Former TNT singer Tony Harnell will guest on the new solo album from STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet, due this summer on Big3 Records. Harnell will be a special guest vocalist on the song "Taking On The World Tonight".

Commented Sweet: "I think Tony is truly one of the most underrated singers of all time. He's always been one of my favorites and is an incredibly nice, humble guy to boot. I've always wanted to work with Tony and I knew this would be the perfect song and opportunity to do so. 'Taking On The World Tonight' is very heavy with a combination of old-school riffs and solos yet it's got a very modern, relevant sound as well. It's the best of both worlds! You won't be disappointed."

Harnell joined STRYPER on stage on March 24, 2011 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City to perform a cover version of the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be viewed below.

Sweet recently released instrumental audio samples (no lead vocals) of three songs — "Unsuspecting", "All That Left (For Me To Prove)" and "Taking On The World Tonight" — that will appear on his forthcoming solo album. You can now check them out below.

Sweet entered the studio on December 18 to begin recording his new solo CD. He previously revealed that Kenny Aronoff (CHICKENFOOT) would be drumming on the record and that there would be a few "guest musicians/singers" as well.

Sweet's last solo album, "Touched", was released in December 2007 exclusively through Michael's official web site, MichaelSweet.com. The CD, which included reworked versions of four STRYPER songs, was not made available in stores.

Writing on Facebook, Sweet stated about reaction to the solo album sampes, "First, thank you for all the amazing comments on the solo record samples! I can assure you that this record will be the best solo record to date and that you (at least most of you) won't be disappointed.

"Second, to the handful of people who think it sounds like STRYPER — well, earth to moon, I am the singer/guitarist/songwriter for STRYPER so there is the remote chance that their will be similarities right? Maybe you can't comprehend that but I think most people here do.

"For those of you who wonder why it isn't a STRYPER record, the truth is that I had the opportunity to make a record and I took it. It's been almost 12 years since my last solo release and I felt it was long overdue. There is a lot of down time with STRYPER and life goes on, you've got to do what you've got to do. This doesn't mean that STRYPER is going to take a backseat. We have big plans for the band as well including a re-record record with two new songs, touring throughout 2012 and eventually a new, all original STRYPER record.

"We all have done solo projects over the years and it's a great way for all of us to be artistic and express our musical ideas individually. I love what I do and I hope it shows!

"For the 99.9% of the people who do get it, you advance to the head of the class. To the 0.1% of the people who don't get it, you're in detention for the rest of the year :-)

"Seriously, thank you all for the incredibly positive feedback/comments on my new solo project and I can't wait to release it so you can hear the songs in their entirety. You'll hear similarities (duh) and yet you'll also hear me. God Bless you guys and see you out on the road."

Sweet is currently writing his first "book/autobiography," which he promises "will outline my life and give you a page-by-page layout of the early years, the ups and downs of being in a Christian rock band, behind-the-scenes stories of what really goes on 'behind the scenes' of a successful Christian rock band (good and bad), getting through the toughest battle of all, joining the legendary classic rock band BOSTON, and much much more."

STRYPER recently released short audio clips of "Bleeding From Inside Out" and "Blackened", the two new tracks which will be included on a collection of re-recorded versions of the band's classic songs, to be released in the summer of 2012. The CD will contain a total of 16 cuts — two from "The Yellow And Black Attack", six from "Soldiers Under Command", six from "To Hell With The Devil", as well as the two aforementioned new tracks.

Michael Sweet will perform his faith-based "storytellers" solo acoustic show in churches around the world this year. The performances are a combination of STRYPER classics, new solo material, and notable praise and worship songs.

If you are interested in Michael Sweet performing at your church, please have your church leaders contact Dave Rose at Dave [at] DeepSouthEntertainment.com.

"Unsuspecting" audio sample:

Italian "melodic/math/death" metallers IGNITION CODE, who feature in their ranks members of SAWTHIS and THE JULIET MASSACRE, will release their debut album, "NewTek Lie", later this month through To React Records.

Formed in 2007, IGNITION CODE combines the bandmembers' "deep-rooted passion for complex tempo with sudden and apparently uncontrolled outburst, without setting aside their melodic and sometimes intimist side, all this under the direction of some influences such as MNEMIC, TEXTURE and IN FLAMES," according to the band's official bio. "The distorted idea of music coming out from this, it is melted with the continuous conflict between man and machine in which it is difficult to say who is the winner."

IGNITION CODE Is:

Alessandro Falà - Vocals
Sabatino Fossemò - Guitar
Marco Di Carlo - Guitar
Gaetano Ettorre - Bass
Guido Borraccino - Drums

Reunited seminal Swedish hardcore band REFUSED played an unannounced show — its first in 14 years — this past Wednesday night (February 29) at the tiny club The Scharinska House in their hometown of Umeå. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below. Also available is a Swedish-language video report from SVT Rapport. Check out photos and a short English-language report at Aftonbladet.se.

REFUSED has confirmed a number of shows on both sides of the Atlantic, including an appearance at this year's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, to be held for the first time over two consecutive weeks in mid-April.

REFUSED was only together seven years (from 1991 to 1998), but released three full-length albums before calling it quits. Their "The Shape Of Punk To Come" LP is considered one of the best punk albums ever.

The members of REFUSED released a statement in January explaining their decision to reunite by saying, "We never did 'The Shape Of Punk To Come' justice back when it came out; too tangled up in petty internal bickering to really focus on the job. And suddenly there's this possibility to do it like it was intended. We wanna do it over, do it right. For the people who've kept the music alive through the years, but also for our own sakes. We feel that you deserve it and we hope the feeling is mutual."

Two years ago, REFUSED lead singer Dennis Lyxzén told Excite in an interview, "To be in that band is one of those things that half the time I'm sympathetic and understanding towards why people would do it. The other half, it's just such a useless maneuver. It's a defeatist attitude but if your objective is to play music with your friends and have a good time, there's no harm in reuniting your band for a couple of shows. For us, there have always been so many other aspects of what we did, that it always felt like a complete no-no. You can't do that shit. MINOR THREAT never got back together. That's kind of our take on it. With some things, the legend is better than the actual thing."

REFUSED's legacy was chronicled via the "Refused Are Fucking Dead" collection, which featured never-before-seen material and videos. In addition, REFUSED's landmark 1998 album, "The Shape Of Punk To Come", was remixed and remastered in 5.1 surround DVD audio format, and was re-released through Epitaph Records. Also re-released were remastered editions of REFUSED's "Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent" and "The EP Compilation" CDs.

A new seven-minute LIZZY BORDEN promotional video featuring scenes from the band's 2011 tour and "last year's escapades" can be seen below.

LIZZY BORDEN is currently working on material for the follow-up to 2007's "Appointment With Death", tentatively due later in the year. Lizzy stated in a June 2011 interview with RockEyez, "I'm not that anxious to run out and do another record. The record I have in mind is so unique it's even hard to picture. The way I look at 'Appointment With Death' is we came full circle we all had the same influences on all the records. Now it's time to create something new so that's where my head is at right now. The album I want to do is ten amazing songs. I don't know exactly where it's going to go; it could be the heaviest record we've ever done. You know, you write ten songs and end up loving one. I hope to get something out soon but we have the tour right now, but we are working hard on songs right now. It's coming out really interesting but I'm still looking for that ultimate producer that I can work with so I can create something so unique that is sounds like we're breaking ground a little bit."

LIZZY BORDEN is:

Lizzy Borden: Vocals
Joey Scott: Drums
Marten Andersson: Bass
Dario Lorina: Guitar
A.C. Alexander: Guitar

Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH kicked off their Finnish headlining tour last night (Friday, March 2) in front of a capacity crowd of 7,500 at Areena in Joensuu.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Taikatalvi
02. Storytime
03. Wish I Had An Angel
04. Amaranth
05. Scaretale
06. The Siren
07. Slow Love Slow
08. I Want My Tears Back
09. The Crow, The Owl And The Dove
10. Islander
11. Nemo (acoustic)
12. Last Of The Wilds
13. Planet Hell
14. Song Of Myself
15. Last Ride Of The Day

Encore:

16. Poet And The Pendulum
17. Finlandia
18. Over The Hills And Far Away

Fan-filmed video footage, as well as a Finnish TV report, from the concert can be seen below.

NIGHTWISH will release a special "tour edition" of their latest album, "Imaginaerum", on April 13 via Nuclear Blast Records. It will be a 2CD+DVD digibook in slipcase. You can order it at the Nuclear Blast webshop. In addition, there will be a two-LP version in black or clear vinyl with the orchestral version of the record in gatefold.

"Imaginaerum" has been certified gold in Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Germany. The effort entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 1 and has already been certifield triple platinum in the country after shifting more than 60,000 units.

"Imaginaerum" sold 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, 2007's "Dark Passion Play", opened with 11,000 units to land at No. 84.

"Dark Passion Play" has sold more than 130,000 copies in the U.S. so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Imaginaerum" was released in North America on January 10 via Roadrunner Records.

Finnish TV report:

German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN have posted the seventh and final episode of Guardian TV in which they field questions submitted by their fans on Facebook. Check it out below.

The seventh, and final, episode features the whole band talking about touring and the next album.

Clocking in at 7 minutes and 30 seconds, episode 7 of Guardian TV answers the following questions:

1. Will "Memories Of A Time To Come" provide the basic structure for your next tour?

2. Do you have plans for your next studio album?

3. Has remixing the old tracks provided inspiration for future songwriting sessions?

4. The final question that's got to be asked every time: How is your orchestra project coming along?

Don't tune out after the last question; watch until the very end for some bloopers.

"Memories Of A Time To Come", the ultimate collection of BLIND GUARDIAN music from 1987 to 2011, was released on January 20 via Virgin/EMI.

"Memories Of A Time To Come" is available as a double CD, three-CD deluxe limited edition, including the band's demo recordings when they were called LUCIFER'S HERITAGE, and as download.

Commented the band: "Finally, after all these years, we have found the time to gather our most worthy songs into a best of compilation, representative of our career's first 25 years.

"From the very beginning it was important for us to undertake this project only if we could put the necessary time and attention to detail into it. With overwhelming nostalgia we have looked back on 25 years and came up with 'Memories Of A Time To Come', an organic mixture of some of our greatest songs.

"With the exception of 'Sacred Worlds', all songs on 'Memories of a Time to Come' have been remixed while 'The Bard's Song - The Hobbit', 'Valhalla' as well as 'And Then There Was Silence' have been re-recorded.

"This album contains some very pleasant surprises for the die-hard BLIND GUARDIAN fan and delivers a perfect image of our musical spirit to those who are not, or just loosely, familiar with the band. 'Memories Of A Time To Come' precisely defines our progression and the long-standing dedication to our music. We are proud to present an album that will take the listener on a musical voyage. This year's Christmas will be in January!"

CD 1:

01. Imaginations From The Other Side (7:11) *
02. Nightfall (5:34) *
03. Ride Into Obsession (4:46) *
04. Somewhere Far Beyond (7:32) *
05. Majesty (7:29) *
06. Traveler In Time (6:01) *
07. Follow The Blind (7:11) *
08. The Last Candle (6:03) *

CD 2:

01. Sacred Worlds (9:17)
02. This Will Never End (5:07) *
03. Valhalla (5:13) **
04. Bright Eyes (5:15) *
05. Mirror Mirror (5:09) *
06. The Bard's Song (In The Forest) (3:26) *
07. The Bard's Song (The Hobbit) (3:41) **
08. And Then There Was Silence (14:06) **

CD 3: (only available with the deluxe limited edition)

01. Brian ***
02. Halloween (The Wizard's Crown) ***
03. Lucifer's Heritage ***
04. Symphonies Of Doom ***
05. Dead Of The Night ***
06. Majesty
07. Trial By The Archon
08. Battalions Of Fear
09. Run For The Night
10. Lost In The Twilight Hall
11. Tommyknockers
12. Ashes To Ashes
13. Time What Is Time
14. A Past And Future Secret
15. The Script For My Requiem

* Remixed 2011
** Re-recorded 2011
*** Reworked 2011

An audio sample of an orchestral version of "The Bard's Song (In The Forest)" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

BLIND GUARDIAN is currently collaborating with Germany's best fantasy author Markus Heitz on an orchestral album which is expected to be released in 2012.

"At The Edge Of Time", the tenth studio album from BLIND GUARDIAN, sold around 4,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 108 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 1 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.

BLIND GUARDIAN's previous CD, "A Twist In The Myth", opened with 3,000 units back in September 2006.

"At The Edge Of Time" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 2 — the band's strongest chart showing ever in its home country.

Guardian TV episode 7:

Tony Lazaro (VITAL REMAINS) and Bret Hoffmann (MALEVOLENT CREATION) joined Brazilian death metal veterans KRISIUN on stage last night (Friday, March 2) at the RBF club in Sofia, Bulgaria to perform the VENOM classic "In Leage With Satan". You can see fan-filmed video footage of their appearance below.

The "Sounds Of Extreme Tour" featuring KRISIUN (headliners), MALEVOLENT CREATION and VITAL REMAINS kicked off on January 27 in Poland and will wrap tonight (Saturday, March 3) in Bucharest, Romania.

KRISIUN's new album, "The Great Execution", was released on October 31 in Europe and November 1 in North America via Century Media Records. The band's eighth studio CD "musically expands KRISIUN trademark high-speed death metal violence with a heavily increased amount of diversity ranging from extreme tempo variations over distinct rhythm patterns to clean guitars and even Flamenco parts!" according to a press release.

KRISIUN only used analog gear and instruments this time to avoid the compressed sound that so many musicians produce today. This wise decision resulted in a more organic sound, with the songs on "The Great Execution" possessing both warmth and rawness, which are so often lost through digital production. The low end is deeper, with drums that pound instead of bounce and guitar tones that sear rather than hiss.

Going back to Stage One Studio in Germany and working with producer Andy Classen again was the right choice: the album came out with a very distinctive and natural sound, shattering the boundaries of the style once more.

The cover artwork was created by Japanese artist Toshihiro Egawa who has been doing tons of great designs for acts like SUICIDE SILENCE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DEVOURMENT and DYING FETUS, among others.

"The Great Execution" was made available as a limited-edition digipack including a re-recorded version of the classic KRISIUN song "Black Force Domain" as a bonus track, as a 180-gram gatefold vinyl and as a digital download.

Classen previously worked with KRISIUN on the "Conquerors Of Armageddon" (1999), "AssasiNation" (2005) and "Southern Storm" (2008) releases.

COLD's video for the song "American Dream" can be seen below. The track is the second single from the band's fifth studio album, "Superfiction", which sold around 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 37 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on July 19, 2011 via Eleven Seven Music/SonicStar Records.

Sonically, the trademarks of COLD's sound remain intact on "Superfiction". The bellowing bass, warm guitar hum, and driving drum beats all make for impactful music just like it did when the band first formed in 1996. The band's first CD since 2005 weaves together twelve tales of heroism, heartbreak, and healing. On "Superfiction", COLD combines vivid, vibrant storytelling with elegant rock. It's a combination that the band has perfected since it burst onto the scene in 1998 with its self-titled debut.

The title really sums it all up, though. Frontman Scooter Ward reveals, "Superfiction is art that literally pops off its canvas or foundation. In that sense, it becomes something else. The word wraps up the record because we want these stories to come to life. I want you to sit down and listen to the songs and feel the stories. After you've read the story, you can visualize this unfolding in your mind."

COLD is:

Scooter Ward (Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar)
Zach Gilbert (Guitar)
Jeremy Marshall (Bass, Vocals)
Sam McCandless (Drums)

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER visited a U.S. air force base in Germany during their current European headlining tour. Check out a couple of photos below.

DREAM THEATER's new album, "A Dramatic Turn Of Events", sold 36,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 8. The band's previous CD, 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", opened with 40,000 units to land at No. 6. This was roughly in line with the first-week tally registered by its predecessor, "Systematic Chaos", which shifted 36,000 copies in 2007 to enter the chart at No. 19. 2005's "Octavarium" premiered with 27,000 copies to debut at No. 36.

DREAM THEATER was among the nominees in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 54th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on February 12 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison joined SYSTEM OF A DOWN on stage this past Wednesday, February 29 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia to perform the song "Suite-Pee". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

During an interview with Brazil's Multishow after SYSTEM OF A DOWN's performance at the Rock In Rio festival last October in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the band's drummer, John Dolmayan, was asked if the band's fans expect to hear a new studio album from the group following its current reunion tour. "We're gonna take it day by day," he said. "For the people who are waiting for an album — I know there's a lot of people waiting for an album; I'm waiting for an album just like they are. It's gonna happen when it's right and when we can make something that tops what we've done in the past. Because we don't really wanna rest on our laurels — where what you've done in the past is what you depend on. Well, I don't wanna do that, and I know the rest of the guys don't wanna do that. Instead of resting on our laurels, we wanna throw them away and create something new and specific for this generation that they can say that's their SYSTEM OF A DOWN."

Dolmayan previously told Straight.com about SYSTEM OF A DOWN's five-year hiatus, "I personally don't like breaks — I like to continue playing. But it was nice to go off and be John Dolmayan, as opposed to John from SYSTEM, for a while. I think everybody had similar feelings."

The drummer explained that a desire to pull off the road for a while and reconnect with their lives is what led SYSTEM to take an extended vacation from each other, saying, "When you're on the road and in the studio all the time, it's kind of like traveling at light speed. When you come back, it's like 20 years have passed by, and you're only one or two hours older . . . You're living a nomadic life, and you lose touch with people because they have grown away from you. People get older, get married, die — life is still going on."

SYSTEM's last two albums, "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize", were released in 2005.

EDEN'S CURSE has announced the addition of Italian vocalist Marco Sandron to the group's ranks. The band's new single and promotional video, "Time To Breathe", has been made available as a free download.

Hailing from Portgruaro, 50 miles from Venice, in the northeast of Italy, Marco previously sang for Italian progressive metal act PATHOSRAY, who released their self-titled debut on Sensory Records in 2007 and their sophomore CD, "Sunless Skies", on Frontiers Records in 2009. That same year he also contributed lead vocals to French symphonic metal outfit FAIRYLAND's "Score To A New Beginning" album, which was released on Napalm Records.

"We had discussions with many amazing vocalists over the last four months, but this was about more than just picking a singer — that was the easy part!" explains bassist Paul Logue. "We had a stringent set of criteria that the successful applicant would need to meet, and they absolutely had to be fully exclusive to the band, in order for us to retain a sound that is instantly recognisable as EDEN'S CURSE. That is why the search took several months to complete, in order to ensure that we made the right choice and I firmly believe we have the right man."

So how did Marco come to the band's attention?

Logue: "In true EDEN'S CURSE fashion, we stumbled across him on the Internet. I was browsing through various videos on YouTube, related to some of my favorite singers, and I found a cover version he had recorded of a SYMPHONY X song. I'm of the opinion that Russell Allen is the greatest metal singer around right now, so I was more than curious to hear what Marco could do and simply I was blown away! I just had to find out more about him. I then discovered he sang with PATHOSRAY and managed to track down their albums and I found his vocal performances on those records simply staggering. Surprisingly, Alessandro did not know of Marco, so I managed to track him down on Facebook and made contact. I was delighted to receive an instant reply stating that he was very interested in talking to us and that he loved what he heard of our music. So we began a slow and painful (especially for poor Marco) audition process, which included him going into a studio to record a 'CURSE classic' and a brand new song. Eventually I flew out to Italy at the beginning of January to meet and record Marco at Alessandro's studio and we concluded the deal."

As a trained vocal coach, what did Alessandro make of Marco and how did he feel about having another Italian in the band?

"My initial thought was to have another international singer and I really didn't think about a singer from my homeland," stated Del Vecchio. "One day Paul sent me a link of a song of Marco's and I totally fell in love with his voice. His mix of clean, aggressive and high-pitched tones instantly turned me into a fan of his vocal abilities. Another Italian in the band? Hum ... OK, let's try it! It ended up being a joy to have him on board and he has an outstanding talent in his craft. As a vocal teacher, I'm really picky, so I was thrilled that in the studio we were able to experiment and play around with the songs and have them really turned upside down by the singer. His technique is brilliant and he has the pipes to sing whatever he wants and whatever we ask him. I'm totally satisfied with our choice. Marco really deserves to have his voice heard and I believe EDEN'S CURSE is the band with which to make this happen."

Written by Paul Logue and Pete Newdeck, "Time To Breathe"'s lyrics are very topical, as Newdeck explains. "The lyrics stem from the current financial crisis grippling society today and the ignorance people have to what we are doing to ourselves and this awesome world we live in," he says. "We need to buy ourselves time or it will be too late to put it all right."

And what does the Englishman think of the new boy Sandron?

"A real air of positivity has come over this band," Newdeck says. "For me personally, I have a broad vision of how far this band can go. I am sure people will agree with me that having Marc onboard is a major plus and we are all excited to see what the future holds."

Accompanying the single release is a brand new promotional video, which was filmed at Sky Park in Glasgow, Scotland at the end of January with Simon Jake Gillespie of Music Video Scotland in the director's chair. "It was imperative to us that not only did the fan base get to hear what Marco sounded like, but also what he looked like fronting EDEN'S CURSE," explains Logue.

Director Simon Jake Gillespie of Music Video Scotland explains the concept behind the video: "As well as capturing the band performance, we wanted to portray the lyrical concept in a visual manner by showing four different people from four different walks of life uniting together to help each other escape from a situation. This symbolizes what we perceive needs to happen in society today to work our way out of the mess we have found ourselves in globally."

The band is also thrilled to announce not one, but two festival appearances this year, when they play PPM Fest in Belgium on Saturday, April 7 alongside ACCEPT, SONATA ARTICA and EVERGREY and then Dokk'em Open Air festival in Holland on Saturday, June 30 alongside ARCH ENEMY, JON OLIVA'S PAIN and DOMINICI.

Guitarist Thorsten Koehne spoke of his excitement of being just weeks away from hitting the stage together for the first time with the new-look EDEN'S CURSE lineup. "I can't wait to play live with Marco!" he says. "He's such an exceptional singer and performer and the new line up feels very strong!"

The band is also making great progress with the writing process for album number four. "We have several songs in the can already, which is where the single came from," says Logue. "We are progressing well, and we hope to be in the studio by summer, for a release early 2013."

The last word, deservedly, goes to the new boy, Marco, who cannot hide his delight at fronting EDEN'S CURSE. "I'm very proud to be the new singer of EDEN'S CURSE!" he says. "This band is great. The guys are simply awesome and very talented musicians, there are no egos, just respect and true collaboration and we are working together simply to reach our one true aim — creating great music! I simply cannot wait to rock some stages and meet the wonderful CURSE fan base that the guys tell me so much about, as well as completing songs for our new album. Yes, I'm very excited because the new songs we are producing are so powerful, melodic as hell and typically EDEN'S CURSE."

Mutant overlords GWAR have issued the following update:

"Like any band worth its salt, GWAR is constantly working on new songs. What's different now is that the band has its own in-house recording studio/jam space, so everything they do is tracked. There is no release date, no gory details but rest assured of one thing... GWAR is working on a new album, and it will be a tribute to their lost Scumdog brother, Flattus Maximus!"

GWAR will return to the road this spring on the second leg of their "Return Of The World Maggot Tour". The trek kicks off with a special tribute show for fallen bandmate and friend Cory Smoot, a.k.a. Flattus Maximus, in Richmond, Virginia, at The National Theater on Friday, March 16. All proceeds from the Richmond show will benefit the Smoot Family Fund which has been established to help support Cory's widow and their unborn child. Support on this run will come from fellow Richmond metallers MUNICIPAL WASTE, and California's GHOUL. LEGACY OF DISORDER will join the tour on March 20 in Boston and the tour will run through April 11 in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Smoot was found dead as GWAR was about to enter Canada on November 3, 2011. He was 34 years old.

GWAR's latest album, "Bloody Pit Of Horror", sold around 2,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The band's previous CD, "Lust In Space", opened with 5,000 units to debut at position No. 96 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Pennsylvania's WAR OF AGES will release its fifth album, "Return To Life", on April 24 via Facedown Records. The CD was recorded with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris at Planet Z Studios (SHADOWS FALL, CHIMAIRA, HATEBREED) and it features some of the band's "most personal material," according to a press release.

WAR OF AGES has toured with AS I LAY DYING, DEMON HUNTER, SOILWORK, NORMA JEAN, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, and more, and will be headlining this year's Facedown Fest on April 7 in Pomona, California.

Commented the band: "We are extremely excited about our 'Return To Life' release in every way. Musically, we stuck to our roots, brought back the heavy rhythmic style and mixed it with the maturity of having four previous albums under our belts. We also joined forces with producer Zeuss, who boasts a catalog with names like TERROR, EMMURE, HATEBREED, etc... Not only is this album instrumentally rhythmic, it is also vocally rhythmic. Leroy [Hamp, vocals] stepped out of his comfort zone and ventured into the realms of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, COMEBACK KID, and DARKEST HOUR, and mixed each with his own style. We plan to continue in this direction lyrically, vocally, and musically for our future albums.

"Return To Life" will be released on CD, LP and digital formats.

The first single and video from "Dee Does Broadway", the new solo album from TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider, will be made available in early April. The full-length CD will follow a month later.

"Dee Does Broadway" will include guest appearances by Biff Byford (SAXON) and Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW), among others.

In a 2011 interview with Goldmine, Snider stated about "Dee Does Broadway", "I'll preface this by saying, no, it's not metal. I'm taking Broadway show tunes and I'm making them rock. It's sort of a 'Twisted Christmas' taken to Broadway. But there are some pretty metallic moments there, I'll tell you. 'Sweeney Todd' translates into a metal song amazingly — bass, drums, guitar — so some of the songs are really metallic, but it's a rock record. I'm doing it as a solo artist."

Snider joined the cast of the Tony-nominated musical "Rock Of Ages" in October 2010 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

The singer, who was seen in the A&E reality show "Growing Up Twisted", played nightclub owner Dennis for an 11-week engagement beginning October 11, 2010 and continuing through December 24, 2010. He also hosted "Rock Senate Hearings," a weekly Tuesday-night talkback series.

During an interview with MTV News, Snider talked about the difference between performing in arenas and on Broadway. "The biggest difference between a concert situation and a theater situation is that you can't curse out the audience. I'm used to addressing situations. If something is going on in the house that I don't like at a concert, or if the audience is not energized or enthusiastic ... or if they're particularly energized and enthusiastic ... I will stop a song just to comment on what's going on. I quickly realized that was unacceptable on Broadway. I just have to stay in character and stay in the show."

Dee previously said that it was his personal hope for "to bridge the gap between Broadway and rock 'n' roll and introduce the hard rock audience to the amazing music of the Great White Way!"

"Over The Edge", the new video from the Milan, Italy-based female-fronted rock/metal act EXILIA, can be seen below. The clip was filmed in Berlin, Germany with director Oliver Sommer from Ava Studios. The video's concept is inspired by a weird surreal short tale from Roald Dahl.

"Over The Edge" comes off EXILIA's fifth studio album, "Decode", which will be released on March 30 via ZYX Music. Some great collaborations makes this album more special: an old friend, Stephan "Gudze" Hinz, bass player of the great crossover band H-BLOCKX, features on "Over The Edge", and Dave Pensado, who has mixed chart-toppers for some of the biggest names in the music business, such as DEFTONES, PINK and TOOL, mixed "Satellite" which will be the opening track.

According to a press release, "Decode" shows "a new creative side of EXILIA where they are challenging themselves in the realms of elegant songwriting and reaping the benefits incredibly, all songs provide intense and catchy chorus with rhytmic detonation interspersed with Masha's unique voice before exploding in an eruption of pounding guitars where she really shows her versatility."

Masha Mysmane, who is well respected for her lyrical content, dramatic and energetic live performances, describes the new music as "something real, something that cannot be contained in a commercial box."

"Music is my way to express myself and I get inspired by many music styles, writing and combining different genres to find the right code to decypher the sound I hear in my head," she says. "I can't put any limits to it, our music is universal and does not belong to any system."

EXILIA's last album, "My Own Army", was released in February 2009 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded at Principal Studios in Ottmarsbocholt (near Münster), Germany.

"Over The Edge" video:

The "Rebirth" album cover was revealed. The album cover art was created by the german graphic artist Marc Niederhagemann (ArtWars Mediadesign).
The release date of our new and long awaited album "Rebirth" has been postponed to May 25, 2012. DISSAFECTED filmed the videoclip for the song "The Rebirth Of...". The clip has the argument by Ana Sousa, realization by Mafalda Norte and Frederico Weinholtz and the direction of photography by João Miguel Silva.

Video footage of EUROPE frontman Joey Tempest laying down the vocal track on the band's new single, "Not Supposed To Sing The Blues", can be seen below. Due for a digital release on March 9, the song comes off EUROPE's ninth studio album, "Bag Of Bones", due on April 27 via earMusic/Edel. The CD, which features a guest appearance by blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), was produced by Kevin Shirley, who has previously worked with IRON MAIDEN, JOE BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, BLACK STONE CHERRY and JOURNEY, among others.

"Bag Of Bones" track listing:

01. Riches To Rags
02. Not Supposed To Sing The Blues
03. Firebox
04. Bag Of Bones
05. Requiem
06. My Woman My Friend
07. Demon Head
08. Drink And A Smile
09. Doghouse
10. Mercy You Mercy Me
11. Bring It All Home

Commented Joey Tempest: "Kevin Shirley did such a great job capturing the spirit of this band. He just let us do our thing and then pushed us and our songs to the max. Finally we express ourselves completely without restraint. Straight from heart and soul. It took some time but we have arrived!"

Added EUROPE guitar virtuoso John Norum: "Why drive VW beetle when you can drive a Rolls Royce?! 'Bag Of Bones' is a classic rock album with lots of class. Even my mom likes it!"

Regarding the new CD title, EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland said, "It's not [called 'Bag Of Bones'] because we all have lost tons of weight or found a new interest in archeology or dogs... It's just because it sounds fuckin' cool!"

In a July 2011 press release, Tempest stated about EUROPE's new CD, "We still feel we have one hell of a rock record to make. Kevin's the man for the job. We love his work with BONAMASSA, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, and BLACK STONE CHERRY. He's the real deal. We're ready to do some serious damage."

Last year, EUROPE met up with Shirley in Stockholm to discuss the direction of the next album. Based on reactions from the fans and media, EUROPE's 2009 album, "Last Look At Eden", proved to be the band's most important record since "The Final Countdown". "I've been a big fan of EUROPE's work for many years," said Shirley. "The band is influential and highly underrated. I can't wait to make the upcoming album their most explosive to date."

The new material suggests a more straightforward rock approach evident in "Doghouse" — a new song EUROPE performed on their most recent U.K. tour. The song is also featured on EUROPE's "Europe: Live at Shepherd's Bush" DVD, released in August 2011 via earMUSIC CDs and DVDs.

earMUSIC last year released a limited deluxe book with pictures by Denis O'Regan. "Live Look At Eden" features exclusive live audio and the stunning performance at 2010's iTunes Festival in London.

KATAKLYSM frontman Maurizio Iacono's Ancient Roman-themed arsenal EX DEO will release its sophomore album, "Caligvla", on August 31 via Austria's Napalm Records. The CD is being recorded with producer Jean-François Dagenais (KATAKLYSM, MALEVOLENT CREATION, MISERY INDEX, DESPISED ICON) and will feature guest appearances by Italian singer Mariangela "Mary" Demurtas of Norway's TRISTANIA and Italian guitar virtuoso Francesco Artusato from ALL SHALL PERISH. The artwork and layout for the album will be handled by classic artist Seth (SEPTICFLESH). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "I, Caligula", "Burned to Serve the Nocturnal Light", "In War & Conquest/Roma Caput Mundi" and "Teutoburg (The Ambush of Varus) - Part 1".

Iacono recently completed laying down vocals for "Caligvla". He said in a Facebook posting, "It wasn't without any hard work, blood and sweat and also close to a fainting spell after one of the hardest-longest screams I ever made. Ten days of vocal tracking, some of my best work in my career, the gods will be pleased … Some solos are left, some guest appearances to track and we start mixing this beast, should be all done by end of March.. Eight months in the making, people. Soon we will give the metal world a well-deserved punishment!!"

EX DEO recently canceled its participation in the "Paganfest America Part III" tour with TURISAS, ALESTORM, ARKONA and HUNTRESS.

Commented Iacono: "We were all excited to play this festival and premier some new material, but unfortunately our new album, 'Caligvla', has been delayed, and we need to finish it and make it perfect. Add to that, the KATAKLYSM DVD is also on its final production phase... We decided it would be best to concentrate on giving every bit of attention to the album you have been waiting for, and also for the KATAKLYSM documentary to kick major ass. This being said, we will still perform with EX DEO on the Montreal [April 1 at Club Soda] and Toronto [April 2 at The Opera House] shows with Paganfest, as we will be in studio in the area, closing up the album 'Caligvla'. Everything else is cancelled for EX DEO. We will return to support the album in the fall... Word from Rome is that the plans are already in motion for world conquest! We ask our fans to support Paganfest and the great bands playing this year!"

EX DEO last year completed a North American tour with NILE, PSYCROPTIC and KEEP OF KALESSIN.

"Romulus", the debut album from EX DEO, landed at position No. 90 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.

Video footage of LYNCH MOB performing during the new metal cruise Monsters Of Rock - The Voyage, which set sail on February 25 and returned three days later via Ft. Lauderdale / Bahamas / Key West, can be seen below.

Vocalist Oni Logan recently rejoined LYNCH MOB and will sing on the band's upcoming album and tour.

Former DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch revealed at the NAMM show in January that he had tapped VAINS OF JENNA frontman Jesse Forte to handle the lead vocals for LYNCH MOB for the foreseeable future.

A short time later, the members of VAINS OF JENNA — who had relocated back to their native Sweden after spending several years in Los Angeles — announced that they were calling it quits.

Forte, who was born in Arkansas but moved to the West Coast at a very young age, has now revealed that he is no longer working with Lynch and will instead move on with a new project.

Said Forte, "I actually won't be working with George on LYNCH MOB. He informed me over the phone that he and Oni have reconciled and have decided to continue on. I wish them the best. Stay tuned for my next project."

Lynch and Logan reformed LYNCH MOB in 2008 and released a comeback album, "Smoke And Mirrors", the following year, but had a falling out in July of 2010 when Logan failed to show up for Houston, Texas gig. "Oni let the band and our fans down," Lynch stated at the time. "He quit the band at 5:30 a.m. before our 7:30 a.m. scheduled flight. He left us high and dry and did not fulfill his commitment. We are saddened and disappointed — but as a band, we are committed to honoring our obligations."

An unknown singer by the name of Chris Romero was recruited for the first two shows of that tour, while Chaz West of BONHAM handled the vocal duties on the rest of the dates.

In a January 2010 interview with PureGrainAudio.com, Oni stated about his return to LYNCH MOB, "I never thought it would happen, honestly. I am glad that it did happen, and now that it has, it is like going back in time and visiting an old friend and kind of just picking up where we left off. This is such a natural thing for me and George. Our chemistry is great, he does the music and I do the lyrics and what you have is 'Smoke And Mirrors'."

When asked how he prepares for the physical demands of a tour, Oni said, "Well, we try to do some different things as opposed to years ago when we were younger. We are pretty level-headed guys and I think we have a way of dealing with touring, for sure. I try to stay fit as much as I can. Obviously, when you are out on the road, you do not get to eat quite as well and you are pretty much sleep-deprived at times. It is all a matter of trying to find ways to keep yourself happy and sane. It is a pretty crazy rock and roll world out there, you know. Fans come out to have a good time, which is great, but there are a lot of things that come along with that as well. We try to keep level-headed and press on, because it is all about the music and nothing else."

Former KREATOR/SODOM guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik will lay down the guitar tracks on the debut CD, "Proliferation Day", from BROOKLYN MILITIA, the new "aggressive thrash metal/punk/hardcore" band featuring Paul Bento (CARNIVORE), Joe Cangelosi (WHIPLASH, KREATOR, MASSACRE) and Glenn Hansen (WHIPLASH).

BROOKLYN MILITIA has been in the studio this month recording 12 brand new tracks and Blackfire will take over the guitar duties. The group states, "We are excited to have Frank aboard and we know this stuff is going to be explosive."

Hansen previously stated about his involvement with BROOKLYN MILITIA, "I guess it all comes down to honesty. When you take this band, you're taking guys that have been in bands together since we were kids. We are like brothers. When we play, the songs just flow naturally. It's just brutal musical honesty."

BROOKLYN MILITIA is:

* Paul Bento (CARNIVORE) - Guitar
* Rich Day (PRIMAL SCREAM, WHIPLASH, DEATHCORPS, BURN VICTIMS) - Bass
* Joe Cangelosi (WHIPLASH, KREATOR, MASSACRE) - Drums
* Glenn Hansen (WHIPLASH, MOONDOG) - Vocals

Denver death metallers ENEMY REIGN have completed work on their new album, "Between Hell And Oblivion", at Flatline Audio with producer Dave Otero (CATTLE DECAPITATION, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, MARTRIDEN, COBALT). According to a press release, the CD "offers up 11 tracks of mile-high deathgrind brutality as well as the debut of vocalist, Stevie Boiser who replaced former throat, Sherwood Webber (SKINLESS), last summer."

Commented the band on the output: "'Between Hell And Oblivion' is a huge milestone for ENEMY REIGN both as a band and for us individually. It means we didn't give up even when we were written off, and accomplishing that feels great. Musically, we set out to refine what we feel our style of death metal is. We aren't pretentious people, and this is not a pretentious album. It's a no-nonsense death metal album that pays homage to all the bands we grew up with and love, while keeping an eye on how we can add our own artistic license and create something we could listen to everyday. And we do... so enjoy the reign."

"Between Hell And Oblivion" track listing:

01. Haunted
02. Seven Deadly Sins
03. The Heretics Will
04. Realm Of The Hungry Ghost
05. A Viral Evolution
06. Forged From Suffering
07. Abducted
08. Cidium
09. Bathed In Flames
10. These Cursed Eyes
11. LaLaurie's Chamber

To check out the song "Realm Of The Hungry Ghost", scroll on over to SickDrummer at this location where the track is included as part of their current "Brutal Beatings" e-compilation.

ENEMY REIGN does not adhere to the restrictions of a closed-minded genre. Simply tagged "Metal for Metalheads" by friend and fans, ENEMY REIGN draws influence from early '90s death metal, late '80s grindcore and East Coast hardcore.

"Between Hell And Oblivion" will be available on digital download and vinyl next month.

For more information, visit www.enemyreign.com.

"Anywhere But Here", a brand new solo track from STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The song comes off his full-length solo album, to be released in June via R&J Records. The the follow-up to Lewis's acclaimed 2011 country EP, "Town Line", which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and #7 on The Billboard 200 chart, was recorded in Nashville with Grammy award-winning producer James Stroud.

Aaron Lewis recently received two Academy Of Country Music nominations for his debut country single, "Country Boy", continuing his breakthrough year as a solo artist. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was nominated in the "Vocal Event of the Year" category for the song — which features George Jones and Charlie Daniels — as both the artist and co-producer, along with co-producer James Stroud.

The Academy Of Country Music Awards will take place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 1.

Lewis told the Dallas Observer that he doesn't see himself giving up country music now that he's started, explaining, "It's the first music that I was ever exposed to . . . Country music is a part of me. It certainly reflects my lifestyle. I live out in the middle of nowhere in a town of 1,200 people. I've got chickens and a house pig. I deer hunt and I fish. I really don't do many things that require a city."

STAIND's self-titled seventh album arrived in September and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard album chart.

VAN HALEN performed the song "The Full Bug" (from the "Diver Down" album) live for the first time since 1983 last night (Thursday, March 1) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Unchained
02. Runnin' With the Devil
03. She's The Woman
04. The Full Bug
05. Tattoo
06. Everybody Wants Some!!
07. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
08. China Town
09. Hear About It Later
10. Oh, Pretty Woman (ROY ORBISON cover)
11. Drum Solo
12. You Really Got Me (THE KINKS cover)
13. The Trouble with Never
14. Dance The Night Away
15. I'll Wait
16. Hot For Teacher
17. Women In Love
18. Outta Love Again
19. Beautiful Girls
20. Ice Cream Man (JOHN BRIM cover)
21. Panama
22. Guitar Solo (including "Eruption" and "Cathedral")
23. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
24. Jump

VAN HALEN's new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", sold 187,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"A Different Kind Of Truth" is the band's first full-length offering with original singer David Lee Roth since "1984" was released in January 1984.

Roth exited the group in 1985, a year after its "1984" album was released. According to Billboard.com, "1984" spent five weeks at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 — VAN HALEN's highest charting set with Roth. (1996's "Best Of Volume 1" hits album, which included two new songs with Roth, debuted at No. 1 with 233,000 sold in its first week.)

VAN HALEN's other four other No. 1s were their four studio albums with Roth's replacement, Sammy Hagar: "5150" (1986), "OU812" (1988), "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (1991) and "Balance" (1995).

VAN HALEN's previous all-new album, 1998's "Van Halen III", debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard chart and was certified gold for sales of 500,000 copies, a disappointment compared to their previous platinum efforts.

"Servitude Of Souls", the new lyric video from Swedish tech-death assassins SPAWN OF POSSESSION, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's third full-length album, "Incurso", which will be released in North America on March 13 via Relapse Records. The CD, which will contain nine tracks plus an instrumental intro, was recorded at Pama Studios in Kristianopel, Sweden with engineer Magnus "Mankan" Sedenberg.

According to a press release, "devastating riffs, jaw-dropping time-signatures and improbably complex songwriting coalesce to create an opus of next-level death metal on 'Incurso', which the band promises to be their most supreme work to date, and more devastating than ever."

The "Incurso" cover art was created by graphic artist Pär Olofsson (IMMORTAL, IMMOLATION, DYING FETUS) and can be seen below.

"Incurso" track listing:

01. Abodement
02. Where Angels Go Demons Follow
03. Bodiless Sleeper
04. The Evangelist
05. Servitude Of Souls
06. Deus Avertat
07. Spiritual Deception
08. No Light Spared
09. Apparition

The song "Where Angels Go Demons Follow" can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

As previously announced, SPAWN OF POSSESSION will embark on a month-long European tour in March as the support act for labelmates OBSCURA. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are GOROD and EXIVIOUS.

SPAWN OF POSSESSION (Jonas Bryssling: guitar, Dennis Röndum: vocals, Erlend Casperson: bass, Henrik Schönström: drums, Christian Münzner: guitar) formed in 1997 and has previously released two full-length albums. The band's latest CD, "Noctambulant" (2006, Neurotic Records), received international critical acclaim for its blend of musical chops and unfettered extremity.

"Servitude Of Souls" lyric video:

The official lyric video for "Sedition Through Scorn", a brand new song from Italian death metallers HOUR OF PENANCE, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's fifth album, "Sedition", which will be released on March 27 in North America, April 2 in the U.K. and April 6 in mainland Europe via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2010's "Paradogma" (Unique Leader) was recorded at Cellar Studio in Rome with producer Stefano Morabito.

The band will hit North American shores for the first time the week of release, to support THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, NILE and SKELETONWITCH on a full U.S. tour, which includes a stop at the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival.

HOUR OF PENANCE's fourth album, "Paradogma", came out in March 2010 via Unique Leader Records. The CD cover art was created by Gyula Havancsàk, who has previously worked with such acts as ANNIHILATOR and DESTRUCTION.

"Paradogma" was recorded at 16th Cellar studios in Rome with producer Stefano Morabito and was mastered at Hertz Studios in Poland.

HOUR OF PENANCE's current lineup:

Giulio Moschini - Guitar
Simone Piras - Drums
Silvano Leone - Bass
Paolo Pieri - Vocals

"No Surrender", the new single from the Ann Arbor, Michigan hard rock band TAPROOT, is available for streaming at Banana1015.com. The song comes off the group's new album, "The Episodes", which will be released on April 10 via Victory Records. The CD was produced by Tim Palatan, who previously worked with the group on 2010's "Plead The Fifth".

"The Episodes", nearly six years in the making, is a complexly developed concept album. Bassist Phil Lipscomb spoke on the band's creative process for this record, "I think our fans have come to expect the unexpected from us. Having written the story for this album before the music, this record sounds more like a soundtrack than a typical album, with the songs flowing together and taking you on a journey."

"Plead The Fifth" came out in May 2010 through Victory.

TAPROOT is:

Stephen Richards - Guitar, Vocals
Mike DeWolf - Guitar
Philip Lipscomb - Bass
Nick Fredell - Drums

COAL CHAMBER, the reformed '90s alt-metal band fronted by current DEVILDRIVER singer Dez Fafara, played on Sunday (February 26) at Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia during this year's Soundwave Festival. Fan-filmed video footage of the group's entire show can be seen below. Also available is a video interview with the band conducted by MusicFeeds.TV.

As previously reported, COAL CHAMBER drummer Mikal "Mikey" Cox broke two fingers during the Brisbane concert on February 25.

When asked by Full Metal Jackie in a recent interview how he feels about the return of COAL CHAMBER, Dez said, "Unbelievable. Full circle. I mean, to get those guys back in my life and clean off hard drugs and want[ing] to do shows, it's incredible. The feeling is incredible and the love had been just incredible as well. I woke up at 4:30 the other morning with my phone ringing off the hook and my Twitter, everything going crazy, it's so good to see. After all these years, we haven't played together in 10 years. . . We've been going over the setlist and it's been nothing but fun right now. I mean, going back and forth about a setlist with these guys just turns into jokes and hours of e-mails of jokes and we forget what we're doing. So you realize that these guys are a big, big part of my life and I don't even know if I'd be here with DEVILDRIVER for Meegs [guitar] and Mikey drums], so it's good to have them back in my life and getting ready to go do COAL CHAMBER shows."

Regarding why neither of the two former COAL CHAMBER bassists — Nadja Peulen or Rayna Foss — is involved in the band's reunion, Dez said, "Rayna was not [asked to be a part of it]. Rayna has been out of the band for a very long time. We did speak to Nadja. She has other things going and it wasn't really in the headspace where we were at as a band. We found Chela; she's Canadian and she's a bad-ass player. She's been playing for nearly 12 years. She plays five-string and it's going to be good to have her on bass. She grew up with COAL CHAMBER. She's only 26-27 years old. She knows the songs, and just hearing her on the phone, the excitement [in her voice], that's really what I wanted brought to the table. Where Meegs and Mikey and I am right now, we're really excited so we needed someone that filled that excitement drawer and she did for sure; she's stoked."

Performance:

A 13-minute collection of outtakes from "Drumertá", the forthcoming DVD from drummer Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD) featuring drum-cam footage from the recording sessions for ADRENALINE MOB's debut album, "Omertá", can be seen below. The DVD will be made available later this month exclusively from www.mikeportnoy.com.

ADRENALINE MOB is the band featuring Portnoy, SYMPHONY X frontman Russell Allen and guitar virtuoso Mike Orlando (SONIC STOMP).

"Omertá" will be released in the U.S. on March 13 through the newly formed Elm City Music in conjunction with EMI Label Services and in Europe on March 19 in Europe via Century Media Records. The 11-song effort — which was produced by ADRENALINE MOB and mixed by Jay Ruston, who has previously worked on ANTHRAX's "Worship Music" and STEEL PANTHER's "Balls Out" — includes a blistering reinterpretation of DURAN DURAN's classic "Come Undone" featuring guest vocals by Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM.

"Omertá" track listing:

01. Undaunted
02. Psychosane
03. Indifferent
04. All On The Line
05. Hit The Wall
06. Feelin' Me
07. Come Undone (feat. Lzzy Hale)
08. Believe Me
09. Down To The Floor
10. Angel Sky
11. Freight Train

ADRENALINE MOB last month announced the addition of DISTURBED bassist John Moyer to the group's ranks.

Moyer will make his live debut with ADRENALINE MOB on March 12 at Hiro Ballroom in New York City.

Said Moyer in a statement: "Mike Portnoy called me about auditioning for his new band ADRENALINE MOB. He had heard through the grapevine that I was looking to stay busy while DISTURBED is on hiatus. After jamming with Russ, Mike Orlando, and Portnoy, the chemistry as musicians was undeniable. I am super stoked about joining 'The Family' and I can't wait to hit the road with these guys and see what kind of musical mayhem we can create!"

ADRENALINE MOB will perform at several European festivals this summer, including Graspop Metal Meeting (June 22-24 in Dessel, Belgium), Gods Of Metal (June 21-24 in Milan, Italy) and Sweden Rock (June 6-9 in Sölvesborg, Sweden).

ADRENALINE MOB's first-ever headline tour made stops in various markets, including Chicago, Denver and San Francisco. ADRENALINE MOB also opened for GODSMACK on select dates of the Massachusetts act's headlining tour.

ADRENALINE MOB formed in early 2011 when Orlando approached Allen with some material the guitarist had written. Allen and Orlando refined those ideas, at which time Allen reached out to longtime friend Portnoy to see if he had any interest in playing with them. Portnoy jumped on board and soon thereafter DiLeo and Ward were recruited to join the family. From the very first note, the chemistry was apparent and the beast that is known as ADRENALINE MOB was born.

Guitarist Rich Ward (STUCK MOJO, FOZZY) and bassist Paul DiLeo (FOZZY) announced their departures from ADRENALINE MOB in January due to scheduling conflicts with their other projects.

METALLICA's latest album, 2008's "Death Magnetic", was its last under its contract with Warner Music Group — where the band has been making records since 1984 — and according to drummer Lars Ulrich, the band has not yet decided if it will re-sign with the label or if it will contemplate some of the non-traditional approaches distribution of its music that are currently available. "We're free and clear of our record contract. The world's our oyster," Ulrich tells SPIN.com. "We can basically do whatever we want. And we're going to start figuring that out."

He adds, "We're writing music and we're going to be recording very soon. At some point we're going to want to share that with people that are interested in listening to it. So we gotta figure out ways we want to do that, from giving it away in cereal boxes to getting people to do handstands for it. We could come up with something wacky.

"This whole thing about who can come up with the coolest [release strategy] so it can be written about on 12 different blogs for six hours — I mean sure, that's all pretty cool and hip," he continues, "but at the same time you have to remember we have a very global audience. We have fans in India and the U.A.E. and Russia. In a lot of these places there are still more conventional ways of getting music to people. We're not just selling METALLICA music to people in Los Angeles, New York, and London. We have to think of the whole globe to try to find the right balance."

Ulrich also spoke to SPIN.com about the progress of the songwriting sessions for METALLICA's next album, which will once again be helmed by "Death Magnetic" producer Rick Rubin. "We're still throwing ideas around," he says. "We work in stages. Some people will write a song from beginning to end in one go. We don't do that. We'll develop, like, 10 ideas and do a couple cycles. We'll do a verse, chorus and maybe an intro, and then we'll leave them and go develop 10 other ideas. So it's a little early yet because we haven't gone back yet and started tweaking anything. Right now we're throwing ideas at the canvas and picking out great riffs."

Bassist Robert Trujillo told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that he thought "Death Magnetic" paved the way for an even better next effort. "I have a feeling that this next record is gonna be really cool," he said. "'Death Magnetic', as great as it is, I think it's, to me it was like establishing ourselves as a creative team with this unit, and you know, also reuniting with that thrashy element which is apparent in a lot of the material."

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield told The Pulse Of Radio about the end of the band's contract with Warner, "It's kind of a good feeling to feel that you're free from any piece of paper that binds you to something. But over our career, we've learned a lot about record companies, the goods and evils of the business and this and that, and we're not very focused on that right now. It is what it is, and when it becomes time for us to either renegotiate or shop around or do things ourselves or something like that, we don't know. There's nothing but options, which is great."

METALLICA will play the "black album" — its 1991 self-titled fifth effort that has sold nearly 16 million copies — in its entirety at selected European festivals this summer.