As BLABBERMOUTH.NET first reported on July 8, Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have now confirmed that they have tapped Swedish multi-instrumentalist Snowy Shaw (real name: Tommie Helgesson; THERION, DREAM EVIL, KING DIAMOND, MERCYFUL FATE, MEMENTO MORI, NOTRE DAME) to replace bassist/clean vocalist ICS Vortex (real name: Simen Hestnæs) on the band's upcoming album, "Abrahadabra", and world tour.

"Yeehaw! I'm so happy and proud to be in the coolest band on the planet (since KISS [circa] 1976)," Snowy told BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES), Eddie Vedder (PEARL JAM), Flea (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and Billy Gibbons (ZZ TOP) are among the guest musicians who appear on Ronnie Wood's seventh studio album, "I Feel Like Playing", which is due on September 28 via Eagle Records.

Featuring twelve brand new cuts, written specially for this release, "I Feel Like Playing" takes its name [and cover] from one of Ronnie's most vibrant recent artworks. The color and verve of the artwork is equally reflected in the swagger and roll of the music on the album. Solo work has always co-existed alongside Ronnie's band commitments and "I Feel Like Playing" is, he feels, his best album yet.

Ronnie Wood needs no introduction to any fan of British rock music. Starting his career with THE BIRDS and then CREATION, it was when Ronnie joined the JEFF BECK GROUP that he truly started to stamp his identity on the music world. After that group split, Ronnie — along with Rod Stewart — joined up with ex-SMALL FACES Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones in THE FACES. While Ronnie (and Rod) moved on after a couple of years, THE FACES are viewed by all rock fans as a truly classic band; and in fact they perform a handful of dates in 2010 with Mick Hucknall on vocals. After the release of his first solo album, Ronnie was invited to join THE ROLLING STONES — in 1975 — and remains with them to this day.

Rightly revered for his time with THE FACES, JEFF BECK GROUP and, of course, the STONES, Ronnie Wood has continued to chart his own course and his output of both high-quality music and art has been a constant. "I Feel Like Playing" is a great addition to his catalogue and all lovers of true British creative mavericks will find much to admire.

"I Feel Like Playing" track listing:

01. A Thing Like That
02. Sweetness
03. Lucky Man
04. I Gotta See
05. Thing About You
06. Catch You
07. Spoonful
08. I Don't Think So
09. 100%
10. Fancy Pants
11. Tell Me Something
12. Forever

German extreme metallers NEAERA will release their fifth album, "Forging The Eclipse", on October 22 via Metal Blade Records. The drum tracks for the album were laid down at Stage One Studio with Andy Classen, while the rest of the recording process was overseen by Alexander Dietz. The mixing/mastering was handled by Tue Madsen (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, DARK TRANQUILLITY, MOONSPELL). The artwork for "Forging The Eclipse" was created by longtime NEAERA collaborator Terje Johnsen (KEEP OF KALESSIN).

"Forging The Eclipse" track listing:

01. The Forging
02. Heaven's Descent
03. In Defiance
04. Eight Thousand Sorrows Deep
05. Arise Black Vengeance
06. Rubikon
07. Sirens of Black
08. Certitude
09. Exaltation
10. Tyranny of Want
11. The Prophecy
12. And to Posterity a Plague

WILDESTARR, the California-based symphonic metal duo consisting of powerhouse vocalist London Wilde and guitarist/bassist Dave Starr (VICIOUS RUMORS, CHASTAIN), has entered Big White studios in Alameda, California to begin recording its sophomore album for a tentative spring 2011 release.

Commented Starr: "We are firing on all cylinders. The new songs are crushing, and Josh [Foster] has been a great addition on drums." Wilde adds, "The new record is stunning. We are very excited to unleash it on the world when the time comes!"

According to Gibson.com, the 1974 Les Paul Custom guitar that Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads played on the classic albums "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman" has been one of the most requested reissues ever. Now the Gibson Custom Shop has announced the release of this legendary axe. More information will be made available soon.

Jackson delivered the news at this year's NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) show (which was held January 14-17, 2010 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California) with the announcement of the Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT) "tribute guitar." In collaboration with the Rhoads family, the Jackson Custom Shop built 60 exact replicas of the first Randy Rhoads Jackson guitar, often referred to as the Concorde.

According to TheMusicZoo.com, Randy's tribute model is a direct replica of his original 1980 Jackson asymmetrical V-shaped guitar that he personally designed. He intended to call this body style the Concorde and it is widely regarded as the "first pointy guitar." The original guitar had been kept at the Rhoads family music school since his death, and they say it had not been out of the case in over 20 years.

In 1982, Rhoads, the then-lead guitarist for OZZY OSBOURNE, and two others were killed at Flying Baron Estates, just outside Leesburg, Florida, when their small plane struck Osbourne's tour bus, then crashed into a mansion.

German progressive metallers VANDEN PLAS have issued the following updates:

"A very special event will take place on October 24th at the Pfalztheater in Kaiserslautern, Germany: Vanden Plas & Friends present a best of from the musicals in which they participated in the past - from Jesus Christ Superstar to Christ O!

Andy Kuntz and Günter Werno will again perform together as Piano Soul Bar in Kaiserslautern at the Bremerhof on September 16 (19:00, together with BURDETTE BECKS).

A video for the song 'Holes In The Sky' is being produced at the moment. We hope to have it ready in September!

Stephan Lill just recorded the final guitar parts for the fifth album of IAN PERRY'S CONSORTIUM PROJECT (click photo left to enlarge). Ian is now working on the final touches for the album, together with Marcus Teske (Bazement Studios). The album is called Species and will be released in early 2011."

Legendary bassist Geezer Butler (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL) has admitted to Canada's Exclaim! that he's unsure what his next professional move is going to be following the recent passing of HEAVEN & HELL singer Ronnie James Dio.

"We're all just on hold since Ronnie passed away," revealed Butler. "We did a tribute concert for his cancer fund a bit ago and that's about it. We're just wondering what to do next."

He added, "It's really difficult because it's obviously never happened to us before. It's difficult to know what to do, especially at our age. We're not sure. Do we start all over again? We're just gonna see how it goes. That's the thing. He's a very close friend of of mine, as well as someone I work with. It's a big part of my life gone. [Are we] getting a singer in and that kind of thing? ... It'll sort itself out eventually, I suppose, [but] HEAVEN & HELL is finished. It could only ever be with Ronnie. I'd still like to carry on with Tony [Iommi, guitar] and Vinny [Appice, drums] doing something but it won't be as HEAVEN & HELL."

Regarding the possibility of a reunion with Ozzy Osbourne and the prospect of new live shows by the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH, Butler said, "We're all talking again so that's a good sign — I hope. As far as the original band goes, there are so many places we never played that I'd love to visit. Japan for instance. We never ever played there or so many places in Eastern Europe or Asia that have opened up since the original band — or since the reunion of the original band. When we got the reunion thing back together, we really only played North America and Western Europe. That was it... Eventually I'd like to go to places we've never been there before. But it's easier said than done."

Australian melodic metallers LORD will release a new EP, "Return Of The Tyrant", later in the year.

Commented LORD mainmain Lord Tim: "Finally we can release all of the details about our forthcoming EP, 'Return Of The Tyrant', that will be out in the next few weeks. For something that started out as a quick, fun project to give everyone something to listen to while they wait for us to release our next album, it turned into a major undertaking in the end but it was all worth the extra effort.

"As far as EPs go, this is a long one; close to an album length of music, with eleven songs, including the title track, which clocks in around the ten-minute mark.

"As for the songs themselves, we have 'Return Of The Tyrant', which is essentially part two of the old DUNGEON song 'Tarranno Del Mar'. We'd always felt that the original story was unfinished and the intention was to revisit it at some point, but then DUNGEON broke up in 2005 and we continued on as LORD instead, and the idea was shelved. The original riffs that were floating around for that sequel have now finally made it to a recording.

"Unlike 'Tarranno Del Mar', which suffered all manner of budget and technical issues, we were able to go all out on 'Return Of The Tyrant' and fully orchestrate it, bring in actors, dozens of guitar parts and literally hundreds of voices in the choirs. It truly is an epic! It was also great to have our good friends and ex-band mates Tim Yatras and Mav Stevens come in to be a part of the choir.

"Longtime fans of the band will know we love playing cover songs and we have a massive list of songs we want to record, ranging from BON JOVI to BATHORY and beyond. This time we've recorded a cover of SYMPHONY X's classic 'Of Sins And Shadows' and the '80s pop hit by CUTTING CREW '(I Just) Died In Your Arms', which features lead vocals by [bassist] Andy Dowling.

"During our last Australian tour, we did some unplugged shows. That sparked the idea of recording some unplugged versions of LORD and DUNGEON songs one day, so we decided to include some on this EP: 'Against The Wind', '100 Reasons', 'Rain', 'New Horizons', 'Paradise' and 'Eternal Storm'. And if all of that wasn't enough, we've also put on two extra mixes of 'Return Of The Tyrant' — an orchestral version and a shorter radio edit.

"As usual, we've had our friend Felipe Machado Franco [BLIND GUARDIAN, RHAPSODY, ICED EARTH, GAMMA RAY] handle the cover art, which will also be featured on shirts that we'll be selling on our current tour.

"We're still hard at work writing the next LORD album, but we hope you enjoy the new EP until it's done."

"Return Of The Tyrant" track listing:

01. Return Of The Tyrant
02. Of Sins And Shadows (SYMPHONY X cover)
03. (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight (CUTTING CREW cover)
04. Against The Wind (unplugged)
05. Rain (unplugged)
06. 100 Reasons (unplugged)
07. Paradise (unplugged)
08. Eternal Storm (unplugged)
09. New Horizons (unplugged)
10. Return Of The Tyrant (orchestral version)
11. Return Of The Tyrant (radio edit)

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach was interviewed on this afternoon's (Thursday, August 19) edition of "The BS" ("The Buckethead Show") on Orlando, Florida's Real Radio 104.1. The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below. A couple of excerpts from the interview follow.

On why he sometimes takes issue with interviewers who "harp on the SKID ROW days":

Bach: "They're [the current lineup of SKID ROW] still around and they're playing where they play and I have to go on the Internet all the time and explain to people that I'm not in the band, and it's just frustrating.

"If you got fired from a job, everywhere you go, it wouldn't be, 'Jimmy who worked at McDonald's in '89.' You'd be like, 'Get over it.' [laughs]"

On why he can't reunite with his former bandmates as SKID ROW:

Bach: "Let me answer it as honestly as I can. You're talking about... When SKID ROW was last good... We broke up in '96, but I don't even count that. I would say '91 was when we were last really a good band. I just don't live in 1991 in 2010, and I'm talking about four other guys that I haven't seen in 15 years.

"I think of SKID ROW the same way you might think of picking up your high-school yearbook. You have affection for what happened 30 years ago, but you look at the yearbook and you go, 'Oh, cool,' and you shut it, and it's today.

"I don't know those people.

"It's not sports. It's not like a team.

"When I watch ['That Metal Show' host] Eddie Trunk's show — I love Eddie Trunk; he's one of my good friends — but he talks about musicians like they're sports teams.

"I don't express musically what they [the current lineup of SKID ROW] express in their last record.

"If you listen to their last record and you listen to my last record, then your answer would be right in front of you.

"If I wanted to just play songs from 30 years ago, then I would call 'em and we would go out with FOGHAT and KANSAS. But then I'd be lying to you. That's the way I feel.

"I look at SKID ROW and the nose chain and I go, 'Wow, cool. Neat.' And I shut the book. It's not relevant today to me.

"I don't wanna lie to my fans.

"To me, I would want honesty from my artists.

"Robert Plant can't go anywhere without hearing, 'Hey, why don't you do LED ZEPPELIN?' 'Cause it's not in his heart. 'Raising Sand' with Alison Krauss is who Robert Plant is — he's not squeezing the lemon juice down his leg at the age of 65. [laughs] And I'm not the 'Youth Gone Wild', I'm sorry — I'm 42. It's a great song, but I'm not gonna pretend that it's who I am today, 'cause it's not."

After nearly two years of intense touring behind their seventh studio album, "New World Orphans", the self-proclaimed Leaders of the Truth Movement (HED)P.E. have set an October 26 release date for their follow-up effort, "Truth Rising".

"The title is a statement about how in these days and times, more and more hidden knowledge is coming to the surface," commented frontman Jahred. "People are becoming aware that certain truths have been hidden from the masses. The way to control the people is to control our minds, and (HED)P.E. are determined to shine a light on these secrets. 'Truth Rising' is our way of saying that nothing can stop the evolution of this planet and its inhabitants. ‘We also want to remind people not to take themselves too seriously, so there are also a couple party anthems and tracks about the power of sex on the album. I think it's important that people don't become so obsessed with the Truth Movement that they forget the most important things, which are love and life."

With the release of "Truth Rising", (HED)P.E. has its sights firmly set on the New World Order and is using its brand of hardcore to bring it down. While early (HED)P.E. albums found the band mixed up in the rock n' roll lifestyle, the group has been reborn to become the voice for a movement that empowers the youth and uncovers the seedy underbelly of current political affairs.

SLIPKNOT/STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has told Bryan Reesman of the Attention Deficit Delirium that he is working on a book about the Seven Deadly Sins. "I just finished writing it, and it's being edited right now," Taylor said. "We're hoping to get it out by the spring of next year. It's about the Seven Deadly Sins and my take on them and how I don't think they're sins at all. They're human characteristics. They're just human flaws and things that we all experience, yet because we all deal with them we're all doomed? Screw you. To me, it's just part of being human, and it's me making the case for that and saying that you can go through all of these things and at the end of the day you can still be a good person. I'm telling stories from my past and balancing humor with serious, dark stuff. I'm really excited about it."

He added, "I'm very proud of the fact I didn't have a ghostwriter. I wrote it myself, so if it sucks you know who to blame."

According to Taylor, the book will published by Da Capo Press.

According to The Pulse of Radio, SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian will release his second solo album, "Imperfect Harmonies", on September 21, but still has nothing to report on the SYSTEM front since the band went on hiatus four years ago. "Shavo [Odadjian, bassist] got married like two months ago, we were all at his wedding, and you know, we all talk, we're friends, nothing's changed, and we get offers to play shows, tours, whatever, and we discuss them once in a while," Serj said. "We have not made any decisions as of yet as to what we're gonna do. But when we do, it'll be quite obvious."

Meanwhile, Odadjian himself said in a new interview with Hustler magazine that SYSTEM went on an "indefinite break" to save the band from splitting up permanently.

Odadjian explained, "We won a Grammy and we had two number one records. We were making a lot of loot [money]. Then some people within the group of four brothers started seeing things differently . . . and their actions made the reactions of others pretty unbrotherly-like."

The bass player added, "All of a sudden band members are having problems financially. . . . [and] fighting about, 'I want my style of music to be this and that.' I love them. They're my brothers, but I couldn't see my brothers digging into each other's pockets and killing each other's artistic creativity."

Odadjian said that the band members vowed to come back "when we again have the hunger and the fire in our eyes that we did when we started SYSTEM OF A DOWN."

"Static Impulse", the new solo album from DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie, will be released on September 28 (one day earlier internationally) via InsideOut Music. The CD marks LaBrie's first solo effort in over five years and is sure to please his legion of diehard fans, as well as win over many new devotees in the process.

"Static Impulse" track listing:

01. One More Time (4:16)
02. Jekyll Or Hyde (3:46)
03. Mislead (4:18)
04. Euphoric (5:09)
05. Over The Edge (4:20)
06. I Need You (4:11)
07. Who You Think I Am (3:57)
08. I Tried (3:58)
09. Just Watch Me (4:18)
10. This Is War (4:30)
11. Superstar (3:32)
12. Coming Home (4:29)
13. Jekyll Or Hyde (demo) (3:48) *
14. Coming Home (alternate mix) (4:23) *

* Limited-edition digipak bonus tracks

U.S. gore legends AUTOPSY will issue the "The Tomb Within" EP on September 13 through Peaceville Records on CD and 12-inch vinyl, with general release set for September 27. Cover art is supplied by renowned fantasy/horror artist Matt Cavotta.

"The Tomb Within" was recorded mid-July 2010 at Fantasy Studios with Adam Munoz and sees the original trio of Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler joined on bass by Joe Trevisano (ex-ABSCESS).

According to Contactmusic.com, PHIL COLLINS is still sore about his Live Aid jam with LED ZEPPELIN 25 years ago, revealing he almost walked off stage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania mid-set.

Collins and CHIC star Tony Thompson were drafted in as replacements for Led Zep's late drummer John Bonham and even the the members of the rock supergroup accept it was a terrible gig.

Guitarist Jimmy Page blamed the replacement drummers for not learning their parts, but now Collins claims it was Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones who ruined the experience.

The GENESIS star, who performed at both London and Philadelphia's Live Aid venues on the same day, tells Spin magazine, "They weren't very good and I was made to feel a little uncomfortable by the dribbling Jimmy Page. If I could have walked off, I would have - but then we'd be talking about why Phil Collins walked off from Led Zeppelin. So I just stayed there and bit my tongue."

EYES SET TO KILL's frontwoman Alexia Rodriguez (a.k.a. Lexia) has set an October 12, 2010 release date for her new solo album, "Lexia: Underground Sounds". The CD will include acoustic versions of classic EYES SET TO KILL tracks, a cover of RADIOHEAD's "Climbing Up The Walls", and new material that takes Lexia in a whole new direction.

Lexia is currently streaming an acoustic version of the song "Reach" online at this location.

"When I'm on the road, I have nothing but time on my hands, so for the most part I'm always trying to find something constructive to kill the time," Lexia commented.

"The songs I write on the road are mellow and chilled, which don't necessarily work as EYES SET TO KILL songs.

"I try to write songs in different styles and genres and just demo them for myself.

"I never thought about putting out a solo album, but my manager heard them and freaked out saying, 'These are amazing, you have to release them!' At first I was nervous and wondering what my band would think, but they were super-supportive of the idea."

Rodriguez wants fans to see a different side of her with the release of "Lexia: Underground Sounds". Dark, atmospheric indie pop, and extremely melodic, the CD plays to Rodriguez's strengths as a songwriter. Unshackled from the expectations of fans and the confines of her bandmates, it's here that she flourishes and blossoms with confidence as a vocalist and artist, to evoke comparisons to Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, and RADIOHEAD's Thom Yorke.

"Lexia: Underground Sounds" track listing:

01. Intro
02. Basements
03. Climbing Up The Walls
04. Let Me In
05. Over
06. Come Home
07. Still Here
08. Memories
09. World Outside
10. Reach
11. Waste
12. Come Home Acoustic

MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil attended the KISS concert Friday night (August 20) at the PNC Bank Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Neil had a night off from the Ozzfest tour and was invited by promoter Gabe Reed to attend the show. Also in attendance was Lady Gaga. Both Neil and Lady Gaga watched the show from the soundboard, which created a spectacle for fans in attendance.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has previously referred to Lady Gaga as "the female version" of his group, saying "I love the vibe, the big mouth and the big visuals. She's the most exciting thing to happen since us."

Lemmy Kilmister (MOTÖRHEAD), James Kottak (SCORPIONS) and Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) are among the musicians who were honored at the first-ever Vegas Rocks! Magazine Awards, which was held this past Sunday, August 22 inside the original home of rock, The Elvis Showroom at the Las Vegas Hilton. Honoring local and legendary rock artists, the show, themed "I Wanna Rock," featured an all-star jam capped off with a performance by TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider and '80s hard rock queen Lita Ford.

THE OCEAN is in the process of mixing 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 will be 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

The last track is a bonus track which will only appear on the vinyl and the limited European deluxe digipak version.

The Pulse of Radio reports that Courtney Love, the widow of late NIRVANA frontman Kurt Cobain, has settled a lawsuit brought by a management firm over money earned from the sale of the rights to Cobain's songs. According to the BBC, Love was sued in 2008 for $1 million by London & Co., who claimed that the HOLE singer owed the firm a percentage of the earnings from the sale of NIRVANA's publishing, which raked in nearly $20 million.

Attorneys for both Love and London & Co. told a Los Angeles judge earlier this month that the two sides had reached a settlement, leading to the suit's dismissal.

Love has controlled the rights to Cobain's music since his suicide in April 1994, although she clashed over its use with the surviving members of NIRVANA several years later.

She eventually sold the publishing rights after a period during which she battled her own legal, financial and drug problems.

Longstanding Danish metal band MANTICORA will release its seventh full-length album, "Safe", on the following dates:

Japan: September 8
Europe/Australia: September 20
USA/Canada: October 12

According to the group, "the delay in the release date in North America is due to the fact that our record label [Nightmare Records] has changed distributor — they are now with Sony/RED distribution, which should enhance the chances of more sales in this territory."

"Safe", which will be made available in Japan through Stay Gold/Art Union Records, was completed at Jailhouse Studios in Horsens, Denmark, once again produced and mixed by Tommy Hansen (JORN LANDE, HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS).

You can listen to one-minute audio clips of all songs on the album and pre-order your copy of "Safe" at this location.

Escape Music has set a September 24 release date for the much-anticipated new album from Tom Galley, the creator of PHENOMENA, titled "Blind Faith". The effort features guest contributions from countless renowned musicians such as:

* Mike DeMeo (RIOT, MASTERPLAN)
* Rob Moratti and Ian Crichton (SAGA)
* Tony Martin (BLACK SABBATH)
* Ralf Scheepers and Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR)
* Mikael Erlandsson (SALUTE, LAST AUTUMN'S DREAMS)
* Chris Ousey (HEARTLAND)
* Steve Overland (OVERLAND, FM)
* Terry Brock (GIANT, STRANGEWAYS).

Ian Gillan (DEEP PURPLE), Lou Gramm (FOREIGNER), Steve Lee (GOTTHARD) and Dan McCafferty (NAZARETH) will take part in the 2011 edition of the "Rock Meets Classic" tour. They will be supported by a band, directed by Mat Sinner (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER) and including American singer-songwriter Amanda Somerville, and by the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague.

"Rock Meets Classic" 2011 dates:

Jan. 05 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
Jan. 06 - Prague, Czech Republic - Telsa Arena
Jan. 07 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
Jan. 08 - Linz, Austria - Tip Arena
Jan. 09 - Nuremberg, Germany - Frankenhalle
Jan. 11 - Passau, Germany - Dreiländerhalle
Jan. 12 - Bamberg, Germany - JAKO Arena
Jan. 13 - Kempten, Germany - Big Box
Jan. 14 - Genf, Switzerland - Arena
Jan. 15 - Sursee, Switzerland - Stadthalle
Jan. 16 - Zurich, Switzerland - Kongresshaus
Jan. 18 - Basel, Switzerland - Congress Center
Jan. 20 - Regensburg, Germany - Donau Arena
Jan. 21 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Frankenstolz Arena
Jan. 22 - Halle/Westfalen, Germany- Gerry Weber Stadion
Jan. 23 - Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom

"The Apex Doctrine", the new video from SYSTEM DIVIDE — the extreme modern metal act featuring Sven De Caluwé (ABORTED) and Miri Milman (ex-DISTORTED) on vocals, Cole Martinez (ex-YEARS OF FIRE, ANTENORA) and Joseph Spiller (ex-THE BINARY CODE) on guitars, Andrew Lenthe (ANTENORA) on bass, and Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY) on drums — can be viewed below. The clip was directed by Kevin Custer, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, DOPE, DYING FETUS and SUFFOCATION, among others.

"The Apex Doctrine" comes off SYSTEM DIVIDE's full-length debut, "The Conscious Sedation", which is scheduled for a September 14 release via Metal Blade Records. The CD was recorded at Conquistador studios in Cleveland, Ohio and was mixed and mastered by James Murphy (OBITUARY, TESTAMENT, DEATH).