MINISTRY, OVERKILL, SAINT VITUS and SWALLOW THE SUN are among the first confirmed bands for next year's edition of the Tuska open-air metal festival, set to take place June 29 - July 1, 2012 in Helsinki, Finland.

The festival billing is shaping up as follows:

MINISTRY
OVERKILL
SAINT VITUS
SWALLOW THE SUN
INSOMNIUM
ANIMALS AS LEADERS
TEXTURES
SKELETONWITCH
SUIDAKRA
PROFANE OMEN
HORNA
VICTIMS
UNKIND
AFGRUND

More than 50 bands will perform on four stages at next year's event.

SIN CITY SINNERS — which features Todd Kerns (SLASH, AGE OF ELECTRIC), Brent Muscat (FASTER PUSSYCAT), Rob Cournoyer (RAGING SLAB) and Michael Ellis — will release "A Sinners' Christmas" on November 25. The CD will feature guest appearances by Frank Dimino (ANGEL), Jizzy Pearl (L.A. GUNS, RATT, LOVE/HATE), George Lynch (DOKKEN, LYNCH MOB, SOULS OF WE), Slim Jim Phantom (HEADCAT, THE STRAY CATS), Louie Merlino (BEGGARS & THIEVES), Jimmy Crespo (AEROSMITH), Pete Loran (TRIXTER), Ron Keel (KEEL) and Sammy Serious (THE ZEROS). The CD was recorded, mixed & mastered at Hit Track Studios in Las Vegas and produced by Brent Muscat and Tom Parham, and executive-produced by Jason Green.

"A Sinners' Christmas" track listing:

01. We Three Kings (feat. George Lynch & Todd Kerns)
02. Winter Wonderland (feat. Frank Dimino of Angel)
03. Run Rudolph Run (feat. Brent Muscat)
04. Rocking Around The Christmas Tree (feat. Todd Kerns)
05. O Holy Night (feat. Jizzy Pearl)
06. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (feat. Louie Merlino)
07. Jingle Bell Rock (feat. Slim Jim Phantom, Michael Ellis)
08. Silent Night (feat. Ron Keel)
09. I'll Be Home For Christmas (feat. Pete Loran)
10. We Wish You A Sinners Christmas (feat. Todd Kerns, Louie Merlino)

Brian May and Roger Taylor of QUEEN performed a medley of some of their hits with "American Idol" finalist Adam Lambert at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards earlier tonight (Sunday, November 6) at the at Belfast's Odyssey Arena. The musicians performed "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" in front of 8,000 seated fans at the arena, along with many millions more tuning in on TV and online worldwide.

After the show, Lambert tweeted his excitement about the experience, saying, "What an enormous honor to sing w QUEEN! I could feel the spirit of [late QUEEN singer Freddie] Mercury alive on stage tonight! Thank u Brian and Roger and crew. LOVE"

Earlier in the night, May and Taylor were presented with the Global Icon Award by Katy Perry, who said, "When I was growing up there was no MTV in my house. “But then one day, a friend of mine played me QUEEN — it opened my eyes, unlocked my heart, blew my mind. I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I knew who I was. I am only standing here because of the brilliance, and drama of QUEEN."

May previously performed with Lambert on the finale of "American Idol" in May 2009.

METALLICA's collaborative album with Lou Reed, titled "Lulu", has registered the following first-week positions so far:

U.K.: #36
Australia: #33
Netherlands: #17
Finland: #20
Sweden: #9
Norway: #11
Belgium: #30

"Lulu" is likely to sell between 12,000 and 15,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on November 1 via Warner Bros. Records (one day earlier in the rest of the world through Universal Music). By contrast, METALLICA's last studio effort, 2008's "Death Magnetic", sold 490,000 copies in just a three-day sales window after it came out on a Friday, with sales tracked through the following Sunday.

MEGADETH's new album, "TH1RT3EN", has registered the following first-week positions so far:

UK: #34
Australia: #13
Netherlands: #42
Norway: #32
Belgium: #83

"TH1RT3EN" is likely to sell between 40,000 and 45,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to industry web site Hits Daily Double. The estimate was based on one-day sales reports compiled after the record arrived in stores on November 1 via Roadrunner Records.

Gary Graff of Billboard.com recently conducted an interview with legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On his next solo album, which is being recorded with the same Myles Kennedy-fronted band he took on tour to promote 2010's "Slash" and with whom he recorded the upcoming live set "Made in Stoke 24/7/11":

Slash: "Based on the relationship that we've developed and the chemistry we've got going, I started writing material with Myles and the guys in the band in mind . . It's very different from the last one. There's a lot of freedom on this record; it's very diverse, but it's definitely the sound of one band with a lot of different ideas. This is probably the most 'live' recorded album I've ever done, too. The way I like to do records is rehearse, rehearse, rehears and then go in and get to know the song like the back of your hand and then go in and bang it out. That's how we're doing it."

On the current status of VELVET REVOLVER, which has been singer-less since parting ways with Scott Weiland in April 2008:

Slash: "[We will get together in December to] spend some time with a couple of singers — that's all I can tell you."

On havings taken ownership of all the music he's played on over the years:

Slash: "I realized that I actually have a catalog at this point. There's a body of work that I can refer to. And I just pulled stuff that I wanted to play, a lot of stuff that I hadn't played in a really long time. Playing 'Nightrain' was a gas; that's something I hadn't done since the mid-90s. I just had this freedom to do whatever I wanted, so it was really fun and there was a lot of material to pull from."

On GUNS N' ROSES' nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's class of 2012:

Slash: "It's become very prestigious over the years, and it's become a huge honor for anybody to be inducted into it — or even nominated, for that matter. It's a cool accolade, I suppose. Obviously we're in really, really great company . . . Of course, you have those thoughts of how it might work in case it does happen, but with GUNS 'N ROSES, there's really no guessing exactly how it will go. I suppose if it happens, everybody will get some sort of ducks in order. But I think the first thing to do is wait and see if we actually get inducted, because you know how unpredictable that is."

Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend has recorded a song dedicated to U.K.'s Terrorizer magazine to celebrate the 100th edition of the "Fear Candy" covermount CD. The track, simply called "Terrorizer", was written to celebrate Devin's appearance at this month's Damnation Festival and four-night residency in London – where Devin will perform each of his DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT albums per night. The song is available exclusively with "Fear Candy" 100 in Terrorizer issue 216 (November 2011).

Says Devin: "Terrorizer has been really supportive of me for years. Even in the moments where it was cool to think I'm a douche, you guys have always had my back, and it's a great way to be able for one, to make music, and I guess in a weird way to say 'thanks,' so there you go!"

Parts of the song were recorded at the end of the "Deconstruction" album process earlier this year — with Devin recording guitar parts and drummer Dirk Verbeuren (SOILWORK) recording basic parts. The song's vocals, samples, finished structure and mixing was finished at Devin's own studio in Vancouver last month.

Devin explained: "Dirk and I had a shared love of NAPALM DEATH and EXTREME NOISE TERROR, and all that stuff from that era and we didn't actually realize that we both loved it, so when we were in the studio doing 'Deconstruction', I was, like, 'I have this riff, give me some beats!' It was one take — it shits the bed half way through, then it comes together at the end, it has a vibe and it was perfect! That sound has always reminded me of the whole Terrorizer vibe."

"Leap Of Faith", the first video from WALKING WITH KINGS — the new Atlanta, Georgia-based band featuring Rich Ward and Frank Fontsere of FOZZY and STUCK MOJO fame, alongside Terry Chism (vocals, keyboards) and Simon Farmery (bass) — can be seen below.

WALKING WITH KINGS will release its full-length debut in December. The CD, which is said to be "a collective songwriting effort between Ward and Chism," consists of 11 tracks that deliver a positive message in our troubled world.

The song "Leap Of Faith" is about those that have enough faith and courage to make life-changing and life-altering decisions. Many of us are willing to take such a risk, yet far too many will continue to walk along the edge and stand in judgment of those that took "the leap" and didn't make it.

WALKING WITH KINGS parted ways with bassist Sean Delson (FOZZY) in October and replaced him with Farmery. The band stated at the time, "Sean is an amazing bassist and has been instrumental in many of the tracks on the forthcoming debut album. However, Sean has elected to pursue other musical opportunities."

Farmery has played with bands PRIDE and FURYON and has had the privilege to tour all over Europe with some of the biggest bands in rock. He also recently performed in FOZZY alongside Ward and Fontsere at a couple of dates on the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival tour.

"Working with [Simon] on the ['Leap Of Faith'] video was an awesome experience," says Terry. "[Now] everyone [can] see the kind of energy and talent this Englishman brings to the band and to the stage. He's made his place in the KINGS family, plus his British accent keeps us entertained. Feels like we've been playing together for years."

A few weeks ago Aesthetic Perfection shot the "Inhuman" video in a former mental asylum somewhere on the outskirts of Berlin. The video has now been released, you can watch it in the video player of our mobile Side-Line app or right after the jump.

"Inhuman" is the second single taken from "All Beauty Destroyed" out next Monday, November 7 via Out Of Line. The band will be hitting the UK shores for a run of 7 headline shows, dates are as follows:

TROLLFEST, the self-proclaimed "true Norwegian Balkan metal" band which eschews musical convention by combining local folk sounds from their native Norway with those from the Balkans and mixing them together with occasional melodies that could originate anywhere from the Latino countries to the Middle East, will enter the studio this month to begin recording its fifth album, "Brumlebassen", for an early 2012 release via NoiseArt Records. The group will track the drums, bass, guitar and main vocals over a three-week period beginning on November 7 at Strand Studios with engineer Marius Strand, after which they will move on to their own Trollskogen recording facilities to record the extra vocals, choirs, and instruments.

As with all TROLLFEST's previous releases, "Brumlebassen" will tell a story involving Trolls and a certain amount of drinking. Without wanting to give too much away at this early stage, a spokesperson for the band said that the storyline will revolve around a brewer called Brumlebassen who is charged with making the mead much beloved by the Trolls. Cover art for the album will once again be in the hands of Swedish artist and cartoonist Jonas Darnell and designer Terje "Andy Wartroll", both of whom have worked with the band for several years, and whose work on the group' last CD, "En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral", has yet again proved to be a huge hit with the fans and an integral part of the overall TROLLFEST "experience."

TROLLFEST, which comprises members of URGEHAL, PANTHEON I, UNTIME, MELCH, SARKOM, HALLUCINATIONS and POWERSWORD, has already written ten metal tracks and a handful of acoustic ones, and will decide which to include on the album once recording is completed. There will also be guest musicians, who will be announced at a later date.

Members of HATEBREED, SHADOWS FALL and ALL THAT REMAINS have reacted to the passing of GWAR guitarist Cory Smoot (a.k.a. Flattus Maximus).

Cory was found dead as the U.S. band was about to enter Canada on Thursday morning. He was 34 years old.

Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED, KINGDOM OF SORROW): "[Rest in peace], Cory Smoot. Such a good dude. Some of my best road memories are from touring with GWAR. This is a sad day. He will be missed."

Brian Fair (SHADOWS FALL): "Incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Cory of GWAR. I'm glad we were able to share many stages. Much love to the GWAR family."

Philip Labonte (ALL THAT REMAINS): "My condolences to the GWAR family. Cory was awesome and will be missed."

Devin Townsend: "Oh my God... [Rest in peace] Cory Smoot. See you brother, peace. ...fuck."

CADAVERIA, the Italian band featuring former OPERA IX vocalist Cadaveria and ex-OPERA IX drummer/NECRODEATH vocalist Marçelo Santos (a.k.a. Flegias), has inked a deal with Bakerteam Records, a division of Scarlet Records which aims "to discover and offer support to the best talents of the hard rock and heavy metal international scene." The group's long-awaited follow-up 2007's "In Your Blood" (released on French extreme metal label Season Of Mist) has been described by Cadaveria as "the most obscure, raw and horror-filled work ever produced by the group." An early 2012 release is expected.