Former IRON MAIDEN and current WOLFSBANE singer Blaze Bayley has announced that he will be accompanied by Matteo "Lehmann" Grazzini, bassist of the Bologna, Italy-based thrash metal band NEURASTHENIA, on the upcoming "King Of Metal" tour. Also joining Blaze in his touring band are Claudio Tirincanti (drums) and Andrea Neri (guitar; ASTARTE SYRIACA).

Bayley has commenced work on his new solo album, "The King Of Metal", for a tentative March release. A European headlining tour in support of the CD will kick off in early March in Belgium.

Commented Blaze: "Over the many years I have been a professional singer, and through my ups and downs, I have noticed how some artists and bands take their success and their fans for granted.

"For me, there is no heavy metal without heavy metal fans.

"I am dedicating the new album and tour to my fans and the fans of heavy metal. It is called 'The King Of Metal' because you the fans are the real kings of metal. Each one of you that buys albums and merchandise and tickets to gigs is a king of metal to me."

Blaze last year parted ways with the rest of his band in order to pursue a career as a solo artist and the lead singer of WOLFSBANE. He explained the decision by saying that "the mental, financial and emotional strain of keeping the BLAZE BAYLEY band together has proven to be too much for me and has taken a terrible toll on my mental health. . . It has been an upsetting, frustrating and sad time because the BLAZE BAYLEY band will not be going on any more, but it is also for me a huge relief and a time to look forward."

A statement from former members of Blaze Bayley's solo band — David Bermudez (bass), Nico Bermudez (guitar) and Jay Walsh (guitar) — regarding the group's split can be found at this location.

The 48-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to replace Bruce Dickinson as the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN.

Blaze's latest album, "Promise and Terror", was released on February 1, 2010.

The singer's double live album and live DVD, "The Night That Will Not Die" — recorded on December 13, 2008 at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland — were released on Blaze Bayley Recordings; the concert was filmed by director Kris McManus and all audio mixed and mastered by producer Jase Edwards.

According to the Arab television network Al Arabiya, Norwegian black metallers TAAKE have sparked outrage after being nominated for a prestigious Norwegian music award despite having written lyrics that are allegedly anti-Islamic.

TAAKE's "Noregs Vaapen" album, along with the latest releases from INSENSE, SHINING, VREID and ÅRABROT, has been nominated in the "Metal" category at the 40th annual Spellemann awards (the Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards). The largest and oldest Norwegian music awards show will be held Saturday, January 14 at Folketeateret in Oslo, Norway and will be broadcast live on the Norwegian channel NRK1.

TAAKE's critics argue that the lyrics in the band's song "Orkan" (Hurricane) are xenophobic as they include the phrase "To hell with Muhammad and the Mohammedans" and their "unforgivable customs."

However, Hoest, TAAKE's front man, has refuted these claims and said that their sole intention was to criticize religion. "Our view, in the name of freedom of expression, is that it is shameful to adhere to Christianity or Islam," he said.

Marte Thorsby, chairman of the prize committee's board, denied any allegations that the judges had not properly listened to the album before its nomination. "We enjoy full freedom of expression in Norway and a Spellemann jury is not going to censor content in any way," she told the Aftenposten newspaper.

Hoest previously found himself at the center of controversy in March 2007 after he appeared on stage in Essen, Germany with a swastika symbol drawn on his chest. This led to the cancellation of the band’s European tour and outrage among many heavy metal fans across Germany.

Hoest responded to the controversy by saying, "We truly apologize to all of our collaborators who might get [into] problems because of the Essen swastika scandal, except for the Untermensch (subhuman) owner of that club; you can go suck a Muslim."

TAAKE's most recent statement takes a slightly less offensive tone: "TAAKE has never been a political band, and we do not encourage either violence or racism."

The lyric video for "Left Hand", a new song from Montreal's monsters of tech-death mayhem BENEATH THE MASSACRE, can be seen below. The track comes off the band's new album, "Incongruous", which will be released in the U.S. on February 14, in the U.K. on February 20, in mainland Europe on February 24 and in Canada on February 28 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was produced and mixed by Chris Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mastered by Alan Douches (HATEBREED, SHADOWS FALL, CONVERGE).

"Incongruous" track listing:

01. Symptoms
02. Hunted
03. Left Hand
04. Hopes
05. It
06. Light
07. Incongruous
08. Pedestal
09. Grief
10. Damages
11. Unheard

BENEATH THE MASSACRE will take part in Europe's "Bonecrusher Fest" tour in February and March alongside CARNIFEX, WITHIN THE RUINS, MOLOTOV SOLUTION and BETRAYING THE MARTYRS.

BENEATH THE MASSACRE's "Marée Noire" EP was released in mid-2010.

The band's last album, "Dystopia", came out in 2008. Since then, the group has toured extensively throughout North America (including Summer Slaughter Canada 2008 and Sumer Slaughter 2009) and Europe.

In 2009, BENEATH THE MASSACRE was nominated for in the for "Best Underground Band" category at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.

Italian folk/power metallers ELVENKING will enter Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland on February 24 with producer Nino Laurenne (AMORPHIS, LORDI, SONATA ARCTICA, APOCALYPTICA) to begin recording their new album for a mid-2012 release via AFM Records. Nino previously worked with the band on "The Winter Wake" and "The Scythe" CDs.

"I think it is too soon even for us to understand exactly how the new album is going to sound in the end," says ELVENKING guitarist Aydan. "We know that the final result could be very different from what we expect at the beginning of the recordings and we are still putting the final touches to the songs and we need to choose which one are good enough (or less crappy at least!) to be recorded. But for all of those who is asking me how it is going to sound, I would say it will be surely heavier, still very melodic and a bit back to the roots with a lot of good old folklore in it. Expect some great surprises as in ELVENKING tradition. You're going to love it!"

The fifth out of six short conceptual teaser clips for "Dark Adrenaline", the new album from the Italian rock/metal band LACUNA COIL, can be seen below. Due in North America on January 24 via Century Media Records, the CD was helmed by acclaimed producer Don Gilmore (LINKIN PARK, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE) and "promises to deliver the melodic, sensual, metallic rush for which the band has come to be known," according to a press release.

Fans both old and new will have a variety of options to choose from, as "Dark Adrenaline" will be released in numerous formats, including standard-edition CD and vinyl, deluxe edition digipak with a bonus DVD, sticker, poster and guitar pick and as an iTunes LP with expanded packaging, five bonus audio tracks and video. The Metal Club edition will feature exclusive artwork designed by the band and will be limited to 3,000 units. The Hastings edition will feature a bonus 10-track LACUNA COIL sampler, and the Amazon digital edition comes with a free five-track sampler. Finally, for true fans of the band, is the "Darkest Adrenaline" box set, which includes both the digipak and vinyl versions of the album along with a hardcover photo book, a LACUNA COIL custom syringe pen and ink, a lyric pad, signed lithographs created by the band and more, all housed in a LACUNA COIL medical box. This box set is limited to 500 pieces and is available exclusively through CM Distro.

"Dark Adrenaline" track listing:

01. Trip The Darkness
02. Against You
03. Kill The Light
04. Give Me Something More
05. Upsidedown
06. End Of Time
07. I Don't Believe In Tomorrow
08. Intoxicated
09. The Army Inside
10. Losing My Religion
11. Fire
12. My Spirit

The "Trip The Darkness" video can be seen below. The visually stunning performance clip was directed by Sitcom Soldiers (FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, THE BLACKOUT).

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia stated about "Dark Adrenaline", "I really feel that it is really, really a good album with good songs. I think that it totally captures the essence of LACUNA COIL because it's definitely a mixture of our roots and something completely new. We never repeated ourself with any album, but this one, it's a perfect balance between the old stuff and the new. And the new stuff, it's more obscure than the usual. It's definitely heavier — the sound is way heavier than we did before. A lot of people will be surprised. I think so. . . I believe that, you know, it's something that they don't really expect from us. They probably expect us to go, I don't know, more melodic and mellow and actually this is not the direction we are taking. [Laughs] We're kind of getting heavier while everybody else is getting mellower. [Laughs]"

When asked if she and her bandmates had specific aims when they went into the studio, Cristina said, "No, not really, because I think that when you are writing songs, it's not about what you want to achieve. You just go with the flow and you just like what you hear. And if you like something, you just, like, work on it. I don't think it would make sense for us just to think about a song or like, Oh, the album is going to sound like that. That wouldn't be honest and that wouldn't be hard, you know? Of course, you kind of know what you want to do, just because you know that's your taste, but you don't really know what's gonna be the final result. You just, you know, put down layers and layers and layers and layers, and then you just hear the result at the very end. Actually, after the mixing you're just like, Oh, wow! [Laughs] It's hard to see things, you know. You just kind of draw the image of what you think it's gonna be, but you don't really know what's gonna be in the end."

Teaser clip #5:

"Unisonic", the first video from UNISONIC — the band featuring former HELLOWEEN vocalist Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY, ex-HELLOWEEN) alongside Dennis Ward (bass) and Kosta Zafiriou (drums) of Germany's PINK CREAM 69 and Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer (who has previously played with ASIA, GOTTHARD and KROKUS) — can be seen below. According to a press release, the clip, which was directed by photographer/director Martin Hausler (MEAT LOAF, GOTTHARD, HELLOWEEN, MOTÖRHEAD) "shows a powerful band performance at a magnificent ballroom in Heidelberg, Germany."

Former METAL CHURCH/LILLIAN AXE singer Ronny Munroe has announced his departure from PRESTO BALLET, the progressive rock band led by ex-METAL CHURCH guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof. Ronny states, "My continued involvement with the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA has made it impossible to leave me with enough time to fully dedicate myself to such a great band as PRESTO BALLET. I'm wishing Kurdt Vanderhoof and the rest of the guys continued success, and I thank Kurdt for allowing me the chance to share in, and be a part of, his vision."

PRESTO BALLET recently announced the addition of drummer Larry Crowe to the group's ranks.

PRESTO BALLET released a new EP, "Love What You've Done With The Place", on July 2, 2011. It was made available for download on iTunes and other major online sites, but if you want a CD that includes a bonus track, it is only available on the group's official web site.

Munroe's new solo album, "Lords Of The Edge", came out on October 18, 2011 via Rat Pak Records. The CD features the guitar mastery of Stu Marshall (EMPIRES OF EDEN), Chris Caffery (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, SAVATAGE), and Michael Wilton (QUEENSRŸCHE) and is described in a press release as "a true metal offering that delivers an onslaught of fist-pumping, guitar-driven heavy metal."

Resurrected '80s hard rockers QUIET RIOT have parted ways with their frontman of a little over a year, San Diego, California-based vocalist Mark Huff.

The band has recruited ex-MONTROSE singer Keith St. John for the following shows:

Feb. 01 - B.B. Blues Club & Grill - New York, NY
Feb. 03 - Bergen Performing Arts Center - Englewood, NJ
Feb. 04 - The Rock Junction - West Greenwich, RI

Huff, who succeeded the late Kevin DuBrow, stated in a September 2010 interview, shortly after he joined QUIET RIOT, "I am honored and very excited to be QUIET RIOT's new singer. I am also humbled and feel a bit of pressure. Who wouldn't feel pressure? Kevin DuBrow was a one-of-a-kind songwriter, musician and a consummate performer. He had an incredible vocal range; I have mass respect for Kevin."

Regarding what fans should expect to see from his live appearances with QUIET RIOT, Huff said at the time, "I don't think trying to duplicate Kevin's every sound or movement is what honors Kevin DuBrow or QUIET RIOT. It's important for me to stay true to the songs as they were written, as the fans remember them, and to bring the live show to full strength. I am not here to replace Kevin DuBrow."

He continued, "Frankie [Banali, drums] summed it up best when he said, 'Kevin DuBrow was one of a kind and cannot be replaced.' I am here to help QUIET RIOT continue to keep the music alive in the most flattering way possible."

Fan-filmed video footage of QUIET RIOT's May 20, 2011 concert at Arcada Theatre in Saint Charles, Illinois can be viewed below.

NIGHTWISH will play a "secret" gig under the name RUBBER BAND OF WOLVES at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California on January 19 — two days before the Finnish/Swedish symphonic metal act's world-tour kick-off performance at the Gibson Ampitheater in Universal City. The Universal City concert will be the biggest NIGHTWISH show production ever on North American soil and strictly a one-off — there will be no U.S. tour until later in 2012.

Several photos from NIGHTWISH's current tour rehearsals can be seen below.

As previously reported, "Imaginaerum" has been certified gold in Germany for sales in excess of 100,000 copies. The CD also 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.

[Note: The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Finland has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach platinum status in the country from the pre-2010 level of 30,000 to the current 20,000.]

The band's first CD since 2007's "Dark Passion Play" — which was then-new singer Anette Olzon's debut — "Imaginaerum" was released in North America on January 10 via Roadrunner Records.

NIGHTWISH will take part in a CD-signing session at SoundCheck Hollywood on Friday, January 20 at 6 p.m. Stop by the store starting Tuesday, January 10 to pick up the band's new album, "Imaginaerum", and get a wristband which guarantees your access to meet the band.

SoundCheck Hollywood
8872 Sunset Blvd.
W. Hollywood, CA 90069
310.358.0280

KNIVES OUT!, the Baltimore, Maryland-based project featuring current/former members of HELLYEAH, NOTHINGFACE, DOG FASHION DISCO and POLKADOT CADAVER, will release its debut album, "Black Mass Hysteria", on February 14 via all major digital distribution sites and through mail order at IndieMerch.com. The CD was recorded at Wrightway Studios in Baltimore.

There are special pre-order bundles available now at RazorToWrist.com.

"The new album is our crowning achievement and exactly what we set out to be and sound like," says vocalist Todd Smith. "Heavy with groove and full of melody, KNIVES OUT! is a fresh, unique and completely original force ready to lead the heavy hard rock genre into the future."

"Black Mass Hysteria" track listing:

01. Hide In The Sky
02. Hysteria
03. Surrounded By Demons
04. Blood Everywhere
05. Eat Your Heart Out
06. Pink On The Inside
07. Swollen Mistress
08. Robot Babylon
09. The First Time I Discovered A Dead Body

Formed in 2008, KNIVES OUT! says, "It isn't pretty and it isn't safe. In a world of copy cat bands KNIVES OUT! stands up to deliver to the world a breath of fresh air to a stagnant, plagiaristic genre. Go hard or go home...horns up and KNIVES OUT!"

The band independently released a four-song EP, "Rough Cuts", online through iTunes and other digital retailers in 2010.

KNIVES OUT! is:

Todd Smith (DOG FASHION DISCO, POLKADOT CADAVER) - Vocals
Jasan Stepp (DOG FASHION DISCO, POLKADOT CADAVER) - Guitar
Tommy Sickles (NOTHINGFACE) - Drums
Dave Cullen (POLKADOT CADAVER) - Bass
Tom Maxwell (HELLYEAH, NOTHINGFACE) – Guitar

New York-based extreme metal legends SUFFOCATION are hard at work on material for their new album, tentatively due this summer via Nuclear Blast Records.

In the February 2012 issue of Decibel magazine, SUFFOCATION bassist Derek Boyer stated about the upcoming CD, "We're in the pre-production stage [and are] currently working on final arrangements, lyrical placement and content."

He added, "Each album is an evolution process. As always, we take the key elements that are SUFFOCATION, add current feelings and outside influences, the begin collaborating. We're very happy with the direction we're headed!"

Relapse Records released SUFFOCATION's only official live record, "The Close Of A Chapter: Live In Quebec City", on October 27, 2009 in North America and November 2, 2009 internationally. Recorded in 2005 during the band's "Souls To Deny" world tour, the CD contains the band's complete, unedited performance.

SUFFOCATION's latest album, "Blood Oath" (Nuclear Blast), sold around 3,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 135 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 2 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 follow-up to 2006's self-titled record, "Blood Oath" was recorded with Joe Cincotta (who worked on the band's last two releases) and was mixed by Zack Ohren (ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH). The cover artwork was once again brought to life by Jon Zig (DEEDS OF FLESH, DISGORGE, GORGASM).

Southern California's IN THIS MOMENT has entered The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with longtime producer Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) to begin recording its new album for a summer release via Century Media Records.

The first photo from the studio can be seen below.

Drummer Jeff Fabb and guitarist Blake Bunzel recently left IN THIS MOMENT in order to join the backing band of "American Idol" finalist James Durbin.

Commented IN THIS MOMENT: "We are embracing this change with open arms, and a renewed spirit…. Sometimes you have to let go of what's in your hands to reach for something greater! In the meantime, we are back in the studio and the new songs are sounding better than anything we've done to date."

IN THIS MOMENT's latest CD, "A Star-Crossed Wasteland", sold 10,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart.

IN THIS MOMENT's sophomore effort, "The Dream", opened with more than 8,000 copies back in October 2008 to land at No. 70.

"A Star-Crossed Wasteland" was released on July 13, 2010 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at The Wolves Den studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with Churko.

Kentucky rockers HYDROGYN have set "Private Sessions" as the title of their fourth album, tentatively due this spring. 13 songs were recorded for the CD at guitarist Jeff Westlake's Ridgeline Studio in Ashland, Kentucky and Patrick Liotard's Peek Studio in Boisseron, France.

After months of uncertainty surrounding the band because of singer Julie Westlake's health, the green light was given to Julie and the rest of the band last year to proceed ahead with the new album recordings.

Commented Julie: "This is the quickest we have ever completed a project to date.

"We decided in June that we were going to do another CD after I got clearance from my doctors to get back to work and by August we were in the studio."

For "Private Sessions", things changed up a bit as far as production. For the past two albums, Jeff Westlake handled the production, engineering, mixing, etc., to go along with the writing and song prep. Jeff said he wanted a chance to just worry about the songs on this release with limited production going on from his end. Enter the team of Anthony Dura and Patrick Liotard (who co-wrote the song "Alone" on HYDROGYN's last album, "Judgement"). Anthony and Patrick stepped in and teamed up with Julie and Jeff for this project, not only from a production standpoint but also in the creation of the project itself.

"I love these guys and what they bring to the table," said Julie. "To be able to turn to them and have a new team in the mix for the entire process with fresh ideas and a great perspective as well is just priceless. We were all introduced by our French team at Musiconlights (Mike Jublin) back in 2007 and as time has gone on, we have gotten to know each other. The working part of the relationship is just a natural progression for us all and takes some pressure off Jeff for a change."

A HYDROGYN live CD and a digital-only best-of release called "Phase 1" are also in the works.

As previously reported, former DIO guitarist Tracy "G" Grijalva has joined forces with Julie Westlake to record a collection of songs Tracy had written with Ronnie James Dio for the DIO releases "Strange Highways" and "Angry Machines" along with some of the guitarist's post-DIO material. The recordings are taking place at Tracy's G Factory studios and will include musicians that played on Grijalva's 2011 album, "Controlled Chaos" — Johnny B on drums and vocals and Eddie Frisco on bass. There is also talk of live shows taking place in the Los Angeles area this spring or summer.

"This is a a very ultra cool project that I am honored to be a part of," stated Julie.

Norwegian experimental black metal band MESOPOTAMIA has inked a deal with Abyss Records. The group is currently recording its debut album, due later this year.

A MESOPOTAMIA track entitled "The Cult of Ninurta" can be streamed using the ReverbNation TuneWidget below.
MESOPOTAMIA will make its live debut on Saturday, January 14 at the Flytten Pub in Haugesund, Norway as direct support for SUSPERIA. Also scheduled to appear is ENCHANTING DARKNESS.

When Rolling Stone spoke with former VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar in November, he told the magazine that he heard the bands's new record was largely comprised of old music. "I mean stuff from before I even joined the band," Hagar said. "Ed [Van Halen, guitar] and Dave [Lee Roth, vocals] didn't actually write new songs. They took old stuff from previous sessions, and then maybe Dave had to go in and add vocals because they just had scat vocals, or even no vocal part at all."

During VAN HALEN's intimate concert at Café Wha? In New York City last Thursday, they debuted a "new" song, "She's The Woman", which originally appeared on the 1976 demo, produced by KISS bassist Gene Simmons, that got VAN HALEN their record deal with Warner Bros. It was left off the group's 1978 debut but has been resurrected for the new disc.

After VAN HALEN's new single and video, "Tattoo", premiered this morning, hardcore fans immediately noticed that it sounded remarkably similar to "Down In Flames", a song VAN HALEN played live in 1977 but never actually recorded for a studio album.

You can listen to each of the two songs in the YouTube clips below.

VAN HALEN's new album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", is now officially confirmed to arrive on February 7 via Interscope. The deluxe-edition version of the effort will contain a bonus DVD featuring four brand new acoustic-performance videos titled "The Downtown Sessions" including the songs "Panama", "You And Your Blues", "You Really Got Me" and "Beautiful Girls".

The set will be the group's first all-new collection since "Van Halen 3" was issued 13 years ago, and its first with singer Roth since "1984".

HATRIOT — the new thrash metal project led by veteran San Francisco Bay Area vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza (TENET, DUBLIN DEATH PATROL, EXODUS, LEGACY) — performed at a charity show on Friday, December 23 at The Avalon in Santa Clara, California. The concert marked HATRIOT's first live performance with new guitarist Miguel Esparza and daw the band debut three brand new songs as well as two EXODUS songs from Souza's tenure with the legendary thrash metal act.

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

HATRIOT is:

Steve "Zetro" Souza - Vocals
Kosta Varvatakis - Guitar
Cody Souza (Zetro's son) - Bass
Alex Bent - Drums
Miguel Esparza - Guitar

HATRIOT has made its entire four-song demo available for free download at Megaupload.

Featured tracks:

01. The Fear Within
02. Weapons Of Class Destruction
03. Globacidal
04. The Mechanics Of Annihilation

"Weapons Of Class Destruction" audio stream:

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN's January 19 free concert at the Slidebar in Fullerton, California — the band's "last U.S. [show] for a while" — will be streamed live at 10:00 p.m. at Stickam.com/DillingerEscapePlan.

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN will head over to the United Kingdom in February to support MASTODON for a week's worth of dates before travelling to Australia for this year's Soundwave Festival. The group states, "While we are in that part of the world, we are going to be playing a few shows with SYSTEM OF A DOWN, plus headlining Malaysia and Thailand for the first time ever!"

In a recent interview with Australia's Loud magazine, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN guitarist Ben Weinman stated about the band's next album, "We're about to start working out ideas and we'll be doing that basically until we come to Australia [in February]. I traditionally come up with the start of most of the ideas and then myself and our drummer will kind of work on them and formulate songs and get the ball rolling."

Regarding the band's songwriting process, Ben said, "You know, every time I finish a record, I feel like I can't make another one. I'm done. I have no more DILLINGER in me. Then after a year or two of just touring heavily on that music, it just seems to come naturally, to start working on new stuff."

On the topic of how each THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN album is recorded, Ben said, "It takes a while. Because one of the things that we try to maintain is a certain level of… we're pretty critical about how we record and the music we make. Sometimes playing those guitars parts takes hours and hours because not only do we have to get it done once correctly — which is difficult enough — we have to do four or five more overdubs. It certainly can be pretty daunting."

Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE, TOMAHAWK, MR. BUNGLE) has been selected by writer/director Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine") to provide the score for "The Place Beyond The Pines", which stars Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes.

Patton, who rose to prominence as a teenager as the frontman for FAITH NO MORE and is known as one of music's most eclectic musicians, has done a series of scores over the past few years, including the Italian drama "A Solitude Of Prime Numbers", "Crank 2: High Voltage" and the short film "A Perfect Place". Patton is also currently working on a new TOMAHAWK album with a projected late summer release date.

Photo credit: Jay Blakesberg

Thunderous post-instrumental outfit PELICAN has announced the long-awaited follow-up to their sprawling 2009 full-length "What We All Come To Need", a new four-song EP, "Ataraxia/Taraxis", to be released via Southern Lord on April 10. With members now residing in separate cities, the EP represents a new chapter in the band’s evolution with a re-energized focus on composition and the utilization of the recording studio as a creative tool in the songwriting process, yielding one of the most diverse efforts in the band’s prolific discography.

The four new songs highlight the manifold sonic strengths of the band by delving into moments of triumphant melodic rock, smokey doom, ambient soundscape, acoustic desert-folk, and minimalist electronics. In contrast to the EP’s origin as the product of four different recording studios, including stints with engineers Sanford Parker (TWILIGHT, CIRCLE OF ANIMALS, NACHTMYSTIUM) and Aaron Harris (ISIS), the carefully crafted track listing boasts a cohesive narrative flow, lending the release an epic feel worthy of a full album.

"Ataraxia/Taraxis" track listing:

01. Ataraxia
02. Lathe Biosas
03. Parasite Colony
04. Taraxis

Mascot Label Group has announced the release of the eponymous debut album from FLYING COLORS — the spectacular new virtuoso prog/pop/metal rock band formed by drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-DREAM THEATER) and guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE). The CD will be made available via Music Theories Recordings in the U.K. on Monday, March 26, followed by a U.S. release on Tuesday, March 27.

FLYING COLORS is Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Dave LaRue (bass), Neal Morse (keyboards, vocals), Casey McPherson (lead vocals, guitar), and Steve Morse (lead guitar).

"This album has bits and pieces of what you'd expect from each of us," says Portnoy. ""The sum of all its parts led to brand new, unchartered territory for everyone involved."

The formation of FLYING COLORS began with a simple idea: virtuoso musicians and a pop singer joining together to make new-fashioned music the old-fashioned way. Refreshing, classic, old and new, the recordings are saturated with the many styles, tones and hues of the players who in becoming a band have delivered a unique fusion of vintage craftsmanship and contemporary music.

In 2008, executive producer Bill Evans brought the idea to the world-renowned musicians and producer Peter Collins. Intrigued by the idea and the prospect of working together, the four musicians signed on to form a band and record a first album.

Steve Morse and Dave LaRue have developed magical music chemistry over the years that began early in their careers as partners in DIXIE DREGS. In 1995, Morse subsequently became a member of DEEP PURPLE, while LaRue's ongoing musical adventures include Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, Steve Vai, and the aforementioned Portnoy.

Multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer Neal Morse is one of the leading figures in progressive rock, whose notoriety follows his co-founding of the seminal band, SPOCK'S BEARD in 1995, recordings as a solo artist, and contributions to the super-group TRANSATLANTIC.

Mike Portnoy is one of the most popular and respected drummers in both metal and rock, and an accomplished writer and producer. He is the recipient of numerous industry accolades, including 26 Modern Drummer awards, Revolver magazine's Golden God award for "Best Drummer" and Drum magazine's "Drummer Of The Year". He rose to prominence as the leader, drummer, producer, and co-writer for metal/prog juggernaut DREAM THEATER, before moving on in 2010. That same year, he worked on AVENGED SEVENFOLD's #1 album "Nightmare" and their subsequent tour.

It was Portnoy who recommended ALPHA REV's emotive singer Casey McPherson as a contender to join FLYING COLORS. McPherson, whose 2010 Hollywood/Disney album "New Morning" debuted in the Top 5 on two Billboard charts, enjoyed major success at radio with multiple hits. The track "New Morning" spent 17 weeks in the Top 10 on Triple A Radio, and enjoyed a run on VH1's Top 20 Countdown for months. Steve Morse offers, "Casey was a glorious find, because he could make anything sound fantastic, and is a multitalented like the others."

FLYING COLORS convened for just nine days in early 2011, and composed and recorded this album during a short and intense session.

"It was quite an experience," recalls Dave LaRue. "The band moved at a fast pace, ideas flying around the room at all times. Sections of tunes were arranged, and then re-arranged. Ideas were tried every which way until we made them work, or, in some cases, discarded them altogether. Just keeping track of everything was a challenge!" The album is filled with trial and triumph. It's been an inspiring challenge melding folk, prog, pop, and metal all into one big recording."

Touring plans for FLYING COLORS will be announced in the coming months.

German black/thrash commando DESASTER has finished recording its new album, "The Arts Of Destruction", for a February 28 release (one day earlier internationally) via Metal Blade Records.

A landing page that includes "The Arts Of Destruction" pre-order links as well as the brand new song "Queens Of Sodomy" can be found at this location.

Comments the band: "'The Arts Of Destruction' … 100% Desaster 100% Metal 100% Hell 100% Non-commercial! We still spit on trends, hail the cult of metal and send a big FUCK YOU to all who don't believe in metal music! We don't want to say so much about the album… only… pure metal, full of darkness and blasphemy, no compromise, no innovation… In our eyes our best sounding and most brutal album so far! Check it out and create your own view. Bang or be banged!"

"The Arts Of Destruction" track listing:

01. Intro
02. The Arts Of Destruction
03. Lacerate With Hands OfDoom
04. Splendour Of The Idols
05. Phantom Funeral
06. Queens Of Sodomy
07. At Hell's Horizon
08. Troops Of Heathens – Graves Of Saints
08. Possessed And Defiled
09. Beyond Your Grace
10. Outro

There will be a limited first edition available, including a bonus DVD.

23 years going and still strong, DESASTER has released six studio albums so far.

"The Arts Of Destruction" is the follow-up to 2007's "Satan's Soldiers Syndicate", which received critical acclaim and was supported with club shows and festival gigs all over the planet.

Welsh shock rockers TIGERTAILZ have parted ways with bassist Sarah Firebrand.

Commented the band: "It's with a heavy heart that we have to inform you that we've decided to part company with Sarah.

"The last thing the band needed right now was another lineup change... But, unfortunately, as a band we're just not functioning and a change was needed to move forward. It's unfortunate, but keeping a band going year-on-year isn't easy and sometimes difficult decisions have to be made.

"We would like to thank Sarah for all she's done and wish her all the best for the future.

"Our priority is the longevity of TIGERTAILZ and to raise as much money as possible for the Amser Justin Time charity, which helps people suffering from pancreatic cancer. With this in mind, we'll be announcing a new bass player as soon as possible and resuming touring duties.

"Thanks to you all for your fantastic support and let's keep the faith."

TIGERTAILZ last year announced the return of drummer Ace Finchum to the band. The addition of Ace, who last played with TIGERTAILZ in the early 1990s, reunites all surviving members of the group's "classic" lineup.

Shooting to fame in 1990 on the back of big-selling second album "Bezerk" and a string of hit singles, magazine covers and videos, the band won all the plaudits going for their bombastic, lion-hearted rock anthems — songs that are still played and loved all over the world today.

Getting back together in 2005, they were struck by tragedy when bassist and co-founder Pepsi Tate died from cancer in 2007. Fighting back with the usual 'TAILZ spirit, the band regrouped with bass player Sarah Firebrand and drummer Robin Guy in 2010, and headlined the opening night of the U.K.'s Hard Rock Hell, a performance that sold out months in advance.

TIGERTAILZ released a new live album, "Bezerk Live - Burnin' Fuel", in January 2011 via TT/Cargo Records.

"Blood For The Master", the new studio album from New Orleans, Louisiana's sons of American no-frills-black-metal-meets-death-'n'-roll GOATWHORE, will be released in North America on February 14 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was once again recorded at Mana Recording Studios in St. Petersburg, Florida with producer with Erik Rutan.

The first single off the album, "Collapse In Eternal Worth", along with "In the Studio" video footage, is now available at MetalBlade.com/Goatwhore. Fans can stream or download the single as well as check out the lyric video for the track that incorporates the artwork from both the CD and vinyl versions of the release, each which features different artwork.

"Blood for the Master" track listing:

01. Collapse In Eternal Worth
02. When Steel And Bone Meet
03. Parasitic Scriptures Of The Sacred Word
04. In Deathless Tradition
05. Judgement Of The Bleeding Crown
06. Embodiment Of This Bitter Chaos
07. Beyond The Spell Of Discontent
08. Death To The Architects Of Heaven
09. An End To Nothing
10. My Name Is Frightful Among The Believers

"Blood For The Master" will be available on CD, vinyl, and digitally. Fans of vinyl should note that there will be three different versions of the LP; red with black splatter, half red/half black, and standard black. Also available will be a limited amount of special pre-order bundles containing merch items exclusive to these bundles.

In a recent interview with Decibel magazine, GOATWHORE guitarist Sammy Duet stated that the band's forthcoming CD will feature "the same exact [guitar] sound I used on 'Carving Out The Eyes Of God'. We're just trying to improve on that sound — make it bigger and fatter. That 'Carving' guitar sound was fucking incredible, and that's why me and Rutan spent half the week trying to get it to sound even better, which I believe we achieved. It's gonna have that growly, sub-nuclear kind of sound, but I think it's gonna be almost more refined in a way — but still very nasty."

He added, "The drums are a lot more natural-sounding. A lot of producers today, I don't know; they make the drums sound fake. They sound good, but almost too good. We're just trying to make it sound real and not like a drum machine.

"There's the same amount of solos on 'Carving'; maybe a few more. But there's gonna be a lot of other… I wouldn't exactly call them guitar solos that are gonna be going on underneath the music, but there's gonna be certain things there that will be very different. There's definitely some shit I've never really done before ever that I've just been experimenting with. You have to hear it. It's hard to explain. It's like a solo and not a solo."

"I think a lot of people are expecting us to repeat ourselves, but it's not gonna be like that. We could have easily gone and written 'Carving Out The Eyes Of God Part II' because that album is such a natural feeling for us musically. But we didn't want to do that."

New York hardcore/metal veterans BIOHAZARD are teaming up with Revolver magazine and Repudo to blaze yet another trail and give away their new album, "Reborn In Defiance", in its entirety "for free" to all fans in the United States starting January 20.

The first such promotion ever launched, the record will be available for free download off Revolver magazine's web site, RevolverMag.com, as well as through the technology offered by Repudo.com. Fans can check into BIOHAZARD "Containment Zones" (record stores, venues, and more) across the United States using the Repudo app on their smart phones and download the new record directly to their phones or send it to their email inbox. A full map of the "Containment Zones" will be available soon.

For fans who still want a physical copy of "Reborn In Defiance", CDs will be made available for sale in conjunction with "Record Store Day" in April and will include exclusive additional content.

"When we started, we followed our hearts and innovated a new direction for heavy music, and today we're doing the same." says BIOHAZARD vocalist/guitarist Billy Graziadei. "Technology has allowed us to find a new way to not only reach out to fans but also to thank them for their support all these years. Grab our album for free and we’ll see you on tour!"

"Reborn In Defiance" will be released in Europe on January 20 via Nuclear Blast.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. 9:IIIX6.941
02. Vengeance Is Mine
03. Decay
04. Reborn
05. Killing Me
06. Countdown Doom
07. Come Alive
08. Vows Of Redemption
09. Waste Away
10. You Were Wrong
11. Skullcrusher
12. Never Give In
13. Season The Sky

Audio samples of the entire "Reborn In Defiance" album can be found on the NuclearBlast.de web site.

Not only is "Reborn In Defiance" BIOHAZARD's first original lineup album in 18 years, but it also marks the last album recorded by the band before the departure of bassist and co-vocalist Evan Seinfeld. The effort remains a testament to the four founding members (Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel, Evan Seinfeld and Danny Schuler) and their unique chemistry.

Having last recorded and toured as the fundamental lineup with the release of "State Of The World Address" back in 1994, BIOHAZARD reformed with all four original members back in 2008 to commemorate the band's 20th anniversary. They went back out on the road together over the next two years, during which time inspiration struck.

The legendary Toby Wright (ALICE IN CHAINS, METALLICA, SEVENDUST, KORN) was brought in to produce the 13-track "Reborn In Defiance", which was recorded in Los Angeles.

BIOHAZARD has sold over five million albums worldwide since its formation in the late Eighties in Brooklyn, New York. They achieved international success with their albums "Urban Discipline" on Roadrunner Records in 1992 and 1994's "State of the World Address" on Warner Brothers. Over the years, BIOHAZARD has collaborated with ONYX, CYPRESS HILL, AGNOSTIC FRONT, HATEBREED, PANTERA, and TYPE O NEGATIVE, among others. The band has continued to tour nationally and internationally, sharing stages with HOUSE OF PAIN, OZZY OSBOURNE, SLAYER, DANZIG, FEAR FACTORY, SEPULTURA and AGNOSTIC FRONT.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler has been in Los Angeles this week to do interviews promoting the new season of "American Idol", which will be his second as a judge on the hit talent show. Speaking at a press conference for the Television Critics Association, Tyler was asked about the progress of the new AEROSMITH album. "All of it's been written, but I gotta lay lyrics on it and I haven't had a lot of time," he said. "But what I've listened to so far just knocked me out. I know a good song, I know what's gonna get played on the radio, I'm not that pretentious to say I think we've got hits, but I think we've got something, and that's all that matters."

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

The band has been working with producer Jack Douglas, who collaborated with them on classic early albums like "Toys In The Attic" and "Rocks".

Guitarist Joe Perry recently wrote on Twitter, "People have said when we play the rough tracks it sounds like it's from the '70s but for me, it's too early to tell."

Meanwhile, Tyler also said at the TCA press conference that sales of AEROSMITH's back catalog were up 260 percent since he began appearing on "Idol".

The 11th season of the series will begin with its two-night premiere on Wednesday, January 18.

The final artwork for VAN HALEN's first album with original singer David Lee Roth in 28 years, "A Different Kind Of Truth", can be seen below. The cover, which is based on pretty much exactly the same train image the band has been using in recent promotional activities for the record, is uncannily similar to the concept utilized on "Movin' On", the 1975 album by the American funk/soul band COMMODORES, which came out through Motown Records.

VAN HALEN released "Tattoo", the first single and video from its upcoming CD, on Tuesday (January 10). The track is taken from "A Different Kind Of Truth", due out on February 7. The song itself said to be is a rewrite of a very old VAN HALEN track "Down In Flames", which the band used to play in its late Seventies club days but never recorded for any of its albums. The new version has a slightly different arrangement and fresh lyrics from Roth.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, at least two other songs on the new record, "She's The Woman" and "Bullethead", date back to the band's early days as well. "She's The Woman" appeared on a 1976 VAN HALEN demo produced by KISS bassist Gene Simmons, and was performed by the group last week during its show at the tiny Cafe Wha? in New York City.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen has said in numerous interviews over the years that he has "10 albums" worth of unreleased material in his archives from throughout the band's career.

Ironically, it was former singer Sammy Hagar who hinted that VAN HALEN might be digging into the vaults on the new album. Hagar recently told Rolling Stone, "I heard this record is old outtakes from the old days. I mean, stuff from before I even joined the band . . . Because from what I heard, they aren't working with new material. Ed and Dave didn't actually write new songs."

VAN HALEN will kick off a North American tour on February 18th in Louisville, Kentucky. Tickets for the tour will begin going on sale January 14. KOOL AND THE GANG will open for VAN HALEN on selected tour stops.

Montreal's monsters of tech-death mayhem BENEATH THE MASSACRE will release their new album, "Incongruous", in the U.S. on February 14, in the U.K. on February 20, in mainland Europe on February 24 and in Canada on February 28 via Prosthetic Records. The CD was produced and mixed by Chris Donaldson (CRYPTOPSY) and mastered by Alan Douches (HATEBREED, SHADOWS FALL, CONVERGE).

"Incongruous" track listing:

01. Symptoms
02. Hunted
03. Left Hand
04. Hopes
05. It
06. Light
07. Incongruous
08. Pedestal
09. Grief
10. Damages
11. Unheard

Two songs from the album, "Symptoms" and "Left Hand", can be streamed below.

BENEATH THE MASSACRE will take part in Europe's "Bonecrusher Fest" tour in February and March alongside CARNIFEX, WITHIN THE RUINS, MOLOTOV SOLUTION and BETRAYING THE MARTYRS.

BENEATH THE MASSACRE's "Marée Noire" EP was released in mid-2010.

The band's last album, "Dystopia", came out in 2008. Since then, the group has toured extensively throughout North America (including Summer Slaughter Canada 2008 and Sumer Slaughter 2009) and Europe.

In 2009, BENEATH THE MASSACRE was nominated for in the for "Best Underground Band" category at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.