Germany’s up-and-coming technical metal outfit, WAR FROM A HARLOTS MOUTH, has posted a free download of the brand new track, 'Recluse MMX', taken from their forthcoming Lifeforce Records full-length, MMX. The new song can be downloaded here for a small preview of the November 9th release.

MMX is War From A Harlots Mouth’s third full-length studio album, and their third release on Lifeforce Records. While the band has proven their sustainable relevance and snappy creativity over the past five years by combining tech metal, grindcore, hardcore, and jazzy influences, MMX showcases a wider range of ferocious influences than seen in the band’s previous efforts. MMX is the band’s most extreme release to date; War From A Harlots Mouth is once again defining new standards for the extreme underground.

Tomb Of The Opinionated's Norman McCann recently conducted an interview with ARCH ENEMY frontwoman Angela Gossow, in which she discusses being featured on CNN, playing the Maldives, their new album, touring and more. The following is an excerpt:

Q: Any updates on a new album? Have you guys started writing?

A: "Yes. We have 9 songs by now and still got a ton of riffs, ideas and melodies lying around. We will lock ourselves away from the 1st December on and the album is scheduled to be released in May 2011. Lots of hard work, but we are more than ready for it!"

On September 15, Joe Matera of Ultimate-Guitar.com conducted an interview with METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Have you started in any manner the songwriting process for the next METALLICA studio album?

Hammett: No, but we do have riffs here and there, but there are no complete songs as yet. But we all have tons of music that is just lying around; in fact all of us do. That is the great thing about METALLICA; there is never any shortage of ideas.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: You just performed a series of "Big Four" shows [METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX]. What was the experience like?

Hammett: The shows were really great and it was a vibe, man. It was like the Eighties all over again, which was very, very cool. We all kind of realized that we are all in this together and that we all had the same sort of objectives and goals. It's just that we had different ways of getting them. At the end of the day, it became more of a celebration of the fact that we are all still around and all standing and still functioning as bands, and that was a very cool thing. And it was a chance for us to kind of reflect and look back at all the times we had together and all the battles we had fought. It was good to know that all of us are still here and still doing it.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: When it comes soloing, what do you think are the important elements that each guitar player should consider when constructing a solo?

Hammett: Ideally, a solo should be like a good meal. Start off with a bang then have a good meaty middle section and then have a sweet finish. For me when it comes to the solo part, the first couple of licks really need to set the tone of the solo. And it should really just jump out and grab you.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: So is there anything that you specifically pay attention to when coming up with your own solos?

Hammett: What I have always tried to do is to come up with catchy things — you know, hooky parts in the guitar solo that will grab the listener's attention. I will try to put melodic parts into that. But, you know, sometimes I just want to make a bunch of noise.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: How do you think you have evolved as a player over the course of your career?

Hammett: That is a hard question to answer, man, because I am so close to my own playing. But I say that I intend to work on my jazz playing more now. You know, I think as a metal guitar player, I am decent. I am no Eddie Van Halen, but I am still learning, am still learning stuff day to day and still feel like I am growing. I also still think that my music writing is still getting better. I'm still on the up and up and I don't feel like I have reached a plateau. I still think there is a lot more for me to do and learn. And I am still very motivated to do that.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Do you have any ambitions to some day to venture out and do a solo album?

Hammett: Yeah, eventually, but right now I have to say that METALLICA is my home and I have no intentions of running away from that home. But I am going to put a book though. I am working on it and that in itself feels like I am making a solo album because it is so much goddamn fuckin’ work! It is all myself. I don't have a band I can rely on or seek support. So I think once I do this book thing, maybe I may start considering doing a solo album, but I don't know.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Looking back on the "St. Anger" album and its lack of guitar solos, what do you think of that album today?

Hammett: I still love it, man. I think "Frantic", "Dirty Window", the title track and "All Within My Hands", those are just great fuckin' songs and some of my favorite. Frankly, I'm quite shocked that people have such an attitude and issues with it, because for me, it is just another METALLICA album.

Eagle Records has set a November 16 U.S. release date for "Neon Nights: 30 Years Of Heaven & Hell" CD/DVD featuring a recording of HEAVEN & HELL's July 30, 2009 concert at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Columbia Music Entertainment will make the CD available in Japan on November 10. The limited-edition first pressing in Japan features cardboard sleeve artwork and the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD players).

A description of the set reads as follows: "On Thursday July 30, 2009, HEAVEN & HELL took to the stage at the famous Wacken festival in Germany as part of the tour in support of their album 'The Devil You Know', released earlier in the year. Although nobody knew at the time, it was to be Ronnie James Dio's last filmed concert appearance before his death in May 2010 from stomach cancer. HEAVEN & HELL were on fantastic form and played a set blending tracks from the newly released album with classics from their BLACK SABBATH days. This is a truly fitting tribute to one of the legendary voices of rock."

"Neon Nights: 30 Years Of Heaven & Hell" track listing:

01. E5150
02. The Mob Rules
03. Children of the Sea
04. I
05. Bible Black
06. Time Machine
07. Fear
08. Falling Off the Edge of the World
09. Follow The Tears
10. Die Young
11. Heaven and Hell
12. Encore: Country Girl
13. Neon Knights

Reunited grunge legends SOUNDGARDEN played a special "secret" show last night (Monday, September 27) at Activision's exclusive launch event for Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock at the Paramount Studios back-lot in Los Angeles, California. Guests had a memorable experience as the back-lot was transformed into a New York block party and a replica of the historic CBGB venue for a unique blend of music, art, food and gameplay, culminating with a "one-night-only" special performance by one of the most influential rock bands of all time, SOUNDGARDEN.

SOUNDGARDEN's setlist was as follows:

01. Hands All Over
02. Spoonman
03. Rusty Cage
04. Outshined
05. Burden In My Hand
06. Black Hole Sun
07. Black Rain
08. Gun

"There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret", the third album from Sheffield, U.K. metallers BRING ME THE HORIZON, is available for streaming in its entirety on the band's MySpace page. The CD will be released on the following dates:

Oct. 8 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Oct. 4 - Rest Of Europe
Oct. 5 - USA
Oct. 6 - Japan
Oct. 8 - Australia

From the progressive opening riff

Justin Murr, leader of the Christian rock band LIBERTY N' JUSTICE, has issued the following update:

"This summer I was in the process of recording a 'new' LIBERTY N' JUSTICE double CD (14 covers and 12 originals) where 23 of the 26 songs are recorded and more than half are done with some very cool guest artists. I went into this album wanting to create just a fun rock n' roll record, not trying to record 'Light It Up 2' but just a heavy, groove-guitar, fun-spirited record and I think every one involved has done a great job seeing my vision through...

"During this summer, though, I (sorta) put that record on hold when my 12-year-old daughter had some health issues. She was diagnosed with epilepsy five years ago and five months ago the medication would not control her seizures any more. She started having 30-40 seizures a night and was placed in the hospital and eventually moved into the ICU. Trinity Paige (my daughter) was placed into a medically induced coma and when that did not work they did brain surgery where they removed a large portion of her right frontal lobe. Through God's amazing grace and a testament of his love past my failing faith, Paige two weeks later is showing no signs of seizure activity and has started going to school for half days.

"Being a songwriter/ musician during these times I emptied my feelings on paper with what was going on with her, my marriage,and me. With Vic Rivera's talent and direction we recorded a five-song EP that we are releasing to benefit The Epilepsy Foundation and all the artists involved have donated there time and talent to see my dream through."

A song from the forthcoming EP, entitled "Chasing A Cure", is available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.

KAMELOT keyboardist Oliver Palotai's SONS OF SEASONS have issued the following update:

A break from live activities doesn't mean we're on vacation. The work on the second Sons Of Seasons album continues. Everything is recorded, except Oliver's orchestrations. But since he was a while in the US he might be excused .

But a lot of concerts are in the making. In December we will support legendary metal queen Doro Pesch for one event. January you'll find more. The release party month will be May. Details coming soon."

"Forsaken At The Gates" a brand new song from reactivated San Francisco Bay Area thrashers FORBIDDEN, is available for streaming at the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's new album, "Omega Wave", which will be released in Europe on October 22 and in North America on October 26 via Nuclear Blast Records. It was recorded at Sonic Room/Audio Voyage Studios in Livermore, California, produced by FORBIDDEN guitarist/songwriter Craig Locicero with Tim Narducci, and mixed by Sean Beavan (SLAYER, MARILYN MANSON, NINE INCH NAILS).

Sweden’s death metal maniacs THE CROWN's new album, Doomsday King, is now available all across Europe (it will be released on October 12th in North America). T

Marko Tervonen (rhythm guitar) is more than happy about this return: “Hell yes!!! Today is the release date of our comeback album Doomsday King. Should I say some grand words to get you all fired up? Well, I guess you all know by now that we have always kept the "hype" on the "we'll let the new music do the talking" level. Once again we feel comfortable in that mindset. This album will reveal where our hearts are in 2010, and that is to deliver the best possible death metal that is within us. Death metal is strong in us 2010! That's for sure!!!! I hope you'll find the time to give Doomsday King a couple of spins. Trust me, it's addictive!“

Since the Deathfeast Ultimate in Oberhausen, scheduled for October 2nd, was cancelled, The Crown have changed plans and set up a special record release show in Essen, Germany at the Turock.

It's been a banner year for the award-winning "Classic Albums" series. The most recent editions explore ground-breaking releases by TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS and BLACK SABBATH. The latest edition tackles not one, but TWO epic albums from progressive rock powerhouse RUSH. "Rush: 2112 & Moving Pictures Classic Albums" will be simultaneously released on DVD and Blu-ray via Eagle Rock Entertainment's Eagle Vision subsidiary on September 28. [MSRP $14.98 for DVD, $19.98 for Blu-ray]

Continuing the tradition of this celebrated series, "2112 & Moving Pictures Classic Albums" carries us through the creation of these musical masterpieces via brand new interviews, demonstrations, archive videos, and use of the original multi-track tapes. The titan trio of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer Neil Peart, joined by original producer Terry Brown, weigh in on the mammoth melodies, resounding riffs, and dynamic drum fills behind these immense aural soundscapes. Many others contribute to the commentary, such as FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins and acclaimed Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke. 112 minutes in total, this DVD digs even deeper with 50 minutes of bonus material not included in the recent VH1 Classic broadcast.

In the clip below, Lee, Lifeson and Peart hammer away at their very own prog-rock instrumental classic "YYZ". The song was originally included on 1981's "Moving Pictures" album and was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Rock Instrumental" category in 1982. The performance is included on "2112 & Moving Pictures Classic Albums".

These legendary albums mark pivotal points in RUSH's career. "2112", released in 1976, broke the band into major music chart domination, going #1 in their native Canada and in the Top 75 in the USA, where it was certified triple platinum. "Moving Pictures" added fuel to their rising stardom, opening them up to a mass audience with heavy-hitting hits like "Tom Sawyer". Going #1 and quadruple platinum in Canada, as well as hitting #3 in the USA and the U.K., this 1981 release remains their biggest selling album to date. RUSH is currently performing this album in its entirely on its "Time Machine" tour. "Rush: 2112 & Moving Pictures Classic Albums" is a perfect encapsulation of what made these albums successful, and why they are revered to this day.

Polish metallers HEXFIRE have announced that they have finished recording all the tracks for their forthcoming album and the recording session is finally over.

Says the band: "It was really a great experience for us. There was a lot of work but everything was very exciting. We recorded our songs in the studio with a legendary Polish engineer Janusz "Yanek" Bryt who is known for his long-term cooperation with great metal bands like DESTRUCTION, VADER and BEHEMOTH. That's so cool. Stay tuned for further information!"

As previously reported, former Behemoth / Vader bassist, Marcin “Novy” Nowak recorded a blistering bass track for the forthcoming new album. Other session and guest musicians on the new Hexfire album are Jonno Lodge (BIOMECHANICAL, ex- PAUL DI'ANNO), Alex Holzwarth (RHAPSODY OF FIRE, AVANTASIA), Diego ‘Grom’ Meraviglia (ex-ANCIENT, DOOMSWORD), Kasper Gram (MANTICORA), Martin Arendal (Manticora, WUTHERING HEIGHTS), Kristian Larsen (Manticora) and Kel’Thuz (SPIRITUAL DEMISE, KELTHUZZAR, SORCERER).

EXPLODE, a progressive metal band from Iran has signed a deal with Zirzamin, an Iranian/American record label located outside of Iran, who has released their first full length album, Labyrinth Of Solitude.

The band's musical style "is influenced by bands from 80s thrash metal music ala MEGADETH and METALLICA and more modern prog metal like DREAM THEATER and OPETH."

Labyrinth of Solitude tracklisting:

'The Frozen Tree' (12:00)
'Inner Cell' (12:20)
'Fallen Angel' (08:13)
'Eternal Dream' (09:02)
'The Last Thoughts Of A Disturbed Mind' (03:16)

French cult black metal band FORNICATION has announced the reunion of its original line-up for a show. The date of the gig has not been announced yet.

Formed in 2000, Fornication released a string of demos and finally put out their debut album Sectanik Neocide on Battleskrz in 2002. After parting way with members of the band, the singer Sabbat carried on with new musicians but changed the style from black punk to technical black death metal.

Now the original members are back for neckbreaking black n' roll madness and have uploaded two unreleased tracks below on YouTube.

Columbia Records will release Metallic Spheres by THE ORB featuring PINK FLOYD's David Gilmour on Tuesday, October 12th.

The Orb, the visionary UK ‘ambient/house’ collective, came to collaborate with David Gilmour after working together on a version of GRAHAM NASH’s Chicago for a charity project. Youth (aka Martin Glover), a frequent Orb accomplice, was invited to create a remix, and he and Alex Paterson, as The Orb, were so energized by the task that they continued working until it was an album-length entity. Having asked Gilmour to bring his guitars to Youth’s studio in South London to prolong and enrich their new creation, the trio worked up a sonic mixture in a range of styles. Thus, the Metallic Spheres project was born.

Metallic Spheres is designed to be heard in two parts - ‘Metallic Side’ (24’48”), and ‘Spheres Side’ (25’09”). Each track, or side, consists of five movements. The album uniquely utilizes David Gilmour’s discernable electric guitar and lap steel guitar, Alex Paterson’s sound manipulation, keyboards and turntables, and Youth’s bass guitar and keyboards.

Longtime Orb collaborator Simon Ghahary has created artwork, continuing and expanding on The Orb’s spatial art style.

The Orb’s Alex Paterson says: "It's a collision that's been waiting to happen with Pink Floyd / David Gilmour and The Orb orbiting many of the same planets"

The Orb, built around mainstay Alex Paterson, formed in London in 1989 during the birth of the rave movement. Initially founded on a mutual love of Brian Eno and German electronics, The Orb at present operates with a flexible line-up of collaborators that includes producer / multi-instrumentalist Youth, well-known for his work with Paul McCartney as The Fireman, as well as his production (Crowded House, Dido) and remixes (U2, Marilyn Manson).

David Gilmour's most recent solo album On An Island charted at No. 1 in the UK & Europe and No. 2 in Canada.

Metal Injection has posted two multi-cam live clips of progressive instrumental outfit ANIMALS AS LEADERS, shot at the New York City stop of the Summer Slaughter tour. The clips, for the tracks 'Tempting Time' and 'Wave Of Babies', are available below.

Additionally, the band gave a few minutes of their time for an exclusive interview discussing the reaction from music geeks, the type of music the band members listen to and more. Watch that here.

Canadian melodic rockers FORBIDDEN DREAM announce the release of their second album, Less Is More.

Less Is More continues the trend of melodic/progressive rock that FD created on their first album but with a more modern and crisp sound. The formidable new record contains great energetic rock anthems, proggy twists and turns, soulful ballads and undeniable hooks that will leave you satisfied.

Tracks from the new album are now streaming at the band's MySpace page.

Less Is More tracklisting:

'Alive'
'Hey Lord'
'If Only You Knew'
'Camp For The Weak'
'Around and Within'
'Give'
'Words'
'Harmonics'
'Leave It All To Me'

Dutch death metallers GOD DETHRONED recently finished recording their ninth album, "Under The Sign Of The Iron Cross", at the Soundlodge Studios in Leer, Germany.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. The Declaration of War
02. Storm of Steel
03. Fire Storm
04. The Killing is Faceless
05. Under the Sign of the Iron Cross
06. Chaos Reigns at Dawn
07. Through Byzantine Hemispheres
08. The Red Baron
09. On Fields of Death & Desolation

The German black/death/Viking metal band OBSCURITY has just set the release date for their upcoming album Tenkterra at November 12th. The band will release their new album through SMP/Trollzorn Records.

Tenkterra was recorded by Tim Schuldt at 4CN-Studio in Wuppertal (Germany). The mixing and mastering took place in Dead Rat Studio (Aarhus, Denmark) by Jacob Bredahl (ex-HATESPHERE). And all artwork is delivered by Jan Yrlund from Darkgrove Designs (also TÝR, KORPIKLAANI, STRATOVARIUS, SVARYSOT, IMPERIA, SIRENIA, FAANEFJELL). The production was in the hands of Obscurity and Bony (JAPANISCHE KAMPFHÖRSPIELE).

With Tenkterra, Obscurity have created a concept album about the epic Celtic/Germanic history. The concept is based on the region’s self-conception and historically substantiated events in the Bergisches Land. Tenkterra seizes on Celtic and Germanic roots putting them into the context of these events. The concept deals with the time between about 200 B.C. and 800 A.D., thereby spanning a time period of 1000 years. With regards to content the concept comprises the region’s Celtic roots, the Germanic expansion, the battle against the superior Roman Empire and the split-up of the late Germanic peoples by Christianization culminating in the epic war between Franks and Saxons.

The album title is characteristic of the concept and the region. Tenkterra is a composition made up of the words Tenkterer (Engl. tencteri; a Germanic tribe) and Terra (Lat. earth/land) meaning “land of the Tenkterer”. It synonymously stands for the Bergisches Land (region in Germany) and its self-conception which was most strongly shaped by the Tencteri.

Tenkterra tracklisting :

'Keltilwald'
'Tenkterer'
'Keldagau'
'Blut für Blut'
'Raubzug der Sugambrer'
'V Legion'
'Germanicus' Rache'
'Brukterer'
'Grenzland'
'Bergischer Hammer'

Greek extreme metallers SICKENING HORROR have issued the following update:

"Once more there's a change in the drum department in the SICKENING HORROR camp.

"We decided to part ways with Alex Zachos for musical reasons but this time we got the best possible replacement.

"Sometimes the answer is right in front of you, you just have to open your eyes and see!

"Our new drummer is Vasilis Antipatis! Not only Vasilis is George's [guitar, vocals] brother, but himself with George and Ilias [Daras, bass] back in 1999 consisted a band called SERIAL KILLER which was the early form of SICKENING HORROR!

"Vasilis has already performed with us at Mountains of Death Festival past August and it worked out great! So, at the moment we are working on the new songs of the upcoming third album on a totally different level and getting ready for some shows!"

THE OCEAN has completed work on its new album, "Anthropocentric", at Studio Mecanique in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the same facility where the band's previous effort, "Heliocentric", was recorded and mixed. The new CD was mastered on August 25 by Svante Forsbäck in Helsinki.

Musically, "Anthropocentric" feels somehow heavier than "Heliocentric". "The sound is more dense and maybe a tad more raw, which suits the songs perfectly", comments guitar player Jonathan Nido. The album covers a similar sonic and dynamic range as "Heliocentric", also including a number of calm, acoustic moments — but these are for the most part orchestrated with guitars, and not so much with piano and string section. The focus is on the heavy songs. "The album is a pretty big production, and still has a very earthy, organic feel to it", says Staps. "We have spent a great deal of time on the basic sound this time around, drums, bass, guitars and vocals… and at this stage I am pretty confident that this will pay off in the end!"

As far as the concepts behind "Anthropocentric" are concerned, the focus is on man and his place in the universe: at the center, as many fundamental Christians still claim today, or more likely a dust particle in its periphery? All lyrics are circling around this question. "'Anthropocentric' will continue the critique of Christianity, inspired by the questions that Dostoyevsky asked and some of the answers that Friedrich Nietzsche and Richard Dawkins gave," says Staps.

At the base of the album are three songs with the titles "The Grand Inquisitor I, II and III". These songs have been inspired by the chapter of the same title in Fjodor Dostoyevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamasov": a conversation between the brothers Ivan, an atheist, and Alyoscha, a monk. Ivan tells Alyoscha the story of a Second Coming of Christ in 16th century Sevilla. According to this parable, Jesus is arrested by the Catholic inquisition. The grand inquisitor who interrogates Jesus casts a new light on the legend of the temptation of Christ: he reproaches Jesus with having betrayed humanity and having deprived man of salvation by giving him freedom. The conversation between Ivan and Alyoscha mirrors, to some degree, the conversation between the grand inquisitor and Christ and raises more questions than it answers. "This long dialogue, which for the most part is rather a monologue of Ivan, is so complex and recondite that one could easily find inspiration for 10 concept albums about Christianity in it," explains Staps.

Only six guest musicians appear on the album, all classical musicians, most of whom can be heard on the CD's final cut. "Anthropocentric" is an effort by THE OCEAN's consolidated nucleus. "It is the first album where all members have actively partaken in the songwriting," says Staps.

"Anthropocentric" track listing:

01. Anthropocentric
02. The Grand Inquisitor I: Karamazov Baseness
03. She Was The Universe
04. For He That Wavereth…
05. The Grand Inquisitor II: Roots & Locusts
06. The Grand Inquisitor III: A Tiny Grain of Faith
07. Sewers Of The Soul
08. Wille Zum Untergang
09. Heaven TV
10. The Almightiness Contradiction
11. The Grand Inquisitor IV: Exclusion From Redemption