On Friday, May 28, a small group of SLIPKNOT fans gathered at Alexanderplatz in the heart of German capital Berlin to mourn the loss of the band's bassist, Paul Gray. Some wore masks, some brought banners, some brought candles — and all bid the musician farewell. The meeting was organized solely by fans.

Footage of the fan meeting and personal goodbyes is available for viewing at the web site of the German edition of Metal Hammer magazine.

Orange County, California's AVENGED SEVENFOLD has launched a pre-order for the limited-edition version of the band's new album, "Nightmare", which will be released on July 27 via Warner Bros. Records. The package can be ordered here.

The limited edition includes:

* Full "Nightmare" album on CD.
* Expanded booklet featuring lyric sheets from the band and exclusive artwork.
Housed in a synthetic leather bound book with special silver-plated "Nightmare" crest.
* Limited 24" x 36" lithograph entitled "Death Bat Anatomy" featuring original artwork on special textured paper embossed with a silver-colored Death Bat.
* Instant download of the new single "Nightmare"

AVENGED SEVENFOLD recently tapped famed video director Wayne Isham to helm the clip for the band's new single, "Nightmare".

JUDAS PRIEST is part of Legacy Recordings' brand-new Setlist series of live collections which will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting July 13.

The track listing for the PRIEST compilation is as follows:

01. Judas Rising
02. Riding On The Wind
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Breaking The Law
05. Exciter
06. Tyrant
07. Out In The Cold
08. Dissident Aggressor
09. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)
10. Beyond The Realms Of Death
11. Freewheel Burning
12. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

In an exciting new configuration, each single-CD volume in the Setlist series will consist of remastered .mp3-ready live tracks drawn from each artist's vast archive of live album recordings. The CD is embedded with computer-accessible .pdf files containing liner notes essays, discographical information, photography, bonus features, and more. The package itself will be a plastic-free, 100% recycled paper, recyclable eco-friendly digi-pak, and the product line will be priced for budget-minded consumers.

The Setlist series takes advantage of the multitudes of live recordings – some rarities, others released on best-selling albums, and still some others remaining previously unreleased in the vaults — until now.

The Setlist series follows up Legacy's successful Playlist series launched two years ago. Each volume reflected an insider's musical tastes, with familiar tracks and hits alongside rarities, out-of-print, hard-to-find, and unreleased material that is characteristic of the Legacy experience.

According to Metal Hammer, last night's (Thursday, June 3) SLAYER concert at the Forum in London, England was shut down for 25 minutes while a fan was taken out of the venue in a stretcher.

Despite a strong police presence outside the show, it reportedly took the ambulance service nearly half an hour to get to the venue an take the fan to a hospital.

SLAYER was forced to put its show on hold while the injured fan was left unconscious on the Forum floor waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

Anthony Jenkins, who attended last night's concert, tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET, "The show initially ground to a halt during the fourth song, 'Disciple', when the band realized that there was a fan who was seriously hurt in the pit to the extent that they couldn't be moved. There was a 20-minute delay while the ambulance crew arrived, loaded said fan on to a stretcher and wheeled him out. Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] then thanked to the crowd for being so patient and laid back before launching back into the show and treating everyone to a world-first, the whole of 'Seasons In The Abyss' back to back."

SLAYER's setlist was as follows:

01. World Painted Blood
02. Jihad
03. Hate Worldwide
04. Disciple
05. Beauty Through Order
06. War Ensemble
07. Blood Red
08. Spirit in Black
09. Expendable Youth
10. Dead Skin Mask
11. Hallowed Point
12. Skeletons of Society
13. Temptation
14. Born of Fire
15. Seasons in the Abyss

First Encore:

16. Mandatory Suicide
17. Raining Blood
18. Aggressive Perfector

Second Encore:

19. South of Heaven
20. Angel of Death

On May 26, SLAYER kicked off a European tour which will include several Sonisphere festival appearances where the band will be part of the "Big Four" — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, and ANTHRAX. The group will return to North America in late July to co-headline (with MEGADETH) the east coast Canadian Carnage tour, and then, starting August 11, the American Carnage tour.

Basick Records will be releasing Cursed, the new ear-crushing album from Canadian extreme technical heroes ION DISSONANCE.

Ion Dissonance was founded in early 2002 by 5 friends who had the intention of creating an extreme metal sound, more defined and complex than anything else previously heard before.

After 3 successful and progressive full length albums (notably Minus The Herd, 2007) and more than 750 shows played in over 5 years of touring, Ion Dissonance went into hiatus to concentrate on a more personal life, as well as renew their inspiration to create pioneering extreme music.

After almost three years of working full time jobs the band finally came back together and created Cursed (recorded and produced by the bands guitar player Antoine Lussier); an album inspired by the bands personal struggles and underpinned by a unifying determinism to break the mould of generic standards in heavy music.

With their heaviest and most extreme album to date, the band is ready to bring their fresh new style to a whole new level.

Cursed, Ion Dissonance's fourth album, will be released in Europe on August 23rd.

A brand-new track from the New Jersey/New York band ILL NINO entitled "Scarred (My Prison)" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

Commented the group: "We know it's been a while but, we have some great news for you all. At the moment, we are well into the production of our new record.

"It feels awesome to be back in the studio making new music.

"Looking back to our first record, 'Revolution', it feels like it was just yesterday. Except it's 2010 and you've stuck with us for almost 10 years!

"Thank you for being patient. We love you all!

"This record is going to be worth the wait!"

According to an article in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine (Issue 1104 - May 13, 2010), Ozzy Osbourne will release a Christmas album, "Black Christmas", late next year, accompanied by a TV special. Ozzy's wife and manager insisted with a laugh that she'd discussed the idea with him, but "he's trying to forget that it actually exists." The article also reveals that Ozzy will release deluxe 30th-anniversary editions of his first two solo albums — "Blizzard Of Ozz" (1980) and "Diary Of A Madman" (1981) — with their original drum and bass tracks restored (unlike the 2002 reissues of these albums, which saw the replacement of the original bass and drum tracks by Osbourne's then-drummer Mike Bordin and -bassist Robert Trujillo).

Regarding the sound of his new solo album, "Scream", Ozzy told Rolling Stone, You can stay in the Eighties or move on. It's a very heavy record. It's a bit of my SABBATH days. It's a bit of my solo days. It's a bit of the modern day."

The new album and tour will introduce Greek guitarist Gus G. (FIREWIND, DREAM EVIL, ARCH ENEMY). Ozzy parted ways last year with axeman Zakk Wylde, who has played on every Ozzy album and almost every tour since 1988.

Gus played over nearly finished tracks rather than collaborating on songwriting as Wylde did. "It's a fine line, actually, between thinking of the ghosts of past [Ozzy] guitar players and basically not caring at all," said Gus. "I just tried to be myself and have respect for Ozzy's legacy as an artist."

Meanwhile, Ozzy has sold the film rights to his best-selling memoir, "I Am Ozzy". "It has to be a brand new talent playing Ozzy," said Sharon, "because if you go the Val Kilmer/'Doors' way, it becomes too Hollywood."

Ozzy told Rolling Stone he was excited to hit the road and was already thinking about potential set lists. "I've got such a fucking body of work to choose from now," he said. I'd like to do some different SABBATH songs, and some different Ozzy songs." Also under consideration are full performances of the "Blizzard" and "Diary" albums as a way to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

On Saturday, June 5, former HELLOWEEN singer Michael Kiske returned to the live stage for the first time in 17 years with his new band UNISONIC — also featuring Dennis Ward (bass) and Kosta Zafiriou (drums) of Germany's PINK CREAM 69 and Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer (who has previously played with ASIA, GOTTHARD and KROKUS) — for a headlining performance at Live Music Hall in Mörlenbach, Germany.

The group's setlist was as follows:

01. Cross The Line (PLACE VENDÔME's self-titled debut)
02. I'll Be Gone (extended ending) (PLACE VENDÔME's self-titled debut)
03. I'll Be Waiting (PLACE VENDÔME's self-titled debut)
04. Set Me Free (PLACE VENDÔME's "Streets Of Fire")
05. My Guardian Angel (PLACE VENDÔME's "Streets Of Fire")
06. Too Late (PLACE VENDÔME's self-titled debut)
07. 6/8 Souls Alive (new song, written by Mandy Meyer)
08. Completely Breathless (PLACE VENDÔME's "Streets Of Fire")
09. Sign Of The Times (PLACE VENDÔME's self-titled debut)
10. Streets of Fire (PLACE VENDÔME's "Streets Of Fire")
11. The Setting Sun (PLACE VENDÔME's self-titled debut)
12. Follow Me (PLACE VENDÔME's "Streets Of Fire")
13. Kids Of The Century (reworked HELLOWEEN song from Kiske's "Past In Different Ways")
14. A Little Time (reworked HELLOWEEN song from Kiske's "Past In Different Ways")
15. 6/8 Souls Alive (reprise)
16. Cross The Line (reprise)

Singer Sean Peck of San Diego metallers CAGE has been added to the list of musicians who have recorded guest appearances on "Reborn in Fire", the upcoming album from EMPIRES OF EDEN — the brainchild of PAINDIVISION/ex-DUNGEON guitarist Stu Marshall.

Commented Stu: "Sean was one of the guys I approached for the album after being a huge fan of his band CAGE. His vocal range is something to really hear as the guy has one of the most intense and expressive voices in metal music today. The other great thing was his ability to compose material. I sent him a song that was really aggressive and he was able to rearrange the parts as he saw a best fit.

Century Media Records has set a July 9 European release date (July 13 in the U.S.) for "A Star Crossed Wasteland", the third album from Southern California's IN THIS MOMENT. The CD was recorded at The Wolves Den studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with producer Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH).

"A Star-Crossed Wasteland" track listing:

01. The Gun Show
02. Just Drive
03. The Promise
04. Standing Alone
05. A Star-Crossed Wasteland
06. Blazin'
07. The Road
08. Iron Army
09. The Last Cowboy
10. World In Flames

The album's aggressive opening track, "The Gun Show", is available for streaming on the band's Facebook page. The song has also been released digitally via iTunes.

"England Rocks", the new video from DOWN 'N OUTZ — a project fronted by DEF LEPPARD's Joe Elliott, backed by THE QUIREBOYS and playing rare tracks connected only by MOTT THE HOOPLE — can be viewed at this location. The clip features cameo appearances by Alice Cooper, Brian May and Ian Hunter, among others.

In other news, DOWN 'N OUTZ will play a special club show at the Borderline in London, England on July 22. Tickets, which only cost 10 pounds, are extremely limited and can be purchased at Ticketweb.

Sometimes the most interesting of projects arise from the most unusual of circumstances.

Joe Elliott takes up the story: "When MOTT THE HOOPLE announced they were reforming for a week's worth of shows at the Hammersmith Odeon, I was asked that I participate in some capacity. They've always been my favorite band and it's nice to see the rest of the rock world finally catch up and give them their due.

"But, what was I to do? It was suggested to me that THE QUIREBOYS would be up for offering their services. This was perfect! A fan since their first album, I loved the idea of working with a band as enthusiastic to do this as I was.

"I decided that the thing to do was play some songs that like minded people thought they would never hear live again, if ever, songs by spin-offs of MOTT THE HOOPLE — songs by Mott, Ian Hunter and BRITISH LIONS. Songs that are close to my heart, songs that I've played every week for the best part of 35 years on record, cassette, CD, iPod and now live."

The DOWN 'N OUTZ supported MOTT THE HOOPLE at one of their legendary 2009 reformation shows at Hammersmith Odeon. In addition to Joe Elliott (vocals, guitar, keyboards), the band featured THE QUIREBOYS' Paul Guerin (guitar), Guy Griffin (guitar), Keith Weir (keyboards) and Phil Martini (drums) and finally bassist Ronnie Garrity (RAW GLORY). Following a rapturous reception, the one-night project took on a life and energy of its own and an album project was born. DOWN 'N OUTZ then set about recording an album's worth of material. Entitled "My Re Generation", the CD was produced by Joe Elliott, with co-production by Ronan McHugh, and was recorded at Elliott's own studio Joe's Garage and Moor Hall studio in Bedfordshire.

"My Re Generation" track listing (with original recording artist listed in parenthesis):

01. Golden Opportunity (Ian Hunter)
02. Storm (Mott)
03. Overnight Angels (Ian Hunter)
04. Career (No Such Thing As Rock 'n' Roll) (Mott)
05. England Rocks (Ian Hunter)
06. Shouting And Pointing (Mott)
07. By Tonight (Mott)
08. Who Do You Love (Ian Hunter)
09. One More Chance To Run (BRITISH LIONS)
10. Good Times (Mott, originally recorded by THE EASYBEATS)

Norwegian singer Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (LEAVES' EYES, ex-THEATRE OF TRAGEDY) will release her new solo album, "Skintight", via Napalm Records on the following dates:

Aug. 27 - Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Aug. 30 - Rest of Europe
Aug. 31 - USA, Canada

The "Skintight" digital-download single will be released worldwide on August 6.

"Skintight" track listing:

01. Skintight
02. Twofold
03. Train to Somewhere
04. Love in Grey
05. Emotional Catastrophes
06. Life Line
07. Boy at the Window
08. Wonders
09. Versified Harmonies
10. The Rarest Flower
11. One Of Them (limited-edition digipack bonus track)

The CD was recorded at Mastersound Studio and the artwork (see below) was created by Stefan Heilemann.

Massachusetts-based metallic juggernauts THE ACACIA STRAIN have set "Wormwood" as the title of their new album, due on July 20 in North America (August 2 in Europe) via Prosthetic Records. The follow-up to 2008's "Continent" was recorded at Planet Z Studios in Hadley, Massachusetts with producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris. The cover artwork for the album was created by Justin Kamerer of Angryblue and is available below.

Maldives-based melodic thrashers SERENITY DIES have posted the title track from new EP Hacksawcracy at their MySpace page.

Hacksawcracy boasts contributions from ANTHRAX's Rob Caggiano and KIUAS guitarist Mikko Salovaara.

The tracklisting:

'Bullet Reign'
'Psycho Ride' (featuring Rob Caggiano)
'In Devils Symmetry'
'Blood Serenade'
'Hacksawcracy'
'Dystopian Law' (featuring Mkko Salovaara)

The Hacksawcracy EP will be released in all major digital outlets in US, UK, Japan and Finland on July 15th. More on the band at this location.

Spanish metallers DARK MOOR has contacted BraveWords.com with the following update from vocalist Alfred Romero:

"It is a pleasure to inform you of this good news. We are currently working on the songwriting for what will be our eighth studio album, which we get to burn in the summer.

In August we will depart for Italy to carry it out with the help of our long time friend and producer, Luigi Stefanini, from New Sin Studios, and we hope the new work sees the light at the end of this year.

Just to tell you that there will be some surprises that we are sure you will like. We are very excited about how things are going and we believe that is a very important step in our career.

Stay tunned, soon we will forward some other things. A big hug from the whole band for everyone!"

Brazilian power metallers DREAMSTATE have announced the forthcoming release of their new full-length album, entitled When Shadows Fall.

The band, which features musicians Max Veloso (vocals), Murilo Mazza (guitars), Paolo Bruno (guitars) and Thales De Rossi (drums), has also posted audio samples for the new album at their MySpace page.

When Shadows Fall tracklisting:

'Shadows Fall'
'Painland'
'Damn My Name'
'The Black Knight'
'Swamps'
'Impossible Angel'
'Raven's Eyes'
'Eternal Cold Hell'
'The Yearning For Silence'
'Disease And Desires'

The cover artwork for 'Weight Of Coronation', the third album from Spanish "doom thrashers" HORN OF THE RHINO (formerly RHINO), can be viewed below. Due in July 2010 through Doomentia Records, the CD was recorded in March at Koba studios in Bilbao with producer Xanpe and once again features artwork by renowned artist Rafa Garrés, who previously worked with the band on its second album, "Dead Throne Monarch".

"Weight Of Coronation" track listing:

01. Weight Of Coronation
02. Speaking In Tongues
03. Brimstone Breath
04. Crushed And Dragged To The Swamp
05. Southern Beast
06. Throats In Blood
07. Mass Burial Punishment
08. Sovereign

A deluxe vinyl version features an extra (and exclusive to this edition) cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Disturbing The Priest".

Members of the Norwegian stoner metal band KRAKOW has recently joined forces with Kraft (guitar and vocals) and Blix (vocals) in the Bergen-based black metal group VIÐR. The new project, which is rounded out by Eld (bass and vocals) and Tulkas (drums), will enter the studio in August.

According to a press release, VIÐR is "an old-school black metal band and their live performance will show just that.

"The [group's] name comes from old Norse and means forest. Music and lyrics [are inspired by] different experiences/views in life, nature, folklore and so on..."

Video footage of HAIL! — the supergroup featuring vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, BEYOND FEAR), guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), drummer Paul Bostaph (TESTAMENT, SLAYER, EXODUS, FORBIDDEN) and bassist James Lomenzo (MEGADETH) — performing in Russia earlier this week can be viewed below.

Commented the band: "We finished our third date in Omsk tonight and the place went off!

"Our first night in Novosibirsk was a good kick-off and last night in Tomsk was great, too.

"These kids are crazy! They are rabid fans and very appreciative of the effort we've made to travel here. And it's been quite an effort! LOL

"We literally are half way around the world from where we live, meaning 10-13-hour time differences, and the internal travel has been brutal on us.

"Because of the lack of alternatives, we've had long overnight flights, train and car rides three nights in a row and it's been physically draining, but the guys have been troopers and hanging tough.

"It's always a great experience hanging together and these all-nighters create super-strong bonds together.

"The setlist continues to grow as we keep adding new songs every night. Tonight we added 'Fucking Hostile', 'Walk', 'TNT' and 'Heaven And Hell'. Last night we threw in 'Chemical Warfare' with Andreas singing and 'Back In Black'.

"In addition to paying our respects to Ronnie James Dio in the songs we already included in our set, we are playing SLIPKNOT's 'Sic' as a tribute of appreciation for Paul Gray. This was his personal pick of songs and the crowds have been going nuts for it.

"There have been a bunch of fans who brought signs and banners and also a nightly candlelight memorial has been set up paying homage to him with a nice display of pictures, flowers and notes.

"We will all miss you, buddy.

"Tomorrow we head west, over the Ural Mountains and back into the European side of Russia to Ekaterinburg."

Indiana-based Christian metalcore band HASTE THE DAY has already announced ambitious plans to celebrate the release of its new CD, "Attack of the Wolf King", by playing a June 29 hometown show where it will be joined by past members of the group. Now the band is excited to announce that the one-of-a-kind concert will be filmed for a future DVD release.

The one-time performance, which is being billed as "HASTE THE DAY vs. HASTE THE DAY" will feature all the former members of the band coming back to play the old favorites.

"This may turn out to be the best HASTE THE DAY show that will ever happen," explains bassist Mike Murphy. "It's hard when band members grow older and no longer have the energy and passion to stay on the road. With HASTE THE DAY, our purpose has always been bigger than the individual members. We want to be a voice to kids at shows, that they are loved and important. So, as members leave, they pass the torch to the newer guys, and the mission continues on. There are no hard feelings within the HASTE THE DAY camp and we are blessed that both versions of the band are essentially one big family. So, to bring those two groups together for one show just demonstrates the true purpose and unity of this band."

In addition to celebrating the release of "Wolf King", the band will perform songs from their entire catalog, swapping out old and new members from HASTE THE DAY's different eras, and the band is thrilled to be able to share the experience with their fans.

Adds Murphy: "We're hoping that as many fans as possible will join in this celebration, so we invite everyone to travel and share this special occasion with us!"