Roadrunner Records has set a July 17 North American release date for a SLIPKNOT greatest-hits album titled "Antennas To Hell".

The first in a series of teaser clips for "Antennas To Hell" — this one focusing on SLIPKNOT's DJ, Sid Wilson — can be seen below.

In other news, SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor has confirmed that the band is "putting together demos" for its next studio album, which it is expected to begin recording next year.

Taylor has been ambivalent about working on new material following the death in May 2010 of the group's bassist, Paul Gray, although percussionist Shawn Crahan and drummer Joey Jordison have been much more confident about the band recording again.

When asked to clarify the difference in opinion between members of the band as to whether new material is being written or not, Crahan told Metal Injection at this year's South By Southwest conference, which took place in March in Austin, Texas, "I can clear it up easily for you. Everyone in the band is writing all the time, whether it's a micro-cassette recorder or a memo on your iPhone or Corey writing down random things he invents in his head on a piece of paper or Joey saying, 'I got nothing to do, I'm gonna go in the studio with all these ideas. I'm going to rent out a studio for a month and a half and I'm going to fucking write.'

"I think what people don't understand about what's being said is that we're all dealing with Paul's death differently. And some want to move, some want to take time. But basically, what's being said is, of course, things are being written. But nothing is done because we're not together yet. And there is no reason to get together and talk about it because there are other things moving, like the grieving process.

"What it all comes down to is that, yes, writing is being done seriously every day, but it is going to be a while. It's just going to be. There's things going on. It gets a little perverted in the press, almost like, 'he says yes, he says no, we got a problem.' It's just more like, yeah, writing is going on but it's going to be a while, and both of them are telling the truth, and I'm here to tell you, we're not going nowhere!"

SLIPKNOT last summer completed a three-week European tour that was the band's first run of dates since the death of Paul Gray. Taylor, who has been unsure of SLIPKNOT's future since Gray's death, told The Gauntlet last November that there are currently "no solid plans to do a SLIPKNOT album. Joey and Paul were really the ones who would get things started. Then I would take what they wrote and really try to put it in a song sense and then that would get us all going. Especially on 'All Hope Is Gone', they gave me a lot of great material to work with. It was up to me to shorten it and make the songs into songs, basically."

He continued, "There is a huge pull in this band right now. It doesn't mean we can't go out on the road and share the music we have with the audience. But rushing in and making another album does not compute to me right now. It will be a few years before it does.

"There are some guys in the band that are painting me as the villain, but at the same time I have some guys in the band that support me and feel the same way.

"There are a lot of things in the band that have to change before we can go in and make an album. There are a lot of things we have to figure out and make peace with. We already know what the album is going to be about; we just need to find the strength to do it the right way."

Taylor told Billboard.com that when SLIPKNOT does eventually make it back into the recording studio, "We know that everything we do on that album is going to be about Paul. It's going to be very melancholy. It's going to be a more saddened form of rage when it does happen, and it'll be a whole path that we've never gone down before." He added that he personally was "not as anxious to make a new album as maybe certain people in the band are, and I know a lot of the guys in the band feel the same way I do, whether they want to admit it or not. It just makes more sense to try and figure things out before we try to get into a studio... I don't want to risk losing what we've built because somebody's trying to prove a point."

Jordison said last year that SLIPKNOT can carry on "with or without" Taylor.

Candlelight Records werden das vierte Solo Album „Eremita“, vom ehemaligen EMPEROR Sänger/Gitarrist IHSAHN am 18. Juni in Europa und am 19. Juni in Nord Amerika veröffentlichen. Das Album wurde aufgenommen und produziert im Ivory Shoulder Studio in Telemark. Gemixt wurde „Eremita“ von Jens Bogren (OPETH) im Fascination Street Studio in Örebro in Schweden. Neben IHSAHN wirkten folgende Künstler mit, der Drummer Tobias Ornes Andersen (LEPROUS), Saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby (Norway's SHINING), Gitarrist Jeff Loomis (Ex-NEVERMORE) und die Sänger Devin Townsend, Einar Solberg (LEPROUS), und Heidi S. Tveitan (STAROFASH). Das Packaging wurde vom spanischen Designer Ritxi Ostariz kreiert.

Rückblickend auff den Aufnahme Prozess sagte IHSAHN: "This is right where I want to be musically, with lots of room for dynamics and expressive variety. Tobias and Jørgen have really added to the organic vibe I was going for and have contributed to the overall feel with their fantastic musicianship. And to have Devin, Jeff, Einar and Heidi adding their special moments, I am very privileged to be able to work with such a talented group of people. I really feel this is some of my most inspired work yet."

METALLICA's June 2 performance at the Rock Am Ring festival in Nrburgring, Germany will be streamed live at OrionMusicAndMore.com. Tune in on Saturday around 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST and noon PST) to watch the concert in its entirety.

METALLICA recently announced that it will play at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia on August 24, adding that the concert will be filmed in 3D for the band's upcoming 3D feature film project. A post at the band's official web site said, "We couldn't think of a better place than Vancouver to end our three-week new stage run with cameras capturing it all, so bring your nuttiest, craziest Metalli-self to the show, be a part of movie history, and show the rest of the world how much Vancouver rocks."

The post added that the late summer run of shows "are indeed the last dates that we are announcing for summer of 2012."

The run, which includes eight shows in Mexico City, will unveil a new 140-foot-by-50-foot stage that will feature "colossal components and striking visual elements spanning METALLICA's entire 30-year career."

The METALLICA movie, which was first announced last year, will be directed by Nimrd Antal, perhaps best known for the horror movie "Vacancy" and the 2010 "Predator" sequel "Predators".

The film will be some sort of combination of concert footage and storyline, and is tentatively scheduled to arrive in theatres in the summer of 2013.

"Blood", the first single and title track of the third album from Southern California's IN THIS MOMENT, has been set for a June 12 add date at Active Rock radio. The track showcases the intense vocals, relentless guitars, deeply personal lyrics and driving rhythms for which the band has come to be known. "Blood" will also be available for purchase digitally at all online retailers the same day.

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

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

Commented IN THIS MOMENT frontwoman Maria Brink: "There are no words to describe how excited we are... We are on fire with this record. It's by far the most powerful material we have ever written.

"IN THIS MOMENT has gone through some big changes. I admit sometimes change is scary, especially when facing the unknown, but in this case everything has been perfectly meant to be. It's a brave, dark, hard-hitting album that will make you feel dirty inside, but still wanting more."

Added guitarist Chris Howorth: "Over the last [few] months, we have undergone some interesting changes within the band. As a result, Maria and I were brought closer together united in our mutual determination to top everything we have previously done with IN THIS MOMENT. It's our fourth album and we definitely have something to prove this time. During the writing process, Maria, Kevin and I are pushing ourselves to make sure every song is something unique and special. I honestly feel this is the most focused and powerful music we have ever created and I am beyond psyched to get it out there for people to hear."

In a recent interview with Australia's Loud magazine, Maria stated about IN THIS MOMENT's new material, "We brought some stuff to the table that we've never done before and it really sounds like something special, something new. I can't explain it; I mean, if you know our old music, when you hear the new stuff you're going to go, 'Holy shit, okay, I totally get it.' But I don't want to give away anything either, it's just unique; it's something new we've brought to the table. We found something special within us; we found this certain thing, so I'm excited for it."

Regarding IN THIS MOMENT's split with Fabb and Bunzel, Brink said, "You know how sometimes, you don't realize sometimes something happening (that's) traumatic, that it can be the most beautiful thing that could have happened to you? It's like one of those situations. It got really stripped back down to me and Chris [Howorth, guitar], and me and Chris started this band together, just me and him, and then it was like everybody came to the table, everybody brings their own influence. I believe it was all meant to be, all of those albums with them. I love them, I wish them the best. But it was almost like this new, with just me and Chris, this new fire, this new strength within me that I just… magical things started happening between what we started creating. And it's just so meant to be; it's meant to be that they moved on and some other things in my life, it's so cool 'cause it's just like this brand new everything and it feels really awesome. And you're going to be able to hear it."

HOTEL DIABLO — the new band featuring vocalist Rick Stitch (LADYJACK, ex-ADLER'S APPETITE), guitarist Alex Grossi (QUIET RIOT), bassist Mike Duda and drummer Mike Dupke (both of W.A.S.P.) — will release its full-length debut, "The Return To Psycho, California", on June 12. The CD was produced by Gilby Clarke (GUNS N' ROSES, ROCKSTAR SUPERNOVA), with additional production by Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY, BEAUTIFUL CREATURES).

"Psycho, California" is "a collection of stories, true stories, experienced during a time when our lives were filled with mind-altering shots of wretched adrenaline," says Stitch. "Strings got bent, knobs were turned and an uncontrolled visceral energy screamed life" into what has become "Psycho, California".

"The Return To Psycho, California" track listing:

01. Taken
02. Set It Off
03. What You Do To Me
04. Psycho, California
05. Bury You *
06. Wicked Lines *
07. All These Years
08. Wonderwall (OASIS cover)
09. Trigger
10. Bury You (alternate version) *
11. What You Do To Me (alternate version)

Produced by Gilby Clarke
* Produced by Matt Starr

An audio sample of "Bury You" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STEVE VAI, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR, GWAR) played four shows in London in November 2011 dedicated to his tetralogy album concept — a great journey through Devin's different states of musical moods — which he started in 2009 with the albums "Addicted" (2009) and "Ki" (2009) and finished with last year's "Deconstruction" and "Ghost". The concerts were professionally recorded and filmed for a unique box-set release, which he has decided to call "By A Thread - Live in London 2011".

Due on June 18 in Europe and June 19 in North America through HevyDevy Records/InsideOut Music, "By A Thread - Live in London 2011" will contain all four shows on four DVDs, plus a five-CD set (the four albums and one disc with all of the encores).

An official pre-release screening event will held on June 5 at the Prince Charles Cinema in London where, over the course of three to four hours, Devin himself will talk all attendees through a summary of all that the DVDs have to offer. Only a limited number of first-come-first-served tickets will be available to a lucky crowd of 250 people. Lucky, because besides being the first to see the DVD they will also have the exclusive opportunity to be the first to purchase the DVD box set two weeks before anyone else can have it. And it'll be signed, no less!

A live clip of the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT performing "Gato" — taken from "By A Thread - Live in London 2011" — can be seen below.

Commented Devin: "The amount of work and memory that went into that event has been captured by an even more herculean event by the folks making the DVDs, and finally I get to see what we did those nights! It's another situation of releasing a product that we think is really cool, and have gone the extra distance to make it worth your while if you're the type that supports by buying physical product... it's great! So if you weren't there, this is as close as you can get... please enjoy and maybe I'll meet you at the screening!"

The screening will be held on Tuesday, June 5 from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and tickets are £15 each. Tickets can be purchased at the Prince Charles Cinema via this link. The screening event will be followed up with two acoustic solo shows on June 6 and June 7, both held at London's The Borderline. And then Devin is off to headline the third stage at the Download festival on Friday, June 8.

"Gato" performance clip:

TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider performed a free show for Q104.3 contest winners on Friday, May 25 at the iHeartRadio Theater in New York City.

His setlist was as follows:

01. Mack The Knife
02. Cabaret
03. I Get A Kick Out Of You
04. We're Not Gonna Take It
05. The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd
06. The Price
07. Razzle Dazzle
08. The Joint Is Jumpin' (with Dee's son Jesse)
09. I Wanna Rock

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

Dee's new studio album, "Dee Does Broadway", was released on May 8 via Razor & Tie. The CD features Dee's powerful voice and theatrical persona as he exudes his rock ' n' roll take on several Broadway classics. The new album coincided with the release of his first-ever autobiography, "Shut Up And Give Me The Mic" (Gallery Books) on May 8.

"Dee Does Broadway" features several special guest stars, including Broadway and television icon Bebe Neuwirth on the DAMN YANKEES song "Whatever Lola Wants", Broadway legend Patti LuPone on a "West Side Story" medley "Tonight/Somewhere", pop icon Cyndi Lauper on SWEET CHARITY's "Big Spender", Clay Aiken of "American Idol" on the GUYS AND DOLLS classic "Luck Be a Lady Tonight", the stars of the Broadway hit musical "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert" (Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon, and Nick Adams) on SOUTH PACIFIC's "There Is Nothin' Like A Dame", Mark Wood of the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA playing violin on the "Phantom Of The Opera" ballad "Music Of The Night", as well a special rendition of "The Joint Is Jumpin" from "Ain't Misbehavin'" with Dee's oldest son, Jesse "Blaze" Snider. Songs are also featured from classic Broadway shows including "Cabaret", "Chicago", "The Threepenny Opera", "Anything Goes" and "Sweeney Todd".

Snider's first-ever autobiography, "Shut Up And Give Me The Mic", was released on May 8 via Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Filled with entertaining anecdotes and candid confessions, "Shut Up And Give Me The Mic" takes you through the good times and bad with a heavy metal star who worked as hard as he played, and who did it all for his wife, four kids, and millions of fans. As lead singer and songwriter of TWISTED SISTER, Dee Snider became the poster boy for heavy metal, hair bands, and the wild side of rock. Now, in his twisted new memoir, he reveals the real stories behind the crazy makeup, the big hair, and badass hits like "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock". In his journey from every parent's worst teenage nightmare to Renaissance man, Dee avoided the usual pitfalls associated with rock stars. But that didn't stop Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center from targeting him — a fight that led him to testify before Congress with Frank Zappa. He may have been slapped with a Parental Advisory warning label, but, through it all, Snider stayed positive and focused on being the best he could be.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada-based extreme metallers KATAKLYSM will release a multidisc DVD entitled "The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined" on July 3 via Nuclear Blast. The set, which will feature a documentary and bonus CD materials, will depict the ups and downs of the band's long, turbulent career, as well as footage of KATAKLYSM's performance at last year's Summer Breeze festival, which took place August 18-20, 2011 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. The cover art for the release was created by artist Colin Marks (ORIGIN, EXODUS, NEVERMORE) and can be viewed below.

Commented KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono: "Director Tommy Jones has really captured the band's story and magic on this thing. I'm super-excited; this DVD will turn many heads. Our fans will be proud. Most of all, I got memories immortalized of a beautiful story. If we don't earn the respect with this, then the ones not giving it are in the wrong biz."

"The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined" track listing:

DVD I
Iron Will Part I
The Early Years 1991-2004

01. Let’s Start A Band 1991-1993
02. Signing to Nuclear Blast in 1994
03. Mexico in 1995
04. Max Leaves the Band
05. The Temple of Knowledge
06. The Reformation in 1997
07. Leaving NB in 1998
08. The Prophecy Returns to NB in 2000
09. EPIC 2001
10. In Shadows & Dust
11. Max Quits, Again

DVD II
Iron Will Part II
The Rebirth 2004-2011

01. Serenity In Fire with Martin in 2004
02. Max Comes Back
03. In The Arms... 2006
04. Prevailing in 2008
05. 2010 Heaven’s Venom
06. Ozzfest
07. Albano’s & Saverio
08. The World Tour
09. Transylvania
10. SPQR Rome
11. Touring with Kids
12. New Orleans
13. 2 Decades of Congrats
14. Credits
+ "Iron Will" video clip

DVD II and CD I
On Fire At Summer Breeze
Live at Summer Breeze Open Air 2011

01. Determined (Vows Of Vengeance)
02. Taking The World By Storm
03. The Awakener
04. To Reign Again
05. Manipulator Of Souls
06. As I Slither
07. At The Edge Of The World
08. As My World Burns
09. Drum Solo
10. Blood On The Swans
11. Astral Empire
12. Feeling The Neverworld
13. The Orb Of Uncreation
14. In Shadows And Dust
15. Crippled And Broken
16. Push The Venom

CD II
Best Of Kataklysm

01. Iron Will
02. Like Angels Weeping (The Dark)
03. Push The Venom
04. In Shadows And Dust
05. Manipulator Of Souls
06. Crippled And Broken
07. Prevail
08. As I Slither
09. The Awakener
10. The Resurrected
11. Let Them Burn
12. At The Edge Of The World
13. Taking The World By Storm
14. Blood In Heaven
15. The Ambassador Of Pain
16. Where The Enemy Sleeps
17. The Road To Devastation
18. Sorcery
19. The Orb Of Uncreation

KATAKLYSM recently recorded the single "Iron Will" in Montreal, Canada with guitarist/producer Jean-François Dagenais. It was mixed Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, BEHEMOTH, MNEMIC) in Denmark.

A lyric video for the song "Iron Will" can be seen below. Also available is the official video for the track.

KATAKLYSM's "At The Edge Of The World" video was filmed on March 20, 2011 at the band's hometown show at Club Soda. This concert also marked the end of the group's "Spread the Venom" European/North American tour. The video was helmed by director Tommy Jones (DEATH ANGEL, SOILWORK), who also worked with KATAKLYSM on "The Iron Will: 20 Years Determined".

KATAKLYSM's latest album, "Heaven's Venom", sold around 2,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 8 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.

KATAKLYSM's previous CD, "Prevail", opened with 2,250 units back in June 2008.

"Heaven's Venom" was produced by Jean-Francois Dagenais and was mixed by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MNEMIC, DARK TRANQUILLITY).

"Iron Will" lyric video:

CRIMSON GLORY vocalist Todd La Torre has released the following statement regarding today's announcement that he has joined forces with QUEENSRCHE members Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and Parker Lundgren in a brand new band called RISING WEST:

"Just for the record and for those asking about CRIMSON GLORY, I am NOT leaving CRIMSON GLORY, I am embarking on another musical endeavor with the members of QUEENSRCHE. I am proud and honored to be a part of this! CRIMSON GLORY is still writing new material for our record, DO NOT WORRY :) This is going to be an amazing new chapter. \m/ Thank you for all of your support!"

La Torre, who says that QUEENSRCHE has been his favorite band since he was 15 years old, first met Wilton at this year's NAMM convention in January in Anaheim, California.

RISING WEST will make its live debut on Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9 at the Hard Rock Caf in Seattle, Washington. The band will perform rare and classic hits from the first five QUEENSRCHE albums — from the 1983 EP to 1990's "Empire" — and plans on hitting the studio sometime early summer to begin recording its first release.

A seven-minute YouTube clip containing samples of Todd La Torre performing a number of QUEENSRCHE classics can be found below. Also available is Todd's full-length performance of the song "Queen Of The Reich".

Todd La Torre joined CRIMSON GLORY in April 2010 and has played a number of shows with the band during the past two years.

La Torre made his first public appearance with CRIMSON GLORY at ProgPower USA X as one of seventeen guest performers paying tribute to Midnight, the band's original singer.

Essentially unknown to the mainstream progressive metal scene, La Torre spent 22 years earning his stripes and solidifying himself as an unquestionable talent behind the drum kit of various hard rock and heavy metal projects in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. However, his vocal aspirations went largely unfulfilled until 2009 when Matt LaPorte (JON OLIVA'S PAIN), who had only heard La Torre sing on a few occasions, casually mentioned to CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Jon Drenning that he might make a nice addition to the already stellar lineup of performers the band had accumulated. It was only a short time later that La Torre found himself at the band's rehearsal studio, and the pieces began to fall into place.

Midnight passed away in 2009 due to long-term health complications.

According to TicketWeb.com, the core members of QUEENSRCHE will debut their new band RISING WEST on Friday, June 8 and Saturday, June 9 at the Hard Rock Caf in Seattle, Washington.

RISING WEST features Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and Parker Lundgren of QUEENSRCHE, with powerhouse vocalist Todd La Torre of CRIMSON GLORY. The band will perform rare and classic hits from the first five QUEENSRCHE albums and plans on hitting the studio sometime early summer to begin recording its first release.

A seven-minute YouTube clip containing samples of Todd La Torre performing a number of QUEENSRCHE classics can be found below. Also available is Todd's full-length performance of the song "Queen Of The Reich".

QUEENSRCHE singer Geoff Tate entered the studio on February 29 to begin recording his second solo album.

Tate released his first solo CD in 2002 on Sanctuary Records. Self-titled, the LP was a huge departure from the work he had previously done with QUEENSRCHE.

"God Punishes, I Kill", the new video from Belgian neo-classical power metal masters IRON MASK, can be seen below. The song comes off the band's latest album, "Black As Death", which was made available in the U.S. on February 14, following its European release in December.

What started as a side project for MAGIC KINGDOM guitar master Dushan Petrossi a decade ago, has taken on a life of its own, IRON MASK eventually becoming the more popular of the two outfits.

Following the release of 2009's "Shadow Of The Red Baron", the blistering "Black As Death" is IRON MASK's fourth LP in a decade. Boasting over an hour of the band's renowned talent through a diverse array of lightning-fast metal, glorious ballads, dizzying neo-classical arrangements and straightforward hard rock thunder. Dushan Petrossi and his band merge exceptional musical prowess with epic accessibility, making "Black As Death" a must-hear for fans of FIREWIND, DIO, IRON MAIDEN, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and RAINBOW.

"Black As Death" track listing:

01. From Light Into The Dark
02. Black As Death
03. Broken Hero
04. Feel The Fire
05. Genghis Khan
06. God Punishes, I Kill
07. Rebel Kid
08. Blizzard Of Doom
09. The Absence
10. Magic Sky Requiem
11. Nosferatu
12. When All Braves Fall

IRON MASK is:

* Mark Boals (HOLY FORCE, THE CODEX, ROYAL HUNT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Vocals
* Roma Siadletski (MAGIC KINGDOM) - Vocals
* Dushan Petrossi (MAGIC KINGDOM) - Guitar
* Vassili Moltchanov (MAGIC KINGDOM) - Bass
* Ramy Ali (EVIDENCE ONE, JUSTICE) - Drums
* Mats Olausson (ARK, YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN) - Keyboards

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman joined Andrew W.K. on stage on May 26 at Yokohama Bay Hall in Yokohama, Japan to perform the song "We Want Fun" during Andrew's "I Get Wet" 10-year anniversary tour. Fan-filmed video footage of Marty's appearance can be seen below.

In January 2010, Friedman released a single, "Kiba", which was a collaboration with Andrew W.K. Marty stated at the time about the track, "[Andrew] is by far my favorite USA rock artist and I think we have made the ultimate mixture of our styles. The day I heard his first album, I said, 'Some day I'm definitely gonna work with that dude.' Since then he guested on two of my TV shows over here, and I joined him on stage at his Tokyo concert a couple years back. We got along instantly. But who wouldn't like the guy? He is about the friendliest, most positive and cooperative musician out there."

He added, "No one wanted to do anything experimental. Actually, both of us do tons of different and sometimes surprising things. As you know, I'm way into ballads and straight-up pure pop, but musically I'm most known for intense guitar playing, like on 'Loudspeaker'. That's cool, too. Andrew's latest album has lots of unique styles and dark, modern arrangements but he is most known for powerful, uplifting, party anthems. These are just facts. So even though both of us like to disregard any boundaries and go over the top into new territory, for better or worse, this time we made a real effort to do what we are most known for. I mean, it's a Andrew W.K. and Marty Friedman record — you shouldn't have to worry that it is a collection of gorilla mating calls."

Finnland´s WINTERSUN haben folgendes Update zu ihrem lange- und heiß erwarteten zweiten Album veröffentlicht: "Hallo Freunde!

Es wird Zeit für ein Album-Update. Wintersun´s „Time“ wird nämlich auf zwei Alben veröffentlicht, genannt TIME I & TIME II. Wir haben diese Entscheidung aus folgenden Gründen getroffen:

- Das ganze Material von über 80 Min. passt schlichtweg nicht auf eine reguläre CD und wir wollten auf keinen Fall etwas kürzen.

- Wir möchten euch nicht noch länger warten lassen, so dass ihr das neue Material schnellstmöglich hören könnt; außerdem wollen wir umgehend damit auf Tour gehen.

- Die Musik ist sehr reichhaltig und komplex, sprich das Hören dieses „hard listening (nicht easy listening)“ Materials für 80 Min. am Stück ist ein bisschen zu viel des Guten (selbst für mich). Beide Alben werden ca. 40 Min. lang und vollgepackt mit epischem Feuerwerk sein.

- Uns gefällt die Idee, zwei Alben innerhalb eines Jahres zu veröffentlichen, da die Band so für längere Zeit auf dem Schirm bleibt, was in diesen "modernen Zeiten" ja sehr wichtig ist. Keine weiteren Jahre der Stille für uns!

Wir hoffen, dass euch unser kleiner „Plan“ zusagt und ihr uns unterstützt, wenn die „Zeit“ kommt!

Die Tracklist für "Time I! liest sich wie folgt:

"Time I"

1. When Time Fades Away
2. Sons of Winter and Stars
I Rain of Stars
II Surrounded by Darkness
III Journey Inside a Dream
IV Sons of Winter and Stars
3. Land of Snow and Sorrow
4. Darkness and Frost
5. Time

TIME I wird bis Ende Juli fertig gemixt und im Herbst 2012 veröffentlicht. TIME II wird 2013 veröffentlicht. Die Konzeption des Album-Artworks, Videos, Live-Shows inkl. der Proben dazu werden uns den Sommer über beschäftigt halten und in der Zwischenzeit werde ich am Mix von TIME II weiterarbeiten. Wir werden während des Sommers hoffentlich einige Videos und Trailer dazu veröffentlichen. Zudem gibt es bald weitere Konzert-Ankündigungen, also bleibt dran!

Wir können es ehrlich nicht erwarten, dass ihr TIME I hören könnt und wir es für euch live auf der Bühne performen werden. Habt alle einen fantastischen Sommer!

Jari & Wintersun Boys"

POP EVIL has debuted a new music video for their latest hit single, “Boss’s Daughter” exclusively on VEVO today. Featuring the likes of Playboy Playmate Jessa Hinton and co-writer Mick Mars of Motley Crue, the video leaves you wanting more. “This video is the best depiction of the energy we bring during our live performance. Mick & Jessa were terrific to work with! Nathan and his crew made a killer all american rock & roll video,” says frontman Leigh Kakaty.

A YouTube clip containing audio snippets of all the songs that appear on "Phantom Antichrist", the new album from German thrash metal veterans KREATOR, can be seen below. The five-minute clip also includes comments from various heavy metal heavyweights about each track.

Due on June 1 in Europe and June 5 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records, "Phantom Antichrist" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with renowned producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, KATATONIA, SOILWORK, DEVIN TOWNSEND, AMON AMARTH).

The cover artwork for the standard edition of "Phantom Antichrist" was created by Wes Benscoter (SLAYER, DIO, BLACK SABBATH) and can be seen below.

The limited edition of "Phantom Antichrist" will be made available as two-disc digipack, including a bonus DVD.

"Phantom Antichrist" formats:

- Jewel case CD *
- 2LP yellow vinyl *
- 2LP bi-colored vinyl (red/black): limited to 500 copies, hand-numbered *+
- 2LP picture vinyl **
- CD/DVD digi limited edition: 2 digipacks in a slipcase. **
- Limited mailorder edition: metallic box including CD/DVD digi limited edition, T-shirt, exclusive CD "Live In Wacken", poster, signing card, limited to 500 copies, hand-numbered **+

* = Featuring artwork by Wes Benscoter (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, SLAYER)
** = Featuring artwork by Jan Meininghaus
+ = only available at www.nuclearblast.de/shop

"Phantom Antichrist" track listing:

CD:

01. Mars Mantra
02. Phantom Antichrist
03. Death To The World
04. From Flood Into Fire
05. Civilisation Collapse
06. United In Hate
07. The Few, The Proud, The Broken
08. Your Heaven In My Hell
09. Victory Will Come
10. Until Our Paths Cross Again
11. Iron Destiny (Japan exclusive)

Limited-edition bonus DVD:

* Conquerers Of The Ice – The Making Of Phanom Antichrist
* Harvesting The Grapes Of Horror
* Live at Wacken Open Air in 2011 and 2008 (mixed by Klaus Scheuermann, edited by Marcel Schleif and Stephan Lier)

Wacken Open Air 2011:

01. Choir Of The Damned
02. Hordes Of Chaos
03. War Curse
04. Coma Of Souls / Endless Pain
05. Pleasure To Kill
06. Destroy What Destroys You
07. Phobia
08. Terrible Certainity / Reconquering The Throne
09. Flag Of Hate / Tormentor

Wacken Open Air 2008:

10. The Patriarch
11. Violent Revolution
12. People Of The Lie
13. Europe After The Pain

The "Phantom Antichrist" video can be seen below. The clip was helmed by Poland's Grupa 13, which has previously worked with BEHEMOTH, ELUVEITIE, SONATA ARCTICA and DECAPITATED, among others.

Commented KREATOR guitarist/vocalist Mille Petrozza: "The clips produced by Grupa 13 are groundbreaking visual trips that justify the existence of music videos in this day and age. In support of the lyrical concept of our new album, I could not think of a better creative solution than a collaboration with these great visionaries."

He added, "Grupa 13 strikes again! The most apocalyptic video in the history of KREATOR is here!"

In a recent interview with Suicide Scriptures, Petrozza stated about "Phantom Antichrist", "We made sure that it contains all the trademarks that we're known for — crushing brutality, riffs that are very hard to play, lyrics that talk about things that I get angry about. You know, the full treatment, basically. We didn't try to do anything different. The only goal that we set for the band was we wanted to top everything that we'd done before and make this record an exciting record. That's always the main goal."

He added, "First off, we don't plan ahead too much. I take a long time to prepare the songs at home, in my little home studio, and then when I feel that have something lyrically and musically that I feel is good and exciting and powerful, then I play it to the other guys and then we discuss it. And we might come up with new ideas or we might arrange the songs differently, or we tear them apart and put them back together. It's a long process. We started this in the beginning of 2011, and we kept writing and rehearsing the songs until January 2012."

Regarding the lyrical themes covered on "Phantom Antichrist", Mille said, "Many things: injustice; the crisis in Greece; me thinking that religion is obsolete now in this day and age; personal things. I think the lyrics for 'From Flood Into Fire', they're very different, but it's very hard for me to explain what it's about. I want people to listen to it and leave room for their own imagination. I go to the movies all the time and I'm a big movie nerd, and I hate watching a 'making-of' [documentary featuring behind-the-scenes footage] before I go into a movie. So if I would explain the lyrics right now, [it would lose the magic]."

On the topic of the "Phantom Antichrist" artwork, Mille said, "I got in touch with [artist] Wes Benscoter in the middle of June last year and I gave him a couple of songtitles. And I told him that the album might be called 'Phantom Antichrist'. I already had the idea and I told him what the lyrics were about — it's all about the apocalypse, evil in the world… typical KREATOR topics that I always write about. I think he had 'Pleasure To Kill', and he knew about the band. I liked this AUTOPSY cover that he did, and then I found that he did a lot of great stuff for BLACK SABBATH, SLAYER and many, many bands. . . I talked to one of my colleagues that plays in a German band and he told me that he would draw, with a pencil, artworks and then he would give it to a professional artist. I don't have that much influence on the artwork. I think it's best to give an idea and maybe a title or something, maybe some music even… I think that's more of letting the artist be the artist. He needs to create the visual as we do with the music."

The "Phantom Antichrist" single was released April 20 on seven-inch colored vinyl and as a digital download via iTunes, Amazon and various other digital music providers. The release also includes the exclusive IRON MAIDEN cover "The Number Of The Beast".

A brand new promotional photo of KREATOR can be seen below (photo by Stefan Heilemann of Stuttgart, Germany's Heilemania).

KREATOR is:

Miland "Mille" Petrozza – Vocals, Guitrar
Sami Yli-Sirniö - Guitar
Christian "Speesy" Giesler - Bass
Jürgen "Ventor" Reil - Drums

Dark Descent Records and Me Saco Un Ojo have announced the release of BINAH's debut, "Hallucinating In Resurrecture".

Despite none of the band's members being newcomers to underground metal, the entity that is BINAH has spawned what is certain to be remembered as one of this year's weightiest and hungriest-sounding full-length recordings. Spanning ten tracks of morbid-sounding death, "Hallucinating In Resurrecture" captures the U.K. trio's concoction of obscure and primordial sounds; one that makes no secret of their Finnish, Dutch and Swedish (even some U.S. via AUTOPSY and MORBID ANGEL) prime inspirations yet oozes a dense ambiance that's distinctly their own. Whether exploring fast and serpentine sections or sparser and more reflective passages; this beast remains unrestrained in its intensity. Focusing on its song-craft and otherworldly in its vibes; familiar yet eerie, "Hallucinating In Resurrecture" is pure death.

"Hallucinating In Resurrecture" will be released in late June/early July on CD through Dark Descent Records and as a standard LP via Me Saco Un Ojo. The cover art for the effort was done by MMonsterbrush.

"Hallucinating In Resurrecture" track listing

01. Into The Psychomanteum (Intro)
02. Morbid Obumbration
03. A New Rotten Dawn
04. The Emissary
05. Absorption Into The Unearthly
06. Eminence Of The Sombre (instrumental)
07. Hallucinating In Resurrecture
08. Dissolution
09. Crepuscular Transcendence
10. Buried Baptistry (outro)

Hollywood Waste Records has announced the signing of Seattle's MONSTERS SCARE YOU!

With their feet firmly rooted in the heaviness of hardcore, MONSTERS SCARE YOU! surprises listeners with incredibly catchy choruses, all while incorporating dubstep and modern electronic elements.

Hollywood Waste's Kyle Kore Parsons states: "We're very excited to announce our newest signing, MONSTERS SCARE YOU! The guys have been family to Hollywood Waste since the start, and we truly believe in MONSTERS SCARE YOU! as pioneers of happy-hardcore/dub. We can't wait to expand Hollywood Waste Records to fans of heavy and electronic music and couldn't be happier to have them on board!"

The band adds, "We are very excited to join the Hollywood Waste family! As a band we've seen the way that Hollywood Waste has not only built their label, but also their community. This was very important to us when making the decision to sign to the label. We're so stoked to show the world what we've got!"

In 2011, MONSTERS SCARE YOU! was named the #2 Unsigned Band in Alternative Press magazine and has played with numerous acts, including IWRESTLEDABEARONCE, FALLING IN REVERSE, EYES SET TO KILL, SKIP THE FOREPLAY, WE CAME AS ROMANS, and IN THIS MOMENT.

MONSTERS SCARE YOU! is currently finishing its debut album with producer Joel Casey Jones (formerly of BLESSED BY A BROKEN HEART) at London Bridge Studio in Seattle, Washington. A fall release is expected.

MONSTERS SCARE YOU!'s self-produced music video for "Shut Up, Our Song Is On" (which will also be on the band's debut) can be seen below.

On Saturday, June 2, MONSTERS SCARE YOU! will play an all-ages show at Hell's Kitchen in Tahoma, Washington. Directly following the event, Hollywood Waste will host an official after party at the venue.

"Cold", a brand new song from AXEWOUND — the new project featuring Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) on guitar and vocals, Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) on lead vocals, Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) on guitar, Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) on bass, and Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, KILLING JOKE) on drums — was premiered on last night's (Monday, May 28) edition of BBC Radio 1's "Rock Show With Daniel P Carter". The program is now available for streaming for seven days at this location. (Note: The AXEWOUND track can be heard around the 24-minute mark.)

During the time off between BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE albums, Tuck grew restless. Recruiting Bowld, routinely touted as the best session drummer in the U.K., and engineer Martyn "Ginge" Ford (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, TRIVIUM), Matt set to creating monster riffs and intricate metal melodies at the Atrium recording studios in Cardiff, Wales. The project proved fertile ground for Matt to explore the darker, heavier side of his appetite for metal, and soon enough Matt was recruiting co-conspirators to the cause, including Synyster Gates of AVENGED SEVENFOLD delivering a finger-burning guitar solo on standout track "Vultures".
Choosing a vocalist to match the intensity of the music was easy, says Matt. "The first phone call I made was to Liam [Cormier, of CANCER BATS]. We've toured the world together and I've always admired the furious energy he brings to a performance." Liam flew over from his native Canada to join Matt and Jason at the studio and began recording his trademark searing vocals that took the then-unnamed project to the next level. "That was when it really hit me," continues Matt, "we had something special here, way more than just a studio project. We've gotta take this show on the road!" Guitarist Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) and Joe Copcutt (ex-RISE TO REMAIN) were handpicked to join the lineup and a metal supergroup AXEWOUND was born.

A strict Omerta-like code of silence prevailed around the camp as finishing touches were added to the record and in March the tracks were shipped off to be mixed by Machine (LAMB OF GOD, THE BRONX) at his studio in New Jersey.

AXEWOUND's lead track, "Post Apocalyptic Party", was aired on the BBC Radio 1 "Rock Show" and is available for free download from the band’s web site at www.axewounduk.com.

Tuck admitted in an interview with the "Rock Show" that he is looking forward to not being the singer and leader. "It's going to be different, not being the main vocalist, but it's something I look forward to, [to] just enjoy being a guitar player and a songwriter," Tuck said. "It's not something I ever wanted to do, [to] be the frontman of the band. I was always the guitar player who could sing at the same time and that is how I ended up doing what I do."

He added, "It's going to be a different experience. I've never not been in a band without singing so it'll be quite odd to be up there without a microphone in my face for the whole show. But Liam is a dream to work with and one of the most ferocious vocalists."

AXEWOUND is:

Matt Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) - Guitar, Vocals
Liam Cormier (CANCER BATS) – Vocals
Mike Kingswood (GLAMOUR OF THE KILL) - Guitar
Joe Copcutt (RISE TO REMAIN) - Bass
Jason Bowld (ex-PITCHSHIFTER) - Drums

AXEWOUND will kick off a European tour on May 31 in Utrecht, Netherlands and will make a number of festival appearances, including at Download (U.K.), Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park (Germany), Gods Of Metal (Italy) and Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium).

"Post Apocalyptic Party" audio stream:

Black metallers MALADIE will release their debut album, "Plague Within", on July 20 via Apostasy Records. The CD was recorded at various studios in Germany and Belgium and was mixed and mastered by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios (NECROPHAGIST, DEADBORN) in March-Buchheim, Germany. The artwork was created by Remy of Headsplit Design (ARCH ENEMY, CRYPTOPSY).

Commented the band: "We are all very happy to work together with all these competent people. They carved the last details of the face of MALADIE with their work. Our thanks to them at this point! Furthermore we want to thank the people at Apostasy Records who even made all this possible! Look forward to a record that is not healthy. It is sick. It is MALADIE!"

MALADIE is not a band per se, but rather the project of Björn Köppler (TOMBTHROAT), which took shape in 2009 as a collaboration with such musicians as Cornelius Althammer (drums; AHAB, DEAD EYED SLEEPER), Mark Walther (guitar; SPHERON), Déhà (vocals, DEVIANT MESSIAH), Alexander Wenz (vocals; TOMBTHROAT, RAW) and Bernd Wener (clean vocals; SHAPESHIFT, BLINDFLUG).

"Plague Within" track listing:

01. Animus Fatalis
02. Imperditus
03. Yersinia Pestis
04. Pes Equinovarus
05. Morbus
06. 1979
07. Transgressus

The album will be available as a digipak with a 20-page booklet and as a digital download.

A snippet of the track "Yersinia Pestis" can be streamed below.

MALADIE is:

Björn Köppler - Guitar
Cornelius Althammer – Drums, Bass
Mark Walther - Guitar
Déhà – Vocals, Piano
Alexander Wenz - Vocals
Bernd Wener - Clean Vocals

Fan-filmed video footage of RHAPSODY OF FIRE's May 25 performance at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

The first official photo of the new lineup of RHAPSODY OF FIRE can be seen below.

RHAPSODY OF FIRE 2012 is:

Fabio Lione - Vocals
Alex Staropoli - Keyboards
Roberto De Micheli - Guitar
Tom Hess - Guitar
Oliver Holzwarth - Bass
Alex Holzwarth - Drums

The new RHAPSODY OF FIRE lineup made its live debut on April 6 at the PPM Fest at the Lotto Mons Expo in Mons, Belgium.

Staropoli and RHAPSODY OF FIRE guitarist Luca Turilli last year announced their decision to go their separate ways.

Due to legal reasons, Staropoli will continue under the RHAPSODY OF FIRE name. Turilli, on the other hand, will make his future efforts available under the RHAPSODY moniker (RHAPSODY OF FIRE's original name), in which he will be joined by guitarist Dominique Leurquin, bassist Patrice Guers, singer Alessandro Conti (TRICK OR TREAT) and drummer Alex Landenburg (AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA, STRATOVARIUS).

RHAPSODY OF FIRE's latest album, "From Chaos To Eternity", was released in North America on July 12, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records. Described by the band as "the natural evolution" from 2010's "The Frozen Tears Of Angels", the CD marks RHAPSODY OF FIRE's final release based on the fantasy saga started in 1997 with the group's debut album, "Legendary Tales".

Vocalist Geoff Tate of Seattle progressive rockers QUEENSRŸCHE seemed less than pleased with the crowd reaction his band received at this past weekend's Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, judging from a one-and-a-half-minute video clip which has surfaced on YouTube. The footage, which can be seen below, shows Tate and his bandmates finishing up the eighth song of their set, "Walk In The Shadows", before the singer addresses the audience.

"My God! This is Rocklahoma, huh?!" he can be heard saying. "I think we played here two years ago. I think it, maybe, was a different crowd. You guys suck. I'm serious. C'mon! I know it's Sunday. You've gotta go to work tomorrow. You're gonna let that stop ya? My God! You only live once, man. This is all there is. There ain't nothing else. This is your chance. This is it. This is all there is. It doesn't get any better than this. That's right. Anyway, nice to be here on a Sunday. [chuckles]"

QUEENSRŸCHE's latest album, "Dedicated To Chaos", sold 8,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 70 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, the epic concept album "American Soldier", opened with 21,000 units back in April 2009 to enter the chart at No. 25. This was roughly half the first-week tally registered by QUEENSRŸCHE's "Operation: Mindcrime II" album, which shifted 44,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release back in April 2006 to debut at No. 14 on The Billboard 200 chart.

QUEENSRŸCHE's 2003 effort, "Tribe", sold 20,000 copies in the first week while 1999's "Q2K", opened with sales of 28,000.

QUEENSRŸCHE's top-selling album by far is 1990's "Empire", which was certified triple-platinum in October 1994 for sales in excess of three million copies in the United States. The original "Operation: Mindcrime" release (1988) attained platinum status in August 1991, while 1994's "Promised Land" reached the same plateau in December 1994.

SUBSIGNAL, the German band featuring former SIEGES EVEN members Arno Menses (vocals) and Markus Steffen (guitar), is writing material for its third album, tentatively due next year. Songtitles set to apper on the follow-up to last year's "Touchstones" include "A Giant Leap Of Faith" and "The Stillness Beneath The Snow".

"Touchstones" was released last September via ZYX Music. The vinyl version comes with two bonus live tracks, "Where Angels Fear To Tread" and "Paradigm".

SUBSIGNAL released its debut album, entitled "Beautiful & Monstrous", in September 2009 via GoldenCore Records/ZYX Music. The CD was helmed by co-producer Kristian Kohlmannslehner, who worked on SIEGES EVEN's 2007 release, "Paramount".

SUBSIGNAL describes its music as "progressive, melancholic, cutting edge, emotional, blended with a good portion of melodic heaviness."

SUBSIGNAL is:

Markus Steffen (guitar)
Arno Menses (vocals)
Ralf Schwager (bass)
David Bertok (keyboards)
Roel van Helden (drums)

For more information, visit www.subsignalband.com.

Fan-filmed video footage of Tim "Ripper" Owens' (DIO DISCIPLES, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) May 19 performance at The Hi Fi in Melbourne, Australia can be seen below.

Released in May 2009, "Play My Game", the first solo album from Owens, landed at position No. 66 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. The CD was released via SPV/Steamhammer. The offering consists of around a dozen brand-new tracks that Owens composed himself or together with renowned friends, such as Bob Kulick, Chris Caffery (SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), Mike Callahan (ex-EARSHOT) and John Comprix (BEYOND FEAR, RINGWORM).

Owens is without doubt among the most important metal vocalists of the past ten years. When he succeeded Rob Halford, joining JUDAS PRIEST in May 1996, the press rubbed their eyes, surprised as well as impressed: Owens had previously been a fairly unknown quantity to international music journalists and only a few new of him from the band WINTERS BANE, but he recorded his first PRIEST album, the Grammy-nominated "Jugulator" (1997) with more aplomb than even insiders had expected. Following successful tours with the British metal legends, the strong studio recording "Demolition" (2001), and the live recordings, "Meltdown - 98 Live" (1998) and "Live In London" (2003), and the movie "Rockstar" that was loosely based on Tim's experience with JUDAS PRIEST, Halford's return put an end to Owens' stint with JUDAS PRIEST. More or less immediately, he was enlisted by Jon Schaffer to team up with ICED EARTH and sang on "The Glorious Burden" in spring 2004. Three years later, Owens followed suit with the ICED EARTH album "Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Pt. I)", which succeeded the self-titled highly praised debut by his own band BEYOND FEAR. Spring 2008 saw Owens move on to join one of the world's best guitar players Yngwie Malmsteen, debuting with a sensational vocal performance on "Perpetual Flame".

Reunited hard rockers UGLY KID JOE will release a new six-song EP, "Stairway To Hell", digitally on June 5 and physically on July 9.

"Stairway To Hell" heralds UGLY KID JOE's return, containing songs spanning the full repertoire of influences which made UGLY KID JOE one of the prime soundtracks for young snowboarders, surfers, keggers and characters worldwide. Whether it's "Devil’s Paradise", with it's hypnotic riffery and hook line, grooving and grinding its hips seductively, the melodic power-fueled darkness of "No One Survives" or the irrepressibly memorable chug-and-chorus of "I'm Alright" it's clear that UGLY KID JOE have everything they started with plus fatter chops and a (frankly) superior curve on songwriting.

"Stairway To Hell" track listing:

01. Devil's Paradise
02. You Make Me Sick
03. No One Survives
04. I'm Alright
05. Love Ain't True! (feat. Angelo Moore and Dirty Walt of FISHBONE)
06. Another Beer

All six tracks can now be streamed using the widget below. Also available is the video for "Devil's Paradise", which was filmed in early April in Lake Tahoe, Nevada with Mike and Dave Hatchett of Standard Films.

UGLY KID JOE released three full-length albums and toured extensively throughout the 1990s before disbanding in 1997.

UGLY KID JOE 2012 is:

Whitfield Crane - Vocals
Klaus Eichstadt - Guitar
Dave Fortman - Guitar
Cordell Crockett - Bass
Shannon Larkin - Drums

Perhaps better known as the keyboardist and musical mastermind behind TWINSPIRITS, COSMICS and KHYMERA, the multi-talented Daniele Liverani is also a guitarist of considerable skill as his new instrumental album, "Eleven Mysteries", will show when it arrives on July 20 via Lion Music.

While "Eleven Mysteries" is basically a guitar-oriented release, the overall vibe of all the songs is definitely more like a "conceptual instrumental album" where guitar has the role of a "virtual singer." Musically, there's some intense shred, but also some very melodic moments, and the musicianship and arrangements of the talented lineup involved helped to create a wide variety of atmospheres and different musical moments; due to the skills and different influences of the various musicians — drummer Paco Barilla, bassist Tony Dickinson and keyboardist Marco Zago. However, this not only an album for guitar lovers, but for anyone that appreciates musical composition on a more general level with lots to discover in and each and every track along with a first class production.

"Eleven Mysteries" track listing:

01. Mysterious Impulse
02. Inspiration
03. Nervous Forces
04. Supreme Gladness
05. All Is Pure
06. Giving
07. Humiliation
08. Regeneration
09. Freedom
10. Survive
11. Eternal

Former OPERATIKA guitarist Bill Visser has joined forces with singer Jess Rittgers in a new band called PSYCHOPRISM. The group's musical style is described as "modern power metal with shred guitar and vocals that resemble KING DIAMOND and QUEENSRŸCHE."

PSYCHOPRISM is currently working on a demo and is holding auditions for a drummer and a bassist.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/Psychoprism.

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

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

Swedish all-girl hard rock quartet CRUCIFIED BARBARA released its third studio album, "The Midnight Chase", on May 23 in Japan and will make it available May 28 in Europe. A North American release via Nuclear Blast is expected this summer. The CD was recorded at Music-A-Matic Vintage Recording Studio in Gothenberg, Sweden with sound engineer Henryk Lipp and producer Chips Kiesby.

A preview widget for "The Midnight Chase" is available below.

Commented guitarist/vocalist Mia Coldheart: "I've never felt this good about anything we've made before. I'm so damn proud of the new songs and the sound is better than ever. We can't wait to go on tour and perform them live!"

Formed in Stockholm in 1998 by bassist Ida Evileye (now-wife of MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake) and guitarist Klara Force, CRUCIFIED BARBARA plays a fiery brand of rock 'n' roll tinged with metal and lashings of punk, pop, thrash, and whatever else dares to cross their path. Ida Evileye dominates her trusty Sandberg bass, Klara Force rocks steady on her '76 Gibson Explorer, Mia Coldheart belts out her unapologetic vocals while riffing all over her Gibson Gothic Flying V, and Nicki Wicked pounds on her hot pink sparkle Yamaha Maple drum kit until you're splayed across the floor with a bull's-eye knock-out punch that'll make you spit your teeth out. Now you know what happens when MOTÖRHEAD mates with THE RUNAWAYS.

No strangers to hard work or success, CRUCIFIED BARBARA's debut single from their 2005 debut, "In Distortion We Trust", climbed to #8 on the Swedish pop chart. They played Australia, toured across Europe opening for MOTÖRHEAD, SEPULTURA, IN FLAMES, and DORO, and earned a prestigious slot alongside BLACK SABBATH, VELVET REVOLVER, and SYSTEM OF A DOWN at the U.K.'s Download festival. With all that touring, it would be four years before the band got around to recording their second album, 2009's "'Til Death Do Us Party". Next thing you know, there they were on national television performing at the 2010 edition of Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest.

So how did they get their name? The band members attended Denmark's legendary Roskilde Festival and came across something very unexpected in a nearby forest: a blow-up doll (generically called "Barbara" throughout Sweden) attached to a crucifix. And no, they didn't identify with the victim, they claimed the power of the aggressor right on the spot and have never looked back.