Singer Robbie LaBlanc of Blanc Faces and Swedish producer/songwriter Daniel Flores (Mind's Eye; The Murder Of My Sweet) have started working together on an exciting new project entitled Find Me. Musically it will have an heavier edge compared to Blanc Faces and Robbie sings louder and stronger than ever! Daniel Flores says "This cd is some of the best AOR songs I've ever worked on, there are songs for everybody here, it is going to be a monster. Robbie has one of the best voices in the business and I'm proud to be working with him, he reminds me of the soulfulness of Martin Page and Lou Gramm's singing. I have given every song on Find Me its own identity for Robbie to showcase his great vocal diversity; all arrangements are carefully produced to fit his voice. The sonic impact will knock the socks out of you for sure! There are some great musicians involved on this Cd, starting with the amazing solos from guitar wizard David Sivelind, the rhythm guitars of Daniel Palmqvist and the very tight and inventive bass playing from Jonny Trobro. The amount of time put into keyboards was really a lot and will instantly remind the listener of the greats like Boston and Foreigner. All done with real vintage keyboards to give the album the organic feel, that unfortunately so many albums lack of these days. I have never been this satisfied with the keyboards and synthesizer arrangements like on this album!" Release is planned for the summer 2012.

KAYSER, the Swedish band featuring former SPIRITUAL BEGGARS frontman Spice and ex-THE MUSHROOM RIVER BAND drummer Bob Ruben, entered the studio earlier this month to begin recording its third album for an early 2012 release.

Commented the band: "So what's there to say about the long silence? Simply put, we went a bit astray with some stuff and needed to take the time necessary to get things sorted out. Mainly in our own heads but there's also some politics to it when it comes to a certain record label.

"We've been rehearsing for a while now and the vibe is amazing. We're enjoying writing new music, playing the old stuff, hanging out together and just to be rolling again."

KAYSER released its sophomore album, "Frame the World…Hang It on the Wall", in October 2006 via Scarlet Records. The CD was recorded in February 2006 at Caesar Studios in Västra Karaby, Sweden with producer Richard Larsson and was mastered at The Mastering Room by Göran Finnberg.

Video footage of KAYSER performing the song "Cheap Glue" on March 9, 2007 in Villach, Austria can be seen below.

DEDVOLT, the new San Francisco Bay Area rock/metal band featuring SKINLAB frontman Steev Esquivel on guitar, played its first show on December 10, 2011 at the Mutiny M.F.B. in Antioch, California. Video footage of the performance can be seen below.

DEDVOLT is currently recording a five-song EP for an early 2012 release.

Commented Esquivel: "[I'm] really excited about this band. [It's] in the vein of [Steev's previous group] RE:IGNITION — just a little more metal... more distortion and heavy as hell!"

DEDVOLT is:

Brian Giguere - Vocals
Steev Esquivel - Guitar
Carlos Barrientos - Guitar
John Riggs - Drums
Slim Vengince – Bass

For more information, visit DEDVOLT's Facebook pageFacebook page.

The Super Audio CD (SACD) edition of PINK FLOYD's Wish You Were Here album will be released in North America on January 10th, 2012.

The legendary English psychedelic rock band's 1975 masterpiece, Wish You Were Here, remains a staple of poignant emotion, pioneering arrangements, clever wit, and timeless performance. Forever an audiophile and music staple, the blockbuster is finally available on an incredible-sounding digital version, courtesy of this Hybrid 5.1 SACD.

Mixed for 5.1 from original multi-track master tapes by Pink Floyd engineer James Guthrie, Wish You Were Here reveals countless new layers of information, detail, and dynamics. We'll stake our reputation on it: You will never hear a better digital edition, and for that matter, whether you opt to listen in stereo or surround, you'll never be closer to the music. The stereo version is transferred from the original analog master tapes.

Anchored by the longing title track, heartfelt tribute to founder Syd Barrett, 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond', and nervy takedown of music-business hypocrisy, 'Have a Cigar', the follow-up to Dark Side Of The Moon is equally great and just as iconic. As much as any multiplatinum album in history, Wish You Were Here employs cutting-edge studio effects and unimaginable atmospheric techniques to paint an impossibly broad canvas.

On this SACD, the enormous soundscapes, introspective echoes, and brazen guitar washes take on a life of their own. Airy, complete with full frequency extension and unparalleled realism, the disc drops Pink Floyd into your listening room. This is reach-out-and-touch-it quality, the kind of perspective and experience for which all audiophiles crave.

AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED has released a holiday EP, "Make A Joyful Noise", as a free download for a limited time at this location. The effort was originally released as a limited-edition flexi-disc in issue #87 of Decibel magazine. The issue is available for purchase here.

"Make A Joyful Noise" track listing:

01. Eyes Like Two Pissholes in the Snow (2011 Holiday Edition) (00:07)
02. Hung Like a Stocking by the Chimney with Care (00:06)
03. Santa's got a Brand New Bag (00:12)
04. Re-Gifted (00:35)
05. No Presents this Year (00:12)
06. With a Sniff and a Wink (00:14)
07. Re-Wrapped & Re-Gifted Again (00:34)
08. Frozen Corpse Stuffed with Holiday Cheer (00:35)
09. Ghost of Christmas Past (00:34)
10. Christmas Through the Years (00:14)
11. Little Town of Bethlehem (00:49)

Earlier this year, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED issued a split full-length with California powerviolence legends DESPISE YOU, entitled "And On And On…" The release contained the first new recorded DESPISE YOU material in almost 10 years plus seven new tracks from ANB's always-evolving-grindcore. The split is currently streaming in its entirety at this location.

"And On And On…" is available digitally (iTunes), on 12-inch vinyl and CD via Relapse.

METALLICA has posted a 31-minute video recap of the third of four intimate shows 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.

Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Glenn Danzig (DANZIG, MISFITS, SAMHAIN), Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS), Pepper Keenan (DOWN, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY), Gary Rossington (LYNYRD SKYNYRD), Nick "Animal" Culmer (ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE) and former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted joined METALLICA on stage on December 9 for the third concert at the Fillmore.

After opening sets from THE SOUL REBELS brass band and LÄÄZ ROCKIT, as well as an appearance by former FAITH NO MORE guitarist Jim Martin — who took to the stage with METALLICA frontman James Hetfield to honor late METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton — METALLICA rocked the capacity crowd with a 21-song set which featured selections from all periods of the band's career, including a previously unreleased track from the "Death Magnetic" sessions called "Hell And Back".

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Suicide & Redemption
02. Master Of Puppets
03. ...And Justice For All
04. Of Wolf & Man
05. Fade To Black
06. The Thing That Should Not Be
07. I Disappear
08. The Outlaw Torn
09. Hell And Back (previously unreleased song from "Death Magnetic" sessions)
10. Blitzkrieg (BLITZKRIEG cover) (with fan-club members Joseph Guariglia)
11. For Whom The Bell Tolls (with Jerry Cantrell)
12. Nothing Else Matters (with Jerry Cantrell)
13. So What?! (ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE cover) (with Animal)
14. Tuesday's Gone (LYNYRD SKYNYRD cover) (with Gary Rossington, Pepper Keenan, Jerry Cantrell, and Jim Martin)
15. Fuel (with Jason Newsted)
16. Fight Fire With Fire (with Jason Newsted)
17. Die, Die My Darling (MISFITS cover) (with Glenn Danzig)
18. Last Caress (MISFITS cover) (with Glenn Danzig)
19. Green Hell (MISFITS cover) (with Glenn Danzig)
20. Rapid Fire (JUDAS PRIEST cover) (with Rob Halford)
21. Seek & Destroy (with Jason Newsted, Jerry Cantrell, Pepper Keenan, Jim Martin, Glenn Danzig, Animal, LAAZ ROCKIT, and THE SOUL REBELS brass band)

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 10, 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.

Eclipse are putting their finishing touches to their anticipated fourth studio album that will be entitled "Bleed And Scream". Musically the band is taking off the new release where the last album finished, yet with more refined and progressed songwriting. It will be a 100% Eclipse-sounding album with big hooks, melodies and powerful riffs but it leans towards a more darker, moody and epic side of the band. Songs like the title-track, "Battlegrounds", "A Bitter Taste" and "After the End of the World" will show an exciting new side of the songwriting of the band. There will also be the first ballad in the history of the band entitled "About to Break". Singer Erik Martensson tells: "This album was the hardest to write for us so far. On the other hand the most rewarding. We donґt know at this point how we are going to top this one. We have tweaked everything from quality of the songs, melodies, hooks, arrangements, guitar-riffs, vocal performances, guitar solos, drumming and the variety in the songwriting in general. No stone is left unturned this time." Frontiers plans to release the album in the first half of 2012.

Transatlantic progressive extreme metal all-stars BLOTTED SCIENCE - featuring guitarist/mastermind Ron Jarzombek (WATCHTOWER, TERRESTRIAL EXILED, SPASTIC INK), bassist Alex Webster (CANNIBAL CORPSE, HATE ETERNAL), and drummer Hannes Grossmann (OBSCURA, TERRESTRIAL EXILED) - have posted their new video, for the track 'A Sting Operation', the fourth and final clip in conjuction with their newly released The Animation Of Entomology EP.

DEEP PURPLE is featured in a new series of albums "featuring the greatest hits, signature tunes and fan favorites of the most popular artists in music history," which promise to offer "unprecedented value to consumers." The aptly named "Icon" series from Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) launched in August 31, 2010, with releases from 30 major artists spanning rock, pop, R&B and country.

Each album, at a "great price," includes roughly a dozen hit tracks.

Due on January 10, 2012, the DEEP PURPLE "Icon" compilation will feature the following songs:

01. Smoke On The Water (live)
02. Hush (live)
03. Woman From Tokyo (live)
04. Knocking At Your Back Door
05. Call Of The Wild
06. Perfect Strangers
07. Bad Attitude
08. Nobody's Home
09. Black Night (live)
10. Child In Time (live)
11. Strange Kind Of Woman (live)

Durung a recent interview with U.K.'s Express & Star, Gillan was asked when fans might be able to expect DEEP PURPLE's follow-up to 2005's "Rapture Of The Deep" album.

"The fact is that we've been touring flat out," said Gillan. "We did 48 countries last year. We're getting so much off on that we just don't feel the drive at the moment for writing."

Gillan did reveal, though, that DEEP PURPLE convened for a mini writing session earlier in the year.

"We were in Spain for a little while and we had a week off," he said. "We spent most of the time in the bar, to be honest with you. It was a good session, but nothing absolutely dynamic came out of it.

"I think to get some progress as far as an album's concerned you've got to have a target, you've got to work to a date, and that gives you pressure. If you've got the pressure, you get stuff done. We don't have a plan, to be honest.

"Things have always been chaos, certainly since I joined, and we've never been able to plan anything. If we'd been able to make plans, we'd probably have retired by now!"

"People like to do stuff that they're good at, that they enjoy, that they get something out of. So while it's fun and we're all getting older and bits are dropping off here and there, it's still great. I think there probably will be another album.

"And because we're not doing an album (right now) doesn't mean I don't write every day. It's a day off today and for me it's a full day at the office. This morning is interviews and this afternoon I've got two or three interesting pieces I'm working on at the moment. I write every day and so when I do come round to making an album there's never a shortage of what I call colour material."

DEEP PURPLE's 18th studio album, "Rapture of the Deep", was released in November 2005. It was the fourth studio CD from DEEP PURPLE since guitarist Steve Morse joined the band in 1994. It was also the second album to feature veteran keyboardist Don Airey.

"Rapture of the Deep" was produced by Mike Bradford, who also worked on the band's previous release, 2003's "Bananas".

Finnish melodic rockers MYON have released the music video for the track ‘Call Of The Senses’.

Frontman Mika Pohjola commented: “The song is a story about extreme adrenaline search, so we needed a video that really shows all about what experiencing the extremes can be”.

Hustler cover model and video director Kimberly Knox, (a.k.a. Veera Julia Ikkala) also commented on the video: “When I heard ‘Call Of The Senses’ for the first time and was asked to act in the video, my decision was an immediate yes! This is because, personally the song touches me deeply and for me it is easy to relate to adrenaline seeking behaviour. To me life has always been about the extremes. Truly feeling each moment and following my instincts, for better and worse. I started to then build a clear picture in my mind about how to bring this across to our viewers and ended up directing the video myself, for I had a distinct vision that I wished to show the audience: Living life to the extreme… Really feeling the adrenaline and life to the maximum in certain moments. Be it for good or bad. Evidently such lifestyle takes its toll, in a way or another. To some it can be worth it, to some it is not. But my point was not to moralize or judge, only to show what such moments and lifestyle of extremes may be.”

‘Call Of The Senses’ Single and Video will be released digitally on January 1st. Watch the video below:

RASKASTA JOULUA, the Christmas project featuring several well-known Finnish hard rock and heavy metal musicians, has released a new EP called "Jouluksi Kotiin". It includes one new studio recording, of the EP's title track, with Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA, NORTHERN KINGS) on vocals and four live versions of previously released songs from the group.

"Jouluksi Kotiin" track listing:

01. Jouluksi Kotiin (feat. Tony Kakko)
02. Ensimmäinen Joulu (feat. Marco Hietala) (live)
03. Tähti Tähdistä Kirkkain (feat. Antony Parviainen) (live)
04. Ilouutinen (feat. J. Ahola) (live)
05. Sylvian Joululaulu (feat. Ari Koivunen) (live)

The song "Jouluksi Kotiin" is available for streaming below.

RASKASTA JOULUA began with the album "Raskasta Joulua" ("Heavy Christmas") in 2004 and released a follow-up effort, "Raskaampaa Joulua" ("Heavier Christmas"), in 2006. The project has toured every year since 2005, having started with just three gigs and since expanded into a 17-show tour.

Inspired by TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, RASKASTA JOULUA has really worked hard on its song arrangements, which is not always the case when it comes to holiday music. A lot of rock artists and bands release "novelty" Christmas albums which are nothing more than the same songs with distorted guitars. This is not the case here. You can find elements of several metal subgenres in the songs, from fast power metal through NIGHTWISH-style epics to slow doom. Sometimes it may even be difficult to recognize the original song.

RASKASTA JOULUA vocalists on this year's tour were as follows:

* Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH, TAROT, NORTHERN KINGS)
* Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA, NORTHERN KINGS)
* Jarkko Ahola (TERÄSBETONI, AHOLA, NORTHERN KINGS)
* Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto (CHARON, HARMAJA NORTHERN KINGS)
* Tommi "Tuple" Salmela (TAROT)
* Ari Koivunen (AMORAL)
* Pasi Rantanen (THUNDERSTONE)
* Ilja Jalkanen (ex-KIUAS)
* Antony Parviainen (MACHINE MEN)
* Antti Railio (ex-CELESTY)

The backing band for the 2011 tour consisted of the following musicians:

* Erkka Korhonen - Guitar
* Tuomas Wäinölä - Guitar
* Vili Ollila - Keyboards
* Erkki Silvennoinen - Bass
* Mirka Rantanen - Drums

Video footage of RASKASTA JOULUA performing the song "Jouluksi Kotiin" on December 3, 2011 at Teatria in Oulu, Finland can be seen below.

Former IRON MAIDEN and current WOLFSBANE singer Blaze Bayley has commenced work on his new solo album, "King Of Metal", for a 2012 release. A European headlining tour in support of the CD will kick off in early March in Belgium.

Blaze earlier in the 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.

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman joined Japanese phenomenon Momoiro Clover on stage on December 25 at the Saitama Super Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Saitama City, Japan. They played two songs and a guitar solo corner with an excerpt from Friedman's "Valley Of Eternity".

Friedman recently recorded Clover's upcoming single, "Moretsu", with producer Maeyamada Kenichi at the helm. Maeyamada is being hailed in Japan as the hottest new producer in recent times, racking up several hits with his twisted and instantly recognizable style.

Stated Friedman about the collaboration, (translated from Entame magazine): "This song is like the (QUEEN's) 'Bohemian Rhapsody' of idol/girl group music. It has all the elements you would never expect in the genre — aside from the five girl singers, there is a 100-person choir, odd-time signatures, high-speed tempo changes, unusual key modulations, and my guitar over the top of all of it. Actually, if you could imagine a two-hour-long Japan-themed Broadway show fast forwarded and squeezed into five and a half minutes, that might describe the song. No question this is my favorite collaboration since I moved to Japan. It's also the kind of thing you either loathe with a passion, or you love it so much you can't get enough of it."

"Moretsu" will be made available in early 2012, and even though it will be a Japan-only release, for fans of Friedman's playing all around the world it will be well worth looking into.

MINISTRY, LACUNA COIL, LINKIN PARK and EVANESCENCE are among the featured artists on the forthcoming soundtrack to the film "Underworld: Awakening".

Due on January 17 through Lakeshore Records, the collection will feature the following track listing:

01. EVANESCENCE - "Made Of Stone" (Renholdër Remix)
02. LACEY STURM (FLYLEAF) - "Heavy Prey" (feat. ex-Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo)
03. LINKIN PARK - "Blackout" (Renholdër Remix)
04. THE CURE - "Apart" (Renholdër Remix)
05. STELLA KATSOUDAS (SISTER SOLEIL) - "Killer & A Queen" (feat. ex-Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo)
06. MINISTRY - "Watch Yourself" (Renholdër Remix)
07. LACUNA COIL - "Trip The Darkness" (Ben Weinman Remix)
08. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS - "Young Blood" (Renholdër Remix)
09. BLACK LIGHT BURNS - "It Rapes All In Its Path“
10. WILLIAM CONTROL - "The Posthumous Letter“
11. CIVIL TWILIGHT - "How'm I Supposed To Die“
12. & SONS - "Consolation Prize“
13. 8MM - "Liar" (Revenant mix by 8mm)
14. RYAN T.HOPE (THE LIFELINE) - "You Won't See The Light (feat. ex-Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo)
15. COMBICHRIST - "Bottle Of Pain“
16. COLLIDE - "Intruder“
17. JUSTIN LASSEN - "Exit Wounds" (Justin Lassen Remix) (feat. Silent Fury)

Hardline will be back in 2012 with a brand new album and a new line-up which will mark the beginning of a new cooperation between singer Johnny Gioeli and the Italian producer/keyboardist Alessandro Delvecchio (Edge Of Forever, Eden's Curse). The US singer says: "I'm really excited to be working with Frontiers on a new Hardline record! We have slated the release for mid-2012...This CD is filled with melody and class...I'm digging it. I hope the Hardline fans enjoy this CD as much as I have enjoyed creating it... Happy Holidays All!"

This winter is shaping up to be PAGAN's busiest yet. In addition to working on their next studio album with new vocalist Jennifer Renee Price, and celebrating five years since the release of their debut EP with the limited edition compilation CD, The Sinner By Your Side (coming January 31st to select stores), they have also released Yule Nocturnes as a free download.

This EP features three new dark ambient tracks offered as DRM free WAV files here.

"It is important to us to give something back to the people who support our music, and that is where the Halloween soundscape and Winter EP come in", explains founding member Michael Bilinski. "If all goes according to plan there will be another free download before the album comes out."

While these downloads represent the bands ambient interests, their next album will be decidedly heavier.

"The songs on the album are some of the hardest we have. It is still too early to know which tracks are going to make the final cut, but I would say at this point that most of them could fit nicely in a playlist alongside WHITE ZOMBIE or MINISTRY."

The album, titled Heathen, will be released in the second quarter of 2012 via The Genepool/Universal and will be supported by Pagan's first tour. Venues and dates for the first leg will be announced in the coming weeks.

Pagan previously released a promo spot for the upcoming compilation, The Sinner By Your Side. The set features tracks from their two proper studio albums On Black Wings and A Season In Hell alongside EP selections and rarities. All of the songs, most of which have never been available on CD, are taken directly from the uncompressed studio session files.

N0LoveLost announces the worldwide release of their self titled debut album. 'The highly anticipated release of North Carolina's newest Melodic/Hard Rock sensation, N0LoveLost, hit the streets in November. Formed in the fall of 2006, all of the members of N0LoveLost are seasoned veterans of the southeast rock circuit and their timeless influences, songwriting skills, and passion for their music, shine through in each of the 13 tracks.
Mixed and produced by Brian Asbelle, N0LoveLost is melodic hard rock at its best! "Wow, what a great CD!! Well done guys..." ~ Bill Leverty/Firehouse.
Available now at online music retailers everywhere! Visit www.nolovelostmusic.com for more information.

QUEEN guitarist Brian May joined THE DARKNESS on stage during the encore of the reunited U.K. rockers' November 25, 2011 concert at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, England to perform three songs — "Bareback", "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" and a cover version of QUEEN's own "Tie Your Mother Down".

THE DARKNESS has posted professionally filmed video footage (watch it below) of "I Believe In A Thing Called Love", which opens with May's introduction of "I just want to say, how happy are we that THE DARKNESS are back together and conquering the world again? How happy are we? How fucking happy are we?"

After the show, THE DARKNESS frontman Justin Hawkins wrote on his Facebook page, "Brian May joined us onstage for three songs. A dream came true for us tonight."

THE DARKNESS will embark on a three-week North American headlining tour in February. The trek will feature all the guitar mastery and wild pyrotechnics that THE DARKNESS shows have become well-known for. The group will perform music from 2003 album "Permission To Land", including favorites "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" and "Get Your Hands Off My Woman"; 2005's "One-Way Ticket To Hell And Back" with "One Way Ticket" and "Is It Just Me?"; as well as several new songs off their forthcoming yet-to-be-titled third album. This marks the band's first return to the States since their 2004 tour supporting "Permission To Land". THE DARKNESS will hit North America starting February 1 in Toronto and wrapping February 21 in San Francisco.

THE DARKNESS made its U.K. live comeback on June 5 in front of just 200 people at the Norwich Waterfront.

THE DARKNESS' appearance at the Download festival at Donington Park in Leicestershire, United Kingdom in June marked the band's first festival appearance since splitting up in 2006.

THE DARKNESS' first album, "Permission To Land", was released in 2003, hitting the No. 1 spot in the U.K. chart and winning "MasterCard British Album" at the 2004 Brit Awards (along with "Best British Group" and "British Rock Act").

Between 2003 and 2006, THE DARKNESS was honored with many awards and accolades; along with three Brit Awards, the band won an Ivor Novello in 2004 for "Songwriters Of The Year", four Kerrang! Awards, two Metal Hammer Awards, an MTV Europe Music Award and even an Elle Style Award in 2004 for "Most Stylish Band".

Three demo songs from WILDSIDE RIOT, the U.K.-based band led by former WRATHCHILD frontman Rocky Shades, can be streamed in the YouTube clips below. The group, which promises to "bring together the old and new style of sleaze rock with songs designed to make you feel good and want to start a riot," is currently in the studio recording its debut album for an early 2012 release. According to Shades, the CD is "ripping its way through the mixing console like a thing possessed and is causing cranial damage to electrodes, diodes and other things that spark and light up, recreating Halloween, Christmas and the birth of the chosen one all over again and again... at the flick of a proverbial switch."

WILDSIDE RIOT is:

Rocky "Wrekkless" Shades - Vocals
Joss Riot - Lead Guitar
Jimmy Gunn - Guitar
Gaz Wilde - Drums
J.C. - Bass

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

Norwegian death metallers BLOOD RED THRONE have parted ways with vocalist Osvald "Vald" Egeland and bassist Erlend Caspersen and have replaced them with Yngve Bolt Christiansen (GODDAMN) and Ole Bent Madsen (HORIZON ABLAZE), respectively.

BLOOD RED THRONE's sixth album, "Brutalitarian Regime", was released in August via Sevared Records.

Quality multi-camera footage of BLOOD RED THRONE's September 7, 2011 performance at Peabody's in Cleveland, Ohio can be seen below (filmed in 1080p high definition by Ken Kitt and Kim Schleeper; edited and produced by Ken Kitt for BLOOD RED THRONE and Vidz-R-Us.com).

Reactivated German melodic death metallers BEHIND THE SCENERY have inked a deal with Serial Six Records. The band is currently in the studio recording its as-yet-untitled fourth album for an early 2012 release. According to a press release, the follow-up to 2004's "Rétroviseur" "will contain about nine songs plus an intro and an outro."

BEHIND THE SCENERY is:

Holger Speidel - Vocals
Immanuel Rein - Guitars
Marcel Renning - Guitars
Simon Abele - Guitars
Guntram Berger - Bass
Uwe Kurz - Drums

In March 2007, BEHIND THE SCENERY announced its retirement from the active music scene. In July 2011, following intense discussions between the members, this decision was adjourned. The band simply felt that it was the right time and place in order to come up with a creative output strong and diverse enough to stand as the logical follow-up to "Rétroviseur".

For more information, visit www.behindthescenery.com.

John Corabi — who sang onMÖTLEY CRÜE's sixth and self-titled album, which was released in 1994 — says that he would not rejoin the band if asked.

Corabi originally joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in 1992 as the replacement for the group's original singer, Vince Neil, who was fired due to personal differences. With Corabi on vocals, MÖTLEY CRÜE released one critically acclaimed full-length CD, which ended up being a commercial failure in the wake of grunge despite a Top-Ten placing on the album chart. When Neil returned to the fold in 1997, Corabi was left on his own and formed the band UNION with ex-KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick.

Earlier this week, Neil told the Las Vegas Sun that he is seriously contemplating a split from MÖTLEY CRÜE after their run of concerts at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel from February 3 to February 19, 2012. "It's not definite, but I am thinking seriously about it," Neil said, before adding, "This is all about me thinking about the second half of my life, thinking about my future, and that future might not include MГ–TLEY CRГњE after Vegas. There are so many opportunities that are in front of me that I'm really excited about. I just don't want to look back later in life and regret that I didn't pursue them. I'm just not sure I can give these opportunities the time and effort I'll need to and continue with the band. It's been a great ride, and I've enjoyed every second of it, but being out here relaxing in this beautiful place has given me the chance to reflect on what direction I want the rest of my life to take. I'm really giving it a lot of thought."

In response to the fan reaction that followed the publication of Neil's interview with the Las Vegas Sun, Corabi wrote on his official Facebook page, "Woke up today, signed on to Facebook, and had about 50 emails asking about the [Vince Neil] interview."

He added, "I can honestly say, that barring the second coming of Christ, MГ–TLEY has NO intentions of EVER asking me back, nor would I go back, if they did ask...What's done is done!!!! I love those guys, and wish them the best, but I'm looking towards the future with my new record, and band."

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

FNA Records is reissuing Los Angeles-based cult metallers WITCH's 1984 cult album The Hex Is On, a proper release with the addition of numerous additional tracks. The tracks on The Hex Is On...And Then Some have been given a full overhaul and sound better than they ever have.

Witch shared the stages with such notable artists like SLAYER, W.A.S.P, MEGADETH, GREAT WHITE, LIZZY BORDEN, MSG, POISON, GUNS N' ROSES, EXCITER, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, STRYPER, GRIM REAPER, LOUDNESS, STEELER, MALICE, ODIN, KEEL, WARLOCK and many other bands of the era.

Witch drummer Punky Peru states: “We wanted something heavy yet theatrical...We were trying to take part of our influences from Alice Cooper and The Sweet and mix it together with MOTÖRHEAD and DIO. The outcome was Witch.”

The tracks on The Hex Is On...And Then Some have been given a full overhaul and sound better than they ever have. Peter Wabitt proclaims, "This album finally sounds the way I always imagined it would sound. If it would've sounded this way when it first came out, we would've sold a lot more copies."

With updated artwork, the album features a Peter Wabbitt interpretation of Shakespeare's MacBeth, followed by the remastered versions of The Hex Is On, the mega-rare 'Nobody Sleeps' 12" two track single, and the Rock Climbers compilation only track 1:45. Added to the stellar tracklist is the 1988 demo for a Witch track entitled 'Take Me Away'. The last nine tracks of the Hex Is On...And Then Some represent the 1997 regathering of Peter Wabbitt and Punky Peru. Recording together for the first time in nearly a decade, we get to see the pure magic that results when these two unite. A more current version of the Witch song Take Me Away appears along with eight other tunes featuring such great guest musicians as: Slash (Guns N' Roses), Steve Stevens (BILLY DOL), Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.), Rowan Robertson (Dio), and Keith Emerson (ELP).

The Hex Is On...And Then Some tracklisting:

'Intro'
'Nervous Wreck'
'Damnation'
'Bewitched'
'Wet and Wild'
'Cinderella'
'Can’t Take Our Rock'
'Victory Without Pain'
'1:45'
'Take Me Away' (version 1)
'Mad for Life' (with Rowan Robertson of DIO on guitars)
'Games that People Play' (with Rowan Robertson of Dio on guitars)
'Playing in the Rain' (with Slash of Guns N' Roses on lead guitar, Keith Emerson on piano, Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass)
'Black Magic' (with Steve Stevens on lead guitar, Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass)
'Pay the Due' (Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass, Howard Leese on keyboards)
'Take Me Away' (version 2) (Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass, Howard Leese on keyboards)
'Nothing Last Forever' (Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass, Henn Stone on guitars)
'Crazy' (with Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P. on guitar, Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass)
'Conviction' (Rowan Robertson on guitars, Phil Chen on bass, Henn Stone on guitars)

For audio samples and to order visit this location.

LIBERTY N’ JUSTICE have announced that their 11th studio album entitled Hell Is Coming To Breakfast will be released on March 1, 2012 via Roxx Records. The album is available for presale right now at this location.

Band founder Justin Murr commented: “We recorded so many songs for our yet to be released two CD project entitled The Cigar Chronicles and with the delay on this release not happening until late in 2012 or early 2013 we didn’t want the fans to have to wait that long to get some new LNJ in their hands. So when Bill and Roxx Records approached me and asked if we had anything else up our sleeves we could release, we realized we had to many songs that were not all going to fit on Cigar so we took the six songs that we couldn’t fit and then recorded another brand new song which is the title track ‘Hell is coming to breakfast’ especially for this release and added five more previously unreleased rare cuts and demos just for this one, I am really excited for our fans to hear this collection”

In addition to the seven brand new tracks and various demos the release also includes, and on CD for the very first time, the original acoustic demo version of ‘Sin’ featuring the late Jani Lane of WARRANT out front on vocals.

Full Tracklisting is as follows:

‘Hell Is Coming To Breakfast’
‘Madhatter’
‘Whack A Mole’
‘Thankful Heart’
‘Nakatomi Plaza’
‘Stretch Armstrong’
‘Get Down’
‘Your Memory Just Won't Do’
‘Thy will be done’
‘What do you believe?’
‘Monkey Dance" (alternate mix)
‘Sin’ (original acoustic demo)

Metal Mind Productions recently announced the release of an unique album in early 2012, Granite, by DOOGIE WHITE & LA PAZ.

The album artwork and tracklisting have been revealed, and can be seen below:

Tracklisting:

'Too Good To Lose'
'This Boy'
'Lesson In Love'
'Amy'
'Just For Today'
'What Do You Say'
'Still In Love'
'Young And Restless'
'Shame The Devil'

La Paz were formed in Lanarkshire, Scotland in the summer of 1984 by Chic McSherry (guitars), Doogie White (vocals) and Alex Carmichael (bass). They had all been playing in the local music scene for a number of years and had run across each other often enough but the time hadn't been right to work together until then.

At the first rehearsal together they hit it off immediately on a personal level - they also liked the same music and they had the same influences and heroes (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, JOURNEY, GARY MOORE) so they started to recruit other members to try to form a band and go do some gigs. They decided to add keyboards right away as, at that time, the "classic" guitar/keys combination had declined from favour and it immediately made them different from the other all-guitar bands that dominated the circuit at that time.

Andy Mason joined the trio and he fitted in from the start, even though he was still at school when he joined and his middle-class parents were not at all happy about him hanging out with a bunch of rockers from the wrong side of the tracks. Drummers were always a problem and, over the life of the band, La Paz went through almost as many as SPINAL TAP, although none of them died in bizarre gardening accidents or spontaneously combusted. Unquestionably the loudest and the most accomplished was/is their current drummer, Paul McManus.

La Paz played live regularly, sometimes playing up to a hundred gigs in a year. They played the world-famous Marquee Club in London as well as at some festivals in Milton Keynes and they were featured regularly in the metal press and attracted interest from a number of UK and US record companies, finally agreeing terms with one of them for a three album deal. But it was not to be - for reasons which were never explained by the record label the deal fell through at the very last minute.

These things happen in the music business but after five or six years of hard graft it was a real blow and sadly the band didn't survive for very long after that. They did their last gig on October 15th, 1988 and then DOOGIE WHITE moved to London to join MIDNITE BLUE, RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW, CORNERSTONE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and now the mighty TANK. That was pretty much that for La Paz, apart from a single reunion gig about a year after the split and a brief appearance at a Glasgow rock club on Chic's 40th birthday.

And then legendary DJ Tom Russell of 96.3 Rock Radio called Doogie and asked him if he would do some acoustic numbers at The Garage in Glasgow for Rock Radio's Birthday Bash in January 2008. Doogie agreed and asked Chic to play guitar. It was a big ask after 20 years: almost 1,000 people, Doogie singing alone and Chic with one flamenco guitar!

"We had such a blast though and it woke up so many great memories in both of us that we decided to give it a go with the full band for my 50th birthday" said Chic.

And so the full band started to rehearse and it was clear that they could still play a bit. Three dates were booked and Doogie flew in from London the night before the first show to rehearse with everyone for the first time. The band just gelled: just like old times and the gigs were a terrific success.

And so the notion of re-recording some of the favourites from the set that had never had a proper production job was floated by Paul: “What if we just gave it a try...”

Chic states: "Recording started in early 2011 and culminated in Granite, the album that we should have made back in the day. It has six of the live favourites: 'Too Good To Lose', 'This Boy', 'Lesson In Love', 'Amy', 'What Do You Say', 'Still In Love', as well as three brand new tracks - 'Just For Today', 'Young And Restless', and 'Shame The Devil'."

Production was by Doogie and Chic with mixing and mastering by the renowned Rolf Munkes gave it a final injection of adrenalin.

Granite is an album with its roots in the past but its energy in the present. Metal Mind Productions will release Granite on February 13th, 2012 in Europe and March 6th, 2012 in the US (via MVD).

WITCHAVEN's Terrorstorm album will be released on limited edition digipak CD on February 14th via Metalhit. The album was previously published on cassette by Thailand's Witchammer Productions and on vinyl by Sweden's Blood Harvest Records.

Witchaven formed in 2006, derived of musicians steeped in thrash, black, punk and crust. The band has toured the US three times and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.

Terrorstorm features cover art by Sickness666. Check it out below:

Terrorstorm tracklisting:

'A.D.D.
'Terrorstorm'
'Black Thrash Assault'
'Absolute Profit'
'No End In Sight'
'Conflagration'
'Ardent Lust'
'Dawn Of The Unholy'
'Empty Chasm'
'Unholy Copulation'