San Francisco Bay Area metallers SKINLAB have parted ways with guitarist Brian Jackson (of the Las Vegas band KREEP) and have been rejoined by Mike Roberts.

Commented bassist/vocalist Steev Esquivel: "Mike . . has been hard at work learning new material as well as some oldies that we haven't busted out since Mike's departure in '98.

"Needless to say we are all totally stoked to have Mike back. He was such a huge part of the SKINLAB sound and is sure to re-establish is style again as we start writing for the next SKINLAB album this summer.

"As far as touring plans, we have select shows that we've been putting together in the U.S., a couple festivals in Europe this summer and will be heading over to South America for a few shows as well.

"Since Mike's return the last few weeks we have gotten tons of support from our friends and peers; everyone seems as excited as us.

"Who knows what the future holds?! We'll see!!!"

SKID ROW has parted ways with drummer Dave Gara and has replaced him with Atlanta native Rob Hammersmith.

Commented SKID ROW singer Johnny Solinger: "We wish Davee all the best for the future and we are very excited to begin working with Rob." Guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo added, "Let's put it this way: We gave him (Rob) a lot of songs to learn and not much time to learn them, but he came through like a champ."

Rob spent many years touring and recording with Atlanta-based rockers ROCKETS TO RUIN and has performed with GUNFIRE 76, the band featuring MURDERDOLLS frontman Wednesday 13.

When asked about his new gig, Hammersmith stated, "Having always been a fan, it is an honor to be asked to join the band. The band's music and history holds a special place in both my life, and the lives of so many loyal fans. To be a part of that history is the chance of a lifetime."

Video footage of SKID ROW performing the song "Ghost" live in the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut on August 14, 2009 can be viewed below (clip uploaded by "Metalbabe86").

SKID ROW's latest album, "Revolutions Per Minute", was released on October 24, 2006 via SPV Records. The follow-up to 2003's "ThickSkin" was recorded at WireWorld studio in Nashville, Tennessee with Michael Wagener, who previously worked with the band on their two most commercially successful albums to date, "Skid Row" (1989) and "Slave to the Grind" (1991).

New Zealand's Stuff.co.nz reports: Tickets to METALLICA's two Auckland shows sold out in just 20 minutes [Thursday] morning [May 13], leaving some angry fans empty-handed.

The tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. and promoters for the two shows, on October 13 and 14 at Vector Arena, said they were sold out by 9:20 a.m.

Stuff.co.nz was swamped with feedback by irate fans who tried to buy them over the internet, but couldn't get through.

"I was on the website from 8.50am and nothing. Both pre-sales failed and sure enough no 25th birthday for me. It was going to be the best start to my honeymoon too," said a poster called Chris.

"Once again, the Ticketmaster website is unstable and not up to modern day needs," said another poster called Mark.

Mark Prado of ContraCostaTimes.com reports: The controversy prompted by a fence erected by Marin rocker James Hetfield is not quite over, but this time it has nothing to do with the METALLICA frontman.

The heavy-metal star put up a fence in 2008 to keep people from hiking and riding past it after some people trashed his land. The fence effectively cut off the popular Luiz Ranch Fire Trail in the Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide open space preserve.

But the county has planned a new path around the Hetfield land — provisionally named the "680 Trail" — for the elevation of the 2.9-mile path.

Screaming Crow Records have issued the following update on the new PAIN OF SALVATION album, Road Salt One:

"Pain of Salvation have redesigned their MySpace page to include new, pre-listing, tracks of 'Linoleum' and 'No Way' off the band’s new album, Road Salt One (in US stores on June 8th). Friends can also check out new videos for 'Linoleum' and the band’s 'Road Salt' performance on Sweken’s Melodifestivalen as well as their older videos like 'Undertow', 'Ashes' and 'Ending Theme'.

Road Salt One is Pain of Salvation’s 11th release and the first installment of a two album series. This new chapter continues the band’s challenging musical journey while paying homage to a hard rocking '70s progressive style. Frontman Daniel Gildenlow continues to reinvent himself taking the listener on a musical rollercoaster ride of stunningly beautiful songs which leave you salivating for the upcoming Road Salt Two (due out later this year).

A special bundle package of the band’s limited edition digipack and t-shirt is available online exclusively through Laser’s Edge:

-- CD + T-shirt
-- Digipack + T-shirt
-- CD
-- Digipack

Road Salt One album formats include:

-- standard jewel case CD
-- limited digipack CD (includes expanded booklet, bonus track 'What She Means to Me' and extended versions of 'Road Salt' and 'No Way')
-- gatefold vinyl LP
-- digital download

STONE SOUR, currently recording their follow-up to 2006's Come What(ever) May at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, TN, are offering confessional-style updates from inside the studio.

Previous videos showed a glimpse of the Nashville house the band has inhabited, some vocals they've committed to tape, some drum tracks they've laid down, and some silly questions the guys answered for their fans.

In this week’s video fans get the grand tour of the "Bordello"-like studio, which includes a stop at the soundboards to hear the playback of an as-yet-untitled new track off the upcoming album.

German hard rock veterans SCORPIONS have teamed up with Simfy Live to record the band's "Get Your Sting And Blackout World Tour", which is the last chance for all fans around the globe to experience the band live.

Simfy Live features high-quality live audio recordings of this very last tour.

(Pre-)order your favorite show copied to the SCORPIONS MP3 USB flash drive now at this location.

"Sting In The Tail", the new album from SCORPIONS, sold 18,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart. This marks the band's highest chart debut in over 20 years. The CD also landed at No. 6 on the Rock Albums chart.

"Sting In The Tail" was released in North America on March 23 via Universal Music Enterprises. The CD was recorded at a studio in Hannover, Germany with Swedish producers Mikael "Nord" Andersson and Martin Hansen (the team behind THE RASMUS' "Dead Letters" CD).

SCORPIONS — known worldwide for their mega, arena hard rock and over 100 million records sold — will travel the globe one last time on the "Get Your Sting And Blackout" tour. Kicking off the North American leg in June, the tour will take the band across the U.S. all summer and continue on around the world with special guests supporting along the way.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will release its new studio album, "Order Of The Black", in North America on August 10 via E1 Music. The CD will be made available in Europe through Roadrunner Records and in Australia and New Zealand via Riot! Entertainment.

"Order Of The Black" will feature four different CD covers — one for each territory: North America, Europe, Australia and South America/Asia.

Commented BLACK LABEL SOCIETY mainman Zakk Wylde: "The Doom Crew and I have been holed up in the BLACK LABEL bunker for the last few months laying down some of the heaviest, sexiest tracks imaginable. We can't wait for Berserkers worldwide to hear the symphonic masterpiece that is the new BLS record!"

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's longtime drummer Craig Nunenmacher recently left the band and was replaced by veteran rock skinsman Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE, STATIC-X, DARK NEW DAY, TOMMY LEE, STUCK MOJO).

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will headline the second stage at this year's installment of Ozzy Osbourne's travelling festival, Ozzfest. This marks the band's sixth appearance on the explosive hard rock package tour. Following Ozzfest, BLS will head out on its own worldwide headlining tour in support of "Order Of The Black" through 2011.

Zakk Wylde and his BLACK LABEL SOCIETY have become a worldwide phenomenon with die-hard fans all across the globe (affectionately referred to as "Berserkers") sporting signature BLS gear — leather vests, t-shirts, denim vests with patches, bandanas, etc. Wylde's international presence is at an all time high having recently returned from several hugely successful press junkets in China, Japan and Singapore. Sponsored by Gibson and Epiphone (makers of Wylde's signature guitars), these trips saw Wylde completing interviews with high-profile media outlets (print and television), as well as signing thousands of autographs at packed in-store events throughout Asia.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's last studio album, "Shot to Hell" (2006), sold just under 32,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release — less than the 45,000 copies shifted by BLS's "Mafia" (Artemis) back in March 2005 — to land at position No. 21 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The cover artwork for "Gold Cobra", the forthcoming album from the reactivated original lineup of LIMP BIZKIT, can be viewed here. The CD is tentatively scheduled for release this summer.

Regarding the new CD's musical direction, LIMP BIZKIT frontman Fred Durst recently told MTV News, "I think that, in a nutshell, we came in staying true to ourselves and doing what we do. ... We make heavy music that has rapping in it. We're a rap-core band. Through the years, it felt natural to try and explore and grow beyond that, and inevitably, it led us in different directions. And what our coming back together represents is us having figured out that, you know, evolution is great, but we need to do what we do.

"And this new album, this is what we do. The evolution has brought us full-circle," Durst continued. "We're LIMP BIZKIT. And if you didn't like it before, you're not going to like it now. If you don't want to hear a band that plays super-heavy grooves, with an MC rapping over it, then you shouldn't listen to LIMP BIZKIT."

On the topic of the new song "Douchebag", Durst said, "A song like 'Douchebag', to me, it's about ... I was really pushed around and bullied a lot growing up ... so having that torture in my life, until forming LIMP BIZKIT, and still having it against me in LIMP BIZKIT, but me at least having a voice, a way to fight back and release my aggression through the music. I've always had a problem with the irony that came with LIMP BIZKIT's music fueling bullies, when really, my aggression and my pent-up anger is mainly focused at these bullies. So I'm mainly calling those people douche bags, and a few other select individuals. ... Everybody has their own interpretation, and you will have a douche bag in your life that this song will apply to, and you just turn this fucker up really loud, because the riff is out of control."

"Gold Cobra" tentative track listing:

01. Introbra
02. Douchebag
03. Why Try
04. 90 To 10
05. Rock Ship
06. Brand New Meaning
07. Shark Attack
08. Darkside Of The Moon
09. GFY
10. Venomous (LBGC)
11. Walking Away
12. Loser
13. Dance Floor
14. Back Porch
15. Angels
16. Middle Finger
17. Thank You
18. Outrobra

"Gold Cobra" is expected to feature guest appearances by a host of hip-hop artists, including WU-TANG CLAN rapper Raekwon, Paul Wall and WU-TANG CLAN producer Mathematics.

In a January 2010 interview with Guitar Edge's Elliott Politte, Wes Borland stated about "Gold Cobra", "I think that everyone who hated LIMP BIZKIT before will continue to hate LIMP BIZKIT. It's not like we, all of a sudden, grew up and started making smarter music. It's definitely a fun, party kind of vibe. It's a little bit like the old stuff, but with a little bit of maybe a [French electronic music duo] DAFT PUNK vibe thrown in on some of it. There's big, huge riffs and hopefully catchy lyrics."

"Gold Cobra" will be LIMP BIZKIT's first new studio album with the original lineup since 2000's "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water".

LIMP BIZKIT performed the song "Take A Look Around" on this past Monday night's (May 10) edition of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on NBC-TV.

The band's first three albums have sold more than 20 million copies in the U.S. alone, and another 13 million in the rest of the world.

Austrian blackened death metal outfit BELPHEGOR will enter Abyss Studios in Pärbly, Sweden on June 19 with producer Peter Tägtgren (IMMORTAL, CELTIC FROST, HYPOCRISY, DIMMU BORGIR) to begin recording the band's as-yet-untitled new album for an early 2011 release via Nuclear Blast Records.

Commented BELPHEGOR mainman Helmuth: "A new challenge. We're high on fire and totally motivated.

"I'm stoked to work together with a dude that needs no instruction, an excellent musician/ producer. I'm sure that Peter will create a massive soundwall for our ninth longplayer.

"We are absolutely focused on the new album. That's the only reason why we play only a few open-airs this summer.

"The masterplan is to record again in 4-5 sessions 'till middle of September. Once again letting the tracks slowly take form, with the songwriting and production reaching a new level of intensity."

Added Peter Tägtgren: "I am really looking forward to producing/ mixing the new BELPHEGOR album. It's going to be a blast... You better be prepared."

Bass shredder Serpenth stated: "On Friday we will start the fifth rehearsal session — day 24 — for the upcoming album, which lasts 'till Tuesday. We will fine-tune eight compositions out of nine. It's going to be an epic — brachial BELPHEGOR album, more shredding, more magick, more of everything."

"Walpurgis Rites - Hexenwahn", the eighth full-length studio album from BELPHEGOR, entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 60 and in Germany at No. 99. The follow-up to 2008's "Bondage Goat Zombie" was recorded at Andy Classen's (LEGION OF THE DAMNED, DEW-SCENTED, NEAERA, ASPHYX) Stage One Studios in Kassel, Germany.

KREATOR's Miland "Mille" Petrozza, DESTRUCTION's Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, Doro Pesch and KNORKATOR's Alf Ator have lent their voices to the German version of "Metalocalypse", the animated program about DETHKLOK, the world's most popular death metal band, which airs in the U.S. on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

The German TV premiere "Metalocalypse" will take place on June 29 on the TNT network. The program air every Tuesday and Saturday night on the Sky Channel.

"Full Of Regret", the new video from the Canadian rock trio DANKO JONES, can be viewed below. (Note: Video stream may not be available in some non-U.S. territories.) The clip was directed by the Diamond Brothers and features guest appearances by Elijah Wood, Selma Blair, Lemmy Kilmister (MOTÖRHEAD) and Mike Watt (MINUTEMEN, FIREHOSE, STOOGES).

"Below The Belt" track listing:

01. I Think Bad Thougths
02. Active Volcanoes
03. Tonight Is Fine
04. Magic Snake
05. Had Enough
06. (I Can't Handle) Moderation
07. Full Of Regret
08. The Sore Loser
09. Like Dynamite
10. Apology Accepted
11. I Wanna Break Up With You

"Aces In Exile", a brand new track from Swedish metallers SABATON, is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

According to the band, the song deals with "the topic of the exile pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain during WW2. This was one of first songs we directly felt a connection to and quickly made the decision that the song goes onto the album. Most likely you will hear us play this song live very soon!"

BLABBERMOUTH.NET has received confirmation that the classic "Animosity" lineup of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY — Mike Dean (bass, vocals), Woody Weatherman (guitar) and Reed Mullin (drums) — has reformed and is working on a new album. There are even some early-August shows lined up for the West Coast already, although they have not yet been officially announced.

Mike and Reed were most recently members of RIGHTEOUS FOOL, which also featured guitarist Jason Browning (from HR of BAD BRAINS' solo band). That group will apparently stay together and will coexist with the newly reformed CORROSION OF CONFORMITY.

ALCATRAZZ featuring Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, MSG, IMPELLITTERI) has announced the addition of Jeff Bowders (PAUL GILBERT) to the group's ranks.

The band has scheduled the following dates:

May 22 - Paladino's - Tarzana, California, U.S.A. (warm-up gig)
May 27 - Jaggar Club - St. Petersburg, Russia
May 28 - Jimi Club - Moscow, Russia
May 31 - RK "Ogni Ufy" - UFA, Russia
June 03 - News Pub - Volgograd, Russia

ALCATRAZZ's current lineup is:

Graham Bonnet - Lead Vocals
Howie Simon - Guitar/Vocals
Jeff Bowders - Drums
Tim Luce - Bass/ Vocals

"Venomous Habitations", a brand new song from Tampa, Florida's DIABOLIC, is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page. The track comes off the group's fifth full-length album, "Excisions of Exorcisms", which is scheduled for release on June 8 via Deathgasm Records. The CD was recorded at D.O.W. Studios in Seffner, Florida with producer Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez (MORBID ANGEL, TERRORIZER, UNHOLY GHOST, live sound for NILE). The cover artwork was created by Joe Petagno (MOTÖRHEAD, MARDUK, KRISIUN, ANGELCORPSE) and can be viewed below.

This week, rock ringmasters Bigelf unveiled their ode to the carnal carnival of rock & roll with their new video, “Superstar.” The strains of a calliope playing backwards, a cross-dressed clown, a goggled midget, and a wheelchair-bound Damon Fox usher in this four-minute, three-ring circus of bearded rockers, fire eaters, groupies, go-go girls, geeks, freaks and more. It’s a fitting setting for this quartet that have come to be known as the “evil Beatles.”

Indeed, Bigelf- Damon Fox (lead vocals, keys), Ace Mark (Guitar), Duffy Snowhilll (Bass) and Froth (Drums)- are rock revivalists of the first order, bringing back the massive wall-of-sound orchestrations, epic ambition, and theatrical grandeur of rock shows of old. Taking their cues from masters like Queen and ELO, Bigelf combine “fat & juicy guitar riffs, booming bass, soaring melodies and bold compositions” to create music that is “both genuine and refreshing” (Skope Magazine).

“Superstar” is up now on all major digital video services and the single will reach specialty radio this week. The band is just finishing up a tour with UK art-rockers Porcupine Tree, for which they’ve won much-deserved praise. The Tampa Tribune raved that Bigelf were “smart, funny and so far over the top as to render the concept of a top pointless.”

THIN LIZZY is one of rock music's most recognizable names. The fiery Dublin band exploded onto the scene with a fresh sound, look and attitude. Led by the incomparable Phil Lynott, the band reached many peaks and influenced generations of musicians with classic tracks such as "Jailbreak", "The Boys Are Back In Town", "Still In Love With You", "Cold Sweat", "Emerald" and "Don't Believe A Word".

Most rock historians would agree the pinnacle of THIN LIZZY's commercial success was in 1983, followed by the band's premature demise, as they played their last gig in September of 1984. Just two years later, the world was shocked when singer/bassist and founding member Phil Lynott passed away at the age of 36.

24 years have passed, the world has changed, but the amazing body of work that is THIN LIZZY still retains all of its vibrancy and influence.

A new lineup has formed to take LIZZY's music to a whole new generation of music fans. Led by alumni Scott Gorham, Brian Downey and Darren Wharton (all of whom played in THIN LIZZY with Phil Lynott) the stellar lineup is completed by DEF LEPPARD's Vivian Campbell (guitar), bassist Marco Mendoza (WHITESNAKE, TED NUGENT) and THE ALMIGHTY's Ricky Warwick on vocals and guitar.

Alongside the new lineup, Universal Music has committed to a series of re-issue, deluxe and special releases of classic THIN LIZZY material over the next 18 months. More details to follow.

THIN LIZZY has confirmed a 2011 U.K. tour. Full dates are as follows:

Jan. 06 - Aberdeen - Music Hall
Jan. 07 - Glasgow - O2 Academy
Jan. 08 - Newcastle - City Hall
Jan. 10 - Leeds - O2 Academy
Jan. 11 - Llandudno - Theatre
Jan. 12 - Leicester - De Montfort Hall
Jan. 14 - Wolverhampton - Civic Hall
Jan. 15 - Manchester - Apollo
Jan. 16 - Bristol - Colston Hall
Jan. 18 - Southampton - Guildhall
Jan. 19 - Ipswich - Regent
Jan. 21 - Cambridge - Corn Exchange
Jan. 22 - Hammersmith - London, HMV Apollo

According to Panorama.am, the DVD featuring DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan performing with Armenia's State Philharmonic Orchestra in Yerevan on March 26-27 will be released in September, Drew Thompson — director of Australia's Thompson Music Company — has revealed.

Over the past 12 years, Thompson Music has been producing CDs and DVDs for DEEP PURPLE and Ian Gillan.

Part of the proceeds from DVD sales will be donated to the fund to rebuild N6 music school in Gyumri.

Says Thompson: "The vision is beautifully shot and the local TV crew did a wonderful job. We are very excited about the quality of the audio recording, too.

"Everyone involved was absolutely amazed how wonderful the orchestra were — it was obvious they loved playing the material and that shows through in their performance. A very exciting evening was had by all!

"For me, having worked with Ian now over the past 12 years, this is a very exciting project as it highlights the great relationship he has with his audience.

"I think Ian is very touched by the reception of the Armenian people and it is evident from the pictures; this DVD release is something for Ian Gillan and DEEP PURPLE fans worldwide."

DEEP PURPLE's Armenia concert will take place at the Sport-Concert Complex on May 25. It will be the first performance of the legendary rock band in the South Caucasus region.

Former DEATH/MONSTROSITY bassist Kelly Conlon has announced the launch of his new web site, Kelly Conlon's Riff-Xchange, at www.kellyconlon.net.

Commented Kelly: "This site is for anyone to join and everyone can participate. This Riff Xchange is for musicians to collaborate with each other, whether to gain knowledge or gain new contacts — everyone can learn. This community is for all genres of music where you can learn other styles you may not be familiar with. Learn new techniques on your instrument(s), post videos and ideas. Join up and start sharing your experiences. Everyone is welcome."

In addition to collaborating with musicians — including Kelly — you will also be able to keep up with his past and present projects, highlights from various bands he's been a part of, videos, tour news and memorable moments, and studio work. Kelly will also be independently posting videos of his bass stylings on the site.

To celebrate the launch of his new web site, Kelly has released a never-before-seen video from the original "Symbolic" lineup of DEATH — Chuck Schuldiner, Bobby Koelble, Gene Hoglan and Kelly Conlon — performing the song "Crystal Mountain" at the first show before heading to Europe for the "Full of Hate Festivals" in 1995. The clip can now be viewed on Kelly Conlon's Riff Xchange and YouTube. It is also available for viewing below.

Melbourne, Australia's dark rockers THE ETERNAL have issued the following update:

"We have just completed mastering our fourth full-length album, 'Under A New Sun'.

"After six months of hard work, we have what we believe to be our strongest album in bag and we have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic people along the way.

"On May 13th we will release a few short samples on our MySpace to give you a taste of what is to come.

"For those of you in Melbourne this Friday May 14th, Mark [Kelson; guitar, vocals] will take the stage at the Corner Hotel with ['Under A New Sun' producer and multi-platinum recording artist] Jeff Martin [THE AMARDA, THE TEA PARTY] to perform the song 'The Sleeper' off the new album. This will be the debut performance of this song, so hopefully some of you will be there to see it beautifully performed by Mark and Jeff."

"Under A New Sun" was recorded at 301 Studios in Byron Bay. Songtitles set to appear on the follow-up to 2008's "Kartika" include "Control", "Under A New Sun", "A Thousand Shades of You", "Collapse" and "Cast In Stone".

French metallers LYZANXIA will release their fourth album, "Locust", on May 31 through XIII Bis Records (via Sony Music distribution). The CD was produced by David and Franck Potvin (ONE-WAY MIRROR, PHAZE I) at Déclanché Studio in Switzerland and Dome Studio in France and was mastered by Swedish master Björn Engelmann (RAMMSTEIN, MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH). The cover artwork was designed by Alain Tréhard and can be viewed below. According to a press release, "The Potvin brothers have been working for many years with artist Tréhard and feel that he has captured the ominous essence of 'Locust' with a visual piece that superbly complements the intensity unleashed within as the band's signature thrash riff mastery promises to be at its deadliest yet!"

An excerpt of the new song "Under Lie" from the forthcoming album can be streamed on the band's MySpace page.

LYZANXIA's third full-length album, "Unsu", was released in September 2006 via Listenable Records. The follow-up to 2004's "Mindcrimes" was recorded and mixed at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden by Fredrik Nordström and Patrick J. Sten. The mastering was done by Peter In De Betou at Tailor Maid Studio. The album has 12 tracks and the cover artwork was designed by Alain Tréhard.

A brand new track from from the upcoming self-titled STONE TEMPLE PILOTS album, "Huckleberry Crumble", is being streamed on Amazon.com.

Each week leading up to the CD's release, a new single will be available for your listening pleasure.

A deluxe version of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' new self-titled album with expanded artwork and two bonus tracks will be available on the May 25 street date. Target will be given a CD/DVD version of the set with exclusive interview content, and Walmart will air an exclusive STP performance in stores and on its Soundcheck web site.

The group's self-titled sixth album is its first all-new effort since 2001's "Shangri-La-Dee-Da".

The effort features the following track listing:

01. Between The Lines
02. Take A Load Off
03. Huckleberry Crumble
04. Hickory Dichotomy
05. Dare If You Dare
06. Cinnamon
07. Hazy Daze
08. Bagman
09. Peacoat
10. Fast As I Can
11. First Kiss On Mars
12. Maver

SMASHING PUMPKINS welcome a new member to the band: bassist Nicole Fiorentino.

The Los Angeles musician has been in such bands as VERUCA SALT, SPINERETTE, RADIO VAGO, TWILIGHT SLEEP and LIGHT FM. The latter group appeared at a Los Angeles benefit concert last November headlined by the Billy Corgan-led band BACKWARDS CLOCK SOCIETY (proceeds from that show went to Laura Masura, the former head of the SMASHING PUMPKINS fan club who was injured in a motorcycle crash).

Fiorentino will perform with the PUMPKINS on their world tour later this year, a trek that will include headline performances at two Summer Sonic festivals in Japan: August 7 in Tokyo (Marine Stadium) and August 8 in Osaka (Maishima).

Recently, the PUMPKINS released — online, for free — the swirling, psychedelicized "Astral Planes", the final song to be issued for the EP "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol.1: Songs For A Sailor"; it is the first of an eventual 11 EPs to be sold in record stores. "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs For A Sailor" is set for official release on May 25 through Martha’s Music/Rocket Science Ventures. This very limited-edition collector's EP will be packaged in a beautiful silk-screened wooden box. Each box will contain a 4-song CD, a vinyl 7" and a hand-carved obelisk from the shadows of the Incan ruins in Machu Picchu.

Christian hard rockers STRYPER have set "The Covering" as the title of their new album of covers, to be released in the fall. The CD will feature the band's original lineup of Michael Sweet on vocals, Robert Sweet on drums, Oz Fox on guitar and Timothy Gaines on bass.

"The Covering" will include STRYPER's renditions of the following classics:

• JUDAS PRIEST - "Breaking The Law"
• IRON MAIDEN - "The Trooper"
• SCORPIONS - "Blackout"
• OZZY OSBOURNE - "Over The Mountain"
• SWEET - "Set Me Free"
• VAN HALEN - "On Fire"
• DEEP PURPLE - "Highway Star"
• BLACK SABBATH - "Heaven And Hell"
• UFO - "Lights Out"
• KANSAS - "Carry On Wayward Son"
• KISS - "Shout It Out Loud"

LIVING LOUD project, which features legendary bassist Bob Daisley — of OZZY OSBOURNE, URIAH HEEP, GARY MOORE, BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW fame — alongside Australian superstar Jimmy Barnes, the DEEP PURPLE duo of guitarist Steve Morse and keyboard player Don Airey plus URIAH HEEP drummer Lee Kerslake, is planning to complete the songwriting process for its long-awaited second album.

Morse, who just played Australia with DEEP PURPLE, writes on his web site, "I touched base with LIVING LOUD bassist Bob Daisley, and we made plans to finish the tunes we started."

LIVING LOUD's self-titled 2004 debut created a stir as it included re-worked versions of the Daisley/Kerslake co-composed OZZY OSBOURNE "Blizzard of Ozz" staples "Mr. Crowley", "I Don't Know" and "Crazy Train", originally from the "Blizzard Of Ozz" album and "Over The Mountain", "Flying High Again" and "Tonight" from the 1981 album "Diary Of A Madman".

Reunited '80s Dutch metal band PICTURE has parted ways with guitarist Rob van Enkhuizen and has replaced him with Gert Nijboer (HIGHWAY CHILE, HEADS DOWN).

Commented the band: "This decision has been made on friendly terms and because of the long history that Rob has with PICTURE, we will play one more gig with Rob in our lineup at June 5th in Winkel, Netherlands. On that day, we will say goodbye then to Rob officially, but for now we also want to wish him already all the very best for everything he will do in the future.

"In the short period we are working together, Gert has showed a tremendous dedication, next to amazing guitar skills. We are happy that all went so smooth and you can all see Gert already this weekend live for the first time with PICTURE in Lübeck and Kerkrade!"