Video footage of a BIOHAZARD fan apparently losing consciousness after stagediving during the band's July 15 concert in Kosice, Slovakia can be seen below. (Note: The incident in question occurs around the 2:10 mark.)

After noticing the passed out fan on the floor of the venue, BIOHAZARD guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei immediately stopped the show and called for the crowd to move forward so that the fan could receive assistance. He told the audience over the PA system, "If you're gonna jump off stage, you've gotta catch each other. We're fucking brothers, we're fucking sisters. One fucking scene. I don't want anybody to get hurt."

According to reports from other people attending the concert, the fan in question did not sustain any serious injuries and he regained consciousness a short time later.

As previously reported, LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 27 and is facing manslaughter charges in connection with a 2010 Prague concert at which he allegedly shoved a local fan off the stage. The man, who is said to have stormed the stage three times during the show, reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage that resulted in his death nearly a month later.

A number of other rockers have come to Randy's defense, with many of them citing the 2004 shooting death onstage of PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott as the reason why musicians are so defensive nowadays about fans invading the stage.

DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren told The Pulse Of Radio not along after Dimebag was shot that his death had cast a shadow over live performing. "I think one of the most scariest things is, you go up onstage, and there's this energy transfer between the band and the crowd, and you almost feel invincible. You feel very empowered. Never in a million years would anyone ever think something like that was even possible, and I think it just caught everyone off guard. It's pretty scary."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael simply tweeted, "Everything changed on December 8, 2004. #stayoffthestage #FreeRandyBlythe," while ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian wrote, "It's complete and utter bullshit for him to be treated like a criminal for something he didn't do. Now fans can see firsthand why there's no stage diving anymore. Especially in the post-Darrell world we live in . . . Of course it's sad that this person died, it's a tragedy, but it's not Randy's fault."

The Czech Republic was unified with Slovakia until 1993 as Czechoslovakia. Since the separation, the Czech Republic has undergone major economic and social reforms as part of its efforts to achieve EU membership. This became a reality in 2004 when the Czech Republic joined the European Union along with nine other countries.

DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse (pictured below) has released the following statement regarding the passing of former DEEP PURPLE/WHITESNAKE keyboardist Jon Lord:

"Jon just died. I'm shocked and don't know what to do, so I'm going to try to tell you a little about Jon.

"Jon was the powerhouse keyboard player that brought rock and classical directly together many times. The first was his timeless organ solo on 'Highway Star'. The next was his 'Concerto For Band And Orchestra'. I was able to perform with the whole band as it was played at Albert Hall before we toured extensively with it. Just weeks ago, I was able to play on a studio recording of Jon's concerto and share some heartfelt thoughts and words with him.

"Jon was the guy that would stop us from giving up on an idea in songwriting because it wasn't immediately obvious. I remember him encouraging me in the studio to keep doing what I was doing as I played around with an idea that I was intrigued with. After writing something as amazing as his concerto, he still had the imagination to hear ideas on top of anything I suggested. He always had a regal, gentlemanly manner. Like any of us, he could get annoyed, but he would only show it with his wry and dry wit. Mostly, he was upbeat and a pleasure for anybody to be around. His humor was right up my alley, with us exchanging ridiculous thoughts like, 'If Brenda Lee married Tommy Lee, her new name would be Brenda Lee...' Or having him finish the tune when an announcement at an airport would start with several musical notes to get your attention.

"It's hard to give anecdotes that convey an ease that somebody could give you, but he sure had that ability.

"We all love people that will pay attention to our kids, and years ago he charmed my (then) 5-year-old son Kevin with a Donald Duck imitation even while he was being hurried to get out of the dressing room and go to the green room for after show greetings.

"Jon retired from the endless DEEP PURPLE tour schedule, but continued to do appearances with original material and performances of his concerto. I knew he missed the band he helped start, but at the same time couldn't stand the relentless travel. From time to time, we would see him on tour, and he would sit in with us. The last time we played, less than a year ago, at the Sunflower Jam at Royal Albert Hall, he had just come offstage from performing with Rick Wakeman. Later I talked with him and his wife about how strange it felt to look around at the keyboards and not see him there at Albert Hall. We promised to do something together. Soon thereafter, we all learned of his battle with pancreatic cancer. I kept hearing hopeful, positive reports that they might be making progress, but this sudden death caught me totally unaware. I thought we would meet and do a recording project in the future when he recovered from the chemotherapy. Well, we sort of did, but I had to record it and send it to him, as we were in different countries.

"If you have friends, family, especially kids, don't ever miss a chance to do or say something special.... or simply appreciate the fact that they are there. One day, they won't be."

Jon Lord died yesterday (Monday, July 16) in a U.K. hospital at the age of 71. He suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism at the London Clinic after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Jon was "surrounded by his loving family," a message on his official web site said.

In addition to DEEP PURPLE, Lord played in WHITESNAKE — the band led by ex-PURPLE singer David Coverdale — from 1978 to 1984, having appeared on the albums "Trouble", "Lovehunter", "Ready An' Willing", "Come An' Get It", "Saints & Sinners" and "Slide It In".

Jon Lord is survived by his wife Vickie and two daughters — Amy and Sara.

DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover (pictured below) has released the following statement regarding the passing of former PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord:

"It’s unthinkable that Jon is gone. My thoughts are for his wife Vicky and all his children and family at this sad moment in their lives. I wish them all strength. A great sadness and sense of loss hangs over me. Not only has the music world lost a fantastic musician but a gentleman of the finest order. He was a giant in my life, a great friend, a fellow traveler, a teacher, not only of music, but of life. I am devastated at his passing."

Jon Lord died on Monday (July 16) at age 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Lord, who was known for his keyboard virtuosity and his reinvention of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, co-wrote such PURPLE classics as "Smoke On The Water" and "Child In Time", among others. Lord and drummer Ian Paice were the only original members to last through the band's initial run from 1968 to 1976. He was on board for their 1984 reunion and stayed on through to his 2002 retirement from the band, after which he's worked primarily in the classical field.

Over the course of his career, Lord also worked with the ARTWOODS, FLOWER POT MEN, PAICE, ASHTON AND LORD, WHITESNAKE and good friend and neighbor, George Harrison.

According to the Czech news site iDNES.cz, a Prague Municipal Court dismissed on Monday (July 16) the Prague State Attorney's Office complaint against LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe's release on bail. However, the court increased Blythe's bail from $200,000 — which has already been paid — to $400,000, which is said to be equivalent to twice Randy's annual income.

The Prague Monitor previously reported that district court judge Petr Fassati said that even after the latest ruling, a Prague attorney could still be allowed to again comment on bail.

Blythe was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 27 and is facing manslaughter charges in connection with a 2010 Prague concert at which he allegedly shoved a local fan off the stage. The man, who is said to have stormed the stage three times during the show, reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage that resulted in his death nearly a month later.

Martin Holub, a lawyer at Šafra & Partners, told The Prague Post if bail is revoked, Blythe could be kept in prison for up to six months.

"The authorities will be concerned about him leaving the country and then having to begin extradition proceedings," Holub said. "If, however, the appeal court confirms the decision of the previous court, Randy Blythe should be released on the day that decision is made."

Jonathan Crane, a reporter from the Prague Post, told WTVR-TV that a legal expert believes the Blythe's defense team should have quite a strong case. "Even if Randy was responsible for the alleged attack, the expert said that who is to say that he wasn't accidentally kicked or trodden on or left without help by fans below the stage," Crane said.

The U.S. Embassy in Prague on last week released a very brief statement regarding Blythe: "The U.S. Embassy provides standard consular services to American citizens in need of assistance. We cannot discuss specific cases due to privacy concerns."

BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has released the following statement regarding the passing of former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord:

"I was so shocked and saddened to hear the news of Jon's passing.

"Jon was not only a magnificent keyboard player and musician but a wonderful human being and a true gentleman. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to play together with him.

"We've lost a true legend but his music will live on in all of our hearts.

"My deepest thoughts go out to his family.

"R.I.P., Jon, my friend."

Jon Lord died on Monday (July 16) at age 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Lord, who was known for his keyboard virtuosity and his reinvention of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, co-wrote such PURPLE classics as "Smoke On The Water" and "Child In Time", among others. Lord and drummer Ian Paice were the only original members to last through the band's initial run from 1968 to 1976. He was on board for their 1984 reunion and stayed on through to his 2002 retirement from the band, after which he's worked primarily in the classical field.

Over the course of his career, Lord also worked with the ARTWOODS, FLOWER POT MEN, PAICE, ASHTON AND LORD, WHITESNAKE and good friend and neighbor, George Harrison.

DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan (pictured below) spoke to the U.K. digital radio station Planet Rock yesterday (Monday, July 16) about the passing of former DEEP PURPLE/WHITESNAKE keyboardist Jon Lord. You can listen to a snippet of the chat using the SoundCloud player below.

"He was just an amazing character and, I suppose, the godfather of DEEP PURPLE, and we all looked up to him with tremendous admiration," Ian said. "If there was such a thing as a typical English gentleman in rock music, then it was Jon Lord. We've all been touched by Jon one way or another — anyone who's involved in music, not only the fans, but also behind the scenes. We all know Jon for the inspiration and the incredible talent that he was. I could speak for hours about what he's given us. We shall carry his memory forward and his music, of course."

Jon Lord died yesterday (Monday, July 16) in a U.K. hospital at the age of 71. He suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism at the London Clinic after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Jon was "surrounded by his loving family," a message on his official web site said.

In addition to DEEP PURPLE, Lord played in WHITESNAKE — the band led by ex-PURPLE singer David Coverdale — from 1978 to 1984, having appeared on the albums "Trouble", "Lovehunter", "Ready An' Willing", "Come An' Get It", "Saints & Sinners" and "Slide It In".

Jon Lord is survived by his wife Vickie and two daughters — Amy and Sara.

Ever since my father took me to see them in 1973 in Copenhagen, at the impressionable age of 9, Deep Purple has been the most constant, continuous and inspiring musical presence in my life. They have meant more to me than any other band in existence, and have had an enormous part in shaping who I am. So obviously I'm beyond bummed, saddened and devastated by today's news of the untimely passing of keyboardist Jon Lord.

We can all be guilty of lightly throwing adjectives like "unique," "one-of-a-kind" and "pioneering" around when we want to describe our heroes and the people who've moved us, but there are no more fitting words than those right now and there simply was no musician like Jon Lord in the history of hard rock. Nobody. Period.

There was nobody that played like him. There was nobody that sounded like him. There was nobody that wrote like him. There was nobody that looked like him. There was nobody more articulate, gentlemanly, warm, or fucking cooler that ever played keyboards or got anywhere near a keyboard. What he did was all his own. Including obviously his unique sound. Whatever it was he did with that Hammond organ, the way the Leslie distorted what he was playing and pushed it to some unheard of place, the way he attacked it while he was throwing it around, and whatever the fuck else it was that was going down between Jon and "The Beast", as he called his organ, it was unlike anything before, during or after. That simple.

Deep Purple of course was also an entity all their own, always unpredictable, often impulsive, never repetitive and most of the time, other worldly. I had the good fortune of seeing them three times in Copenhagen between ’73 and ’75, numerous times again on the reunion runs in ’85 and ’87. We even played a couple of gigs in Germany with them in the summer of ’87 and needless to say, every time was an experience that had a major impact on me. Seeing Jon on stage right playing the riffs, the colorings, the textures, the next level solos, intros, outros, blues bits, classical pieces and whatever else came into his head each night AND on top of that keeping up with Ritchie Blackmore song after song, night after night, was the sign of the master of his craft . . . the most accomplished, original and unique hard rock keyboardist that ever walked this planet.

In 1992 when we played Munich on the Black Album tour, Jon Lord and lead singer, Ian Gillan came down to the show and stood in the snake pit the whole time. I was in heaven. Performing in front of members of the band that had meant more to me than anything in my life was a dream come true. And when I got a signed note after the show that they had had to leave and get back to their milk and cookies and be ready for the recording sessions the next day, I was simply beyond psyched. My hero(es) in the fuckin snake pit.!!!!! "Look Mom, on top of the fuckin world!!"

....Full circle for the impressionable 9 year old from KB Hallen in Copenhagen in February '73.

Rest in peace Jon and THANK YOU for everything,

Lars

WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp has completed work on a new solo album, to be released before the end of the year.

Commented Tramp: "It has been such a comfort to finally be able to make this album, the kind of album I have never done before . . . It's] an album I have had in me for over 20 years but never had the guts to do. But now as my knees are starting to ache and my beard shows signs of grey, and while my heart at times [is] on the verge of breaking, this album is my salvation and I am very excited about it. It feels like I've really come home in a sort of way, and I am very proud."

He added, "At this moment, I don't have a release date, and I know it will be awhile, but I'll let you know the second I have the official date. In the meantime, and also a first time. I am venturing out across Europe, all alone with just my guitar. I have never done this before, but again looking very much forward to bring all these old songs down to the purest and simple form, like they were when they were written. I hope to cover as many countries and cites as possible, and this journey will carry on into 2013. Actually, it might never stop; after all, this is what I am."

Tramp last year released "Stand Your Ground", the second album from his MIKE TRAMP & THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ project. Mike wrote all the songs on the CD, which was recorded almost live at Medley Studios in Copenhagen with Søren Andersen and Tramp as producers. The album was mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, RAUNCHY, THE STORM, SURFACT). The cover artwork was created by Karsten Sand (VOLBEAT).

Ex-MEGADETH guitarist Glen Drover has issued the following message via BW&BK in the wake of Lord's passing:

"It's an absolute horrible day in music. I just found out that Jon Lord passed today, and I'm truly depressed about it. John was and always will be the best keyboard player ever! His style influenced me a ton even though I'm a guitar player. His phrasing and ability to ad-lib as well as he did was just incredible. Listen to any recording he ever did, and notice how flawless he was, every single time.

Play one of our favourite Deep Purple albums in memory of John Lord today. R.I.P. John."

Glen Drover

Finnish melodic death metallers EMBREACH will release their debut album, "Hues Of Red", on August 17. According to a press release, the CD contains songs "ranging from progressive death metal to mournful ballads."

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Descent
02. The Night Beckons
03. Beneath The Waves
04. On That Day
05. Hue Of Red
06. We Must Not Wait
07. 451
08. …And Then Silence
09. Unmarred

EMBREACH previously released three EPs: "End Of The Line", "Her Grace" and "Deafening Silence".

EMBREACH is:

Sami Honkonen - Vocals
Jari Aarniala - Guitars
Toni Enqvist - Guitars
Jaakko Mäkilä - Bass
Jarno Vanhanen - Drums

"I Wait In Hell", a brand new song from Chicago-based extremists NACHTMYSTIUM, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's sixth album, "Silencing Machine", which will be released on July 31 via Century Media Records. The CD, which is described by frontman/lead guitarist Blake Judd as "a fuckin' black metal record," was recorded at Engine Studios with the band's own synths/electronics specialist Sanford Parker (YOB, PELICAN) handling production duties.

Commented Judd: "Thinking back to when we signed to Century Media and decided to do those metal records, I wanted to do two really weird records and then go back to what we've been doing. This was in 2007 and it just so happened that my thought process stayed with me for many years. I missed the live energy of the more aggressive stuff. The last two records weren't really that aggressive and they were definitely a step away from that raw black metal foundation we started with.

"I wanted to bring it back for some personal reasons: I like it live a lot and I think it has some great energy. And I really didn't know where to go next with that whole adventuring process we did on those last two records. It's just not what we wanted to do for this record; we wanted to capture what we sound like live in the studio. On this record, there's never more going on in a song than we're capable of recreating live, which is a really big thing for us, because there's so much on those last two records that we can't play without having a number of extra musicians onstage at any given time.

"Overall, my interest in metal has come back, now that I've been away from Battle Kommand and working in record stores for a number of years. I've finally been able to get back into metal as a fan. I got really burned out on it. But now I pay more attention to the bands I like from the genre and I found some new stuff. We're also touring with a lot of metal bands and I've seen some really cool stuff. I think that's rubbed off on us as well."

Brazilian death metal veterans KRISIUN have re-signed with Century Media Records.

Commented the band: "We have been with [Century Media] since the year 2000 and I guess we've achieved a lot for an extreme metal band. Also we got nothing to complain about; we are living a hard moment for the phonographic industry, but we, just like them, will keep working hard to spread metal around the globe. Now it's a new era for us on the label and we are excited about this and we will push things even harder to make this a successful partnership."

Since KRISIUN's new deal with Century Media covers the band's entire back catalog, there are plans to reissue the group's early demo tapes in the fall. More information will be made available soon.

KRISIUN's latest album, "The Great Execution", was released on October 31, 2011 in Europe and November 1, 2011 in North America via Century Media Records. The band's eighth studio CD "musically expands KRISIUN trademark high-speed death metal violence with a heavily increased amount of diversity ranging from extreme tempo variations over distinct rhythm patterns to clean guitars and even Flamenco parts!" according to a press release. The cover artwork was created by Japanese artist Toshihiro Egawa who has been doing tons of great designs for acts like SUICIDE SILENCE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DEVOURMENT and DYING FETUS, among others.

"The Great Execution" was made available as a limited-edition digipack including a re-recorded version of the classic KRISIUN song "Black Force Domain" as a bonus track, as a 180-gram gatefold vinyl and as a digital download. The CD was recorded at Stage One Studio in Germany with producer Andy Classen, who previously worked with KRISIUN on the "Conquerors Of Armageddon" (1999), "AssasiNation" (2005) and "Southern Storm" (2008) releases.

Swedish hard rockers CORRODED performed a brand new song, "More Than You Can Chew", and their new single, "I Am The God", during their July 7 appearance at the Getaway Rock Festival in Gävle, Sweden. Both tracks will be included on the band's as-yet-untitled third album, to be released on September 5 via Ninetone Records.

CORRODED's new CD was once again helmed by Swedish producer Patrik Frisk and its sound is described as "melodic, dark, heavy and very, very CORRODED."

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. 6 Ft Of Anger
02. Dust
03. Inside You
04. The Scars The Wounds
05. Piece By Piece
06. It's Up To You
07. More Than You Can Chew (new song)
08. Age Of Rage
09. I Am The God (new single)
10. I Am Your Saviour
11. Time And Again

Fan-filmed video footage of the two new songs can be seen below.

CORRODED is:

Jens Westin - Vocals, Guitar
Peter Sjödin - Guitar
Tommy Rehn - Guitar
Bjarne Elvsgård - Bass
Per Soläng - Drums

CORRODED came together in Sweden in 2004. The band quickly arose from being essentially unknown to a household name in its native country when national television station TV4 handpicked CORRODED's debut-single, "Time and Again", to accompany the promotion of their blockbuster show "Expedition Robinson", internationally known as "Survivor". The band has been touring immensely in their homeland, hitting many major clubs and festivals. CORRODED even supported AVENGED SEVENFOLD on their tour through the Nordic countries in the fall of 2010.

SLIPKNOT will release "{sic}nesses: Live At Download", the band's Blu-ray debut, on July 31 in North America via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Filmed in high-definition and newly remixed in DTS-HD Master Audio and LPCM Stereo, SLIPKNOT's 18-song 159-minute performance at Download festival is the kind of event that only Blu-ray can come close to capturing. The date was June 13, 2009, and SLIPKNOT headlined Download, a three-day event held annually in Donington Park, England, in front of 80,000 music fans. The band have since played bigger stages and to bigger crowds, but Download '09 stands unquestionably as a career highlight for the Iowa band, and their excitement on stage is palpable.

Included is a 45-minute documentary directed by the band's M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown), "Audible Visions Of {sic}nesses", as well as music videos for the songs "Psychosocial", "Dead Memories", "Sulfur", the short film "Snuff" (directed by M. Shawn Crahan and Paul Brown), plus "The Making Of Snuff".

"{sic}nesses: Live At Download" track listing:

01. 742617000027
02. (sic)
03. Eyeless
04. Wait And Bleed
05. Get This
06. Before I Forget
07. Sulfur
08. The Blister Exists
09. Dead Memories
10. Left Behind
11. Disasterpiece
12. Vermilion
13. Everything Ends
14. Psychosocial
15. Duality
16. People = Shit
17. Surfacing
18. Spit It Out

"{sic}nesses: Live At Download" was originally released as a 2010 Roadrunner 2DVD.

AFM Records recently issued a new Best Of DORO album entitled Under My Skin - A Fine Selection Of Doro Classics. It has entered the German album charts at #53.




Under My Skin was compiled in close collaboration between AFM Records and Doro Pesch, who also contributed handwritten liner notes to all songs. The 2-CD package includes Doro classics, but in addition also lots of rare tracks from single B-sides and rare album bonus tracks.

As well as the regular digipak version, it is also available as strictly limited wooden fanbox edition (1,000 copies only) which includes the digipak 2-CD, a textile posterflag, a Doro logo patch, a Doro bracelet, a postcard and a certificate of authenticity.

"Compelled By Mediocrity", the official lyric video from Los Angeles, California death dealers MURDER CONSTRUCT, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's highly anticipated debut full-length entitled "Results". Featuring 11 tracks of violent, uncompromising death/grind, the CD displays cut-throat songwriting and top-notch musicianship mixed with the band's own brand of twisted experimentation to create one of 2012's most punishing auditory experiences.

Due on CD/LP/digital on August 28 via Relapse Records, "Results" was recorded in Hollywood, California's Architeuthis Sound studio with engineer Sean Vahle while drums were tracked at Trench Studios in Corona, California with John Haddad (ABYSMAL DAWN, EXHUMED, INTRONAUT).

MURDER CONSTRUCT features Travis Ryan (CATTLE DECAPITATION) on vocals, Leon del Muerte (EXHUMED, PHOBIA, IMPALED) on guitar and vocals, Kevin Fetus (FETUS EATERS, WATCH ME BURN) on guitar, Danny Walker (INTRONAUT, EXHUMED, UPHILL BATTLE) on drums, and Caleb Schneider (BADACID TRIP) on bass. The band previously released a seven-song EP in November 2010.

Legendary Danish/American/Swedish heavy metal band KING DIAMOND made its return to the live stage on June 9 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. The Candle
02. Welcome Home
03. Voodoo
04. At The Graves
05. Up From The Grave
06. Let It Be Done
07. Dreams
08. Sleepless Nights
09. Andy La Rocque / Mike Wead Guitar Solo
10. Shapes Of Black
11. Come To The Sabbath (with MERCYFUL FATE's Hank Shermann and VOLBEAT's Michael Poulsen)
12. Eye Of The Witch

Encore:

13. The Family Ghost
14. Halloween (with MERCYFUL FATE's Michael Denner and MOTÖRHEAD's Mikkey Dee)
15. Black Horsemen

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

KING DIAMOND played only one more show in Europe last month: June 15 at Hellfest in Clisson, France.

Danish heavy metal singer King Diamond (KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE) (real name: Kim Bendix Petersen), 55, underwent open-heart triple-bypass surgery in November 2010. He has since completed his cardiac rehabilitation program and has stopped smoking entirely, changed his diet and is getting regular exercise, according to his wife Livia Zita.

In a March 2012 interview with the Swedish metal blog Bara Metal, King Diamond stated about what he did during his year-long break, "Well, we did keep up with people. A lot. We started a thing where… it's a Skype website where people will sign up. And now and then I will call up fans and we talk. We have done that several times. We will call up three fans through that way, 'King Diamond is calling you,' and it could be one from Puerto Rico, one from Sweden, one from Scotland. We pick them randomly, but not the same person twice. Then we sit and talk for an hour. They can ask anything. They usually have a lot of question that are the same as the fans ask in the fan club, the Coven. So we get a lot of info out that way, and we upload it so other can listen to it. We are certainly in touch with our fans."

When asked if there are plans to release new music in 2013, King replied, "That is absolutely the plan. Something has to go totally wrong for us not to do that. We will write material this fall. Hopefully during the autumn, we might do something here in the U.S., after the festivals. But we will not be doing a long tour, it is still a test, we will see what happens. We do not want to take stupid chances, it has to be done properly. And we have a lot to do still, but things are looking good."

Performance:

Progressive rock/cutting-edge metal innovators BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME have set "The Parallax II: Future Sequence" as the title of their new full-length album. The CD, which clocks in at approximately 72 minutes, will be released October 9 and features artwork from Charlotte, North Carolina artist and designer Chandler Owen (UNDEROATH, SHAI HULUD, HOPESFALL). The group — Tommy Rogers (vocals / keyboards), Paul Waggoner (guitar), Dustie Waring (guitar), Blake Richardson (drums / percussion) Dan Briggs (bass) — is currently preparing for its direct support slot on the Summer Slaughter tour that kicks off in Los Angeles, California at the House of Blues on Friday, July 20.

"The Parallax II: Future Sequence" was recorded at The Basement Studios in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with longtime friend of the band and producer Jamie King. Jamie engineered, mixed and mastered "The Parallax II: Future Sequence", which makes this the sixth release Jamie and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME have worked together on.

Regarding the concept of "The Parallax II: Future Sequence", the new full-length album picks up where the 2011 EP, "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues", left off.

"The two main characters of the story take on a journey through space and time with the unenviable task of having to cure the flaws of humanity by any means necessary," comments guitarist Paul Waggoner. "While the EP served mostly as an introduction to the characters, 'Future Sequence' contains the action of the story. The lyrics are written in the stream of consciousness style, which really helps to capture the perspective and emotion of the characters. We really enjoyed the challenge of writing this record, and I think we were all pleasantly surprised with how well the music and lyrics jived with one another. I couldn't be happier with how 'Future Sequence' turned out."

Vocalist and keyboardist Tommy Rogers adds his thoughts on the musical direction of "The Parallax II: Future Sequence": "This album is BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME on steroids. I feel like we have created an album that perfectly mirrors the band we've been trying to create since day one. An album that has sounds that will stimulate many genres and music fans alike. A conceptual journey that takes the listener to worlds that seem familiar and worlds that make you scratch your head. From start to finish this is music we want to create, not music we think people want us to create. We create songs that keep us (and hopefully you) excited about heavy music. Keep listening… something new will be there each time. Enjoy the music… we enjoyed writing it."

"The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues" (released in April 2011) is a three-song strong, 30-minute tour de force of modern heavy music. Produced and engineered by the Grammy award–winning David Bottrill (TOOL, MUSE, KING CRIMSON, DREAM THEATER) with BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, the record soared to No. 54 on The Billboard 200 chart in its first week of release while landing the No. 5 spot on the Hard Music chart, and No. 8 on the Independent Albums chart in its first week of release. "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues" also debuted in Canada charting at Mo. 62 on the Top 200 Current chart, No. 6 on the Hard chart, and No. 14 on the Independent chart.

Dallas, Texas-based power metallers PHANTOM-X will release their new album, "The Opera Of The Phantom", on August 31 via Pure Steel Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Storms Of Hell (Opera Chapter 1)
02. The Rise Of The Phantom (Opera Chapter 2)
03. Discovery (Opera Chapter 3)
04. The Mask (Opera Chapter 4)
05. Storm Riders (Opera Chapter 5)
06. Everspell (Opera Chapter 6)
07. 13th Hour (Opera Chapter 7)
08. A Strange World (Opera Chapter 8)
09. Discovery II (Opera Chapter 9)
10. Deep Six Down (Opera Chapter 10)
11. Cloning The Christ (Opera Chapter 11)
12. Playing God (Opera Chapter 12)
13. Holy Hell (Opera Chapter 13)
14. 1000 Quatrains
15. Your Majesty
16. All Hail The Heroes

The "1000 Quatrains" video can be seen below.

Nowadays, the sounds of vintage metal are unmistakably heard in countless up-and-coming bands — whereas seemingly just a few years ago, bands that listed IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and DIO as chief influences flew well below the radar. PHANTOM-X is one such band that is proud to wave the flag of metal with an '80s flair.

"We receive the comment that we are old school and nothing new," says Goocher. "But we are not trying to be anything new in particular. We give homage to the sounds of the Metal Gods. Our music is inspired by the greats like IRON MAIDEN. It's power metal, with great hooks and melody, with a horror influence. What sets us apart is that we are not set in solely one type of song. We draw inspiration from anywhere that inspires. If it comes out speedy, then you get speedy. If it comes out melodic, then you get melodic. We have a variety of songs for any mood. Our songs are stories. I write lyrically to tell a story, not just to fill a song. In fact, we have chapters that have been released on each CD thus far that are all a part of one story."

Formed in 2003, PHANTOM-X is comprised of members Kevin Goocher (vocalist), Bill Engfer (guitar), Glenn Malicki (bass), and Reece Stanley (drums).

"I was singing for the band OMEN, and we were on a hiatus," recalls Goocher. "I decided that I wanted to do another project. I had noticed Glenn Malicki in a band he was playing in around Dallas. We started talking, and realized we were a good fit. We decided to put together some musicians and see what would come of it. We had started out as a Ronnie James Dio tribute band in 2003, called STARGAZER. Almost immediately, we started writing originals and released our first CD on Mausoleum Records in 2005, 'Rise Of The Phantom'. To support 'Phantom', we toured with ANVIL on the now-legendary tour that was documented in their 'Anvil! The Story of Anvil' movie. Then, we released 'Storm Riders' in 2006, and followed that with a tour. In 2009, Reece Stanley and Bill Engfer joined us and we released 'This Is War' on Perris Records."

Yohan Kisser, the 15-year-old son of SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser, joined the band on stage on July 11 at Musiktheater in Kassel, Germany to perform the song "Ratamahatta". Video footage of his appearance can be seen below. A photo is available at this location.

Andreas and his wife, Patricia Perissinotto Kisser, have three children together: Giulia (17), Yohan and Enzo (7).

SEPULTURA played its first show with new drummer Eloy Casagrande (GLÓRIA, ANDRÉ MATOS) on November 25, 2011 in Lichtenfels, Germany.

The band is touring in support of its 12th studio album, and Nuclear Blast Records debut, "Kairos", which hit stores in July 2011.

Kisser's solo debut, "Hubris I & II", was nominated in the "Best Brazilian Rock Album" category at the 2010 Latin Grammys.

SONIC SYNDICATE drummer John Bengtsson and his wife welcomed a baby daughter last week.

Commented John: "I've experienced a lot of amazing things in my life, but seriously NOTHING can prepare you for the birth of your child! It is the most incredible thing that can happen to you! And I'm stunned at how strong women are, to be able to give birth! And yes, to answer the question I've been asked, I did cry out sheer happiness the first time I saw my daughter!"

SONIC SYNDICATE bassist Karin Axelsson announced in May that she was pregnant with her first child. According to Karin, the baby is due the first week of October.

Guitarist Roger Sjunnesson left SONIC SYNDICATE last month. A replacement axeman has not yet been announced.

"The plan is to continue the band, but we have not had time to sit down and discuss everything," SONIC SYNDICATE guitarist Robin Sjunnesson told Sweden's Hallands Nyheter last month. "Right now we have some other priorities in life to tend to, so there will probably be no further activities this year. But we have all individually begun writing new material."

Part of the problem is that the four members of SONIC SYNDICATE all live in different cities — Karin resides in Falkenberg and John in Ullared. But Robin has moved to Stockholm and Nathan, the only non-Swedish member of the group, lives with a girl in Helsinki, Finland.

After an almost year-long hiatus, SONIC SYNDICATE co-headlined the Vekeri Fesztival in Hungary in late June.

SONIC SYNDICATE's latest album, "We Rule The Night", was released in Europe on August 27, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

SONIC SYNDICATE 2012 is:

Robin Sjunnesson (guitar)
Karin Axelsson (bass, vocals)
John Bengtsson (drums)
Nathan James Biggs (vocals)

On July 17, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release "Speak Of The Devil" on DVD by OZZY OSBOURNE in North America.

This show was filmed at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in California on June 12, 1982 as part of the delayed continuation of the "Diary Of A Madman" tour following the tragic death of Randy Rhoads a few months earlier. The audio has been digitally restored and remastered and is now available in DTS and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound for the first time. "Speak Of The Devil" includes the classics "Mr. Crowley", "Over The Mountain", "Crazy Train", "Flying High Again", "Iron Man", "Paranoid", "Goodbye To Romance" and many more.

The "Crazy Train" performance clip from "Speak Of The Devil" can be seen below.

The concert is a perfect snapshot of Ozzy Osbourne's live performances in the Eighties with dramatic staging and masses of energy with a setlist based around his first two solo albums and a few BLACK SABBATH classics. The lineup for this show features Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Don Airey (keyboards); Tommy Aldridge (drums); Brad Gillis (guitar) and Rudy Sarzo (bass), who also penned the liner notes for the DVD.

The bassist previously told AOL's Noisecreep, "I've been looking forward to watching this since seeing the initial broadcast on Halloween in 1982. It was filmed in Southern California so it was a kind of hometown gig for all of us in the band because we all lived in the L.A. area. And of course, what makes it really special is that the person we are playing for, although he is not there in body, is truly present with us. You feel it. . . This particular show was really about capturing something unique. Rarely do you see a band doing a video where the main character or performer is not there. Randy Rhoads is missing — but we were all playing in the spirit of Randy. Every performance that happened after the crash was basically leading us all through the steps of grieving - every single one. And so by the time we were doing that last show, it was a celebration — purely a celebration of Randy Rhoads. By that night we had reached a truly special level and so to have it captured so professionally is very exciting for all of us. And remember, this was really the last tour that featured so much from 'Blizzard Of Ozz' and 'Diary Of A Madman', which Ozzy wrote with Randy. So all of the music that's featured is very special, too."

When asked if he had any special memories from that day, before the actual concert, Sarzo said, "Well, there used to be a Lion Country Safari right next to the venue. So before the show Ozzy did a photo shoot and I think he had an altercation with a monkey or something. I was not there — but I think any creature would be afraid of the guy who bit the head off of a bat. [laughs]"

"Speak Of The Devil" track listing:

01. Over The Mountain
02. Mr. Crowley
03. Crazy Train
04. Revelation (Mother Earth)
05. Steal Away (The Night)
06. Suicide Solution
07. Guitar / Drum Solo
08. Goodbye To Romance
09. I Don't Know
10. Believer
11. Flying High Again
12. Iron Man
13. Children Of The Grave
14. Paranoid

Fan-filmed video footage of DIO DISCIPLES' July 7 performance at Tuborg Goldfest in Parkorman, Istanbul, Turkey can be seen below.

DIO DISCIPLES is the project featuring former DIO members Simon Wright (drums), Craig Goldy (guitar), Scott Warren (keyboards) and Rudy Sarzo alongside singers Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and Toby Jepson (LITTLE ANGELS, GUN). The group pays tribute to the Ronnie James Dio and is fully supported by Dio's widow/manager, Wendy, who has said, "There will never be another Ronnie, but we want to keep his music alive and hope you will support the band and become one of the DIO DISCIPLES."

Sarzo is unable to take part in DIO DISCIPLES' current European tour and is once again being temporarily replaced by James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, WHITE LION).

In an interview with Metal Assault, Simon stated about how DIO DISCIPLES was conceived, "I think it was a combination of all of us. We talked long and hard and discussed 'Should we or shouldn't we? Is it right? How do we really feel about all this?' And it just became apparent that we just couldn't let it go. We've been in Ronnie's band for such a long time and he taught us so much, he was an inspiration and we learned so much from him about being on the road, being in the studio… We just came to the conclusion that we just couldn't let it go and we needed to keep the songs going for the fans; that's the most important thing we're doing here. We're not trying to kid anybody here; we're just doing it from the heart and continuing his legacy. It's really as simple as that."

On the topic of DIO DISCIPLES setlist, Simon said, "The problem that a lot of bands have is that they've got a strong batch of hits, so we still have to do songs that are like that — we have to do 'Heaven And Hell', 'Rainbow In The Dark', 'Holy Diver', 'We Rock'… So we're doing those, but we're trying to throw in as many curveballs as we can at the moment. As we progress, I think we'll be throwing in more songs from Ronnie's catalog, which should be a couple of surprises — songs that maybe were never played live, or that were played live but a long, long time ago. Because, like I said before, we wanna make it something special for the fans and they all have everything different songs that they love. We can't do them all, but we're gonna try and fit as many of them in as we can."

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler (pictured below) has released the following statement:

"[I was] very sad to hear of [former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] Jon's [Lord] death, following his battle with the demon cancer. [He was] one of the great musicians of my generation. Tony Iommi [BLACK SABBATH guitarist] recently worked with Jon, and said what a lovely bloke he was. I met him a few times, but never got to work with him. Blessings."

Jon Lord died earlier today (Monday, July 16) in a U.K. hospital at the age of 71. He suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism at the London Clinic after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Jon was "surrounded by his loving family," a message on his official web site said.