Jari Lindholm, the former guitarist of the Swedish melodic doom/death metallers SLUMBER, has joined ATOMA, the new band featuring former SLUMBER keyboardist/vocalist Ehsan Kalantarpour alongside Rickard Insulander, Siavosh Bigonah and Markus Hill, among others. The group's debut album, "Skylight" — which was originally supposed to be made available as SLUMBER's long-awaited new CD, "Resonance" — will be released in the fall.

Legendary rockers KISS are planning on entering the studio in March to begin recording their new studio album for a late 2011 release. During an interview with BackstageAxxess.com that was conducted during this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show, KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer said, "The great news is that we are going in the studio again in the next month or two. We are starting to work on writing some songs, [and we will] approach it just like we did with [2009's] 'Sonic Boom' and keep it all in the band in terms of the writing, with no agenda besides writing great rock and roll songs that we love, then rehearsing them before recording them. It really felt good to us so we'll go the same way this time."

KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley will once again produce the new effort after things went so smoothly on "Sonic Boom". "Paul knows more what a KISS record should sound like than anybody, to be honest with you, so he is going to lead the charge and produce it again and we are all really excited about it," Thayer said.

He added, "I know we are going to start working on it really soon in terms of the writing and rehearsing and we'll probably be in the studio by March, so sometime this year I'm sure you'll see a spanking new KISS album that's gonna kick some butt!"

"Sonic Boom" sold 108,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on The Billboard 200 chart. This marked the band's highest-charting LP ever.

According to Billboard.com, AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler, guitarist Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer have been working since last Saturday (January 22) with the band's longtime collaborator Marti Frederiksen on material for a new album at Marti's Monrovia, California studio. Guitarist Joe Perry was unable to attend the sessions due to an unspecified commitment, according to Frederiksen.

"It's been really good, great," Frederiksen tells Billboard.com. "We've been playing songs, putting together riffs, having fun, laughing and working from noon to 11 (p.m.) We're just digging in, man."

Dutch progressive metallers TEXTURES have entered Split Second Sound studios in Amsterdam to begin recording their fourth album for a fall release via Nuclear Blast Records. The as-yet-untitled CD is being produced by TEXTURES guitar player Jochem Jacobs, who helmed all of the band's previous albums.

Commented Jochem: "It's all really exciting! This album is really going to express where and what we are these days....and that's a good thing.

"We've been through a lot lately, especially the last year. Now with some new air and fresh ideas, we finally reached the point that we are actually quite confident in the new material.

"Sometimes you just have to crawl through the mud first to get to dry grounds.

"We are in the middle of the preproduction now, getting our asses in gear...to create this baby. It's kinda cool to see this band grow more and more and to continue this musical journey that we've been on for 10 years!

"Let's make this thing heavy!!!"

Reunited Dutch hard rockers SLEEZE BEEZ — who performed live last June for the first time since going their separate ways in 1995 (sharing the bill with AEROSMITH, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and STEEL PANTHER at the Goffertpark in Nijmegen, Holland on June 23, 2010) — have recorded a new song for the first time in 16 years — a cover version of JOURNEY's classic power ballad "Faithfully". You can now listen to the track in the YouTube clip below.

WARMEN, the brainchild of CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman, has commenced work on material for the follow-up for the band's critically acclaimed 2009 studio album "Japanese Hospitality". The Finnish group hopes to find time to work intensively on the CD in 2011 despite CHILDREN OF BODOM's hectic touring schedule.

WARMEN is hoping to have its fifth album completed by the end of the year for an early 2012 release.

DIVINE HERESY bassist Joe Payne has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET:

"With a great amount of thought and consideration, I have decided to leave DIVINE HERESY to pursue my true passion (lead guitar) with my best friends in my band PAIN AFTER DEATH.

"I've had a blast over the past four years playing with DIVINE HERESY and enjoying the laughs, blood, sweat, tears, and brotherhood that comes with being in a touring band.

"It's become painfully clear to me that my passion for this project has been insufficient for quite sometime now. It's not fair to DIVINE HERESY fans, my fellow bandmembers in DIVINE HERESY, or to myself to continue on with this project an not wholeheartedly believe in what we were doing, musically or otherwise.

"I wish nothing but prosperity and happiness to the other members of DIVINE HERESY and am eternally grateful to every single DIVINE HERESY fan around the world who have supported us the years and helped me pay my bills. This shit ain't over for me yet.

"PAIN AFTER DEATH's full-length album will be complete and available very soon.. Go check that shit out and leave feedback. Good or bad. Bring it."

“We aimed for the top slot and we were not going to be satisfied with anything less.” Freddie Mercury

March 2011 sees the re-release of Queen’s first five albums – one of the most exciting and influential back catalogues of all time. Recorded in the maelstrom of the early 1970’s London music scene Queen created a groundbreaking and unique soundtrack that remains globally influential today. Theatrical, imaginative, diverse, melodic and unpredictable they had a sound and a look all of their own. Sitting alongside their contemporaries like Led Zep and David Bowie, Queen set the standard for British rock in the 1970’s and became one of the most thrilling, glamorous and downright rock n roll bands of all time, directly influencing a contemporary roll call of artists from Foo Fighters & Axl Rose to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

“Queen”, “Queen II”, “Sheer Heart Attack”, “A Night At The Opera” and “A Day At The Races” have been specially re-mastered and each will be released as a standard CD as well as a deluxe 2 disc set which will feature new bonus content. Each deluxe album will be released on iTunes featuring bonus tracks plus additional sleeve notes, unseen pictures and videos. The albums also set the scene for their bands forthcoming Stormtroopers In Stilettos Global exhibition that launches in London on 25th February.

From the pure raw rock of “Queen” through to the majestic anthems on “A Day At The Races”, the first five albums highlight the diverse talent, musical ambition and already global success of a band made up of some of the best songwriters, musicians and performers of all time.

‘Queen’, recently nominated by Dave Grohl as his favourite album of all time, was recorded in the same studio that David Bowie was recording Ziggy Stardust. Because they didn’t have any money, the album was recorded on Bowies downtime, so Queen were literally recording at 3AM after Bowie had gone to bed. ‘Queen’ is their heaviest album, influenced by The Who, Hendrix and Led Zep and contains some of their hardest rocking songs, and also some of their most imaginative. Like all subsequent Queen albums, no two songs sound the same and there are mixtures of light and shade, the band teasing one minute with a lullaby, then blowing your head off.

‘Queen II’ is the real beginning of Queen as we know it. It’s the first time we hear the multi layered overdubs, the harmonies, the varied musical styles (ballads, folk, blues, thrash metal, pop and rock, it’s all there). It also includes their first hit single ‘Seven Seas of Rhye’, which led to the first of many iconic performances on Top of the Pops. The band recorded ‘Queen II’ in just over a month in 1973 ahead of its release in 1974. The album cover was shot by legendary photographer Mick Rock and inspired by a Marlene Dietrich portrait. The image was later brought to life in the revolutionary Bohemian Rhapsody video.

‘Sheer Heart Attack’, Roger Taylor’s favourite Queen album, was released in 1974 and reached Number 2 in the UK. Prior to this Queen were mostly considered a heavy rock band, but this album experimented with a variety of musical genres, including music hall, heavy metal, ballads and ragtime. At this point Queen started to move away from the progressive tendencies of their first two releases into a more radio-friendly, song-orientated style, illustrated by ‘Killer Queen’, which was their biggest hit at that point reaching No 2 in the UK. It also went to No 12 in the US Billboard Charts, the first of many hits there. A song about a high-class call girl, it contains the guitar solo that Brian May is most proud of and won Freddie his first Ivor Novello Award.

‘A Night at The Opera’, named after the Marx Bros film, is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest albums of all time. Exceptional on every level, musically, lyrically and artistically, Queen took the strongest elements of their previous two albums to make the ultimate winning combination. The most expensive album ever recorded at that time, it delivered rock, opera, heavy metal, romance, ballads, pop, sci-fi folk, music hall, ‘trad jazz’ and even the National Anthem. The album contains perhaps the most famous rock song of all time, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ which went on to spend fourteen weeks and number one, be voted Song of the Millennium, become the only song in history to reach Xmas No 1 twice and sell a million copies on two separate occasions. Queen also recorded the first official pop promo for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ as they were on tour and could not appear on Top of The Pops and this video paved the way for MTV and VH1.

By 1976, Queen were back in the studio recording ‘A Day At The Races’, which was written and recorded by Queen at their happiest, riding on the crest of a wave and loving every second. The album is an infectiously jubilant piece of music full of love, optimism and good old fashioned rock and roll. Like ‘A Night at the Opera’ it again borrowed the name of a Marx Bros movie, and its cover was similar to that of ‘A Night at the Opera’, a variation on the same Queen Crest. It reached number one on the British charts and features the classics ‘Tie Your Mother Down’, Freddie Mercury’s personal favourite composition ‘Somebody To Love’ and ‘Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy’

FULL TRACKLISTINGS FOR EACH ALBUM:
Queen
1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing All Right
3. Great King Rat
4. My Fairy King
5. Liar
6. The Night Comes Down
7. Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll
8. Son And Daughter
9. Jesus
10. Seven Seas Of Rhye

Bonus Tracks
1. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
2. The Night Comes Down (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971
3. Great King Rat (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
4. Jesus (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
5. Liar (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)
6. Mad The Swine (June 1972)

Queen 2
1. Procession
2. Father To Son
3. White Queen (As It Began)
4. Some Day One Day
5. The Loser In The End
6. Ogre Battle
7. The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke
8. Nevermore
9. The March Of The Black Queen
10. Funny How Love Is
11. Seven Seas Of Rhye

Bonus Tracks
1. See What A Fool I’ve Been (BBC Session, July 1973 – 2011 remix)
2. White Queen (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
3. Seven Seas of Rhye (Instrumental Mix 2011)
4. Nevermore (BBC Session, April 1974)
5. See What A Fool I’ve Been (B-side version, February 1974)

Sheer Heart Attack
1. Brighton Rock
2. Killer Queen
3. Tenement Funster
4. Flick Of The Wrist
5. Lily Of The Valley
6. Now I’m Here
7. In The Lap Of The Gods
8. Stone Cold Crazy
9. Dear Friends
10. Misfire
11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown
12. She Makes Me (Stormtrooper In Stilettos)
13. In The Lap Of The Gods . . . Revisited

Bonus Tracks
1. Now I’m Here (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
2. Flick of the Wrist (BBC Session, October 1974)
3. Tenement Funster (BBC Session, October 1974)
4. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (A cappella Mix 2011)
5. In The Lap of the Gods..Revisited (Live at Wembley Stadium, July 86)

A Night At The Opera
1. Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To…)
2. Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
3. I’m In Love With My Car
4. You’re My Best Friend
5. ’39
6. Sweet Lady
7. Seaside Rendezvous
8. The Prophet’s Song
9. Love Of My Life
10. Good Company
11. Bohemian Rhapsody
12. God Save The Queen

Bonus Tracks
1. Keep Yourself Alive (Long-Lost Retake, June 1975)
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Operatic Section A cappella Mix 2011)
3. You’re My Best Friend (Backing Track Mix 2011)
4. I’m In Love With My car (Guitar & Vocal Mix 2011)
5. ’39 (Live at Earl’s Court, June 1977)
6. Love Of My Life (South American Live Single, June 1979)

A Day At The Races
1. Tie Your Mother Down
2. You Take My Breath Away
3. Long Away
4. The Millionaire Waltz
5. You And I
6. Somebody To Love
7. White Man
8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy
9. Drowse
10. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

Bonus Tracks
1. Tie Your Mother Down (Backing Track Mix 2011)
2. Somebody To Love (Live at Milton Keynes, June 1982)
3. You Take My Breath Away (Live in Hyde Park, September 1976)
4. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (Top of the Pops, July 1977)(Mono)
5. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (HD Mix)

San Diego metalers CAGE will release their first-ever DVD, "Cage - The Rise To Power", on March 15 in Europe through Music Buy Mail and through Heavy Metal Media for North America and the rest of the world. The two-disc DVD set packed full of material and is available for pre-order on the official CAGE web site at www.cageheavymetal.com. It will ship two weeks before release date to those who pre-order on the site. In April, a Blu-ray version will also be available.

Disc 1 of "Cage - The Rise To Power" features CAGE's entire performance at the ProgPower USA X festival in Atlanta, Georgia in September 2009. Disc 2 features footage from various festivals and performances around the world as well as backstage and on tour clips. Also on disc 2 are five previously unreleased audio tracks, including one off CAGE's upcoming CD.

"Cage - The Rise To Power" details:

Disc One

* Planet Crusher
* I Am The King
* Kill The Devil
* Scarlet Witch
* Hell Destroyer
* Black River Falls
* Speed Kills
* Metal Devil

Disc Two

* Rise Of The Beast
* Kill The Devil
* Final Solution
* King Diamond
* Chupacabra
* Shoot To Kill
* From Death To Legend
* Wings Of Destruction
* War Of The Undead (previously unreleased track)
* Skinned Alive (previously unreleased track)
* Europe Raging
* Mexico Madness
* New Album Preview

Note: Three hidden Easter Eggs are also located somewhere on the discs.

According to People.com, POISON frontman Bret Michaels was released from St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona earlier today after he underwent successful surgery two days earlier (January 24) to repair a hole in his heart — a condition he's had since birth, but only recently discovered. Michaels headed home, where he's surrounded by loved ones as he heals, including his new fiancée Kristi Gibson.

Tommy Rogers, lead vocalist, keyboardist and founding member of the award-winning North Carolina progressive rock band BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, will release his debut solo album, "Pulse", on February 1 via Metal Blade Records. The versatile front man and multi-instrumentalist, who not only self-produced the record, but also arranged, composed and played all instruments on the recording, will use the pseudonym THOMAS GILES (his given middle name) as his moniker for the project.

War On Music Records has announced the upcoming vinyl release of the GORGUTS albums "From Wisdom To Hate" (2001) and "Obscura" (1998). These records were largely regarded as pioneering works in the technical death metal genre, and set the standard for the decade to follow.

"From Wisdom To Hate" will be made available on LP for the first time ever, limited to 1,000 copies and coming in April. "Obscura" will be issued as a double LP several months later, coinciding with the upcoming CD reissue of the long-out-of-print album.

The first two in a series of video teasers for "Folie À Cinq", the fifth album from the Karlstad, Sweden-based metal/rock band SPARZANZA, can be viewed below. Due on February 9 via b>Spinefarm Records, the CD was recorded between September and November at Leon Music with producer Rikard Löfgren, who helmed the band's last two CDs and has also worked with such other artists as HELLFUELED, VOMITORY and DEATHSTARS.

Oakland, California extreme metal band ALL SHALL PERISH is putting the finishing touches on its fourth album for a late spring release via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented guitarist Ben Orum: "Guitars, bass and drums are complete for the new ALL SHALL PERISH record. This week we wrap up vocals and then mixing begins with Zach Ohren!

"I have never been this excited about a release. This is going to be ALL SHALL PERISH's finest hour."

RUSH drummer Neil Peart's fifth book, "Far And Away: A Prize Every Time", is scheduled to be released on May 1 via ECW Press.

The publisher's official description of the book reads as follows: "Following in the tradition of 'Ghost Rider' and 'Traveling Music', RUSH drummer Neil Peart relates nearly four years of band tours, road trips, and personal discoveries in this introspective travelogue. From the ups and downs of a professional artist to the birth of a child, this revealing narrative recounts 22 adventures from rock's foremost drummer, biker enthusiast, husband and father. Both playful and insightful, Peart's love of drumming and the open road weaves throughout the stories as Neil explores horizons that are both physical and spiritual, sharing his observations about nature, society, and the self. Full-color photos round-out this tour of the open road that will resonate with RUSH fans and motorcycle enthusiasts alike."

Maryland-based experimental, progressive metal six-piece PERIPHERY will release a new EP, "Icarus Lives", on April 19 via Sumerian Records. This CD features a brand new unreleased track, a series of remixes and video clips.

Commented bassist Thomas Murphy: "We like to think of ['Icarus Lives'] as a supplement to our first album. It will contain a version of 'Icarus Lives' with newly recorded vocals and the fantastic music video by Ian McFarland and Mike Pecci of Killswitch Productions, alongside several remixes of the song by the band, winner of our 'Icarus' remix contest (Pete Graves from the U.K.) and a special guest to be named at a later date. We have also included a tweaked version of our song 'Jetpacks Was Yes' and the brand new music video by Eric Haviv at FUGO studios. In addition, the songs 'Captain On' and 'Eureka' (available only through digital download until now) will be made available in physical format with newly re-recorded vocals. To sweeten the deal, we have added a new song, 'Frak the Gods', to give our fans a taste of whats to come as we enter the studio later this year to record our second full-length.

"As you can tell, we tried to make this EP worth your time and money. We have put a ton of time into these songs to deliver to you an exciting and polished product."

"The Icarus Lives" EP track listing:

01. New Groove (instrumental)
02. Icarus Lives
03. Icarus Lives - Fan/Contest Winner Remix
04. Icarus Lives - Zedd Remix
05. Icarus Lives - Bulb Remix
06. Jetpacks was Yes v2.0
07. Captain On
08. Frak The Gods
09. Eureka

Videos:

* "Icarus Lives"
* "Jetpacks Was Yes v2.0"
* "Icarus Lives" behind-the-scenes footage

MIKE TRAMP & THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ, the new project led by WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp, will release its second album, "Stand Your Ground", on March 28. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "Gotta Get Away", "Alright By Me" and "Don't Let Them Put It On You". The album's cover artwork was created by Karsten Sand and can be seen below.

The self-titled debut from MIKE TRAMP & THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ came out in October 2009. The CD was decribed in a press release as "the most profound musical statement" released to date by Tramp. He stated at the time about the effort, "With this album no stone has been left unturned, no compromises made, this album is complete in every way."

"Mike Tramp & The Rock 'N' Roll Circuz" was released in Denmark via Kick Music/Sony Music and was also made available via MikeTramp.com.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD kicked off the "Nightmare After Christmas" tour with STONE SOUR and HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD on Thursday (January 20) in Reading, Pennsylvania. The show marked AVENGED's live debut with Arin Ilejay, formerly the drummer for Los Angeles-based Christian rock group CONFIDE, who is sitting behind the kit for AVENGED's upcoming tour dates.

Fan-filmed video footage of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's January 22, 2010 concert in Lowell, Massachusetts can be viewed below.

A LIFE ONCE LOST has inked a deal with Season Of Mist. The band's new album will be released in the summer.

A LIFE ONCE LOST is currently finishing up the writing process and is about to begin recording in Philadelphia. Paul Romano (MASTODON, TRIVIUM, THE RED CHORD), designer of the art for previous A LIFE ONCE LOST records "Hunter" and "Iron Gag", is confirmed to illustrate the album art.

"After over a year and a half of working on this record and setback after setback we can finally announce that it is coming out on Season Of Mist in 2011," affirms guitarist Doug Sabolick.

"Taking time away from the road helped us look at the band from an outside perspective, which then helped mold a record that encompasses our collective mood over the past few years in typical A LIFE ONCE LOST fashion.

"Musically, the theme of this record is to pummel the listener into submission via ignorant riffs.

"We are finishing writing and demoing as we speak and look forward to working hand in hand with Season Of Mist to deliver our vision to the masses."

Guillaume Rochard of Season Of Mist adds: "Season Of Mist is proud to welcome U.S. metallurgists A LIFE ONCE LOST to the roster.

"As a label, we have been striving to be open to more modern and varied styles of metal and A LIFE ONCE LOST embodies the crowning achievement of that endeavor. And as people, we're just fans of the band!"

"As a manager, it’s exciting to work with A LIFE ONCE LOST. We worked together on their Ferret Music debut as PR and I have watched the band grow as individuals and as artists," states manager Maria Ferrero, owner of Miss Management and Adrenaline PR. "A LIFE ONCE LOST has definitely made their mark, and now I'm even more excited to be a part of this era of the ALOL evolution."