"Evil Eyes", the new video from rockers THE LAST VEGAS, can be seen below. The clip was produced and directed by the Chicago-based Motion Source Video Solutions.

Commented THE LAST VEGAS frontman Chad Cherry, "We wanted to write a tune that people would want to rock out to, feel sexy and dance to... but in reality, the song's message is creepy as hell. It's about stalking people, watching them in their private and personal environment behind closed doors doing things they wouldn't do in front of people... but someone is in the shadows watching all. Maybe that IS actually sexy, voyeurism and obsession."

"Evil Eyes" comes off THE LAST VEGAS' fourth full-length album, "Bad Decisions", which is scheduled for release on August 28 via FrostByte Media. The CD was produced by Johnny K (MEGADETH, DISTURBED, 3 DOORS DOWN, AIRBOURNE) in the band's hometown of Chicago and contains the straight-up-rock-'n'-roll-meets-garage/punk-rock sound for which the band has come to be known. Chad Cherry referred to the new tracks as "a little more raw, a little more groovy and more LAST VEGAS than the previous album...", while guitarist Adam Arling declared with DIY fervor, that the album contains "no samples, loops, backing this, that, whatever a lot of bands do nowadays. Just five guys rocking."

Hailing from Chicago and formed in 2005, THE LAST VEGAS cut its teeth relentlessly playing in support of two independent releases. In 2009, the band burst on to the national scene when MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx saw them play live in Los Angeles and subsequently co-produced their third album, "Whatever Gets You Off". More touring followed, including a stint opening MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Saints Of Los Angeles" tour. Now recharged, with an album that returns to their raw rock n' roll roots, THE LAST VEGAS is ready to hit the road again in support of "Bad Decisions". The Onion referred to their sound as "Swaggering, stomping, balls-out guitar rock," while The Chicago Sun-Times declared them to be "red hot garage-rockers."

THE LAST VEGAS is: Chad Cherry (vocals), Adam Arling (guitars), Danny Smash (bass), Nate Arling (drums) and Johnny Wator (guitars).

"Bad Decisions" track listing:

01. Beat To Hell
02. Other Side
03. Bad Decisions
04. Evil Eyes
05. Don't Take It So Hard
06. She's My Confusion
07. It Ain't Easy
08. My Way Forever
09. Leonida
10. Devil In You
11. You Are The One
12. Good Night

The fans demanded it, and the fans finally got it. After 20 years apart, the long-awaited TRIUMPH reunion of vocalist/guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine, and vocalist/drummer Gil Moore took place at Sweden Rock Festival, on June 7, 2008. And now, the band is putting the finishing touches on the DVD of that historic performance.

Due on August 28, the "Live At Sweden Rock Festival" set consists of a DVD and CD (both featuring identical track listings), and features all of the TRIUMPH classics fans could hope for, including "When the Lights Go Down", "Lay It On the Line", "Never Surrender", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight". Additionally, there are several bonus features, including the on-site TRIUMPH press conference, a cool "behind-the-scenes" segment and a photo gallery.

"It's great to finally be able show the world TRIUMPH's reunion show at the Sweden Rock Festival," says Mike Levine. "It certainly is one of the most memorable performances of our entire career! And they said it would never happen…"

"Live At Sweden Rock Festival" will be released on the TML label, distributed by UMG in Canada and ADA in the U.S. The set will be made available throughout Europe on Frontiers Records.

CD

01. When The Lights Go Down
02. Lay It On The Line
03. Allied Forces
04. Never Surrender
05. I Live For The Weekend
06. Blinding Light Show
07. Rocky Mountain Way
08. Magic Power
09. Rock And Roll Machine
10. Fight The Good Fight

DVD

01. When The Lights Go Down
02. Lay It On The Line
03. Allied Forces
04. Never Surrender
05. I Live For The Weekend
06. Blinding Light Show
07. Rocky Mountain Way
08. Magic Power
09. Rock And Roll Machine
10. Fight The Good Fight

A trailer for "Live At Sweden Rock Festival" can be seen below.

As one of the godfathers of prog metal and leading lights of arena rock, TRIUMPH formed in 1975, and built a large and loyal fanbase by the late '70s on the strength of their non-stop touring schedule throughout Canada and the USA and the success of their classic albums, "Rock & Roll Machine" and "Just A Game".

But it was in the 1980s when TRIUMPH truly became a force to be reckoned with, as a string of gold/platinum-certified albums ("Progressions of Power", "Allied Forces", "Never Surrender" and "Thunder Seven") and classic hits ("Fight the Good Fight", "Magic Power", "Lay It On The Line") solidified the group as one of rock's top concert attractions.

TRIUMPH pushed the limits of arena rock to the max with is legendary live shows and virtuoso playing. Add to it some of the most recognizable and celebrated radio classics, a vault full of gold and platinum sales awards for their ten studio albums and there you have one of the most successful rock acts of the 1970s/1980s.

Rat Pak Records has set an August 7 release date for LYNCH MOB's new four-song EP, "Sound Mountain Sessions".

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

"Sound Mountain Sessions" track listing:

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

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

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

LYNCH MOB has tapped Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE) as its new touring drummer for the upcoming summer shows in support of the band's new release.

LYNCH MOB 2012 is:

Oni Logan - vocals
George Lynch - guitar
Robbie Crane - bass
Brian Tichy - drums

I AM WAR, the new Orange County, California-based act featuring Alex Varkatzas (vocals; ATREYU) and Brandan Schieppati (guitar, vocals; BLEEDING THROUGH), will release its debut album, "Outlive You All", on August 28 via Razor & Tie. The CD was produced by Mick Kenney (ANAAL NATHRAKH).

"Outlive You All" track listing:

01. Don't Worship Assholes
02. Uninvite Me To Your Facebook Party
03. The Poisoning
04. Plug Me In
05. Bat Out of Hell
06. Hunting Me
07. Chipped Shoulders And Heart Attacks
08. Don't Know Anything
09. A Nightmare
10. Lead By Liars
11. My Love Affair With Disaster
12. Nihilistic Motivation
13. Feel The Same

I AM WAR released a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single featuring the songs "Bat Out Of Hell" (off their forthcoming album) and "Call Me Slugger" (vinyl exclusive). A limited number of the vinyl has been pressed in both white and hot pink, with 225 only available of each color.

The song "Bat Out Of Hell" is now available for streaming at AltPress.com.

Varkatzas previously stated that I AM WAR's album would be "filled with super-aggressive, heavy, energetic metallic, raw, punky hardcore. The kind of music that boils your blood and inspires you to get up and move."

"Too Fired Up", the new video from Swedish hard rockers BONAFIDE, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's new album, "Ultimate Rebel", which will be released on August 15 through Rootsy in Scandinavia and Off Yer Rocka in the rest of the world.

According to a press release, "Ultimate Rebel" is an album packed with loud, energetic yet melodic hard rock, firmly rooted in heavy electric blues and steaming hot old school R&B. The CD was recorded during two hectic weeks in engineer Conny Wall's Gig Studios in Stockholm in February and was produced by band frontman and main songwriter Pontus Snibb. The first single, "Doing The Pretty", received heavy rotation on several European radio stations.

It's hard to believe that it's been nearly three years since BONAFIDE's last full-length offering, "Something's Dripping", was first released.

Above all, BONAFIDE has been building an ever growing audience all over Europe by constant touring. Two long European tours, covering 12 countries, headlining and as support. Add to this, the countless festival appearances and week-long tours of Spain and the U.K. and it can be easily seen that these boys are rock and roll road rats on the up. Quite simply, BONAFIDE is a band that knows that success and longevity can only be achieved by hard work, which inevitably means non-stop touring and keeping it live.

"Harakiri", the video for the title track of the new solo album from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet and political activist Serj Tankian, can be seen below.

"Harakiri" is being released today (Tuesday, July 10) via Reprise Records/Serjical Strike.

In a recent interview with CraveOnline.com, Serj stated about the "Harakiri" title track, "[It] refers to the ominous events of early 2011 when close to a million species of bird and fish died, without much satisfactory scientific explanation. The omen was not lost on me. Varied creatures on earth were committing massive harakiri or were being given a sign to leave this place. Why would these intuitive beings closely knit in the fabric of nature leave? What does that mean for us in terms of environmental degradation, events to come, etc.?"

When asked if there is a thematic idea behind the "Harakiri" album, Serj said, "'Harakiri' is not really a concept record, although the idea of harakiri as it relates to death is a central theme. Everything else on the album captures the same time period of life in these times: political and social events, personal stories, humorous interpretations. It tries to convey the massive upheaval of our global life today ripe with injustice, economic inequities, the failing of the massive globalist agenda, and of course revolt."?

"Harakiri", a Japanese word meaning ritual suicide, is the follow-up to 2010's critically acclaimed "Imperfect Harmonies", and the third solo release from the SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman. As with 2007's "Elect The Dead" and "Imperfect Harmonies", Serj produced "Harakiri" himself at his home studio in Los Angeles. He tried to approach writing a little differently this time around. "I used the Apple iPad as a songwriting instrument to sketch out three of the songs on the record," explained Serj. "We must trick ourselves into writing in different ways to get unexpected results." The album will also feature performances by Serj's touring band, THE F.C.C. — Dan Monti on guitar, Mario Pagliarulo on bass, and Troy Zeigler on drums. Dan Monti is also co-mixing and co-engineering the album with Serj. The album was mastered by Vlado Meller (METALLICA, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, KANYE WEST, BEASTIE BOYS).

The official video for AEROSMITH's new single, "Legendary Child", can be seen below. The clip was filmed with director Casey Patrick Tebo, who also is helming a new concert film titled "Aerosmith: Rock For The Rising Sun". According to Tebo's official web site, the movie, which will focus on AEROSMITH's relationship with the group's Japanese fans, will be released later this year or in 2013.

"Legendary Child" recently landed on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart at No. 32 and the Hard Rock Digital Songs chart at No. 2. On the former chart, the song was the group's first entry since 2006, when "Devil's Got a New Disguise" reached No. 15.

"Legendary Child" will appear on AEROSMITH's 15th studio album, titled "Music From Another Dimension", which will arrive on November 6 via Columbia Records. The track was also supposed to be included in the upcoming summer film "G.I. Joe: Retaliation", but that movie was abruptly bumped from its June 29 release date to March 2013.

AEROSMITH premiered "Legendary Child"with a live performance during the season finale of "American Idol". It is a reworked version of a song originally written in 1991 during the sessions for the "Get A Grip" album.

"Music From Another Dimension" track listing:

01. What Could Have Been Love
02. Beautiful
03. Street Jesus
04. Legendary Child
05. Oh Yeah
06. We All Fall Down
07. Another Last Goodbye
08. Out Go the Lights
09. Love Three Times a Day (Hello Goodbye)
10. Closer
11. Shakey Ground
12. Lover A Lot
13. Freedom Fighter
14. Up On The Mountain

AEROSMITH began work on its first all-new album since 2001 last year, with the rest of the band working on music while singer Steven Tyler made his "American Idol" debut.

"Music From Another Dimension" is being helmed by producer Jack Douglas, who previously worked with AEROSMITH on classic early albums like "Toys In The Attic" and "Rocks" as well as on 2004's "Honkin' On Bobo".

"This record is different from the recent past, say the last 20 years, where everybody is getting in the studio and throwing down their songs," guitarist Joe Perry recently told Billboard.com. "This record is a lot more band-written stuff than there has been in the recent past."

"Legendary Child" video:

Steve Appleford of RollingStone.com conducted an interview with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King at the opening show of this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival on June 30 at San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On returning to the studio in August to complete the songwriting process for SLAYER's next studio album, for which two songs have already been recorded:

Kerry: "If I get off my ass and start writing again on the road — since we've been in Europe, I keep trying to work on lyric ideas, maybe some leads, and fixing songs that didn't work correctly — it should be a real quick process."

On whether guitarist Jeff Hanneman — who in January 2011 contracted necrotizing fasciitis, likely caused by a spider bite, and has been undergoing surgeries, skin grafts and intense rehab since — will rejoin SLAYER on stage and in the studio in the near future:

Kerry: "He's rehearsed with us a number of times. He tried to do the Fun Fun Fun Fest [in Austin in November]. That's the last time he tried to get out and do a show, and he's just not there. It's no secret we're very intricate, especially rhythmically. But he can't do that yet. . . After Mayhem, we'll re-evaluate and see if he's any closer. We're planning for him to come back and the door is open, because it's his fucking gig. If he can play, Jeff Hanneman is going to fucking be here, and I'm stoked about that. I love playing with [Jeff's temporary replacement] Gary [Holt from EXODUS], and he's doing a killer job, but if Jeff came back and said 'I'm ready,' I'll check him out to see that he's ready, and off we go."

Read the entire interview from RollingStone.com.

Eagle Rock imprint Armoury Records, in conjunction with Hamburg, Germany-based earMUSIC, has announced the release of the first-ever live solo album from Finnish singer Tarja Turunen. Entitled "Act I", the release will be unleashed to North American fans on September 4 in 2-CD, 2-DVD and Blu-ray format.

The first-ever live audio/video offering from the former NIGHTWISH soprano, "Act I" is a mammoth undertaking recorded and filmed with 10 HD cameras at the breathtaking Teatro El Círculo in Rosario, Argentina in March 2012. With an elaborate track listing of solo tunes, NIGHTWISH classics and various covers, including a rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom Of The Opera", Gary Moore's "Over The Hills And Far Away", WHITESNAKE's "Still Of The Night" and a variety of video extras, "Act I" provides a full-fledged bill of fare to every diehard Tarja fan.

Comments Turunen of the offering: "Those two nights in Rosario were a huge emotional drive to me personally," adding that she was many times "ready to burst into tears."

"Act I" track listing:

CD 1

01. Anteroom Of Death
02. My Little Phoenix
03. Dark Star
04. Naiad
05. Falling Awake
06. I Walk Alone
07. Little Lies
08. Into The Sun (previously unreleased)
09. Nemo (NIGHWISH)
10. Never Enough (previously unreleased)
11. Still Of The Night (WHITESNAKE)
12. In For A Kill

CD 2

01. Boy And The Ghost
02. Lost Northern Star
03. Ciaran's Well
04. Tired Of Being Alone (written with Schiller)
05. Where Were You Last Night / Heaven Is A Place On Earth / Livin' On A Prayer (Medley)
06. Underneath
07. Oasis / The Archive Of Lost Dreams
08. Crimson Deep
09. The Phantom Of The Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
10. Die Alive
11. Until My Last Breath
12. Over The Hills And Far Away (Gary Moore)

DVD 1

01. If You Believe
02. Anteroom Of Death
03. My Little Phoenix
04. Dark Star
05. Naiad
06. Falling Awake
07. I Walk Alone
08. Orpheus Hallucination / Orpheus In The Underworld
09. Little Lies (band jam)
10. Little Lies
11. Into The Sun (previously unreleased)
12. Nemo
13. Rivers Of Lust
14. Minor Heaven
15. Montañas De Silencio
16. Sing For Me
17. I Feel Immortal
18. Never Enough (previously unreleased)
19. In For A Kill
20. Toccata And Fugue D-minor (BWV 565) (Johann Sebastian Bach)
21. The Phantom Of The Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
22. Die Alive
23. Until My Last Breath
24. Over The Hills And Far Away (Gary Moore)

DVD 2

01. Boy And The Ghost
02. Lost Northern Star
03. Ciaran's Well
04. Tired Of Being Alone (written with Schiller)
05. Where Were You Last Night / Heaven Is A Place On Earth / Livin' On A Prayer (Medley)
06. Underneath
07. The Reign
08. Oasis/The Archive Of Lost Dreams
09. Still Of The Night (WHITESNAKE)

Blu-ray track listing is the same as DVD 1 and 2.

A teaser trailer for "Act I" can be seen below.

In other news, Tarja is in pre-production for her third solo album, which is expected to be released sometime next year. She says, "I have 25 songs where to choose the best ones for the album. Some of the musicians are already working on them with me."

Tarja's sophomore solo album, "What Lies Beneath", sold around 1,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 24 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.

"What Lies Beneath" was released in North America on September 14, 2010 via The End Records.

Ozzy Osbourne and his wife/manager Sharon have offered their support to LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe as he fights a manslaughter charge in the Czech Republic.

In a post on her Twitter profile, Sharon ?wrote, "Please support former Ozzfest member Randy Blythe from LAMB OF GOD. ?Free Randy Blythe?." Ozzy later re-tweeted the message on his own account.

Blythe remains behind bars in a Czech prison after the Prague State Attorney's Office filed a complaint against the singer's release on bail.

On Monday (July 9), the attorney's office spokeswoman Štepánka Zenklová confirmed that the complaint was delivered to the Prague 8 district court this past Friday (July 6).

Zenklová told the Prague Daily Monitor that she could not specify the justification of the complaint. The Prague City Court will deal with it now.

The complaint was filed with a Prague district court that was in charge of the case. It is to pass the decision-making on the bail to the City Court.

The City Court can either meet the complaint and annul the bail or it can approve the release on bail, and then the Prague attorney would comment on it again, district court judge Petr Fassati said.

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 group — 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.

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler has responded to a wave of criticism that has been leveled at the band after they set up a fund to help pay for their singer Randy Blythe's legal expenses.

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 group — 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.

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after Mazer posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000), as set by the court last Saturday. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

Writing on his Facebook page, Willie said, "I want to thank all of you again for your unwavering support in all of this. It's greatly appreciated and does not go without notice. I'd also feel remiss by not mentioning something else. As you all know, a legal fund has been set up in regards to our current situation. We've received quite a bit of backlash which I'd like to respond to. We are by no means requesting charity, nor are we demanding money from our fans. We have received dozens upon dozens of requests from supporters wanting to help in any way possible. This was a direct response to that in order to give fans a voice in all of this if they choose to do so. By no means are we trying to make a dime off of this. Trust me, we live for our fans and would never attempt to profit off of them. This is purely a response to those that reached out wanting to extend any and all help. Which we couldn't be more thankful for. It brings tears to my eyes as I write this just thinking about the outpouring of support we've received. Collectively, we will bring Randy home. He is my brother, your brother, and more importantly, an innocent man being wrongfully detained. I thank you all again, for everything. I love you all."

Fan-filmed video footage of Yngwie Malmsteen's July 7 performance at the Getaway Rock Festival in Gävle, Sweden can be seen below.

Acclaimed heavy metal singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (BEYOND FEAR, ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH), who has been fronting Yngwie's band both live and in the studio since February 2008, was unable to join Malmsteen at Getaway Rock due to scheduling conflicts with Tim's official Ronnie James Dio tribute band DIO DISCIPLES. Handling most of the lead vocals during Yngwie's set at the Getaway Rock Festival was bassist Ralph Ciavolino.

Released on November 22, 2010 via Malmsteen's own Rising Force Records, Yngwie's most recent album, "Relentless", features striking vocals from Owens, who first collaborated with Malmsteen on "Perpetual Flame" (Malmsteen's first album for the Rising Force Records label).

Of the latest CD, Malmsteen said, "The album title really says it all. The drive to surpass my own accomplishments can best be described with one word — relentless. After all these years of composing and playing music, I still am passionate about pushing myself to the limit — to the highest, most demanding level of playing possible."

Metal guitar master Joe Stump (HOLYHELL, REIGN OF TERROR) will release his ninth solo album, "Revenge Of The Shredlord", on August 17 via Lion Music. The CD was engineered and mixed by Grammy Award winner Ducky Carlise (BUDDY GUY, JOHNNY WINTER) and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (HALFORD, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ARMORED SAINT, ANGRA, SEPULTURA) at Appelbaum Mastering.

Commented Joe: "The new record's heavy, very dark and classically influenced, with the usual mix of strong melodies and fierce metal riffage that are a constant on all my previous releases. This is without a doubt my best effort, both sonically and guitar-playing-wise. I can't wait 'till it's unleashed."

"Revenge Of The Shredlord" track listing.

01. The Ritual Begins
02. Man Your Battlestations
03. Pistoleros
04. Shredlord's Sonata
05. Master's Prelude
06. In The Master's House
07. The Black Knight's Castle
08. Enter The Coven
09. Evil Beasts Below
10. Strat Outa Hell
11. White Knuckle Mayhem
12. The End Approaches

The song "Man Your Battlestations" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

Stump's last solo album, "Virtuostic Vendetta", was released in April 2009 via Lion Music.

Video footage of ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante laying down a cover version of the BLACK SABBATH classic "Neon Knights" for inclusion on the upcoming Ronnie James Dio tribute album can be seen below. The collection, which is being assembled by the singer's widow and longtime manager Wendy Dio, will also tentatively include contributions from METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford, MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy Kilmister, DEEP PURPLE's Ian Gillan, Alice Cooper, Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH), Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW), Chris Jericho (FOZZY) and Dave Grohl (NIRVANA, FOO FIGHTERS).

"I'm letting them pick what songs they wanna do in the way they wanna do it," Wendy told Artisan News at last December's Dimebash event in Hollywood, California.

Tentatively due next year, the Dio tribute album will see Grohl covering BLACK SABBATH's "The Mob Rules" and Halford contributing a version of RAINBOW's "Long Live Rock 'N' Roll".

In a recent interview with Guitar International, ANTHRAX guitarist Rob Caggiano stated that his band's cover version of "Neon Nights" "came out pretty smoking."

Ronnie James Dio, best known for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and his own band DIO, died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Video footage of ANTHRAX performing "Neon Knights" on June 15 at the Copenhell festival in Copenhagen, Denmark can be seen below.

Last month, it was reported that ANTHRAX was recording several cover songs, to be issued in September to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the release of the band's latest album, "Worship Music". While the band does have plans to release an EP of covers that they've done, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian made it clear to VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner that they are "not working on a covers album." He said, "It's not at all what we're doing. [laughs] We just always record cover songs. They just happen when we're in the studio or when we're touring, we get bored of jamming on our own songs at soundcheck, so you end up jamming on cover songs and eventually we'll end up recording them and eventually, somehow, they end up getting released in some way, shape or form as B-sides, but we're definitely not working on a covers album."

Regarding ANTHRAX's plans to write and record new music, Ian told VH1 Radio Network, "We do already have two or three things kind of in the works as far as new music goes, so it's just a case of if you can get into that mode to start working on them. I can't even explain why or how it happens, but sometimes you'll just get into a mode and you're able to create and you're able to work on stuff and move stuff forward, new stuff, but sometimes you just can't. Sometimes you're on tour and there's just no spark, it's just not there, it's just all about what you're doing in the moment, playing those shows."

ANTHRAX has reportedly started recording the following cover songs for possible release:

* AC/DC - "T.N.T."
* BOSTON - "Smokin'"
* JOURNEY - "Keep On Runnin'"
* RUSH - "Anthem"

Laying down drum tracks to "Neon Knights":

Carlos Reali of Superskum.com conducted an interview with vocalist Chris Barnes of Florida death metallers SIX FEET UNDER on June 18 at the Gothic Theatre in Denver, Colorado. You can now watch the chat in two parts below.

When asked about his reputation as a "legalize cannabis" activist in his spare time, Barnes said, "I believe [cannabis] was placed here on earth by a higher power or another being or an alien being or something that has a plan for us. . . It's scientific knowledge that our systems are built around the cannabinoidal system. We need cannabinoids ingested into our bodies to build our immune system; it's a natural benefit to us as humans. There's a lot of things out there, scientifically, that prove this and show that it actually is a possibility to cure cancer as well. . . It is a passive, recreational drug. It is what you make it to be. Those are things that I found to be true, scientifically, about the human body needing cannabis in their system. What we don't need in our system is this [grabbing a bottle of Heineken] — a beer, alcohol. We don't need cigarettes, we don't need tobacco. But, for some reason, these things are legal to us and shoved down our throats, advertised on the Super Bowl, and we're supposed to consume these things. And they are the most deadliest things that we consume as human beings in our daily lives and they kill more people on the face of this planet than anything else that we use recreationally. So why are these items — alcohol and tobacco — available to us and we use them and eat them up and let them kill us? Why does that happen? That's the hypocrisy to why marijuana and cannabis should be legalized. And it's because it does not harm anyone physically. It has been scientifically proven that it helps us and benefits us as humans and we need it in our systems — period. So the hypocrisy in the prohibition of marijuana, of cannabis, should stop across the board. It should be used medicinally, it should be used recreationally, it should be used as products, it should be used as oil to run our cars, it should be used numerous different ways that could benefit the planet. Businesses can be started, economies can be boosted by this plant which grows simply, fast, and it actually produces more replenishing oxygen into the ozone faster than any other plant that grows on this planet. So all of those things wrapped up together, that's what I think about marijuana and cannabis. That's why prohibition is a hypocrisy that is being pushed by those in power for some reason. And the only thing I can think of is they are afraid of those that use it and they wanna kill people with this [holding a bottle of Heineken] to control the population."

SIX FEET UNDER last month announced the addition of Swedish rhythm guitarist Ola Englund (FEARED, SCARPOINT) to their legendary ranks. Englund, who made his first official appearance with the band on the "18 Nights Of Blood Tour" earlier this month, takes the place of Rob Arnold (CHIMAIRA).

SIX FEET UNDER's new album, "Undead", was released on May 22 through Metal Blade Records. The 12-track CD was produced by Mark Lewis (DEICIDE, DEVILDRIVER) and mixed by Jason Suecof (WHITECHAPEL, JOB FOR A COWBOY), at AudioHammer Studios in Sanford, Florida.

Virginia grindcore titans PIG DESTROYER have entered the studio to record their highly anticipated fifth full-length album. The band is producing and recording the CD at guitarist Scott Hull's Visceral Sound Studios in Alexandria, Virginia. The as-yet-untitled effort is described in a press release as "a return to a raw, primitive sound and will feature 19 songs of their signature misanthropic grind." A late 2012 release via Relapse Records is expected.

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

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

In other news, PIG DESTROYER has been confirmed for the U.K.'s Damnation Festival, se to take place this November, with numerous other dates and festival appearances to be announced shortly.

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

John Corabi — former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and UNION — has unveiled the cover art of his upcoming "Unplugged" CD. Check it out below.

Corabi recently released a limited-edition two-song CD sampler at this location. The disc features John's last live performance with THE SCREAM singing "Father, Mother, Son" as well as the track "If I Never Get To Say Goodbye..." from the unplugged CD.

Corabi's acoustic album will include "old songs, new songs and just a sample of things to come." Tentatively due in the spring, the set will contain two versions of the MÖTLEY CRÜE's song "Hooligan's Holiday" — a stripped-back acoustic version and a more elaborate but still acoustic-based band arrangement — as well as a version of the CRÜE's "Loveshine" and even a song by Corabi's first band, ANGORA, which was originally produced by Steve Vai.

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.

Due to a number of health issues, including a knee problem which will require surgery soon, former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno has announced that he will stop touring next year.

In a statement to his fans released earlier today, Paul said, "I am gonna be 'pulling the plug' next year 2013, and making it my 'farewell tour'... It was good whilst it lasted."

According to Michael Salenius, Di'Anno's Swedish booking manager and tour manager, next year will be "a big, fantastic" last touring year for Paul, with a lot of solo shows, festival appearances and Di'Anno vs. Blaze Bayley concerts. You will also see various guest musicians joining Paul on stage.

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

On August 27, 2011, Di'Anno played his first show since serving time in a U.K. prison after he falsely collected U.K. government benefits by claiming he suffered nerve damage to his back that prevented him from working.

After serving his jail term in early 2011, Di'Anno issued a short statement in which he thanked his fans for their support and claimed that he "managed not to drop the soap" during his stint behind bars.

Di'Anno, 53, was sentenced to nine months for swindling £45,000 (approximately $72,000) in benefits. He was told he would serve at least four and a half months of the sentence behind bars before being released on conditional bail.

D'Anno was reportedly busted when investigators at Department Of Work And Pensions (DWP) received an anonymous tip that he was still singing. They then found videos and pictures on YouTube and the rocker's own web site of Di'Anno "energetically leaping around on stage, singing to fans around the world."

Di'Anno completed his first North American tour in early 2010, 17 years after he was deported following a prison term for guns and drug offenses.

"In 1991 I did a couple of stints in jail for guns and drugs," Di'Anno explained in a 2010 interview. "I was stupid. But after I'd done my stretch they still treated me like a criminal. And I was — but I wasn't that bad. So I didn't feel good about America. The government, not the people.

"Prison was tough, but I'm tougher. I was nobody's bitch, put it that way. You've got to do it; otherwise people will walk all over you."

According to Mediafax.cz, Novinky.cz and PrvniZapravi.cz, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe remains behind bars in a Czech prison after the prosecutor filed a complaint against the singer's release on bail.

On Monday (July 9), a spokesman for the the Municipal Public Prosecutor's Office in Prague Štepánka Zenklová confirmed that the complaint was delivered to the Prague 8 district court this past Friday (July 6).

Another bail hearing will be held at the Municipal Court in Prague at a later date.

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 group — 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.

Blythe remains in detention at Pankrác Prison in Prague even after the band's manager posted 4 million Czech Koruna bail (approximately $200,000) on July 3. But the bail system in the Czech Republic is not as rapid as in the U.S.

Although bail has been posted, the decision to release the singer is still subject to appeal and so it will take some time for the state prosecutor's office to give approval.

LAMB OF GOD manager Larry Mazer spoke with Rolling Stone last week about the alleged incident, telling the magazine, "There are YouTube videos which 100 percent show Randy's innocence. As a matter of fact, all of those videos have now been sent to our lawyer, and he's presenting it to the judge. This case is so full of holes. Nobody reported an injury of any kind at the concert, or after the concert. It was at least an hour to two hours later, supposedly, when this kid went to a hospital."

Mazer continued, "So that's number one — why did nothing occur during the show? Number two, he had supposedly been in a coma for 30 days, but it wasn't [until] a couple of months later that they contacted the promoter to ask his understanding of the events. He said the same thing — that the show went on fine, no nothing, no incidents. They told him that a person had been injured, which led to a death, which he had no knowledge of whatsoever. And then it went away. Two years go by, and Randy gets arrested."

Legendary hardcore band CRO-MAGS was forced to cancel its concert Friday night (July 6) at Webster Hall in New York City as part of the CBGB Festival after the group's former bassist, Harley Flanagan, assaulted two people, including at least one current member of the band.

The CRO-MAGS have since released the following statement on the matter:

"We as a band are truly sorry for the way it all turned out in every regard, even the ex-member whose family is now affected by his choices. Our prayers go out to them as well as Mike C. [Michael 'The Gook' Couls], and the others who were hurt, but it was 'his' choice to come to our concert with a hunting knife, standing by our dressing door. Who knows what his actual intent was?! Obviously he wasn't there with it to cut bread for a peace offering as he was heard saying outside he was putting an end to us playing without him. Let's move on now and stop the trash-talking. Keep that PMA — that's what we are all."

According to the Daily News, William Berario, 45, was slashed above the eye and bitten on his cheek, and Couls was cut on his arm and stomach during the incident, which happened around 8:30 p.m. Flanagan was seen in photographs posted on BoweryBoogie.com being wheeled from the venue by EMTs. He was reportedly taken to Bellevue Hospital to be treated for a broken leg and was charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

The organizers of the CBGB Festival later released a statement, saying, "We are saddened to learn about the events that occurred at Webster Hall.

"Our primary concern is always the safety and experience of New Yorkers, music fans and the general public. Naturally, we will fully cooperate with law enforcement while hoping for the speedy recovery of those injured.

"Live music can be incredibly uplifting, empowering and positive. We don't feel the actions of one person should overshadow four amazing days and nights of events that include historic and unprecedented free concerts in Times Square and Central Park."

In a 2010 interview, Harley stated about CRO-MAGS singer John Joseph, "The guy has been pretty much a bullshit artist since the old days . . If John EVER actually has the balls to back up all the shit he talks, to step up, I'll beat his ass. Again... That is if he EVER has the balls to actually step up to the hundreds of times I've called him out, e-mailed him, called him, etc. . . Me and him both know the truth and we both know he's a fraud. A really fake motherfucker and all that 'spiritual' shit is just another smokescreen."

ICED EARTH mainman Jon Schaffer 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 Metalholic.com, Jon said (see video below), "I like Randy a lot — he's a great guy, and I really feel bad for what he is going through. I saw some video tape and I am not convinced that there was any wrongdoing. You can't fucking charge a stage and keep doing that kind of stuff after what happened to Dime [referring to late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist 'Dimebag' Darell Abbott, who was killed onstage in 2004) and expect people to not… And it's not even that anybody really overreacted; it's just normal… This stuff happens at shows all the time. It sucks… I've seen so many times where I'm like, 'Oh my God…' Bodies just come flying over the barricade. And OK, the security guys usually catch them, but if there is a whole and somebody, you know… I see it a lot, and a lot of these guys are so wasted, they get up and, like, 'Yeah!' and they still keep coming, and I'm [thinking], 'You're gonna feel that tomorrow, dude.'"

LAMB OF GOD had been touring Europe in support of its latest album, "Resolution", when Blythe was arrested on June 27.

Many of Blythe's fellow musicians have cited 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. Some reports say that the late fan tried to mount the stage as many as three times that evening.

The band has set up a legal defense fund for Blythe, which has drawn criticism from some of its own fans. Guitarist Willie Adler addressed the issue in an online post, saying, "We are by no means requesting charity, nor are we demanding money from our fans. We have received dozens upon dozens of requests from supporters wanting to help in any way possible. This was a direct response to that in order to give fans a voice in all of this if they choose to do so. By no means are we trying to make a dime off of this."

According to National Turk, Israeli progressive folk metal masters ORPHANED LAND will become Turkish citizens.

The band was previously given a "Friendship And Peace Award" by Turkey for its contributions to peace in the troubled region.

"ORPHANED LAND will perform in another concert in Turkey in September," the band's manager said. "I hope the process will run properly and ORPHANED LAND will be in their second homeland, Turkey, as Turkish citizens for the next concert."

ORPHANED LAND lead vocalist Kobi Farhi spoke about his love of playing Turkey before the band's concert in Istanbul in September 2011: "We're always glad to return to Turkey, and not only are we not afraid — we feel at home there. There are people there who sing with us in Hebrew and we don't face any hostility in Turkey."

ORPHANED LAND's concert DVD, "The Road To OR-Shalem", was released last October in Europe and November in the U.S. via Century Media Records.

According to a press release, "The Road To OR-Shalem" "is the premier Middle Eastern progressive metal crusaders' DVD debut and documents the band's incredible mission to unite warring factions in their home region through the power of music. Filmed in Tel Aviv, Israel in December 2010, 'The Road To OR-Shalem' features nearly two hours of stunning live material, as well as a second bonus DVD. The bonus DVD material includes additional live footage, a behind-the-scenes documentary and video clips."

Peter Iwers and Björn Gelotte of Swedish metallers IN FLAMES, along with Nicka Hellenberg and Mathias Larsson of Fiskejournalen, the largest fishing magazine in Europe, will meet you in Mehamn, where you will enjoy the grandeur of the Norwegian landscape, some pleasant company and, above all, some almost sinfully exciting fishing.

Nordic Safari in Mehamn is situated in one Europe's most northerly areas. Just outside the camp you'll find one of the best places in the world for fishing big cod, catfish and halibut. And just a few minutes away from the camp, you can fish for char and trout in clear mountain lakes. Nordic Safari will do everything to make sure you have a good time: fishing guides for sea and lake fishing, fully equipped sports fishing boats, cosy accommodation in Nordic chalets and plenty of good food.

Fiskejournalen will be reporting the trip, and the rockers from IN FLAMES will be in the boats all the time. The journey ends in the wake of the successful TV series "Deadliest Catch", when they fish for king crab, to be enjoyed as the sun goes down over the Barents Sea.

Included in the trip:

* Three full days fishing with guides (two days sea fishing and one day mountain fishing)
* Fishing equipment and fully equipped sports fishing boats, including fuel.
* Chalet accommodation (4 people per chalet)
* Full board and a king crab buffet
* IN FLAMES T-shirt, signed by the group
* Pictures and film from the trip (sent to you after the trip by Fiskejournalen)

Not included:

* Transport to and from Mehamn.
* Alcoholic beverages.

Price: 10,750 SEK (1,175 euros)

For more information, visit www.nordicsafari.no.