A nine-minute video clip which follows Florida metallers TRIVIUM from the bus to the stage as they prepare to play this year's Download festival, which was held June 8-10 at Donington Park in Leicestershire, United Kingdom, can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Sweden's Metalshrine, TRIVIUM guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy stated about the band's plans for the next album, "We have nine songs pretty much completely recorded as pre-production, recorded on our bass player's laptop, and it actually sounds better than our first record. Paolo's [Gregoletto] really good at recording shit. It's all programmed drums, but programmed in a way that Paolo programmed the bass part, like the underlying drum tracks and Nick [Augusto, drums] would sit with him and rewrite them, but on the computer. We tracked guitars, we tracked bass and we're gonna track vocals soon, we tracked solos and I've got an album title, album arts, song names. We've got about 15 songs and everything's planned out. Video ideas, photo shoot ideas, everything. But we just can't reveal anything."

When asked about who will produce the next TRIVIUM CD, Heafy said, "We don't exactly know. We've got the plan, but we can't reveal. It's also kinda far to tell, but it will be different again. The new stuff sounds amazing and I know every bands says that, but yeah, it's really great. The fact that we're all working on it so much already, we know that it's something really special."

TRIVIUM, AS I LAY DYING, CALIBAN and UPON A BURNING BODY will join forces for a European tour this fall.

TRIVIUM's latest album, "In Waves", sold 22,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 13 on The Billboard 200 chart — the highest U.S. chart entry of the band's career.

The official promotional photo of the new QUEENSRŸCHE lineup can be seen below (courtesy of Mike Savoia Photography).

The new QUEENSRŸCHE made its official live debut as the headliner of the last day of this year's Halfway Jam, which took place July 26-28 in Royalton, Minnesota.

In response to a number of questions regarding his vocal performance at the concert, the new QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre (also of CRIMSON GLORY) posted the following message on his Facebook page:

"I've been asked about backing vocal tracks and that many believe they are hearing [original QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff] Tate's voice on them. Let me clearly state that there are NO backing vocals with his voice in ANY songs with my performance. Any tracks that have accompanied backing vocals have all been re-recorded with my voice and Eddie's [Jackson, bass]. We don't use any tracks to fake a lead vocal with me, but to simple give a fuller nicer sound to a chorus as backing vocals, NOT to replace my lead vocal role. Yes, they are very similar and would naturally be heard as Geoff's, but they are not. All recordings are time-stamped and recorded in the computer and Pro Tools and my point is indisputable."

He added, "[I] just needed to clarify that, and I also sing the full chorus live to 'Empire' since some have asked me about that."

QUEENSRŸCHE's setlist for the Halfway Jam was as follows:

01. Queen Of The Reich
02. Speak
03. Neue Regel
04. Walk In The Shadows
05. En Force
06. I Don't Believe In Love
07. Child Of Fire
08. The Whisper
09. Warning
10. Spreading The Disease
11. The Needle Lies
12. Prophecy
13. Take Hold Of The Flame
14. My Empty Room
15. Eyes Of A Stranger
16. Empire
--------------
17. Wrathchild (IRON MAIDEN cover)
18. Jet City Woman
19. Roads To Madness

An audio-only recording of the "Roads To Madness" performance is available below.

QUEENSRŸCHE members Michael Wilton (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass), Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Parker Lundgren (guitar) announced on June 20 that they were parting ways with Geoff Tate and recruiting La Torre as his replacement. The new QUEENSRŸCHE lineup previously played two shows in their home city of Seattle under the name RISING WEST.

Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield defeated Tate's motion for a preliminary injunction on July 13 that would have kept them from touring and operating under the band name,

Tate and his wife, Susan, QUEENSRŸCHE's former manager, filed a lawsuit against Geoff's ex-bandmates on June 22 in King County Superior Court over whether he should be awarded the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being dismissed from the group in June. Their complaint states Rockenfield, Wilton and Jackson wrongfully fired the singer and are tarnishing the group's brand by attempting to move forward without him.

If the case goes to trial, the date is set for November 18, 2013.

In the meantime, Wilton, Jackson and Rockenfield, along with Lundgren and La Torre have launched a new web site at QueensrycheOfficial.com.

Lundgren was briefly married to Geoff's stepdaughter Miranda; they have since divorced.

Photo credit: Mike Savoia Photography

Swedish goregrind legends GENERAL SURGERY will release a brand new seven-inch EP entitled "Like An Ever Flying Limb" this fall via Relapse Records. The limited-edition EP, which contains five new tracks of the band's gut-splattering gore, was recorded in October 2011 at Audiogrind Studio in the band's hometown of Stockholm. An official release date will be announced shortly.

Commented GENERAL SURGERY's Dr. Carlsson: "These five splatter-dripping tunes are designed to deeply disturb all mere mortals, be it the poor departed in the bowels of the morgue or some unfortunate soul catching us playing live during the festival season. Please hold on to life and limb."

In other news, GENERAL SURGERY has announced a string of festival appearances plus rare U.K. club shows, including Czech Republic's Brutal Assault, Germany's Party.San Open Air and Denmark's Kill-Town Deathfest.

Earlier this year saw the release of "A Collection of Depravation", a compilation of 30 GENERAL SURGERY choice cuts digitally remastered by PIG DESTROYER's Scott Hull.

GENERAL SURGERY plans to enter the studio in the new future to record its long-awaited third full-length album.

Century Media Records has announced the signing of the Scottish metal band BLEED FROM WITHIN. The group is currently recording drums and vocals for its third album with Romesh Dodangoda (FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, MOTÖRHEAD, LOST PROPHETS) and all the guitars with Adam "Nolly" Getgood of PERIPHERY.

In support of their previous two CDs, the Glasgow-based quintet played a number of shows alongside such bands as SOILWORK, ALL THAT REMAINS, AFTER THE BURIAL, SUICIDE SILENCE and CALIBAN.

Commented BLEED FROM WITHIN: "We're honored to be joining the Century Media family, alongside bands which we've looked up to and admired since before we even began making music. The label is one of the most respected metal labels in the world and we are excited to be a part of it. Century Media have always been a powerhouse in bringing cutting edge new music to the world and we will endeavour to live up to the name. We look forward to our future at the label, working with great people who have shown their belief in this band."

BLEED FROM WITHIN has an impressive list of shows confirmed that will keep them busy for the rest of the year. First on their agenda is a U.K. tour supporting WHILE SHE SLEEPS in September/October followed by co-headlining tour of Europe with BURY TOMORROW in October/November.

John Corabi — former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and UNION — joined Christian hard rockers STRYPER on stage on July 27 at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tennessee to perform a cover version of the QUEEN classic "Tie Your Mother Down". You can watch fan-filmed video footage of his appearance below.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet stated about the band's plans for the immediate future, "Right now, we're finishing up a re-record album of our classic hits. Then we're going to begin work on a brand-new, all-original STRYPER studio album, most likely coming out next summer. We're really excited about that. . . We're going into this new record with the mentality and thinking of making it like a 'To Hell With The Devil 2'. That's not to say it will actually sound like that album, but we really want it to be as great as 'To Hell With The Devil', which was our biggest album. We want people to put on this record and go; 'Whoa! Wow! This is as good as or better than 'To Hell With The Devil'!' We want the new album to be a powerhouse and we're going to do whatever it takes to make that happen."

Corabi originally joined CRÜE in 1992 as the replacement for the group's original singer, Vince Neil, who was fired due to personal differences. With Corabi on vocals, MÖTLEY CRÜE released one critically acclaimed full-length CD, which ended up being a commercial failure in the wake of grunge despite a Top-Ten placing on the album chart. When Neil returned to the fold in 1997, Corabi was left on his own and formed the band UNION with ex-KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick.

"The Devil Made Me Do It III", the new video from SCUM OF THE EARTH — the band led by former ROB ZOMBIE guitarist Riggs — can be seen below. The clip was filmed in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at The Native Village, which is where part of "Jackass 3D" movie was shot. Directed by Tim King (SOIL bassist and director of A&R at Goomba Music, Inc.), the video offers viewers exactly what they expect (and more) from SCUM OF THE EARTH, including live snakes, Riggs in an alligator pit, zombie voodoo girls, fire breathers, lots of blood, and wild animals.

"The Devil Made Me Do It III", was released in June and was heard during the recent New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup playoff games. Recorded at the Mansion Studio in Columbia, Missouri by Riggs and Brandon Mashburn (TRUST COMPANY, THE DREAMING), the song comes off SCUM OF THE EARTH's third album, "The Devil Made Me Do It", which will be released on August 28 via Goomba Music, Inc. (with distribution through eOne in North America). Produced by Riggs and Volkstoker, it was recorded at Scum HQ in Branson, Missouri and is the follow-up to 2007's "Sleaze Freak" (Eclipse Records).

Commented Riggs, "Being that this is 2012 and the end of the world and all, I thought the SCUM OF THE EARTH sound has ran its course, so I reinvented the sound with the help of a producer/programmer by the name Volkstroker. We worked on the songs for eight months and this was the end result. Check it out before you turn into a zombie."

"The Devil Made Me Do It" track listing:

01. Born Again Masochist
02. Via Dela Rosa
03. Zombies -vs- Skeletons
04. The Devil Made Me Do It III
05. Zombie Apocalypse
06. Sounds of the Dead
07. Pray
08. (Mindless) Dead Things
09. Ghost
10. Funeral March

SCUM OF THE EARTH will embark on a short tour at the end of August in support of "The Devil Made Me Do It". Joining Riggs on the trek will be bassist Nick Mason (who doubles as a tattooist at Riggs' Monster Tattoo shop in Branson, Missouri), guitarist Virus (who also plays guitar in DOPE) and drummer Eddie Travis.

The dates are as follows:

Aug. 31 - Kansas City, MO - Aftershock
Sep. 01 - St. Joseph, MO – Tremors
Sep. 02 - Steger, IL - Another Hole In The Wall
Sep. 04 - Barrington, IL - Penny Road Pub
Sep. 05 - Newport, KY - Thompson House
Sep. 06 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Hammerhead's Music Hall
Sep. 07 - Detroit, MI - New York New York
Sep. 08 - Louisville, OH - Carriage House

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has uploaded a new 14-minute video clip featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the band's August 1 concert at the Bangkok Metal Fest 1 at the Moonstar Studio 8 in Bangkok, Thailand. Check it out below. Support at the event came from Thai acts THE SUN, DEZEMBER and EBOLA.

As previously reported, MEGADETH was forced to postpone its previously announced August 3 concert at Club Tango in Beijing, China "due to issues with the show license for the venue," according to a statement on the band's official web site. The message added, "We are working on resolving this. We will reschedule and look forward to coming to China soon."

In a recent interview with ChicagoNow.com, David Ellefson was asked what it's like to see the crowd's passionate reaction to MEGADETH's more politically charged music. "Dave [Mustaine] and I wrote a song together on 'Countdown To Extinction' called 'Foreclosure Of A Dream' which we've now put in the set," he said. "We've been playing it. And Dave last night even introduced it and he said, 'This song is just as appropriate twenty years later as it was when we wrote it in 1992.' And boy is that ever the truth. And I think that's the element about MEGADETH is that our songs lyrically and musically have a timeless feature to them. Maybe not all of them but by and large the catalog has that feature. And I really noticed that even when we went out with the 'Big Four' [METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX] and did those shows. Our music didn't sound like, 'Oh yeah, that's a throwback to 1986.' Or 'Remember when that was all popular back in 1991?' MEGADETH doesn't sound like a period piece. It's definitely something that transcends time and because of those lyric topics and the way the lyrics are written they seem to just be something that's kind of like an onging, reoccurring narrative."

NIGHTRAGE frontman Antony Hämäläinen joined Seattle-based Christian metallers DEMON HUNTERon stage on July 29 at the Marquee Theater in Tempe, Arizona to perform the song "My Destiny". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

DEMON HUNTER's sixth album, "True Defiance", was released on limited-edition vinyl on July 31 via Solid State Records. Limited to a one-time pressing of 1,000 copies, the double LP, double gatefold package features stunning large-scale versions of DEMON HUNTER frontman and graphic artist Ryan Clark's beautiful artwork — making this a must-have for DEMON HUNTER fans and vinyl collectors.

DEMON HUNTER is currently headlining the True Defiance tour with support from CANCER BATS, THE PLOT IN YOU and WILLOWS.

"True Defiance", sold 12,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 36 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on April 10, 2011 via Solid State Records.

Produced by Aaron Sprinkle (ANBERLIN, EMERY) and mixed by Jason Suecof (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM), "True Defiance" finds DEMON HUNTER continuing in their hard rock evolution while embracing the components that have always formed the backbone of their music: true metal, dark rock and balladry.

Michael Christopher of The Boston Phoenix recently conducted an interview with MOTÖRHEAD mainman Lemmy Kilmister. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

On his "legend" status:

Lemmy: "I'm pretty grounded — I don't believe any of that crap. You have to remember where you come from, which is exactly where they [the audience] come from; it's just the same, and I got lucky. I'm the one they're pointing at, at the moment; later on, one of them will be the one we're pointing at. It comes around."

On the recent passing of former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord at the age of 71:

Lemmy: "It's just a shame, because Jon Lord was, to a large extent, responsible for me being in rock and roll. He was in a band called the ARTWOODS years ago, with Ronnie Wood's brother Arthur. They were sort of a jazz-blues band, I guess. They played at the place in Wales where I was living, this dingy little boozer, and I was talking to Jon and, like an idiot, he gave me his address in London. So, of course, I went down there and he wasn't there, but he was living at Art's mother's house where Ronnie Wood, who was in a band called THE BIRDS, was living and they let me crash on the couch. I woke up and I've got all THE BIRDS standing around me going, 'What are you doing on Mom-mom's couch?,' all poking me with this terrible cockney rabble. I never forgot that Jon — a complete stranger, and I'm some kid — gave me his address to come down to London and see him. I often told him thanks for that. I saw him late last year in a hotel in Germany in Cologne. He was over there doing some orchestral stuff, and we talked in the bar for awhile. . . . I'm glad I saw him, since he's since departed."

On the Internet being used to promote new bands:

Lemmy: "The unfortunate thing about it is you give them the Internet, which is the greatest communication system known to mankind, and we use it for fucking child pornography, which is really encouraging, isn't it? You can rely on mankind; they always take it to the lowest common denominator and crap all over it."

On social media like Facebook and Twitter:

Lemmy: "I don't do those things, because I have enough hassle keeping up with what we've got without it, sitting on my ass doing 10 to 20 hours of that every day, twitting all my friends. Twitter? Not in my lexicon, sorry. I don't Twitter, man."

Read the entire interview from The Boston Phoenix.

Some of the biggest names in rock contribute to a very special collection being released by Cleopatra Records on August 14, "Songs Of The Century: An All-Star Tribute To Supertramp". The record features members of ASIA, YES, KING CRIMSON, THE DOORS, DEEP PURPLE, XTC, TOTO, MR. MISTER, DREAM THEATER, NEKTAR, PORCUPINE TREE, GENTLE GIANT, RENAISSANCE, and RAINBOW.

SUPERTRAMP formed in 1970 in the U.K. While initially considered a progressive rock outfit, the incredible songwriting of Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies, coupled with Hodgson's unmistakable voice, moved the group into the pop and rock stratosphere by the 1980s. They amazingly straddled the line between expansive prog and commercial radio with unforgettable melodies, sing-along lyrics, a wizard-like Wurlizer, and the accent of the saxophone. They sold more than 60 million records, and hit singles from "Crime Of The Century", "Even In The Quietest Moments" and "Breakfast In America" are still played on radio stations, used in advertising, and etched in minds.

The recognizable and beloved SUPERTRAMP hit songs are reenvisioned on "Songs Of The Century", including "The Logical Song", "Take The Long Way Home", and "Goodbye Stranger", plus takes on gems like "Rudy" and "It's Raining Again". Producer Billy Sherwood enthuses, "There are some cool, unique moments like Annie Haslam singing 'Dreamer' and one of the other highlights for me is Rick Wakeman's piano playing on 'Crime Of The Century'. And Joe Lynn Turner singing 'Bloody Well Right' is just killer." Richard Page offers a delightful version of "Give A Little Bit" that exudes all the sweet charm of the original. The bonus track is a new piece from Chris Squire and Tony Kaye of YES.

The studio guest list also included John Wetton, Tony Levin, Robby Krieger, Colin Moulding, Steve Morse, Steve Porcaro, Roye Albrighton, Peter Banks, David Sancious, Gary Green, John Wesley, Geoff Downes, Jordan Rudess, Rod Argent, Mickey Thomas and more.

Explains Brian Perera, President of Cleopatra Records, "SUPERTRAMP is pretty inactive, and there's a fan base out there that is just hungry for more SUPERTRAMP, and nobody can give it to them".

Sherwood (the producer of the groundbreaking PINK FLOYD tribute albums "Back Against The Wall" and "Return To The Dark Side Of The Moon", as well as supergroup THE PROG COLLECTIVE) was very pleased to be asked to oversee the task of celebrating SUPERTRAMP. He says, "SUPERTRAMP is a great band. They've written so many hits that you can't even count them all."

The song "Give A Little Bit" from "Songs Of The Century: An All-Star Tribute To Supertramp" is available for streaming at this location.

On July 27, Artisan News conducted an interview with MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee at the Camden, New Jersey stop of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. You can now watch the chat below.

On LAMB OF GOD singer's incarceration in the Czech Republic in connection with the death of a fan more than two years ago:

Mikkey: "I really feel for him, but I really don't know all the details, [so] I can't really say what's happened on that one. I feel for the guy's family that passed away, obviously, [that] died. And I feel for the guys in LAMB OF GOD and for him. I hope it's all gonna solve itself."

On how members of MOTÖRHEAD's road crew once also got in trouble in the Czech Republic:

Mikkey: "[There] was a small brawl at the hotel with some of the crew guys. We're talking… It was a beer problem, I think, or they couldn't bring a beer into that certain hotel bar, and it escalated to something ridiculous. And it ended up by a few guys [getting] arrested for really nothing. And in the end, they were held for a long time. They said, 'You can't come over here and do what you did.' And we go, 'What did we do?' [chuckles] There's always two sides to every story, I suppose."

On how a fan was once seriously injured at a MOTÖRHEAD show:

Mikkey: "One guy years ago threw himself from the second floor in a theater and ended up breaking his back on one of the seats. And they came after us for that. I mean, I really don't know what to tell you. It's not very healthy to jump off the second floor. You should stop doing that."

Chicago doom-metal legends TROUBLE announced in February that they recruited Kyle Thomas as their new singer following the departure of their frontman of the past four years, Kory Clarke (of WARRIOR SOUL fame).

Thomas, former lead vocalist for EXHORDER, FLOODGATE and ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY, was no stranger to TROUBLE as he previously fronted the band for four live shows between 1997 and 1999, including Stoner Hands Of Doom festival in Maryland (see video below) and Expo Of The Extreme in Chicago. Thomas has also collaborated on projects with members of SLIPKNOT, DOWN, OBITUARY and DEICIDE.

In a new posting on TROUBLE's Facebook page, the band writes, "Kyle has been writing [vocal melodies and lyrics to the new TROUBLE songs] and is just about ready to go [to begin laying down his vocals on the new TROUBLE album] (by the way, he sounds awesome). Friday we go back to the studio to start putting final guitar tweaks down. Almost there now..."

In a recent interview with Metal Kaoz, TROUBLE guitarist Bruce Franklin stated about Kyle's addition to the band, "We didn't need to change any of the [new] music [to suit Kyle's vocals]. He really knows how to sing to TROUBLE stuff because he was a fan from way back."

Added Kyle: "They had given me four songs to work on when I was jamming with them in anticipation of possibly doing the album that came to be 'Simple Mind Condition'. I did demo one song, but nothing I did ever made it to the album. Things turned out the way that they have between then and now, and here I am."

He continued, "Bruce and Rick [Wartell, guitar] have always been great to me as people and business partners. I was made to feel an equal back then, and the same goes for now. That is monumental for me — I grew up listening to these guys and now I am a member of one of my favorite bands. You can't beat that."

TROUBLE's current lineup is:

Kyle Thomas (vocals)
Rick Wartell (guitar)
Bruce Franklin (guitar)
Shane Pasqualla (bass)
Mark Lira (drums)

Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt of reactivated Massachusetts hard rockers EXTREME has issued the following update:

"I know it's been a while since we have given any updates… I have been touring non-stop for the last few years and finally have some time off! But I wanted to fill you in on everything EXTREME.

"We had a great time performing 'Pornograffitti' in Japan. The shows were very special. It felt good to play some of the deep cuts. We also had a chance to play some new markets this summer such as Russia and China. We didn't know what to expect, but the fans were incredible!

"Don't worry, Brazil… we did not forget about you. we are still planning on coming there soon and are just working out the details with the promoter.

"Lastly, I have been working on a lot of new material for EXTREME and we are looking at our schedules now, so hopefully we can start working on the new EXTREME record before the end of the year. We will fill you in as things progress. Until then..."

EXTREME's "Take Us Alive" live CD and DVD came out on May 4, 2010 in the U.S. via Frontiers Records.

In 2008, following a 13-year hiatus, EXTREME returned to the stage for its "Take Us Alive" world tour, which encompassed 75 cities and multiple continents in support of the band's latest record, "Saudades de Rock".

This brilliant performance was recorded on the last night of their tour at the House of Blues on August 8, 2009 in EXTREME's hometown of Boston.

A one-and-a-half-minute trailer for JUDAS PRIEST's "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" can be seen below.

A vital part of rock history, British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have spent four decades writing classic songs and putting on spectacular live shows. During this period, the band has sold in excess of 30 million albums, and played to countless millions of fans across the globe. In 1982, they released their eighth studio album, "Screaming For Vengeance", containing their hugely successful "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", the single which proved that metal could get mainstream radio airplay in the U.S. — leading the way for a whole generation of new metal bands.

To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of this epic release, JUDAS PRIEST present you with "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition", containing not only the remastered original album plus bonus tracks, but also a live DVD from the 1983 US Festival show, filmed in San Bernadino CA on May 29, 1983.

The US Festival was intended to be a celebration of evolving technologies; a marriage of music, computers, television and people — organized by Steve Wozniak, formerly of Apple.

The "Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" live DVD was filmed at the second, and what turned out to be last, US Festival in 1983. The Sunday was the Heavy Metal Day. "It was the day new wave died and rock 'n' roll took over." It set the single-day concert attendance record for the U.S. with an estimated 375,000 people.

JUDAS PRIEST had this to say about this memorable day in metal history: "On the day that we performed, we flew in by helicopter — and the first sight we saw was that of thousands of abandoned cars piled up around the crests of the hills that surrounded the festival arena, which as we went over took our breath away. For there below us, spread throughout hundreds of acres was a massive crowd — over three hundred thousand strong! The summer heat was raging and combined with the hot Santa Ana winds made for a scorching metal furnace on stage."

CD track listing:

01. The Hellion
02. Electric Eye
03. Riding On The Wind
04. Bloodstone
05. (Take These) Chains
06. Pain And Pleasure
07. Screaming For Vengeance
08. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
09. Fever
10. Devil's Child

Bonus tracks:

11. Electric Eye (live) *
12. Riding On The Wind (live) *
13. You've Got Another Thing Comin' (live) *
14. Screaming For Vengeance (live) *
15. Devil's Child (live)
16. Prisoner Of Your Eyes

* Live from the San Antonio Civic Center - September 10, 1982

DVD track listing:

US Festival Show - San Bernadino, California - May 29, 1983

01. Electric Eye
02. Riding On The Wind
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Metal Gods
05. Breaking The Law
06. Diamonds And Rust
07. Victim Of Changes
08. Living After Midnight
09. The Green Manalishi (with the two-pronged crown)
10. Screaming For Vengeance
11. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
12. Hell Bent For Leather

* Plus booklet featuring photos from Mark Weiss and sleeve notes written by Eddie Trunk (long-standing and well-respected U.S. rock journo, author, radio and TV presenter)

"Screaming For Vengeance – Special 30th Anniversary Edition" will be released on September 4 (one day earlier internationally) via Sony Music.

Canadian melodic death metallers KÄLTER have inked a deal with Maple Metal Records of Toronto, Canada, for the re-release of their 2010 album "Spiritual Angel". Due in late August, the CD was recorded at Badass Studio (NEURAXIS, AUGURY, BLACKGUARD, UNEXPECT) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and was produced by Jeff Fortin and KÄLTER.

KÄLTER, a quintet hailing from Quebec City, Canada, initially released "Spiritual Angel" indepedently in 2010 to critical acclaim, but with very limited distribution.

KÄLTER has shared the stage with such bands as KATAKLYSM, NECRONOMICON, CATAMENIA, BLACKGUARD and NORTHER.

KÄLTER most recently performed at last year's Trois-Rivières Metalfest alongside ANNIHILATOR, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, NAPALM DEATH, ATHEIST, CRYPTOPSY and CARNIFEX, among others.

"Spiritual Angel" track listing:

01. Darker By The Day
02. Time Out Of Mind (featuring Leïlindel From UNEXPECT)
03. Of Tears and Blood
04. Ashes
05. From Now To Eternity
06. Requiem
07. For The Last Time
08. Spiritual Angel

KÄLTER is:

Marc-André Lafrenière - Guitar, Vocals
Mathieu Plamondon - Guitar
Jean-François Racine - Keyboards
Louis-Antoine Pelletier - Bass
Lucas Biron – Drums

Italian modern thrashers SAWTHIS have 11 tracks ready to be recorded for the follow-up to their 2010 album "Egod"

The band will perform on August 5 at Spirit of Burgas festival in Bulgaria and on August 7 at Metalcamp in Slovenia. Following these two shows, SAWTHIS will enter the studio to begin recording its third full-length CD.

In other news, a five-minute video diary of SAWTHIS's 2012 European tour with SEPULTURA can be seen below.

SAWTHIS's sophomore album, "Egod", was released in May 2010 via Scarlet Records. The CD was recorded at Petemkin Studios with producer Paolo Ojetti (INFERNAL POETRY). 13 songs were written for the album and 10 of them were tracked for the final product. Daniele "Axo" Galassi from INFERNAL POETRY played a guest guitar solo on "Barabba", which is said to be "the most atypical song that SAWTHIS has ever written."

Rock quintet FLYLEAF will release a new single, "New Horizons", on August 21 via iTunes. The song is the title track of the band's third album, which will arrive this fall via A&M/Octone.

Bassist Pat Seals describes the tune to Loudwire as follows: "'New Horizons' expresses a feeling of looking toward the unknown future with hope. Definitely one of our best and most joyful songs — I am excited to see how our fans will receive it."

"New Horizons" was premiered earlier today (Wednesday, August 1) on the 89X radio station in Windsor/Detroit and can be streamed at this location.

FLYLEAF reportedly filmed footage for the "New Horizons" video this past May at the benefit show for Richard Caldwell at the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas, Texas.

The band's most recent relase was "Remember To Live", a seven-song album featuring new recordings of fan-requested tracks from FLYLEAF's catalogue. Recorded with Mark Lewis (CHIMAIRA, TRIVIUM, ADRIFT) while on the road during FLYLEAF's "Unite & Fight" tour, the effort was a rare collection of tracks that fans have been demanding for years.

On July 27, Artisan News spoke to members of SLIPKNOT, ANTHRAX and ASKING ALEXANDRIA at the Camden, New Jersey stop of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival about LAMB OF GOD singer's incarceration in the Czech Republic in connection with the death of a fan more than two years ago. You can now watch the footage below.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Shawn M. Crahan (a.k.a. Clown; SLIPKNOT): "Number one, I'd say, Randy, hang in there, man. All your friends back home are totally thinking about you. There's not a day that doesn't go by that his name doesn't come up. Even the [rest of the LAMB OF GOD] band; they are family. I really don't know what's going on, and I choose not to try and listen, because you can never get the straight facts. If I can hang out with my bros in LAMB OF GOD and hear it from them directly, then I'm gonna have a straight answer. But there's so much… there's so much [confusing information being put out in the media], and I just don't buy into all that crap. I don't know what's going on, but I wish him a safe return. I know that I watched a video [of the concert in question], but from what I saw in the video — if that is the actual video [of the incident] — I don't get it. I don't know why he's being punished or what's going on. It didn't seem like anything."

Frank Bello (ANTHRAX): "[It's] unbelievable — just wrong in every way. We're praying for him. There's nothing to say. Nobody's got any control over that. [All we can offer him is] just support; that's all we can do at this point."

Scott Ian (ANTHRAX): "I just don't really understand a system that, basically, has already found him guilty without even him having a day in court, because they're keeping him in jail. It's insane to me that that's allowed to happen. And it's really disturbing, also, the fact that the U.S. government doesn't step in to help one of its citizens that's being treated extremely unfairly in a foreign country. It's pretty amazing to me that the government doesn't step in and say, 'Hey, motherfuckers. What's going on?'"

SOIL bassist Tim King (pictured below) is one of a number of musicians who have come out in support of LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe, who is facing manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Speaking to Jake Serd of Centrill 74 Entertainment and 94.9 K-Rock in Danville, Illinois, King said "Yeah, it's crazy. The thing about that is, just from being somebody just as long as he has, there's always somebody that's gonna jump up on stage and there's always people that get out of hand. A fan, if you have a barricade and you have security, they shouldn't be jumping up on stage. You kind of go at your own risk. It's not like Randy pulled him up and started beating him up. Or it's not like they were outside and a kid asked for an autograph and Randy decided to beat him up because he didn't wanna give him an autograph. I mean, it was a totally innocent thing, and it's things that happen at shows all the time. Kids jump up on stage and stagedive. What if somebody didn't catch him and they hit their head. Is the band supposed to be responsible for that? I can't tell you how many times we've played shows and people jump up on stage and you try to be funny or have fun with them and you grab them and throw them back in —you're just having a good time. But things happen. I don't see how the bands should be held accountable for something like that. He didn't go and perform an act of violence. I just think this whole thing is gonna open up a can of worms for more and more people to get away with stuff like that. It's gonna lower concert attendance. It's gonna hurt everything. My heart goes out to Randy — he's a good dude and I've had long talks with them and I've been able to hang out with him a bunch of times over the years, and I just wish him all the best."

David E. Gehlke of Blistering.com recently conducted an interview with GOD FORBID frontman Byron Davis. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Blistering.com: You're really good friends with LAMB OF GOD and Doc [Coyle] was on loan to them a few years ago, so what's your take on the Randy Blythe situation?

Byron Davis: Straight up, I think that shit is bullshit. I think the fact that for one, our U.S. government is not getting involved in it, it's like… it's crazy to me. I know there's certain things they can't do because there's some papers he has to sign as far as like with amnesty or some shit. The fact that the U.S. isn't saying anything outside of the metal genre is pretty sad. Randy is a good guy. And the last thing I would ever see Randy doing is hurting someone. That's not him. And the way they are treating him is totally out of his character, there's no need for it. If it was someone else, it would probably be less important because LAMB OF GOD is a big American band. If it was some pop icon, it would be over with, people would be stepping in. It makes me not want to go to the Czech Republic.

Blistering.com: To your point, I've heard people say that if it were Justin Bieber, it would be over with already. We have our scene and it's a really big one, but the mainstream media doesn't appear to care.

Davis: Not at all. Our scene is huge, but this country doesn't care about metal like they should. It's all about hip-hop, R&B, pop music. You have this guy who is very interactive with his fanbase and is this really cool down-to-earth person… the coolest person on the planet and he's sitting in some jail cell in Prague and they're not doing anything. It really blows my mind that this is going on. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. I like to get into politics, but the shit that is happening right now… I can't really grasp my hands around it.

We're very tight with LAMB OF GOD. We came up through the basement with those dudes, and those dudes are like our brothers; that's like family to me, and the fact there's not much I can do other than screaming "Free Randy" and signing petitions and getting the word out there, I wish there was more I could do. It sucks that this is still going on and he's just sitting there and no one is doing anything.

Blistering.com: You've played tons of shows with people stagediving and I don't think any one of you singers would forcefully push someone off the stage with the intention of hurting them.

Davis: Stagediving is cool, but there has to be some understanding. People need to look at both sides of it. Sometimes bands don't mind if people get on stage. If want to get on stage and dive off, cool. Sometimes we don't like when you linger onstage because that opens up the possibility of someone getting hurt because there are actual people onstage doing things and you could be in the wrong spot. Some bands have guitars swinging around. It's cool if you want to get up there, but get up there and jump off. If you've done it three times and security has to remove you, then it's not the band's fault. A third, fourth time, it's overwhelming. And not to mention the incident with Dimebag [late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist Darrell Abbott], some musicians get a little freaked out when you come up on stage because you really don't know what's going to happen.

Blistering.com: How much of this has started to make you think twice when you get on stage?

Davis: I'm always careful. I hate to think that mindset after that happened because you're supposed to be safe onstage; you don't want to think of any negativity when you're up there. If someone is too close and they're too close, you gotta handle it the best you can. It's supposed to be about friendship at the shows, so I try not to think of the negative aspect of it. But if someone is up there and are lingering too long, I'll say “You gotta get off my stage.”

Read the entire interview from Blistering.com.

Los Angeles hardcore/metal band TERROR has canceled its previously announced August 20 concert at Barrak Music Club in Ostrava, Czech Republic

Commented the group: "TERROR is going to cancel their show in the Czech Republic this month. We feel obligated to stand up for Randy Blythe. This situation seems to be taken too lightly.

"Randy comes from punk and hardcore roots, just like TERROR. He still supports underground music and has always supported TERROR — even singing on stage alongside us when we play Richmond.

"This hits really close to home for us having members of the band and our crew from the hometown of LAMB OF GOD.

"We love our Czech fans very much and have amazing shows there, but we need to 'stick tight' to our friend Randy, which is why we have chosen to cancel the show.

"As a band that could easily be in this same position at any given show, we don't think we can play there and act like this is OK — it isn't. This is bigger than a hashtag or a clever t-shirt — we as a community need to take action and speak up.

"Free Randy Blythe."

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

Randy has been charged with causing "bodily harm of the fourth degree, resulting in the death of a fan" and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

TERROR recently posted the full, uncut version of the previously released documentary about its frontman, Scott Vogel, and his bandmates. Originally released as a series, the movie can now be viewed in its entirety below. Focusing on Vogel's early bands, plus the history of TERROR from the band's formation through the making of their latest album, "Keepers Of The Faith", this special documentary is a must-see for any TERROR fan.

"Keepers Of The Faith" sold around 2,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 11 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.

"Keepers Of The Faith" was released on August 30, 2010 in Europe and September 14, 2010 in North America via Century Media Records.

The infamous New York City street punks THE CASUALTIES will release their new album, "Resistance", on September 25 via Season Of Mist. The effort will be available on CD, limited-edition LP (with bonus track and download card) and limited-edition digibox, including the CD with a bonus track, bandana, bottle opener and patch.

"Resistance" was recorded at Planet Z Studios in Massachusetts with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris (MUNICIPAL WASTE, MADBALL, HATEBREED). The cover artwork can be seen below.

THE CASUALTIES are currently on the road co-headlining the "Tonight We Unite!" tour alongside the NEKROMANTIX. The tour also includes DOWN BY LAW, LOWER CLASS BRATS, and more.

THE CASUALTIES (Jorge Herrera - lead vocals, Rick Lopez - bass/vocals, Jake Kolatis - guitar/vocals, Meggers - drums) combine influences from the classic punk sound of GBH, THE EXPLOITED, ENGLISH DOGS, DISCHARGE and UK SUBS with modern extreme sounds and a thrash/crossover edge.

THE CASUALTIES have released five acclaimed records on Side One Dummy, and toured to almost every corner of the globe in clubs and on festivals alongside giants like BAD RELIGION, GWAR, HATEBREED, FLOGGING MOLLY, MUNICIPAL WASTE, TSOL, AGNOSTIC FRONT and more.

Southern California's IN THIS MOMENT took part in an interview and acoustic performance yesterday (Tuesday, July 31) on K2TV's "Good Morning Wyoming" show. You can now watch video footage of their appearance below.

IN THIS MOMENT's fourth album, "Blood", will be released on August 14 via longtime label Century Media Records. The CD was once again produced by Kevin Churko, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, among others.

IN THIS MOMENT began work on the new album just a few months following the departures of drummer Jeff Fabb and guitarist Blake Bunzel, who left the band late last year in order to join the backing group of "American Idol" finalist James Durbin. Fabb and Bunzel have since been replaced by Tom Hane (THYATEIRA) and Randy Weitzel (FLATLINE, 3/13, AMERICAN MASSACRE), respectively.

"Blood" track listing:

01. Rise With Me
02. Blood
03. Adrenalize
04. Whore
05. You're Gonna Listen
06. It Is Written
07. Burn
08. Scarlet
09. Aries
10. From The Ashes
11. Beast Within
12. Comanche
13. The Blood Legion
14. 11_11

Interview:

"Torpedo Of Truth", a brand new demo song from Los Angeles-based traditional metallers WHITE WIZZARD, can be seen streamed below. The track was recorded in early May and it features "beastly rhythm, thunderous melodic bass and some serious shred at a whole new level," says the band. "Anybody that was whining about the lack of more shreddy leads on the 'Flying Tigers' album better get ready to get an injection of some serious shit. A 'Torpedo Of Truth' right up your ass!" the group adds.

WHITE WIZZARD recently confirmed a special show in Tokyo, Japan in support of their latest album, "Flying Tigers".

WHITE WIZZARD's latest album, "Flying Tigers", was released last September via Earache Records. The CD features twelve new tracks and expands on the band's traditional heavy metal blueprint, with songs ranging from fist-pumping NWOBHM-style anthems, through the arena rock power of "Starchild", to a six-track epic concept piece featuring science-fiction and philosophical elements tied together with a progressive vibe.

"Flying Tigers" features the core WHITE WIZZARD lineup of bassist, songwriter and founding member Jon Leon, drummer Giovanni Durst and studio vocalist Wyatt Anderson, who featured on the band's debut album, "Over The Top". The album was once again recorded with producer Ralph Patlan in Phoenix, Arizona.

WHITE WIZZARD recently recruited Jake Dreyer as the band's new second guitarist.

"A Toast To Romance", the new single from MELDRUM, the multinational hard rock/metal band formed by late ex-PHANTOM BLUE guitarist Michelle Meldrum, is available now as a digital download at this location. The song comes off MELDRUM's long-awaited third album, "Lifer", which will be released this fall via Reversed Records. The CD was produced by Rob Shallcross (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, GWAR, ZIMMERS HOLE, WEST OF HELL) and Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DEATH, DARK ANGEL, DETHKLOK).

Michelle Meldrum died in May 2008 as a result of a cystic growth that had restricted oxygen and blood flow to her brain, rendering her braindead.

"Lifer" stands as a proud tribute to Michelle, who wrote the material for the CD with Hoglan, along with new members Laura Christine (bass) and Michele Madden (vocals).

"Lifer" is sonically different in direction than anything previously released by the band. With new life, and new talent, this album has carried the talents these four have to a higher level.

Hoglan previously stated about the CD: "Let me say this: Never have I obsessed over the recording of any album I've been involved in as I have with MELDRUM's latest. The tragic circumstances that took Michelle from us also provided us with a laser-sharp focus to record the most amazing album we could. Michele Madden, Laura Christine, and hell, even Chicken, our engineer, put forth performances of a lifetime, with each member's full love and respect going into every nuance of every song. Not only to honor Michelle, but to also lay down some bad-ass music, which was ultimately what she stood for… what MELDRUM stands for. I think the songs speak for themselves, and I, for one, have never been prouder to be a part of a family, let alone a project such as this. Metal with balls. Crank it up, indeed."

Michelle Meldrum was born on September 28, 1968 in Detroit, Michigan to a family of musicians and actors, and moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of 13. She started her career in music by forming the thrash metal band WARGOD with drummer Gene Hoglan (DARK ANGEL, DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD), then moved on to become both co-founder and lead guitarist in PHANTOM BLUE. PHANTOM BLUE released its self-titled debut album on Shrapnel Records in the U.S. (Roadrunner in Europe and Japan) and eventually landed a major label deal with Geffen.

While her career flourished, Michelle married EUROPE guitarist John Norum and moved to Sweden to form MELDRUM. After many successful tours with such acts as MOTÖRHEAD and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, she reunited with Gene in 2006 when he appeared as a guest on MELDRUM album and events. Inspired to once again collaborate, Michelle moved back to America where she and Gene began writing the third MELDRUM album together.

Partial proceeds from "Lifer" will go to Michelle's son Jake Thomas (father is John Norum), whom she left behind when she passed.

Video footage of TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick tracking solos at Spin Studios in Long Island City, New York for the band's cover version of the QUEEN classic "Dragon Attack" can be seen below. The song is included on the CD/DVD and vinyl versions of TESTAMENT's new album, "Dark Roots Of Earth", which was released in North America on July 31 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced, mixed and mastered by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, ACCEPT, EXODUS). Special bonus tracks were recorded, mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER) at his Trident Studios. The cover artwork for the effort (see below) was painted by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

"Dark Roots Of Earth" jewel case CD track listing:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

"Dark Roots Of Earth" CD/DVD track listing:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

Bonus:

10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)
13. Throne Of Thornes (extended version)
+ Bonus DVD

"Dark Roots Of Earth" vinyl track listing:

Side A:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth

Side B:

04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace

Side C:

07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

Side D (Bonus):

10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)

The "Native Blood" video can be seen below.

TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy collaborated with seasoned director Mike Sloat to put together a clip that is universal in message while bringing the spotlight to Billy's Native American heritage — The Pomo Indians.

The performance portion of the video was shot on the Billy Ranch in Hopland, California, where the flames were huge and the temperatures were high.

The "Native Blood" clip is about the growth a Native American youth throughout the years. When faced with hatred, racism, bullying, and harassment, he uses nature's sanctuary to recharge and meditate on the lessons he learned from his grandfather to handle these very tough situations in a way to honor and dignify himself and his people.

Billy previously stated about "Native Blood", "It's almost like a protest song, that the Native Americans have a voice that needs to be heard — that's the chorus of the song."

Tracking solos for "Dragon Attack":

RISE TO REMAIN's cover version of METALLICA's classic song "Enter Sandman" is available for streaming below. The track was featured on the 21st-anniversary tribute to METALLICA's 1991 self-titled fifth album, commonly known as "the black album," which was made available with the June 20 issue of U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine.

RISE TO REMAIN features in its ranks singer Austin Dickinson, the son of IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson.

Enitled "The Black Album: Covered", the CD features the following track listing:

01. RISE TO REMAIN - "Enter Sandman"
02. YOUR DEMISE - "Sad But True"
03. DEVILDRIVER - "Holier Than Thou"
04. THE DEFILED - "Unforgiven"
05. YASHIN - "Wherever I May Roam"
06. HAWK EYES - "Don’t Tread On Me"
07. EVILE - "Through The Never"
08. LOSTALONE - "Nothing Else Matters"
09. SAVAGE MESSIAH - "Of Wolf And Man"
10. BLACK SPIDERS - "The God That Failed"
11. MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "My Friend Of Misery"
12. DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL - "The Struggle Within"

"Metallica" in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era. To date, the black album has sold more than 15.7 million copies in the United States.

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