According to The Pulse Of Radio, SALIVA quietly parted ways with singer Josey Scott late last year, with guitarist Wayne Swinny telling Lubbock, Texas radio stations KFMX that Scott left the group after a decade and a half to pursue a career as a solo Christian artist. Although SALIVA's continued existence seemed to be in doubt as 2011 drew to a close, Swinny has revealed that he and the remaining members of SALIVA have recruited Jacksonville, Florida singer/songwriter Bobby Amaru to take over on the mic.

The group has already recorded three new songs which it will begin shopping around for a new record deal.

Amaru fronted his own solo band and played drums for BURN SEASON.

A tour is also in the works for February to introduce fans to the new lineup. It does not seem likely that the band will change its name.

Scott was a founding member of SALIVA, which formed in Memphis in 1996. He sang lead vocals on all seven of the band's albums to date, with the most recent being 2010's "Under Your Skin". The group has compiled 18 rock radio hits.

"Cathedral Walls", the new video from Finnish doom metallers SWALLOW THE SUN, can be seen below. The song, which features a guest appearance by Anette Olzon of NIGHTWISH, comes off the band's fifth full-length album, "Emerald Forest And The Blackbird", which will be released on February 1 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was recorded during September and October 2011 by Mikko Karmila (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS, CHILDREN OF BODOM) at Drumforest Studios in Viitasaari and Sonic Pump 2 in Helsinki, and by Hannu Honkonen at Noisework Studios in Helsinki. The effort was mixed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, APOCALYPTICA, AMORPHIS, MOONSPELL) and will be mastered by Mika Jussila (NIGHTWISH, AMORPHIS, SENTENCED) at Finnvox Studios. The artwork was once again created by Rami Mursula.

"When I got to listen to the rough demo of 'Cathedral Walls', I fell in love with the song immediately and I was so honoured to be asked to sing on this song," said Anette. "The melody and lyrics are truly beautiful."

Commented SWALLOW THE SUN's main songwriter Juha Raivio: "I found myself listening to an old Finnish lullaby called 'Sininen Uni' over and over again, and suddenly images started pouring into my mind of a dad reading a tale to his dying child, trying to explain where the child is going that night, the tale of Emerald Forest and the Blackbird. Finally this image lead me into a long journey through this night and got me trapped in the limbo between the dusk and the dawn. The place where you face your demons and angels, meet the souls of the ones you loved and lost.

"Will we walk the night forever, or let the night forgive us and let us say a last goodbye? These are songs from the limbo, notes of sorrow, hate, love, darkness and light. The tale of Emerald Forest and the Blackbird."

"Emerald Forest And The Blackbird" track listing:

01. Emerald Forest And The Blackbird
02. This Cut Is The Deepest
03. Hate, Lead The Way
04. Cathedral Walls (feat. Anette Olzon)
05. Hearts Wide Shut
06. Silent Towers
07. Labyrinth Of London (Horror Pt. IV)
08. Of Death And Corruption
09. April 14th
10. Night Will Forgive Us

Aleah Stanbridge of TREES OF ETERNITY — whose ethereal voice is familiar from SWALLOW THE SUN's previous works — is featured on two tracks.

SWALLOW THE SUN's latest album, "New Moon", landed at position No. 148 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).

"New Moon" entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 10.

"Breathless", a brand new song from Swedish metallers STEELWING, can be streamed in the YouTube below. The track comes off the band's second album, "Zone Of Alienation", which is due later this month via NoiseArt Records. The CD was helmed by producer Rikard Löfgren, who had previously worked with DEATHSTARS, MAMAKIN, ENFORCER and VOMITORY, among others.

According to a press release, "Zone Of Alienation" is a semi-concept album set in a not-so-distant future where the remnants of mankind have fled into outer space. Following the eradication of the Earth after religious wars have gone nuclear, they set out to find new worlds to colonize.

The "Zone Of Alienation" cover artwork was created by Dimitar Nikolov and is an eerie depiction of heavily armed space pioneers setting foot on a hostile planet.

"Zone of Alienation" track listing:

01. 2097 A.D.
02. Solar Wind Riders
03. Full Speed Ahead!
04. Breathless
05. Tokkotai (Wind of Fury)
06. Zone of Alienation
07. The Running Man
08. They Came From The Skies
09. Lunacy Rising

The album will be made available as a limited-edition digipack with a bonus track.

"Zone of Alienation" release dates:

Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, France: January 6
Sweden: January 10
Rest Of Europe: January 27

STEELWING will embark on a tour in January with their fellow Swedes GRAND MAGUS and BULLET.

Legendary hard rock vocalist Mark Boals (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ULI JON ROTH, ROYAL HUNT) makes a guest appearance on "Time Of The Equinox", the new album from the Lebanese guitarist Amadeus Awad.

Due on January 13, the CD will feature the following track listing:

01. The Origins of Light
02. Gift of Solitude & Joy
03. Paper Dreams Pt. I: Requiem (feat. Mark Boals)
04. Paper Dreams Pt. II: Dies Irae (feat. Mark Boals)
05. Paper Dreams Pt. III: The Tempest (feat. Mark Boals)
06. Time of The Equinox
07. Spiritus Devi
08. Meteors In The Blue (feat. Liz Vandall from SAHARA)
09. Virtual Eclipse
10. Nostalgia (feat. Liz Vandall from SAHARA)
11. Tales of Celtic Sunsets (feat. Timo Somers from DELAIN)
12. Autumn Eyes (feat. Elia Che)
13. L'Univers En Deuil

Check out two teaser tracks ("Spiritus Devi" and "The Origins Of Light") from "Time Of The Equinox" below.

Legacy Recordings has set January 24 as the domestic release date of two essential new titles from the seminal metal band SCORPIONS: "Comeblack", a new album of classic rock covers and fresh performances of signature repertoire recorded earlier this year, and "Get Your Sting And Blackout - Live in 3D", available on Blu-ray disc, an 11-camera 3-D concert film recorded in Saarbrücken, Germany on April 15, 2011 during SCORPIONS' current farewell tour.

Launched by guitarist Rudolf Schenker in 1965, SCORPIONS forged metal, rock and pop into a sound that's come to signify an entire genre through hard rock anthems like "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and hits like "Send Me An Angel", "Wind of Change" and "Still Loving You", selling more than 100 million records in the process.

Last year, SCORPIONS announced that the group's "Get Your Sting And Blackout" tour, an epic ongoing worldwide rock 'n' roll odyssey in support of 2010's "Sting In The Tail", would be the group's last before retirement. The tour is slated to run through 2012 with a string of historic farewell blowouts and festival performances scheduled Europe culminating with shows at the Wacken Open Air festival (August 4, 2012) and Munich's Olympiahalle (October 13, 2012).

Wanting to create a truly memorable concert film to do justice to power of the live show and the high energy emotional impact of the final tour, SCORPIONS chronicled the sold-out concert on April 15, 2011 in Saarbrücken, Germany with a state-of-the-art 3D production. Helmed by director Gerd F. Schultze (who's worked on 3D films with Michael Jackson, Bryan Adams, Joe Cocker, Carlos Santana and German superstar Peter Maffay), "Get Your Sting and Blackout - Live in 3D" puts the viewer into the VIP box at the ultimate SCORPIONS concert. In addition to 100 minutes of pure SCORPIONS music, "Get Your Sting And Blackout - Live In 3D" includes more than half-an-hour of behind-the-scenes bonus material.

"The preview audience was absolutely euphoric and stunned by the intensity and the never-before-witnessed power and intimacy in which they were able to experience the SCORPIONS' fantastic concert," said Gerd Schultze following a theatrical screening of the film. "The people left the screening with a completely new and never-before-seen concert experience and wanted to watch it all over straight away. Part of the reason is that we have managed to create an unbelievable 3D depth with a specially developed method, which is very pleasant to watch. Using the new camera technology, we managed to translate 3D in the cut and montage technique in a style that will meet the expectations of a first class product even in ten years time. It makes you feel like you're sitting in the VIP lounge amidst the audience through this 11 camera 3D concert staging and its monstrous 5.1 surround and stereo sound. At the same time, the SCORPIONS perform their unbelievably powerful and visually unique show with all their hits live in your living room. This is pure dynamite ... fasten seat belts and take off ... into the third dimension."

"Saarbrücken was a very good choice," wrote the band in a press statement, "our fans were simply sensational and gave us the chance to thank them for their many years of support."

At some point during the "Get Your Sting And Blackout" tour ("We can't remember the day, the month or the hour"), SCORPIONS, enjoying the success of "Sting In The Tail" and the emotional rejuvenation of the farewell tour ("Screaming fans everywhere we went!") decided to record one last classic album. "The idea to go back to the studio was born out of pure excitement," said the band who cut an album mixing covers of rock 'n' roll standards that informed and inspired the SCORPIONS alongside new productions and performances of the songs in the band's core catalog that have proved the most meaningful to the members.

The result, "Comeblack", is, according to the band, "an encore for our die-hard fans, to thank them for all the support for so many years. At the same time, this is a tribute to legendary bands from the sixties, like THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES, who have inspired us to follow our dreams. We hope you like it as much as we do... Rock on and ... Comeblack."

"Get Your Sting And Blackout - Live In 3D" track listing:

01. Intro
02. Sting In The Tail
03. Make It Real
04. Bad Boys Running Wild
05. The Zoo
06. Coast To Coast
07. Loving You Sunday Morning
08. The Best Is Yet To Come
09. Send Me An Angel
10. Holiday
11. Raised On Rock
12. Tease Me Please Me
13. Dynamite
14. Kottak Attack
15. Blackout
16. Six String Sting
17. Big City Nights
18. Still Loving You
19. Wind Of Chamge
20. Rock You Like A Hurricane
21. When The Smoke Is Going Down

"Comeblack" track listing:

Re-recordings

01. Rhythm Of Love
02. No One Like You
03. The Zoo
04. Rock You Like A Hurricane
05. Blackout
06. Still Loving You
07. Wind Of Change

Covers

08. Tainted Love (GLORIA JONES)
09. Children Of The Revolution (T. REX)
10. Across The Universe (THE BEATLES)
11. Tin Soldier (SMALL FACES)
12. All Day And All Of The Night (THE KINKS)
13. Ruby Tuesday (THE ROLLING STONES)

According to the Belfast Telegraph, a mysterious benefactor has emerged with hundreds of unreleased THIN LIZZY songs, stored in secret since the death of frontman Phil Lynott in 1986. Universal Music will release a selection of these recordings in June, working with the full co-operation of the band's surviving members.

"This is an absolutely stunning find," Steve Hammonds, project manager for the box set, told the Irish Independent. Featuring nearly 700 songs, "[these] are outtakes, unheard versions of THIN LIZZY hits and, most exciting of all, material that was recorded but never released at the time."

Shortly before he passed away in 1986, Lynott gave 150 tapes entrusted 150 tapes to an unnamed third party, described as a "THIN LIZZY fan." "They held on to it for decades because they were waiting for the right people to come along," Hammonds said. "They really didn't trust anyone enough to release it properly."

Read more from the Belfast Telegraph.

Now that the holidays are over, ex-GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Slash and his backing band are returning to the studio to complete the legendary axeman's second solo album. According to The Pulse Of Radio, Slash told Total Guitar that he's going for a more live feel this time around, explaining, "We're just going for the one take that sounds good, so my solos are more raw, probably sloppier in a way, because they're very spontaneous to the point where it's in the heat of the moment."

He added, "Everything is being played live with the music tracks: the solos, everything. We're trying not to overdub extra bits. So if there's a solo, I'm playing on one side, Myles [Kennedy]'s rhythm track is on the other."

Unlike his 2010 solo debut, which featured a number of guest vocalists and session players, Slash is recording this album with his touring band, which includes singer/guitarist Myles Kennedy of ALTER BRIDGE.

Slash told The Pulse Of Radio that he's never felt more comfortable or relaxed in a band situation before now. "I definitely have found a certain freedom to be able to feel comfortable expressing myself with the guys that I'm working with, and just being able to focus on what it is that I like to focus on, and not having a lot of outside distraction and internal distraction and confusion," he said. "So yeah, this has been the most fun that I've had since the earliest GUNS days."

Early song titles for Slash's sophomore effort include "Bad Rain", "Halo", "Standing In The Sun" and "Far And Away". The record is expected to arrive in April.

Meanwhile, Slash and the rest of VELVET REVOLVER will stage a brief reunion with former singer Scott Weiland for a one-off performance on Thursday, January 12 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. The event is a tribute concert for late composer John O'Brien, who died last August at the age of 45.

Slash and the other members of GUNS N' ROSES are also confirmed to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on April 14 in Cleveland, Ohio.

KISS members Paul Stanley (guitar, vocals) and Tommy Thayer (guitar), along with producer Greg Collins, have released a one-minute video message from Collins' studio, The Nook, where they are putting the finishing touches on the band's new CD, "Monster".

"[KISS is] about two days from [being] finished with this album," says Stanley. "It's almost done and it's awesome. It is by far the best thing we've done in I don't know how long. Have I ever said that before? Yeah. Was I right? Yeah. I'm right this time again. . . Truly, the album kicks major ass and we're very, very proud of it." Thayer adds, "You're gonna as as excited as we are, 'cause we're really excited. And we're not just saying that. This is great stuff. It's amazing."

In a 2011 interview with U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine, Stanley stated about KISS' follow-up to 2009's "Sonic Boom", "'Sonic Boom' was a pivotal album in the sense that we were aware of who we were as a performing band, but we had to re-establish who we are as a recording band. That being done, this is much easier and that much more self-assured."

Added bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons: "This new record feels heavier than 'Sonic Boom'. It feels like [it's] a connection between 'Destroyer' and 'Revenge'.

Regarding some of the tracks that will appear on "Monster", Stanley said, "I'd be surprised if the album didn't start with 'Hell Or Hallelujah'. It's up-tempo, a great riff, definitive KISS. There's a track called 'Born To Be A Sinner', and Tommy [Thayer, guitar] has a song called 'Out Of This World', which is terrific. They're anthemic songs. That's the nature of how we write. There are no ballads."

Added Simmons: "'Are You Ready?' is a new track that I worked out, wrote, and brought everyone into the studio and said: 'Let's bang this out.' Another of the new songs, tentatively titled 'Wall Of Sound', we just came up with on the spot. The guts of that song were written in 40 minutes."

In a 2009 interview with Premier Guitar, Collins stated about the experience of working with KISS on "Sonic Boom", "It was amazing, because I was working with people that I idolized as a kid. Over the years I've learned that the dynamic in every band is different, and sometimes it can be tough, with politics, egos and however many years of baggage. I couldn't believe how incredibly healthy the creative relationship is with KISS. Paul was clearly in charge of the record, but he was open to everyone's ideas. Everything was discussed in an enjoyable, fun way. There was no sense of egos overwhelming the process or anyone being marginalized in any way. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I ever had working with a band. . . . Paul has said that no other lineup could have made this record and I believe he's right. Everyone in KISS is confident about their role in the band. They're not trying to please anyone but themselves, which is the best way to make music. There was no sense of anxiety, no label, no A&R guy. It was just the band and myself, trying to make the best KISS record we could. It was a completely natural process, and hopefully the results speak for themselves."

"Monster" is tentatively due this spring.

Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE have released the following statement:

"To our family, friends and fans: We have decided to continue on without Howard Jones as the singer of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. We love Howard and are thankful for the nine years that we've had him in the band. Out of respect for everyone involved, we will not be discussing the specific reasons behind this decision. Howard is a part of our family and always will be, and we wish him well. He has left big shoes to fill, so we certainly have our work cut out for us to find the next singer of KILLSWITCH, something we plan on making priority #1 going forward. Most importantly, thanks to all of you for all the support throughout the years and for sticking by us for all this time. We really do appreciate it and we very much look forward to having a new record for all of you in the not too distant future that we can all be proud of."

The Google Doodle celebrating what would have been late QUEEN singer Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday was voted 19 in the list of 30 Best Google Doodles of 2011.

In a very rare and extraordinary tribute to Freddie, Google celebrated his 65th birthday by running a very special doodle on its homepage. The 1:30 clip sought to capture the dynamism and diversity of Freddie's career through an animation that was as colorful and playful as his stage performances.

The quirky tribute was created by Google's in-house team of illustrators, animators and engineers. It was available for users outside of the U.S. on September 5, what would have been Freddie's 65th birthday, and was on Google.com in the U.S. on September 6 as a belated "Happy Birthday" to Freddie since his actual birthday fell on Labor Day.

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

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

"Memories Of A Time To Come" will be 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 1:

"A Rose For Epona", a brand new song from Swiss folk metallers ELUVEITIE, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the group's new album, "Helvetios", which will be released on February 10 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented ELUVEITIE vocalist Christian "Chrigel" Glanzmann: "The song 'A Rose For Epona' appears about in the middle of the storyline — so, it tells about the time when the gaulish war broke out already. The Helvetians decided to leave their homeland and migrate to the west coast of Gallia, to start a new life there. In the time the song tells about, many Helvetians had to face pretty much shattered hopes. And so does the protagonist, from whose viewpoint the song is written: A young gaulish woman. She was part of the helvetic migration, but after the battle of Bibracte, all hopes that she and her people would ever reach their new home were torn to pieces. Furthermore you can imagine: She probably had lost her husband on the battlefields of Bibracte and she had to face fact that she can be glad if their common newborn child would not be killed and she herself would be sold into roman slavery. To sum it up: Her situation was desperate. In this situation 'our' young gaulish woman despairs, can't accept her fate and turns to her goddess Epona... and accuses her for having forsaken her people. This is what the song expresses. On a historical note: 'Epona' was a gaulish goddess which was, among other things, in charge of taking care of horsemen and the cavallery. All over Gallia there were Epona temples where people traditionally offered up freshly cut roses or rose petals to their goddess."

A video for "A Rose For Epona" was recently filmed and will make its online debut soon.

"Helvetios" was recorded at New Sound Studio in Pfäffikon, a municipality in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland, with producer Tommy Vetterli (a.k.a. Tommy T. Baron; CORONER/ex-KREATOR guitarist). According to the band, Vetterli "record[ed] drums, guitars and vocals and also produc[ed] and mix[ed] the record. Most folk instruments and also vocals [were] recorded by Anna Murphy and Marco Jencarelli at the Soundfarm studios in Lucerne."

"Helvetios" track listing:

01. Prologue
02. Helvetios
03. Luxtos
04. Home
05. Santonian Shores
06. Scorched Earth
07. Meet The Enemy
08. Neverland
09. A Rose For Epona
10. Havoc
11. The Uprising
12. Hope
13. The Siege
14. Alesia
15. Tullianum
16. Uxellodunon
17. Epilogue

A trailer for the album can be seen below.

ELUVEITIE's last album, "Everything Remains (As It Never Was)", sold around 1,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 23 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.

ELUVEITIE will join CHILDREN OF BODOM on the Finnish metallers' North American headlining tour in celebration of the band's 15th anniversary. The trek will kick off on January 30, 2012 in Rochester, New York and run through March 4, hitting 26 cities over the course of the five-week jaunt. Boston-based extreme metal band REVOCATION and Canada's THREAT SIGNAL are also on the bill.

"A Rose For Epona" audio stream:

Swedish experimental extreme metallers MESHUGGAH have issued the following update:

"After a long time of deep soul searching and intense wrecking of the psyches, the new album is finally done. Soon you will meet this colossus that will pulverize your being. Welcome to the other side on March 27."

In a 2011 interview with Guitar World magazine, MESHUGGAH guitarist Fredrik Thordendal was asked whether the band has been working on new music. "Yes, we are working on a new album and have been for a long time," Fredrik said. "I'm so excited about this one. We've always tried to change how we write songs to keep it exciting, but on recent albums we've also been moving further away from working together as a band. On this album, though, everyone is working together. Every day that we're in the studio, we'll play whatever song we're working on, record a demo version of it to analyze at home, and then come back the next day, talk about it and try to make it better. I think because of this, it's going to be our best album yet."

Regarding the approach to the new music, MESHUGGAH drummer Tomas Haake told Decibel magazine in a 2010 interview, "Maybe not try to be as anal about every single little hit [that] has to be super-tight but be more focused on the vibe of a track and let some of those tiny errors slip through. I think that kinda breeds a bit of life into a song."

Released in March 2008, MESHUGGAH 's last album, "obZen", debuted at No. 59 on The Billboard 200 chart and at No. 14 on the iTunes Top Rock Albums chart.

MESHUGGAH's first DVD, "Alive" sold around 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 8 on the Top Music Videos chart.

British progressive metallers THRESHOLD have announced the cancelation of all their shows that were planned for April.

THRESHOLD is currently in the studio recording its ninth album, "March Of Progress", but regretfully vocalist Damian Wilson has been taken ill so all of the band's plans are now delayed.

Wilson (HEADSPACE, STAR ONE) rejoined THRESHOLD in 2007 following the departure of Andrew "Mac" McDermott, who sadly passed away in August 2011.

"March Of Progress" is being produced at Thin Ice Studios and Eightspace Studio in the U.K. by Karl Groom and Richard West.

Provisional songtitles set to appear on the CD include:

* Ashes
* Return of the Thought Police
* Colophon
* Staring at the Sun
* Liberty Complacency Dependency
* Divinity
* The Hours
* Don't Look Down
* That's Why we Came
* The Rubicon
* Coda

THRESHOLD will perform a handful of pre-release shows in April 2012 to promote the album.

THRESHOLD's last studio CD, "Dead Reckoning", was released in 2007 and featured guest vocals by Dan Swanö (NIGHTINGALE, BLOODBATH). The CD entered the charts at position 64 in Germany, 95 in The Netherlands and 37 in the U.K. (rock chart).

THRESHOLD is:

Damian Wilson - Vocals
Karl Groom - Guitar
Richard West - Keyboards
Johanne James - Drums
Steve Anderson - Bass
Pete Morten - Guitar

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman has "banged out a solo" for the forthcoming solo album from ex-NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis, which is being recorded at Fastback Studios in Seattle, Washington. Friedman states, "[Jeff] is a monster player, and he played some real cool stuff on my 'Future Addict' CD."

Loomis entered the studio on August 23 to begin recording the follow-up to 2008's "Zero Order Phase", which will feature three or four tracks with vocals. Christine Rhoades, who previously collaborated with NEVERMORE on the "Dreaming Neon Black" CD, will sing on selected tracks and Shane Lentz will handle the bass. Aaron Smith (7 HORNS 7 EYES) is producing the effort.

Jeff was the lead guitar player and main songwriter of NEVERMORE, a band that has certainly made its mark on modern music by forging a unique sound that fuses different forms of metal that has given birth to an authentic and very influential style. His solo CD, "Zero Order Phase", took the #4 spot in a April 2009 Guitar World magazine's readers' poll in the "Best Shred Album Of The Year" category — a notable accomplishment when you consider the top three vote-getters, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen and Joe Satriani. Jeff has become one of his generation's most recognizable guitarists and the source of many of the last decade's best riffs.

Jeff's complex shredding has been a central part of the progressive power guitar scene since 1992 and is responsible for some of the most awe-inspiring riffs modern metal has ever heard. Nearly every aspiring musician who has been listening to metal for the past 10 years or so has undoubtedly had the pleasure of hearing Jeff Loomis' progressive and technically superior playing.

Loomis' first solo album, "Zero Order Phase", was released in September 2008 through Century Media Records.

"Euphory Amplified", the second EP from Finnish power metallers SERAPHIEL, can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below. The effort was produced by Vili Itäpelto, Samuli Hyttinen and Pekka Posio, who also took care of mixing duties. The cover artwork was created by Timo Paananen while the logo ws handled by Annimari Pasanen.

"Euphory Amplified" track listing:

01. Blind Seer
02. In Vain
03. Euphory Amplified

Guest musicians:

* Teemu Mäntysaari (WINTERSUN, ex-IMPERANON): guitar solo in "In Vain"
* Yrjö Gävert (ex-CHAOS INFINITUM]: slap bass in "In Vain"
* Mikko Tuominen: violin, backing vocals
* Marjukka Kainulainen: viola, backing vocals
* Riku Vartiainen: cello

SERAPHIEL's first EP, "Opposing Existence", came out in 2008. It featured the band's former vocalist Kirill Shevchenko.

SERAPHIEL is:

* Vesa Heikkinen - Vocals
* Pekka Posio (UNIQARMA) - Guitar
* Samuli Hyttinen (MEDICATED) - Guitar
* Jarmo Luopa (UNIQARMA, SUHTEETTOMUUSTEORIA) - Bass
* Vili Itäpelto (TRACEDAWN, FRIENDS WITH ENEMIES) - Keyboards
* Pertti Pätsi (MEDICATED) – Drums

INNER FEAR, the Czech dark metal band featuring CRADLE OF FILTH drummer Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka, has made its new album, "First Born Fear", available for free download at www.innerfear.org.

Formed in 1997, INNER FEAR disbanded in 2003 and after a long hiatus reunited with a new lineup. Marthus comments, "We, finally did it. The album is ready and is available to our fans for free. I'm really excited about our new lineup, as we can't wait to start touring together. The guys are just amazing and we're working on the new album already."

INNER FEAR is planning to release EP in late spring and will hit the studio again at the end of this year for the new full-length album.

INNER FEAR is:

Serg (PRETERNATURAL, NEGLECTED FIELDS) - Vocals
Vic (VIC ANSELMO) - Vocals
Khopec - Guitar
Ashok (ROOT) - Guitar
Serhio (NEGLECTED FIELDS, ex-TRENDKILL METHOD) - Bass
Marthus (CRADLE OF FILTH) - Drums, Keyboards

Video footage of NECROPHOBIC's December 18, 2011 performance at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting at Effenaar in Eindhoven, Holland can be seen below.

NECROPHOBIC recently inked a deal with Season Of Mist. The band, which was recently joined by guitarists Robert Sennebäck (DISMEMBER, UNLEASHED) and Fredrik Folkare (UNLEASHED), is currently writing material for its seventh album, tentatively due in late 2012.

NECROPHOBIC 2012 is:

Joakim Sterner - Drums
Tobias Sidegård - Vocals
Alexander Friberg - Bass
Robert Sennebäck - Guitar
Fredrik Folkare – Guitar

NECROPHOBIC supported MORBID ANGEL on a European tour in November/December.

NECROPHOBIC's latest album, "Death To All", was released in Europe in May 2009 via Regain Records.

Massachusetts-based hardcore/metal band CONVERGE has set "All We Love We Leave Behind" as the title of its new album, tentatively due late spring/early summer via Epitaph.

CONVERGE's latest CD, "Axe To Fall", sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 163 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort was released on October 20, 2009 through Epitaph Records.

Produced by guitarist Kurt Ballou at his Godcity studios in Salem, Massachusetts, "Axe To Fall" featured guest appearances from Steve Brodsky (CAVE IN), Adam McGrath (CAVE IN), J.R. Connors (CAVE IN, DOOMRIDERS), Uffe Cederlund (DISFEAR, ex-ENTOMBED), John Pettibone (THE VOWS, HIMSA), Steve Von Till (NEUROSIS) and Mookie Singerman (GENGHIS TRON).

NITROGODS, the German rock and roll band featuring guitarist Henny Wolter (THUNDERHEAD, PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER), drummer Klaus Sperling (FREEDOM CALL, PRIMAL FEAR) and bassist/vocalist Claus "Oimel" Larcher, will release its self-titled debut album via Steamhammer/SPV on the following dates:

Germany: February 24
Rest Of Europe: February 27
USA, Canada: Early March

"Nitrogods" features guest appearances by NAZARETH singer Dan McCafferty and ex-MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke in the songs "Whiskey Wonderland" and "Wasted In Berlin".

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Black Car Driving Man
02. Demolition Inc.
03. At Least I'm Drunk
04. Gasoline
05. Whiskey Wonderland (feat. Dan McCafferty)
06. Licence To Play Loud
07. Lipsynch Stars
08. The Devil Dealt The Deck
09. Rifle Down
10. Riptide
11. Wasted In Berlin (feat. Fast Eddie Clarke)
12. Zombietrain

A video for the song "At Least I'm Drunk" was recently completed and will make its online debut later this month.

No more endless studio fakes, sound samples, artificial drum overdubs and computer-controlled corrections of suboptimal lead vocals. The time has come to return to the true values of rock music, namely honesty, solid craftsmanship and real lifeblood. To cut a long story short: the time has come for NITROGODS! The motto of this spectacular new rock trio: three men, three corners, and down-to-earth no-bullshit rock'n'roll!

The band may still be unfamiliar to the public at large, but the three members are renowned musicians with illustrious histories to look back on. Guitarist Henny Wolter founded THUNDERHEAD in 1988, played with PRIMAL FEAR and SINNER for number of years and was part of the Rock Meets Classic touring band. Drummer Klaus Sperling (FREEDOM CALL) was also with PRIMAL FEAR for a long time. And at the epicenter of the NITROGODS soundquake is a heavyweight who is impressive in every respect: Claus "Oimel" Larcher, a bear of a musician whose bass performance stands for sheer power and whose voice unmistakably reflects countless liters of beer and whiskey.

"I wanted to return to playing the music that I love," says Henny Wolter, "and that only works if you play it with your best friends."

Fast Eddie Clarke comments on his collaboration with the NITROGODS: "I first met Claus from the NITROGODS in 2005 when I did a benefit gig for the victims of the tsunami in Indonesia. So I was happy to say yes when asked to do a solo on their new album on the track 'Wasted In Berlin'. I have to say the tracks they sent me sounded great. The band has great spirit and they all play extremely well together. So if you like fast and furious rock, you should give this a listen. I can assure you you will not be dissapointed..."

Dan McCafferty on NITROGODS: "I have just had the pleasure to record a song with a new band called NITROGODS. Henny and I met and became good friends on the Rock Meets Classic tour 2010. Having heard other material for the album, I think it will be a fine one. Hope you enjoy my contribution on 'Whiskey Wonderland'. I wish the GODS the best of luck. Welcome to the rock 'n' roll world!"

Austrian symphonic extreme metal outfit HOLLENTHON will make professionally filmed video footage of its entire December 4, 2010 concert at Szene in Vienna available for streaming on the band's Facebook profile in five parts beginning on Sunday, January 8. According to the group, "[This] will also provide [fans] with a chance to win a fan package by simply sharing the clip on [their] Facebook profile and clicking its 'Like' button."

HOLLENTHON's latest EP, "Tyrants and Wraiths", came out in 2009.The CD featured four new tracks and two live videos from the 2008 Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium.

HOLLENTHON's most recent album, "Opus Magnum", was released in June 2008 via the Austrian record label Napalm Records. The CD featured eight songs and a cover version, plus a video.

HOLLENTHON issued two critically acclaimed albums a decade ago — "Domus Mundi" (1999) and "With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell" (2001).

Corey Taylor recently spoke to Artisan News about the progress of the songwriting sessions for STONE SOUR's follow-up to 2010's "Audio Secrecy", which he says will probably be "the biggest thing we've ever done in our career."

According to Taylor, STONE SOUR will hit the studio in 2012, between SLIPKNOT's run on February's Soundwave Festival in Australia and a summer tour of North America that's slated to kick off in mid-June. The CD will probably be recorded in Iowa with producer David Bottrill, who has previously worked with TOOL, MUSE and Peter Gabriel, among others.

"We're still writing and recording stuff," he said. "Right now alone, we have 13 completed songs, with six more that I can demo, probably two or three that Josh [Rand, guitar] still has that we're tweaking, and then a bunch that Jim's [Root, guitar] gonna bring in. Our ultimate goal is a double concept album, which the only way I can describe it is [PINK FLOYD's] 'The Wall' meets [ALICE IN CHAINS'] 'Dirt' on steroids. And I think it's gonna be fantastic. And if I can pull it off, it's gonna be the biggest thing we've ever done in our career."

Taylor previously said about the storyline for the next STONE SOUR record, "It's basically the story of a man who's trying to figure it out. He can't figure out if he's happier when he's miserable, or if he's miserable about not being happy. It's almost like a mid-life crisis in a way. He's young enough that he knows that there's still a lot of life to live, but he's old enough to realize that he can't be hung up on the romance of teenage depression and youthful aggression."

Now let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet, the following is probably just a rumour, but still…


According to the Daily Express Pink Floyd is slated to perform at the Olympic closing ceremony on Sunday, August 12th 2012.
According to an unnamed source:

“It’s long been made clear it would take something very special to get Pink Floyd back together again and it doesn’t get any bigger than the Olympics. Like Sir Paul [McCartney, who is tipped to open the Games], they have been a major part of the nation’s culture over the past 40 years and it will be very fitting that they’re involved when London is on show to the world. It’s hoped everything can be confirmed in the coming weeks.”

METALLICA has posted a 45-minute video recap of the fourth and final intimate show at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only. Check it out below.

Former METALLICA members Dave Mustaine (currently in MEGADETH), Jason Newsted, Lloyd Grant, Ron McGovney, Hugh Tanner, along with the band's longtime producer Bob Rock, as well as BLACK SABBATH legends Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler joined METALLICA on stage on December 10 for the fourth show at the Fillmore.

After opening sets from THE SOUL REBELS brass band and DEATH ANGEL, as well as an appearance by FAITH NO MORE/ex-OZZY OSBOURNE drummer Mike Bordin — who took to the stage with METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo to honor late METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton — METALLICA rocked the crowd with another 20-song set which featured selections culled largely from the band's classic debut album, 1983's "Kill 'Em All", and included a previously unreleased track from the "Death Magnetic" sessions called "Rebel Of Babylon".

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Orion
02. Through the Never
03. Ride the Lightning
04. The God That Failed
05. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
06. Rebel Of Babylon (previously unreleased song from "Death Magnetic" sessions)
07. Blackened (with fan-club members Dennis, Annette Diaz)
08. Dirty Window (with Bob Rock)
09. Frantic (with Bob Rock)
10. Sabbra Cadabra (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with Geezer Butler)
11. Iron Man (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler)
12. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler)
13. King Nothing (w/ Jason Newsted)
14. Whiplash (w/ Jason Newsted)
15. Motorbreath (w/ Hugh Tanner)
16. Phantom Lord (w/ Dave Mustaine)
17. Jump In The Fire (w/ Dave Mustaine)
18. Metal Militia (w/ Dave Mustaine)
19. Hit The Lights (w/ Lloyd Grant, Dave Mustaine, Ron McGovney)
20. Seek & Destroy (w/ Jason Newsted, Dave Mustaine, Lloyd Grant, Ron McGovney, Hugh Tanner, Mark Osegueda, and THE SOUL REBELS)

Frontman James Hetfield told The Pulse Of Radio that METALLICA hoped to make the shows special for the people attending. "It is a fan celebration — everyone who's come along the METALLICA ride for 30 years — and we're constantly wanting to give to the fans what they don't normally get from some other band or some other connection," he said. "So these four shows at the Fillmore are something like that."

The other three shows took place on December 5, December 7 and December 9, with special guests and events, rare songs, varied set lists and more.

METALLICA plans to begin work on its next studio album early in 2012. The group recently released its collaborative album with Lou Reed, called "Lulu", which flopped saleswise and earned the quartet the worst reviews of its career.

The band has booked several European shows next summer, including one at a venue in Denmark that used to be a prison, at which it will perform its self-titled 1991 effort, a.k.a. "the black album," in its entirety.

METALLICA was formed when Ulrich, who had moved to Los Angeles from Denmark, placed an ad in a local paper called The Recycler looking for other musicians to play with. The ad was answered by guitarists James Hetfield and Hugh Tanner of the band LEATHER CHARM.

METALLICA officially formed in October 1981 and the band's first recording was "Hit The Lights" for the compilation "Metal Massacre".

Bay Area DJ Ron Quintana came up with the group's name: he was debating between using "Metallica" and "Metal Mania" for the name of his radio show and Ulrich encouraged him to use "Metal Mania" so that he could use "Metallica" for his new band.

METALLICA's first full lineup — featuring Hetfield, Ulrich, guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist Ron McGovney — played its first gig on March 14, 1982 at Radio City in Anaheim, California.

The second 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, 2012 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 #2:

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, the English-American rock supergroup featuring the talents of bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, TRAPEZE, BLACK SABBATH), blues rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN), and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER), will enter the studio in June to begin recording its third album for a late 2012 release.

In a recent interview with Artisan News, Hughes stated about BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's musical evolution, "We just did two albums back to back, both successful records. And our live DVD is out now.

"We're really, really happy with the progress of where we're going musically. So we're sort of on course now."

Regarding the sound of the forthcoming BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION CD, Hughes said, "It's kind of a continuation… There's gonna be some darker stuff on there, because the lyrics I'm writing are kind of dark. There may be some moments of drama in there — I like drama in the music. So the songs I have ready are definitely a continuation of [the first and the second albums]."

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION released its first concert DVD, "Live Over Europe", on October 24, 2011 (Blu-ray to follow November 15) on the J&R Adventures imprint. The two-DVD live set was filmed with 14 HD cameras and 5.1 Surround Sound during the band's debut tour in the summer of 2011. Over three nights, playing to packed venues in the German cities of Hamburg, Munich and Berlin, the 18-song set list (17 originals and one cover) hits on both of BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's albums — 2010's debut and 2011's sophomore release "2".

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION initially came to fruition when producer Kevin Shirley saw Hughes and Bonamassa join forces on stage in Los Angeles in November 2009 for an explosive performance at Guitar Center's King of the Blues event. Shirley then recruited Bonham and Sherinian for the project, which is named after the industrial area in the British Midlands where both Hughes and Bonham were born and raised.

The first in a series of webisodes featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of "Carolus Rex", the new album from Swedish metallers SABATON, can be seen below. The CD is tentatively due at the end of May via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented the band: "We felt it was time for America to get something of a special show and this time the release party will be in Los Angeles, California [on May 23 at the Key Club in West Hollywood]. This show will be the only U.S. West Coast show and it will be the world premiere of new songs."

SABATON will embark on a North American headlining tour in the spring. The "Swedish Empire Tour 2012" will kick off on April 10 in Tampa, Florida.

SABATON bassist Pär Sundström was forced to sit out several shows on the Canadian leg of the band's most recent North American tour due to a knee injury.

"World War Live: Battle Of The Baltic Sea", the first-ever live album from SABATON, was released on August 5, 2011 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The self-titled debut album from the Finnish band FOR THE IMPERIUM will receive a wider European release on April 9 via Lifeforce Records. The CD was originally made available in Finland in August 2011 via Warner Music.

On FOR THE IMPERIUM's eponymous debut CD, "your ears will come across everything from extreme metal to cinematic music to emotional post-rock to the catchiest pop in recent memory," according to the band's official bio. "Often rolled into the same song. Yet all this chaos makes a strange kind of sense, much thanks to the band's unprecedented level of musical vision. There aren't too many similarities between songs, or even between parts of the same song for that matter, except for the band's mind-boggling musical chops and virtuosic arrangements like of which you've probably never heard before. You'll surprise yourself by humming along to something you first thought didn't make any sense. But this is the catchiest chaos ever. Musical mayhem in overdrive."

FOR THE IMPERIUM's video for the song "Pike River" can be seen below.

According to the Van Halen News Desk web site, VAN HALEN's new single will be titled "Tattoo" and it will premiere on January 10. The band's much-anticipated new album — which will be its first with original singer David Lee Roth in 28 years — will arrive on February 7.

VAN HALEN's upcoming tour will kick off next month in Louisville, Kentucky, with tickets set to go on sale on January 10.

As previously reported, VAN HALEN will perform at the Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, New York City this Thursday. It is rumored that the band will play a 45-minute set at the 250-seat venue, which was once owned and operated by VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth's uncle Manny Roth, providing a stage to then-up-and-coming acts such as Jimi Hendrix, Bill Cosby, Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor and many others.

VAN HALEN recently gave fan site VHLinks two exclusive videos of the band reminiscing about Eddie Van Halen's old Volvo and judging wet T-shirt contests back in the Seventies. The site also says that a "trusted source" tells them the band has been "busy booking rehearsal space and hotel rooms for the band and their crew for [this] week in NYC."

VAN HALEN didn't just use the Roxy nightclub on Hollywood's Sunset Strip to shoot a music video. According to a post at the venue's web site, the reunited band has been rehearsing there for their upcoming tour for the past two months.

The November 14 shoot was reportedly for a video for the song, presumably "Tattoo", that the band is seen but not heard playing in the tour announcement clip.

VAN HALEN's new record deal with Interscope was finalized in November and marks the first time the band has recorded away from Warner Bros. Records, which signed the group in 1977.

VAN HALEN reunited with Roth in 2007 for a successful year-long reunion tour — minus original bassist Michael Anthony, who now plays with ex-VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar in CHICKENFOOT.