bugjar - Rochester, New York

YEARS OF COLD, the El Paso, Texas-based band featuring ex-PISSING RAZORS guitarists Mat Lynch and Cesar Soto, has announced the addition of vocalist Dewey Bragg (KILL DEVIL HILL, ex-PISSING RAZORS) to the group's ranks. Bragg recently finished laying down vocals on YEARS OF COLD's self-titled EP, to be released in October through the band's own HeavenPoint label.

"Years Of Cold" will be made available in hard copy and digital download via YearsOfCold.com while the group seeks distribution. The CD was produced by Justin Leeah (MINISTRY, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEVILDRIVER) at DownTown Sound And Vision Lab in El Paso and Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo, Texas.

According to Soto, "Years Of Cold" is "unique, driven and [is] sure to crush!"

Fan-filmed video footage of LYNCH MOB's August 4 performance at X Fest in Modesto, California can be seen below.

The band performed the following tracks:

01. River Of Love
02. She"S So Evil But She's Mine
03. Hell Child
04. Into The Fire
05. All I Want
06. Mr. Scary
07. Sweet Sister Mercy
08. Wicked Sensation

LYNCH MOB's lineup for the show was as follows:

Oni Logan - Vocals
George Lynch - Guitar
Robbie Crane - Bass
Chris Collier - Drums

Rat Pak Records has just released LYNCH MOB's new four-song EP, "Sound Mountain Sessions".

According to a press release, "Sound Mountain Sessions" is a straight-forward, gritty, well-polished American hard rock offering that truly captures the magic of the genre. It's got bite, it's got soul, and lyrically, Oni Logan holds nothing back on this one! The effort was recorded in the traditional "old-school" way, with the bandmembers having locked themselves into Sound Mountain Studios for a week straight and putting their ideas in the capable engineering hands of Chris "The Wizard" Collier. With nothing more than the desert rats as their audience, a steady intake of ramen noodles, and their passion for rock and roll, the band gave birth to "Sound Mountain Sessions", an EP that rivals their previous work from the early years. Another fantastic element about these new songs is the addition of bassist Robbie Crane, who brings solid grooves and melodic backing vocals to each track (a little known fact: Robbie was actually the very first bass player of LYNCH MOB!). George Lynch does what George Lynch has always done best in this amazing release — he plugs in his guitar and then taps into the universal energy that only the elite guitar gods have access to....and delivers the goods. You are not looking for another "Wicked Sensation", you are looking for "Sound Mountain Sessions", a powerful EP that introduces you to the next chapter / best chapter yet, of these legendary rockers.

"Sound Mountain Sessions" track listing:

01. Slow Drag
02. World Of Chance
03. City Of Freedom
04. Sucka

Click here for audio commercial and exclusive pre-order bundles.

LYNCH MOB shot a video for the song "Slow Drag" on June 29 in Houston, Texas with renowned film producer W. Ross Wells of Zen Film. While in Houston, the band was also filmed for an upcoming episode of "Live From Sugar Hill", a rare all-acoustic performance shot at Sugar Hill Studios by Grammy producer Dan Workman and Zen Film. "Live From Sugar Hill" is sponsored by Vitamin Water/Coca Cola, and will air sometime in mid-August.