COLDWORKER — the Örebro, Sweden-based "blasting" death metal band consisting of current and former/current members of such acts as NASUM, RELENTLESS, RUIN and PHOBOS — will release its third album, "The Doomsayer's Call", in February 2012 via Listenable Records. The CD was recorded in part at Soundlab Studios in the group's hometown and will feature 13 songs. Mixing took place at Unisound studios with Dan Swanö (OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION).

"The Doomsayer's Call" track listing:

01. A New Era
02. The Reprobate
03. The Glass Envelope
04. Flesh World
05. Murderous
06. Pessimist
07. Monochrome Existence
08. Vacuum Fields
09. Living is Suffering
10. The Walls Of Eryx
11. Violent Society
12. Becoming The Stench
13. The Phantom Carriage

The song "Flesh World" is now available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

Commented COLDWORKER drummer Anders Jackobson: "It was the first song written for 'The Doomsayer's Call'. It's a straightforward, furious mix of the elements that make up COLDWORKER, and serves as an example of what people can expect from the album."

Added vocalist Joel Fornbrant: "Civilization being the thin line between barbarism and the modern world, 'Violent Society' explores the plight of contemporary man and his ongoing war on himself."

The cover artwork for "The Doomsayer's Call" was created by the Swedish artist Pär Olofsson who has previously worked with such bands as MALEVOLENT CREATION, IMMOLATION, IMMORTAL, EXODUS and DYING FETUS.

Stated COLDWORKER: "The work Pär did for us followed our strict instructions and perhaps not his usual style, but we are all extremely happy with the result."

Jackobson previously stated about "The Doomsayer's Call": "There's often talk about 'the difficult second album.' Well, history has told me time and again that the third album is usually the most memorable in a band's discography.

"We have all put more than 100% each into this album, writing songs that will stand out on their own as well as have a natural place on the album, spending many hours in three different recording studios just to get the best out of ourselves and so on.

"The album is definitively 'the next step' for COLDWORKER, with developed songwriting and performances that are the best we can muster. It's really a band effort as all five members of the band have written songs, and likewise all five of us have opinions about what the final album should be."

"Rotting Paradise" was released in the U.S. on May 13, 2008 via Relapse Records.

COLDWORKER is:

Joel Fornbrant - Vocals
Anders Bertilsson - Guitar
Daniel Schröder - Guitar
Oskar PГҐlsson - Bass
Anders Jakobson - Drums

"Flesh World" audio stream:

"Carry On", the new video from LECHERY — the Halmstad, Sweden-based metal band featuring former ARCH ENEMY bassist Martin Bengtsson on guitar/vocals — can be seen below. The song comes off LECHERY's second album, "In Fire", which came out this past summer via Metal Heaven. The follow-up to 2008's "Violator" was recorded at Sweetspot Studio with producer Rickard Bengtsson, who has previously worked with ARCH ENEMY and SPIRITUAL BEGGARS.

According to a press relaase, "In Fire" is "much more varied than 'Violator' and still it's classic heavy metal at its best."

LECHERY is:

Martin Bengtsson (ex-ARCH ENEMY) - Guitar/Vocals
Fredrik Nordstrand - Guitar
Martin Karlsson - Bass
Kristian Svensson - Drums

Australia's extreme metal unit THE AMENTA is working on material for their third album for a 2012 release. Vocalist Cain Cressal states, "All arrangements and lyrics are 90% complete. I'll be flying over to Sydney soon to finetune vocal patterns/lyrics after much demoing over the last few months. We intend to start tracking the album in January."

Tentatively titled "Flesh Is Heir", the follow-up to 2008's "n0n" is a crystallization of THE AMENTA's methods. Featuring the expansive, aggressive riffing of the "Occasus" album and the ambient electronic destruction of "n0n", "Flesh Is Heir" also introduces a new eeriness courtesy of Cressall and the unique musical and visual element he brings to the band. Lyrically, "Flesh Is Heir" deals with the two warring sides of the human psyche: The Obliterate (the part of the human thats seeks to escape wordly woes by destroying the concept of self) and the Realist (the part that embraces pain, seeing it as a challenge, the meeting of which creates a better human).

"n0n" received a U.S. release on February 10, 2009 via Listenable Records. The CD, which came out in Europe in October 2008, was mixed at The Vault Studios in Sydney, Australia with longtime engineer Lachlan Mitchell (NAZXUL). Mastering for the album took place at Studios 301 with Steve Smart.

In the four-minute video clip below, Fish, the bass tech for Peter Iwers of Swedish metallers IN FLAMES, guides you through Peter's current stage setup prior to the band's November 18, 2011 concert at Hovet in Stockholm, Sweden.

IN FLAMES is among the five final nominees that are competing for the "Best Hard Rock/Metal" honor at the Swedish Grammis awards (Swedish Grammy equivalent), which will be held February 14, 2010 at Kungliga Operan in Stockholm.

IN FLAMES' new digital single, "Where The Dead Ships Dwell", contains three completely different remixes for the title track. With versions by German rapper Casper, drum-and-bass act THE QEMISTS and Kristof Bathory, vocalist of the black metal band DAWN OF ASHES, there should be something everyone can enjoy.

IN FLAMES' tenth album, "Sounds Of A Playground Fading", sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 27 on The Billboard 200 chart.

IN FLAMES' previous CD, "A Sense of Purpose" (Koch) opened with 20,000 units to land at No. 28. This was slightly less than the opening tally of "Come Clarity" (Ferret), which shifted just under 24,000 copies in February 2006 to enter the chart at position No. 58.

JON BON JOVI has shot down the internet rumors that he's dead from a heart attack at age 49. "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey," says the legendary hard rock singer.

Bon Jovi's Facebook page adds: "Rest assured that Jon is alive and well! This photo (left) was just taken (yesterday, December 19th)."

Billboard.com reports that he erroneous report from the site Dailynewbloginternational "appears to have copied" the newspaper's 2009 story on the death of MICHAEL JACKSON.

Tour in Russia confirmed!!

U.D.O. has just confirmed a tour in Russia with its partner Spika Music. Here are the dates:

2012-03-05 BY-Minsk - Sports Palace
2012-03-07 RUS-Moscow - Milk Club
2012-03-08 RUS-St. Petersburg - Aurora
2012-03-11 RUS-Yekaterinburg - Teleclub
2012-03-12 RUS-Tyumen - Filarmony Hall
2012-03-15 RUS-Rostov On Don - Officers House
2012-03-17 RUS-Stavropol - DKS
2012-03-18 RUS-Krasnodar - KZ Premiera

Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Brian "Head" Welch (KORN), THE TUBES, Bruce Kulick (KISS), John Corabi (MГ–TLEY CRГњE, UNION), Kip Winger (WINGER) and Orianthi are among the musicians who performed this past Saturday night (December 17) at the original shock rocker Alice Cooper's eleventh annual Christmas Pudding concert on at Comerica Theater in Phoenix, Arizona.

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

Proceeds from this year's Christmas Pudding concert benefit Alice's charity, which is called Solid Rock. They are building a much-needed music-oriented teen center for the Phoenix area youth. The youth center called The Rock will include a coffee house, music venue, and many other music-related activities and will open next spring.

According to a review by Jason P. Woodbury of the Phoenix New Times, "Halford rammed through PRIEST classics like 'Breaking The Law' and 'You've Got Another Thing Coming'." Backed by young bucks from Cooper's band, "he joked about being almost neighbors with Cooper in Paradise Valley, and that he was glad to be home while his PRIEST bandmates 'froze back in London.'"

Cooper, backed by an excellent band that includes longtime associate Steve Hunter and Orianthi, "tore through Cooper classics like 'No More Mr. Nice Guy', 'Under My Wheels', 'I'm 18' and 'Billion Dollar Babies'. Cooper's voice was in good form, and the band was energetic."

Check out the entire review — which includes photos — at this location.

AFM Records will kick off its 2012 North American release schedule with the CD version of the highly-anticipated debut from BUCK SATAN AND THE 666 SHOOTERS, the psycho-country/metal alter-ego of MINISTRY's infamous founder, Al Jourgensen.

In addition to his worldwide notoriety as the Godfather of industrial metal, the public has long been aware of Al Jourgensen's doppelganger, Buck Satan; an idea birthed in homage to his longtime country music hero Buck Owens. Owens, just prior to his death, "blessed" Jourgensen’s country side-project BUCK SATAN AND THE 666 SHOOTERS, and now finally fully realized years later, this anticipated, apocalyptic bit of filthy modern Americana is complete, the collection of hymns dubbed "Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free".

Jourgensen recruited additional henchmen for the debut recordings from BUCK SATAN AND THE 666 SHOOTERS, including Rick Nielsen (CHEAP TRICK), Tony Campos (STATIC-X) and Mike Scaccia (RIGOR MORTIS), in addition to a plethora of guest musicians bearing fiddles, cellos, pedal steel guitars, mandolins, banjos, and more for the construction of the album, utilizing his extensive knowledge of country music to accomplish the album, including eleven original numbers as well as a nod to the legendary Gram Parsons on "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man". Weighing in with over fifty minutes of high-octane "country core" debauchery, "Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free" should no doubt be a highly anticipated release for diehard MINISTRY/Jourgensen fans as well as anybody with a penchant for outlaw country music or raging American rock in general.

"Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free" will be released on CD via AFM Records through Dismanic Distribution on January 17, with the digital release being handled by Jourgensen's own Thirteenth Planet Records.

"Bikers Welcome! Ladies Drink Free" track listing:

01. Quicker Than Liquor
02. What’s Wrong With Me
03. Medication Nation
04. Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man
05. The Only Time I’m Sober Is When You’re Gone
06. Cheap Wine, Cheap Ramen
07. Down The Drain
08. Sleepless Nights and Bar Room Fights
09. Friend of the Devil
10. Ten Long Years In Texas
11. I Hate Every Bone In Your Body Except Mine
12. Take Me Away

Soul-pop star Macy Gray has recorded a version of the METALLICA classic "Nothing Else Matters" for a new covers album, "Covered", which is due out March 27 via 429 Records. The collection also includes versions of tunes by such artists as RADIOHEAD ("Creep"), KANYE WEST ("Love Lockdown"), YEAH YEAH YEAHS ("Maps") and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE ("Teenagers").

Video footage of Macy Gray performing "Nothing Else Matters" during a recent concert can be seen below.

"Covered" track listing:

01. Maps (YEAH YEAH YEAHS)
02. Wake Up (ARCADE FIRE)
03. Nothing Else Matters (METALLICA)
04. Teenagers (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE)
05. Here Comes the Rain Again (EURYTHMICS)
06. Creep (RADIOHEAD)
07. Bubbly (COLBIE CAILLAT)
08. Love Lockdown (KANYE WEST)
09. Two Joints (SUBLIME)
10. Sleep to Dream (FIONA APPLE)
11. Sail (AWOLNATION)

The original version of "Nothing Else Matters" was released as the fourth single from METALLICA's fifth, self-titled album, which came out in 1991. The song reached position No. 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart as well as top-ten positions on many European charts.

"Nothing Else Matters" was featured as a playable track in the music video game Guitar Hero: Metallica and has been covered over forty times by a host of different artists, including STAIND, SHAKIRA, BIF NAKED, DIE KRUPPS, REV THEORY and APOCALYPTICA.

Portuguese gothic metallers MOONSPELL have inked a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. The band's new album is scheduled for release in the spring.

Commented MOONSPELL vocalist Fernando Ribeiro: "With MOONSPELL, nothing really ends, but always ever begins.

"Signing with Napalm is a firm step into cutting all bullshit and work with people who truly believe in us and respect our longevity, while helping us to embrace those who have been arriving in the last years to start with us yet another kingdom of darkness under the moon.

"Our new album is a statement. Our blood is the ink. Your skin, the scrolls upon we will write. Napalm Records, our messenger. Be ready."

Ribeiro recently revealed that the initials of the new MOONSPELL CD are "A.N.".

MOONSPELL released a DVD, "Lusitanian Metal", in December 2008 in Europe via Century Media Records.

The band's latest album, "Night Eternal", entered the national chart in Portugal at No. 3 and in Germany at No. 62. The follow-up to 2006's "Memorial" was recorded at Antfarm studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, DARK TRANQUILLITY, HALFORD).

"Faith In Fire", a brand new song from Orange County, California's BLEEDING THROUGH, can be streamed in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the band's new album, "The Great Fire", which will be released on January 31, 2012 via Rise Records.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. March
02. Faith In Fire
03. Goodbye To Death
04. Final Hours
05. Starving Vultures
06. Everything You Love Is Gone
07. Walking Dead
08. Devil And Self Doubt
09. Step Back In Line
10. Trail Of Seclusion
11. Deaf Ears
12. One By One
13. Entrenched
14. Back To Life

Check out the cover artwork below.

BLEEDING THROUGH's latest self-titled CD sold around 3,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 143 on The Billboard 200 chart.

BLEEDING THROUGH's previous effort, "Declaration" (2008), opened with 6,000 units to land at No. 101.

Released on April 13, 2010 via Rise, "Bleeding Through" was recorded at Planet Z Studios in Hadley, Massachusetts with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with MUNICIPAL WASTE, AGNOSTIC FRONT and HATEBREED, among others.

Reformed Montreal rockers SLAVES ON DOPE will release their new album, "Over The Influence", on February 28, 2012 via THC: Music/Rocket Science Ventures. The CD will feature a guest appearance by Jonathan Cabana, lead singer of Quebec deathcore band BLIND WITNESS, on the track "Dear Enemies".

A two-minute audio teaser for the forthcoming album can be streamed using the SoundCloud player below.

SLAVES ON DOPE's digital-only EP, "Careless Coma", came out on November 1. The effort featured three new studio tracks, as well as remixes and a radio edit of the title cut.

"Over The Influence" was produced and mixed by Kevin Jardine.

SLAVES ON DOPE 2011 is:

Kevin Jardine - Guitar
Jason Rockman - Vocals
Peter Tsefaris - Drums
Sebatien Ducap – Bass

SLAVES ON DOPE's "Inches from the Mainline" album was released through Ozzy Osbourne's now-defunct Divine Recordings label. After Divine Recordings lost its distribution deal with EMI's Priority Records, the band was left without a label. After a long search, a deal was struck with Bieler Bros. Records. SLAVES ON DOPE's second major album, "Metafour", was released in 2003.

In March 2004, SLAVES ON DOPE announced it was going on hiatus due to Jason Rockman leaving the band. The group officially reformed in 2009.

For more information, visit www.slavesondope.com.

German melodic metallers FREEDOM CALL will release their new album, "Land Of The Crimson Dawn", on February 24 in Germany, February 27 in the rest of Europe and February 28 in the USA/Canada via SPV/Steamhammer. The effort will be made available in three versions: as a jewel case featuring 14 songs; as a limited double CD digipak including six additional bonus tracks (versions of popular FREEDOM CALL numbers by POWERWORLD, SECRET SPHERE, DOWNSPIRIT, MANIMAL, NEONFLY and Hannes Braun [KISSIN' DYNAMITE]); and on double colored vinyl LP.

Commented FREEDOM CALL vocalist/guitarist Chris Bay: "The new tracks simply have more of that rock 'n' roll feel. Everything sounds much rawer, there's more focus on the guitars than before, and the musicians had more freedom during the recordings than they used to have."

Digipak track listing:

CD 1

01. Age Of The Phoenix (3:37)
02. Rockstars (5:08)
03. Crimson Dawn (6:29)
04. 66 Warriors (5:20)
05. Back Into The Land Of Light (5:39)
06. Sun In The Dark (4:49)
07. Hero On Video (3:50)
08. Valley Of Kingdom (4:32)
09. Killer Gear (4:42)
10. Rockin' Radio (4:13)
11. Terra Liberty (4:09)
12. Eternity (4:23)
13. Space Legends (4:04)
14. Power & Glory (3:30)

CD 2

01. Flame In The Night (performed by POWERWORLD)
02. Hunting High And Low (performed by DOWNSPIRIT)
03. Fairyland (performed by SECRET SPHERE)
04. Palace Of Fantasy (performed by MANIMAL)
05. Land Of The Light (performed by NEONFLY)
06. Warriors (performed by Hannes Braun of KISSIN' DYNAMITE)


Jewel case track listing:

01. Age Of The Phoenix (3:37)
02. Rockstars (5:08)
03. Crimson Dawn (6:29)
04. 66 Warriors (5:20)
05. Back Into The Land Of Light (5:39)
06. Sun In The Dark (4:49)
07. Hero On Video (3:50)
08. Valley Of Kingdom (4:32)
09. Killer Gear (4:42)
10. Rockin' Radio (4:13)
11. Terra Liberty (4:09)
12. Eternity (4:23)
13. Space Legends (4:04)
14. Power & Glory (3:30)

LP track listing:

LP 1

Side A

01. Age Of The Phoenix (3:37
02. Rockstars (5:08)
03. Crimson Dawn (6:29)

Side B

01. 66 Warriors (5:20)
02. Back Into The Land Of Light (5:39)
03. Sun In The Dark (4:49)

LP 2

Side A

01. Hero On Video (3:50)
02. Valley Of Kingdom (4:32)
03. Killer Gear (4:42)
04. Rockin' Radio (4:13)

Side B

01. Terra Liberty (4:09)
02. Eternity (4:23)
03. Space Legends (4:04)
04. Power & Glory (3:30)

FREEDOM CALL's current lineup:

Chris Bay - Vocals & Guitar
Lars Rettkowitz - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Samy Saemann - Bass, Backing Vocals
Klaus Sperling - Drums, Backing Vocals

The first 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 #1:

"Ways To Make You Fall", the new video from MEDICATED — the Finnish metal band featuring former IMPERANON and current NORTHER vocalist Aleksi Sihvonen, can be seen below. The song is the title track of the group's EP, which came out last year.

MEDICATED's "Magnum For Amen" EP, was released in 2008.

Formed in 2005, MEDICATED describes its music as "thrash/death metal with big choruses, screaming and clean vocals, hard rhythms and fast lead guitars."

MEDICATED is:

Aleksi Sihvonen (NORTHER) - Vocals
Samuli Hyttinen (SERAPHIEL) - Guitar
Dani Nuutinen - Guitar
Jani Kinnunen - Bass
Pertti Pätsi - Drums

Greek old-school thrashers SUICIDAL ANGELS will release their new album, "Bloodbath", on January 27, 2012 via NoiseArt Records. The CD features cover artwork by Ed Repka, who has previously worked with MEGADETH and DEATH, and who was responsible for the cover to last year's "Dead Again".

"Bloodbath" was recorded at Prophecy & Music Factory Studios in Kempten, Germany with Greek producer Roberto Dimitri Liapakis, who helmed SUICIDAL ANGELS' last CD and is said to "know better than anyone else which sound the group is looking for."

You can now stream the "Bloodbath" title track in the YouTube clip below.

In February 2012, SUICIDAL ANGELS will embark on the "Full Of Hate" tour alongside BEHEMOTH, CANNIBAL CORPSE, LEGION OF THE DAMNED and MISERY INDEX.

"It's truly a pleasure to hit the road, every time that it happens," SUICIDAL ANGELS said in a statement. "And who could ask for a better lineup than the one in Full Of Hate! Probably the best tour of 2012, and what do you know, you've got it all! CANNIBAL CORPSE, BEHEMOTH (finally back in action), LEGION OF THE DAMNED and MISERY INDEX: bringing brutality to a venue near you...! And what better way for us to promote our new record, planned to be released shortly before the tour kicks off... We've got nothin' more to say... We know we'll see all of you crazy thrashers on the road!"

Industrial veterans MINISTRY inked a worldwide deal with AFM Records. The band's first album of original material since 2007's "The Last Sucker", "Relapse", will be released on March 30, 2012.

In support of the "occupy movement," MINISTRY will release the new song "99 Percenters" via iTunes on December 23 and stream the track on their Facebook site starting Christmas day.

Commented MINISTRY mastermind Al Jourgensen: "Our 13th Planet Records releases have been distributed in Europe via AFM through our partner Soulfood Music in Germany for several years now, and we have established a solid business relationship, so it made perfect sense to take the next step and have AFM Records come on board and be involved with the new MINISTRY release for worldwide and digital distribution. I'm pretty psyched about the collaboration, based on the response and enthusiasm I've received from AFM so far…"

According to Revolver magazine, "99 Percenters" is a rally cry for all of the protesters that have gathered across the country to demonstrate against corporate greed, cutthoat capitalism, and the one percent of Americans who earn millions of dollars a year, but receive substantial tax cuts on their income. Jourgensen said the chorus for the track, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 99 percent" was inspired by COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH's Vietnam protest song "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag".

"Putting out this song is the least I could do," Jourgensen told Revolver. "We wanted to fly to New York and protest and get arrested and pepper sprayed. But we can't do it because I got a Christmas deadline on this album. But I'm with 'em in spirit so the least I could do is give them a chant-along song. I'm going, 'Hey man, here's your song. All you gotta do is chant the chorus.'"

Jourgensen spoke to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine in August about his band's decision to reform for a new album and tour, including an appearance at next year's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

When asked how the resurrection of MINISTRY came about, Jourgensen said, "While I was working on [the BUCK SATAN record], me and Mike Scaccia from RIGOR MORTIS fucked around to pass the time and we had like, 5,6,7 songs and I didn't really want to do anything with them but Mikey was like, 'Dude, these songs are awesome.' They weren't country, they were more like MINISTRY. So he's coming by in September and Tommy Victor's [PRONG; guitar] coming by in October with Tony Campos [SOULFLY, ex-STATIC-X; bass] and we're gonna finish up another MINISTRY album by Christmas called 'Relapse'."

Regarding the sound of the new MINISTRY material, Al said, "I think this is actually gonna wind up being the fastest and heaviest record I've ever done. Just because we did it as anti-therapy therapy against the country music we would just take days off and thrash faster than I've done in a long time, faster than Mikey's done in a long time. He did a RIGOR MORTIS tour and said it was easy compared to this MINISTRY stuff so it's gonna be brutal and it's gonna freak a lot of people out."

MINISTRY's upcoming tour will feature the lineup of Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia and Tommy Victor on guitar, Tony Campos on bass, Aaron Rossi on drums, and John Bechdel on keyboards.

Video footage of EXODUS performing the song "Deranged" on December 16 at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting at the Effenaar in Eindhoven, Holland can be seen below.

EXODUS is currently taking part in the "Thrashfest Classics" European tour with SEPULTURA, DESTRUCTION, HEATHEN and MORTAL SIN.

EXODUS' setlist for "Thrashfest Classics" consists of material exclusively from the "Bonded By Blood", "Pleasures Of The Flesh" and "Fabulous Disaster" albums. The trek's other co-headliner, SEPULTURA, is performing songs from "Beneath The Remains", "Arise" and "Chaos A.D."; DESTRUCTION is playing tracks from "Sentence Of Death" and "Infernal Overkill"; and HEATHEN is performing selections from "Breaking The Silence" and "Victims Of Deception". MORTAL SIN's setlist consists of material from the "Mayhemic Destruction" and "Face Of Despair" albums.

EXODUS's latest album, "Exhibit B: The Human Condition", was recorded in December 2009 in Northern California with producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, ARCH ENEMY, KREATOR).

The CD sold around 4,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 114 on The Billboard 200 chart.

EXODUS' previous CD, "The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A", opened with 3,600 units back in October 2007.

"Exhibit B: The Human Condition" was released in North America on May 18, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Video footage of Australian thrash metal veterans MORTAL SIN performing the song "Mayhemic Destruction" on December 16 at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting at the Effenaar in Eindhoven, Holland can be seen below.

MORTAL SIN's new album, "Psychology Of Death", was released in Europe on November 18 via NoiseArt Records. The effort includes the group's classic debut LP, "Mayhemic Destruction", as a bonus disc in the limited digipak version. The follow-up to 2007's "An Absence of Faith" was mixed with producer/engineer Darren "jENK" Jenkins and marks the recording debut of guitarist Ryan Huthnance, who replaced Mick Sultana.

MORTAL SIN in 2009 released a live album, "Into the Inferno (Live in Oslo)", via Riot! Entertainment. The CD, which contains the group's March 2008 performance in Oslo, Norway, was described by the band as "possibly the best live show MORTAL SIN have ever had recorded."

Once hailed as the next METALLICA, MORTAL SIN have become legends in their home country Australia, having been inducted into the Kerrang! Heavy Metal Hall of Fame in 2005 and being the only Australian band to have played with the big five of thrash — METALLICA, SLAYER, ANTHRAX, MEGADETH and TESTAMENT — on tours in Australia and overseas.

MORTAL SIN is:

Mat Maurer - Vocals
Andy Eftichiou - Bass
Luke Cook - Drums
Nathan Shea - Guitar
Ryan Huthnance - Guitar

Video footage of HEATHEN performing the song "Opiate Of The Masses" on December 16 at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting at the Effenaar in Eindhoven, Holland can be seen below.

HEATHEN played its first show with returning bassist Jason VieBrooks on February 4 at Madhouse in San Francisco, California.

VieBrooks replaced previousHEATHEN bassist Jon Torres, who was forced to leave the group in order "to focus on his health."

HEATHEN's current touring lineup is as follows:

David White - Vocals
Lee Altus - Guitar
Kragen Lum - Guitar
Jason VieBrooks - Bass
Darren Minter - Drums

HEATHEN's latest album, "The Evolution Of Chaos", was released in the U.S. on February 16, 2010. The CD was issued in Japan on December 23, 2009 via King Records and was made available on January 25 in Europe via Holland's Mascot Records.

HAIL! — the supergroup featuring a rotating list of musicians, including current and former members of SEPULTURA, JUDAS PRIEST, TESTAMENT and MEGADETH — kicked off a nine-date tour of Russia on December 2 in Irkutsk.

HAIL!'s lineup for the trek includes drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN), vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, BEYOND FEAR) , bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, WHITE LION) and newest member, guitarist Glen Drover (MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, TESTAMENT).

Video footage of HAIL!'s December 12, 2011 pre-show soundcheck and actual concert at Planetaryi in Ryazan, Russia can be seen below.

A two-part diary from the tour can be found by following the links below.

* Part 1
* Part 2

The band's setlist for the December 11 show in Moscow was as follows:

01. Stand Up And Shout (DIO cover)
02. Flight Of Icarus (IRON MAIDEN cover)
03. Seek & Destroy (METALLICA cover)
04. World Painted Blood (SLAYER cover)
05. Wake Up Dead (MEGADETH cover)
06. The Mob Rules (BLACK SABBATH cover)
07. Burn In Hell (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
08. Painkiller (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
09. Symphony of Destruction (MEGADETH cover)
10. War Pigs (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with snippet of Money)
11. Walk (PANTERA cover)
12. Heaven And Hell (BLACK SABBATH cover)

Encore:

13. Ace Of Spades (MOTÖRHEAD cover) (with snippets of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and "TNT")
14. Creeping Death (METALLICA cover)
15. Peace Sells (MEGADETH cover)

Commented the band: "This was a great tour — amazing shows, excellent food and insane fans.

"Our travels provided a glimpse of the world that many people only dream of and we had a wonderful time.

"Everybody gets so close on tour that when the end comes, it always creates a melancholy feeling.

"All of the members of HAIL!, past and present, are a close-knit family, we are all close friends and we all stay in constant personal contact with each even when we are not together.

"We know we have created something special and we all cherish our participation in this unique life experience.

"In the last three years we have played over 60 shows in 15 different countries and we are not stopping. We already have concerts scheduled in 2012 for Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Lebanon with more to follow.

"We appreciate each and every one of you – all the promoters who made it happen, the local crew who help every show, the hotel staffs who keep us comfortable, our drivers, translators, security guards, the guys who make our merch, and those of you who proudly wear it, our endorsers who help supply us gear, the radio stations, magazines and journalists who continuously spread the word, and all of you who came to share a night of your life with us — thank you!

According to BBC's 6 Music, 2011 has been quite the year for the legendary British rock band QUEEN, which celebrated its 40th anniversary. As well as re-releasing, remastered versions of its back catalogue the group also picked up a number of awards, including being named Global Icons at the MTV Europe Awards.

"It really is great to be appreciated and to be part of what is often regarded as a young persons medium," QUEEN guitarist Brian May told BBC's 6 Music.

So where do the band, which is essentially just Brian May and Roger Taylor, go from here?

"Are we QUEEN? In a sense we are, but in another sense, we never can be," he said. "We keep getting asked to do things, which is great, but it's that being QUEEN thing. I think we'll have to make a film, 'Being QUEEN, what does it mean?' The good thing about it is, we are a sort of open book; we can interact with people when it comes up."

You can listen to the interview using the audio player below.

QUEEN drummer Roger Taylor recently told Billboard that he and May are in talks to hit the road next year with "American Idol" singer Adam Lambert. After going public with the fact that QUEEN is essentially retired as an active touring unit, Taylor said, "[Lambert] has grown into a really great performer with an astonishing voice with a range that's great. We would like to work with him again. There's nothing signed just yet but we're talking about live dates. It could be very exciting."

"Evangelion", the 2009 album from Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH, was certified gold by the Polish Society Of The Phonographic Industry (ZPAV) for sales in excess of 15,000 copies.

As previously reported, BEHEMOTH's "Evangelia Heretika - The New Gospel Three" DVD (2010) — a three-disc set featuring two full shows ("Live In Paris 2008" and "Live In Warsaw 2009"); every BEHEMOTH music video ever made; "Evangelion" tour documentary featuring band interviews plus tons of backstage footage; and a bonus "Live in Warsaw" audio CD — was certified platinum in the Poland for sales in excess of 10,000 copies.

Commented BEHEMOTH guitarist/vocalist Adam "Nergal" Darski: "We are proud as fuck! Thank you for all the faith and trust in the band. It can only give us an extra kick to rise higher and brighter in the upcoming years!"

In a 2010 interview with The Metal Forge, Darski stated about how "Evangelion" has been received by the fans and critics alike, "I'm extremely happy. To be honest, I couldn't be happier. The feedback from both media and fans has been nothing but great. It's been awesome. We've fucking storming the charts in Europe, we've dominated some of the polls in some of the biggest magazines. We're like number one in Metal Hammer, in Kerrang!, and some other big magazines… so it's amazing."

When asked if he was satisfied to reach this level of success at this point in BEHEMOTH's's career, Darski said, "Oh yeah, totally. We've worked on that for years, right? I'm really happy to see that it's finally happening. And you know what? To be honest, I'm happy that it's happening now with the ninth record and not with the second or third album, you know what I mean? Because it kinda gives us a new life; it's like a new exciting chapter for us. We've been around for [almost 20] years and sometimes, band's with this much history, they basically repeat themselves, repeat their formula and they don't do anything exciting anymore. We still manage to put out new and exciting music and having new labels and new contracts behind us and the fact that there are so many new people coming into the music and supporting us, it helps out. It's very inspirational. It's awesome!"

BEHEMOTH recently released a video for the song "Lucifer", off "Evangelion". The Grupa 13-directed clip features Polish singer, guitarist, and poet Maciej Malenczuk, who also contributed guest vocals to the track.

Dutch hard rock veterans VENGEANCE will release their new studio album, "Crystal Eye", on February 24 in Germany, February 27 in the rest of Europe and in March 2012 in the USA and Canada through SPV/Steamhammer. The effort will be available as a limited-edition digipak (including two bonus tracks), standard jewel case and as a digital download.

Digipak track listing:

01. Me And You (4:02)
02. Bad To The Bone (4:51)
03. Barbeque (3:31)
04. Shock Me Now (3:28)
05. Five Knuckle Shuffle (4:10)
06. Desperate Women (4:03)
07. Whole Lotta Metal (4:11)
08. Promise Me (3:43)
09. Crystal Eye (6:13)
10. Missing (4:51)
11. Jans End Piece (1:16)
12. Paint This Town (3:25) (bonus track)
13. Barbeque (radio edit) (3:35) (bonus track)

Jewel case track listing:

01. Me And You (4:02)
02. Bad To The Bone (4:51)
03. Barbeque (3:31)
04. Shock Me Now (3:28)
05. Five Knuckle Shuffle (4:10)
06. Desperate Women (4:03)
07. Whole Lotta Metal (4:11)
08. Promise Me (3:43)
09. Crystal Eye (6:13)
10. Missing (4:51)
11. Jans End Piece (1:16)


The recording lineup on "Crystal Eye" incudes Leon Goewie (vocals), Chris Slade (drums; ex-AC/DC), Keri Kelli (guitar; ex-ALICE COOPER), Chris Glen (bass; ex-MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP), and Timo Somers (guitar; son of VENGEANCE guitarist Jan Somers, who sadly died of a heart attack in January 2011).

"More than ever before, this is a band which consists of friends," states Goewie, whose excellent reputation as an exceptional vocalist made this impressive lineup possible. Goewie, Slade, Glen and Kelli also form the nucleus of the AC/DC cover band CHRIS SLADE'S STEEL CIRCLE, which rocks clubs around the globe whenever the musicians' schedules allow it.

"Crystal Eye" was produced by Michael Voss, who composed most of the songs in collaboration with Goewie. The title track was penned by former VENGEANCE guitarist Arjen Lucassen (AYREON, STAR ONE), while Tony Martin (ex-BLACK SABBATH) contributed "Whole Lotta Metal", which is said to be "tailor-made for Goewie and VENGEANCE." The album closes with the instrumental "Jan's End Piece", which features the last guitar solos recorded by Jan Somers before his tragic death.

"I've listened to the new tracks a couple of times now and consider this the most professional album I've ever done," says Goewie proudly, adding, "The fun and humor which are typical of VENGEANCE are all there on 'Crystal Eye', but in addition, the material is perceptibly more serious, which I feel really suits VENGEANCE mark 2012."

VENGEANCE will embark on a European tour in support of "Crystal Eye" in March/April 2012.

"Fire And Ice", the new video from Dutch symphonic metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION, can be seen below. The clip features both live footage and video footage that was filmed for use during the band's live performances."Fire And Ice" comes off WITHIN TEMPTATION's fifth studio album, "The Unforgiving", which sold around 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 50 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on March 29, the CD was produced by Daniel Gibson and is based on a comic book story written by script writer Steven O'Connell (BloodRayne, Dark 48). The band asked comic artist Romano Molenaar (Witchblade, Darkness, X-Men) to draw the characters and scenery of "The Unforgiving", which was made available via Sony Music in Continental Europe and Roadrunner Records in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, Japan and Australia. WITHIN TEMPTATION guitarist Robert Westerholt recently announced that he would step down from touring duties in order to focus on taking care of the three children he has with Sharon den Adel. His replacement on stage is Stefan Helleblad, who has been working with the band behind the scenes for a few years.

MERCYFUL FATE members King Diamond (vocals), Hank Shermann (guitar), Timi Hansen (bass) and Michael Denner (guitar) were among the musicians who joined METALLICA on stage on December 7 for the second of four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of METALLICA's 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.

Longtime MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND manager Olé Bang has posted the following recap of the event on King's official web site:

"I have received a couple of mails asking me to post a few notes about the 'METALLICA event'... so here a short rundown of what was going on.

"It actually started a while ago, when [METALLICA drummer] Lars Ulrich approached the original MERCYFUL FATE members to find out if able and willing to participate. It was all to be secret to keep in line with the surprise effect. When that was sorted, we went to San Francisco; Timi, Michael, Hank and myself from Denmark, and King, obviously, from [his home base of] Dallas [Texas].

"It would be King's first appearance since he joined METALLICA on stage in Dallas, and his first since the bypass.

"We were all anxious and excited about the event, and met up at the San Francisco hotel booked for us.

"[It was] really nice to see the guys together again; a first time in 18 years.

"The following morning (December 7th), we were taken to soundcheck, which was also kept under tight secrecy... [We] actually, had to enter the Fillmore through the kitchen of a Korean restaurant, and up the fire escape staircase.

"The soundcheck was a blast for me to watch.

"Michael and Hank were given each a METALLICA flying V guitars and a bass was ready for Timi.

"A few moments later, the eight guys on stage went through the medley already agreed on, spending quite some time on getting detail absolutely right. King and James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] went over who would sing which part and after some adjustments on the monitors, it ended with a complete run-through of the medley. Altogether it was a very smooth soundcheck, with a really nice and friendly METALLICA crew, whom we all owe a huge 'Thank You!'

"During soundcheck, both Livia [King's wife] and I got some photos of the action, some of which have already been posted online. METALLICA had their own photographers all over the place, so you'd surely seen the action by now.

"The Fillmore was set for a great evening, and we now realized who would be the other surprise guests of the evening. They turned up one by one for their soundcheck, and we spend some time checking out the 'Metallica Museum' with rare and unusual effects on display. We then had an afternoon break and returned in the evening around 9 p.m.

"The place was packed, and upstairs in the VIP area we had a chance to meet up with a lot of old friends in the business, whom we had not seen for years. One very important person in the MERCYFUL FATE history is [former KUSF radio DJ and Metal Mania fanzine editor] Ron Quintana, who was partly responsible for spreading the word of the band, way back in the early '80s.

"Our label boss, [Metal Blade Records head honcho] Brian Slagel, was there, and we simply just ran into people we knew again and again.

"King arrived in full makeup and made his way to a small dressing room, right by the stage, at the time when Lou Reed performed on stage. He might have gotten a small surprise when he got off stage, or maybe someone had warned him.

"When Jason [Newsted, former METALLICA bassist] went on stage, it was time for MERCYFUL FATE to be ready. Only a few seconds after he left stage, we heard Lars starting his story of the 'good old days' back in Copenhagen when recording their first albums. The next 10 minutes are documented on all the video footage much better than I can describe it... and after this, there's really not much to say.

"It was an amazing experience and I believe there are loads of comments and stories about how it was to be in the audience.

"The following morning we checked out and flew back home...

"Oh, yes, we did hang out for a while after the show, and yes, we did go to a place for after-hours drinks... but that's another (private) story."

HOTEL DIABLO, the new band featuring vocalist Rick Stitch (LADYJACK, ex-ADLER'S APPETITE), guitarist Alex Grossi (QUIET RIOT), bassist Mike Duda and drummer Mike Dupke (both of W.A.S.P.), will release an EP on January 10 via iTunes and other online stores. The six-song effort, entitled "Psycho, California", will consist of the material the group recently recorded with producer (and former GUNS N' ROSES/ROCKSTAR SUPERNOVA guitarist) Gilby Clarke.

"We are very excited to get this stuff out there," says Grossi. "We have been taking our time in the studio and I think people will be into what we have so far."

Audio samples of the tracks "All These Years", "What You Do To Me" and "Psycho California" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Guitarist Kris Norris (STRAIGHT LINE STITCH, ex-DARKEST HOUR) has joined forces with ex-ANNIHILATOR touring bassist Dave Sheldon and ex-DARKEST HOUR drummer Ryan Parrish in a new project called A CANCEROUS AFFAIR.

Several early demo recordings from A CANCEROUS AFFAIR, which features Sheldon on lead vocals, can be streamed below.

Commented Norris: "I love all styles of music — from pop and jazz to black metal — and with this being a project band with no intentions other than to write music we enjoy, I'm not pigeonholed into oh this song needs a fast riff or a crazy solo. It's a nice relief from the other projects and bands I'm involved in and have been involved in. I get to take my experiences from all of them and combine it into one."

He added, "So far what we put up is just the writing of the demos with some demo vocals added. The songs have already been crafted into much better versions but I thought it'd be cool to at least release this stuff, hopefully get some feedback of what people are digging and hating."

Regarding the project's name, Norris said, "The title comes from Dave. I liked it alot because it fits what we are doing. Just a bunch of musicians from different parts of the world, getting together behind their other various music projects backs almost, and creating something. His voice to me is just infectious, so when he said the name, I was, like, 'Hmmm, that's it.'"