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	MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE: 'I Don't Think Peop... 33
	SEPULTURA's DERRICK GREEN On ELOY CASAGRANDE's �... 31
	JASON NEWSTED Doesn't Believe METALLICA's 'Ju... 29
	APOCALYPTICA's EICCA TOPPINEN Defends METALLICA's ... 25
	JASON NEWSTED Says METALLICA's Residency At Las Vegas&#... 23

NIGHTWISH's TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN: Second Trailer For 'Life And Times Of Scrooge' Solo Album

Tuomas Holopainen — the keyboardist and main songwriter of NIGHTWISH — has spent most of 2013 writing and producing his solo album based on a graphic novel called "The Life And Times Of Scrooge McDuck", written and illustrated by Don Rosa.

"Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen" is scheduled for release on April 11 via Nuclear Blast.

The second trailer for the CD can be seen below.

Holopainen comments: "This is my longtime dream come true, 14 years in the making. And a homage to one of the best storytellers of our time.

"Thank you for sharing this celebration of life and adventure!"

This 12-chapter book tells the life story of Scrooge, from his early years in the 19th century Scotland to his adventures all around the world until the 1950s. The story contains such immense depth, detail, wit and emotional power that the moment Tuomas read it nearly 20 years ago, it instantly became a story of profound personal interest and love for him. The initial spark of "coloring" this story with music, i.e. creating a kind of "soundtrack" for the book, came to him already in 1999, and has ever since haunted the back of his mind.

"Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen" contains 10 songs, with total duration of approximately 60 minutes. The music is said to be in the soundtrack / classical / folk genre in the vein of Vaughan Williams, Michael Nyman, James Newton Howard and Enya.

Pip Williams did the orchestral arrangements for the "Life And Times Of Scrooge" disc, continuing his collaboration with Tuomas after the NIGHTWISH records "Once", "Dark Passion Play" and "Imaginaerum".

There are a number of guest musicians appearing on "Life And Times Of Scrooge", including the London Orchestra, The Metro Voices (a choir from London) and four lead vocalists: Alan Reid, Johanna Kurkela, Johanna Iivanainen and Tony Kakko. Other guest appearances include Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, low whistles, bodhran), Mikko Iivanainen (guitars and banjo), Teho Majamäki (didgeridoo), Jon Burr (harmonica) and Dermot Crehan on the solo violin.

The recordings took place during August - October 2013, first at Angel Studios in London, then in various locations around Scotland and Finland.

The author of the book, Don Rosa, did the artwork for the album.

There will be a single release, for the track "A Lifetime Of Adventure", and a music video to go with it.

Holopainen recently spoke to Finland's YLE about "Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen". Check out the report below.

Tuomas previously stated about how the idea for the project came about: "It was back in 1999, during the 'Oceanborn' tour, that I remember first having the idea of writing a 'soundtrack' to my all-time favorite piece of Disney comic, 'The Life And Times Of Scrooge McDuck', by Don Rosa, the apparent heir of the almighty Carl Barks. This book has had such an overwhelming effect on me throughout these years, and finally I have the means and the time to make that dream a reality.

"It all started with a story called 'Last Sled To Dawson', which was published in a Finnish Donald Duck magazine in the late '80s. It instantly became one of my favorite Scrooge/Donald stories and also introduced Mr. Don Rosa to my Disney universe. This story is not part of the actual 'Life And Times' opus, though, but 'a companion story,' set in between the chapters #8 and #9. Then when the massive 12-chapter piece was released in mid-'90s, I was completely and utterly hooked. It was similar to reading 'The Lord Of The Rings' as an 8-year-old, or seeing 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark' for the first time. Adventure, fun and the strangely familiar feeling of home.

"With Scrooge, there was also a much deeper level hidden between the stories and the gags.

"This is a book about life itself. What an unfathomable privilege it is, what are the things that truly matter during our existence. It's about the immense beauty of the world and its possibilities seen through the eyes of a very relentless, honest and complex character. It's about love and family, gain and loss, darkness and rebirth.

"And on top of that, well, it's just your good old-fashioned storytelling fun!"

"Music Inspired By The Life And Times Of Scrooge - Written And Produced By Tuomas Holopainen" track listing: 01. Glasgow 187702. Into The West03. Duel & Cloudscapes04. Dreamtime05. Cold Heart Of The Klondike06. The Last Sled07. Goodbye, Papa08. To Be Rich09. A Lifetime Of Adventure10. Go Slowly Now, Sands Of Time

Bonus track:

11. A Lifetime Of Adventure (Alternate Version)

Tuomas Holopainen

ARCHITECTS: New Song 'C.A.N.C.E.R.' Available For Streaming

British metallers ARCHITECTS will release their new album, "Lost Forever // Lost Together", in North America on March 11 via Epitaph Records. The CD will be made available in in Australia through UNFD and in Canada via New Damage Records.

After writing demos on their successful run on Vans Warped Tour 2013, ARCHITECTS (whose lineup includes chief songwriter Tom Searle on guitar/keyboards, his twin brother Dan on drums, Sam Carter on lead vocals, and Alex Dean on bass) took to Studio Fredman in the Swedish city of Gothenburg in the middle of the sunlight-starved winter. Working with producers Fredrik Nordström and Henrik Udd (both known for their work with BRING ME THE HORIZON and chosen largely because "we've always been big fans of how massive their records sound," according to Sam), ARCHITECTS spent a month living in the studio so that they could record whenever inspiration hit.

On "Lost Forever // Lost Together", the band artfully weaves in ambient elements that sometimes verge on gauzy and dreamlike. Take the instrumental "Red Hypergiant" that threads a sample of voiceover from a Carl Sagan film through an oceanic wall of sound, for example, while the album-closing "Distant Blue" starts out as a snarling, lead-heavy epic and then unfolds into spacey ethereality. Fans will notice the band deepen their blend of brutal, thundering metal and melody-spiked hardcore with heavier riffs and intricate arrangements inspired by THIS WILL DESTROY YOU, and even artists unlikely such as SIGUR ROS. With lyrical content delving into everything from the Fukushima nuclear disaster to Tom's recent bout with skin cancer, "Lost Forever // Lost Together" artfully delivers an emotional charge that's both devastating and glorious.

As for the album title, ARCHITECTS borrowed a lyric from the track "Youth Is Wasted OnTthe Young". As Tom Searle poignantly states, "We're all lost. Everyone's just trying to find their place, and hopefully we'll all get there eventually."

"Lost Forever // Lost Together" track listing:

01. Gravedigger 02. Naysayer03. Broken Cross 04. The Devil Is Near05. Dead Man Talking 06. Red Hypergiant07. C.A.N.C.E.R. 08. Colony Collapse09. Castles In The Air 10. Youth Is Wasted On The Young11. The Distant Blue

The song "C.A.N.C.E.R." can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

ARCHITECTS' last album, "Daybreaker", was released on May 28, 2012 in Europe and June 5, 2012 in North America via Century Media Records.

ARCHITECTS in 2012 released the "The Here And Now 2012 Special Edition" including "Devil's Island" and "Untitled" as well as all video clips ("Day In Day Out", "Learn To Live", "Heartburn", "Delete, Rewind" and "An Open Letter To Myself"), making-of footage for "Learn To Live" and "Heartburn" plus several previously released online clips.

3

2CELLOS' Cover Of AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' Gets More Than 5 Million YouTube Views

Video footage of Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, the Croatian cello duo known as 2CELLOS, performing a cover version of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" can be seen below.

2CELLOS became an overnight Internet sensation with their self-made music video of themselves performing MICHAEL JACKSON's "Smooth Criminal" on their cellos. Within days "Smooth Criminal" racked up over five million views on YouTube, and legend Elton John invited them to join him on his tour.

"We always try to put our own spin on it, do something different with the song and present it to the people in a new and fresh way," 2CELLOS told GoodMorningAmerica.com. "We try to add an extra classical dimension to those well-known evergreens through our cellos."

Hauser added: "We cover songs that we love and we play music that we are passionate about. These songs have to mean something to us, and of course, they have to sound great on the cello."

Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser have been playing the cello since childhood. Both completed their studies — Luka at the acclaimed Royal Academy of Music in London, Stjepan at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Luka has performed throughout the world at renowned venues such as London's Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Vienna's Musikverein and Konzerthaus. He has won a series of international prizes including first prize at the 2009 VII Lutoslawski International Cello Competition in Warsaw. Stjepan has performed in numerous European countries, South Africa, New Zealand, Asia and the U.S., with debuts in London's Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, South Bank Centre and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. He was the last pupil of Mstislav Rostropovich. In his short career, Stjepan's accolades include winning twenty-one first prizes in national and international competitions and performing twice for Prince Charles in Buckingham and St. James's Palaces.

2

METALLICA's KIRK HAMMETT: We Have To Start Working On The New Album

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett spoke to U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the long-awaited follow-up to the band's 2008 album, "Death Magnetic", tentatively due in 2015.

"We cannot think of any other reasons to procrastinate; of any other things to put on the calendar to push back [the start] date [for the new album writing sessions]," he said. "We're kind of backed up into the corner now, so yes, we have to start working on the album. And I'm excited. James [Hetfield, guitar/vocals] has, like, 800 riffs. I only have 400, but there's not going to be any shortage of ideas. It's going to be interesting to see how it turns out."

He continued: "If we can write and record an album within a year's time, from January 2014 to, say, January 2015, I'm fucking up for it, man. That's something we have not done in a long time, and that would be a bona fide challenge for us to see if we could make an album in 12 months. We did it with Lou Reed, but that doesn't really count, does it?

"We don't have any songs yet. We have little bits and pieces of music earmarked to become songs, and really, that's all I can say about it. We're pretty psyched about it. We're only procrastinating because we love being at home with our families, but we really do love writing songs together and making an album."

Asked if he feels METALLICA has spent a bit too much time and energy on other projects this time out, Hammett replied: "It appears that way. We definitely have gone down a few different creative avenues that we didn't expect to do since the release of 'Death Magnetic'. That is a really, really long gap, but we've been busy pretty much the whole time throughout that.

"It remains to be seen whether or not we've taken too long. It seems like METALLICA's bigger now than we've ever been. I only say that because last year we went to a lot of far-flung places that we rarely go to, and we sold a shitload of tickets. From what we can gauge from ticket sales — and you can't really gauge this from record sales anymore, you know the whole story of declining sales for everyone — it seems like METALLICA is bigger now worldwide than it ever has been. That tells me there are still fans out there who care about us."

He added: "In the past few years, METALLICA has somehow morphed into not so much four guys in a band playing loud music, but more of a platform to do creative things under the METALLICA banner. We've gone down so many creative avenues in the last eight, nine, 10 years. We all like that position. We don't feel pigeonholed to be just a band. We've proven to ourselves — and that's the most important thing — that METALLICA can be a way to express ourselves in a lot of non-musical ways, and for me, that's a great place to be. When we've been successful creatively, it feels like we've climbed another mountain. It really is a healthy thing for us. It shows that we're multifaceted, it keeps us stimulated and hopefully it serves the music on the backhand, consciously or subconsciously."

In a 2013 interview with Kerrang!, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich spoke about the band's mindset going into the songwriting phase for its next album. He explained: "The only thing I can tell you is that there seems to be a consensus in the band that 'Death Magnetic' was a really good record that we're proud of, that had good legs on it — meaning that it still sounds really rocking five years later. And I can tell you that with most of the previous METALLICA records, I found any faults, I had any issues with them way, way sooner than five years. So the stuff that we've been jamming on is certainly not a million miles removed from where we left off from 'Death Magnetic'. But two years from now, when I sit and talk to you about the new record, it'll probably be a different story from the six-year-old looking for the ice cream shop."

METALLICA will emerge this spring for a tour of South America and Europe on which each night's set list will be chosen online by fans attending the gig.

The band's traditional 18-song set will include the 17 top voted songs along with a brand new track.

MEGADETH To Take 'Different Approach' On Next Album, Says DAVID ELLEFSON

During a brand new interview with Rock Song Of The Day, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked what his expectations are in terms of the composition of the band's next album, both lyrically and musically.

"Every album offers something a bit different," Ellefson said. "I think [2013's] 'Super Collider' was this serendipitous moment that encompassed variety from our 30-year career, which was ironic since it actually was our 30-year anniversary last year. It wasn't planned that way, it just sort of happened. But, moving forward, there is a feeling within the band now to take a different approach on the next record, one that probably means new locations, new producers/engineers, and so forth."

Ellefson also spoke about MEGADETH's touring plans for 2014, which includes a handful of U.S. shows but sees the band focusing mostly on South America and Europe

"It's always exciting to see how music connects people in other cultures," he said. "It's like the things that often divide people (language, politics and religion) suddenly disappear when everyone comes together in the name of music, especially with heavy metal."

He continued: "As far as touring goes, there are certain challenges in terms of fatigue from traveling across time zones, language barriers, show production elements and creature comforts that can throw you off when traveling abroad. It forces you to roll with the punches. You learn to relax into the elements and absorb them rather than fight against them. The audience usually remembers the overall experience of the show and is usually not even aware of the details of things that aren't to your liking. So, it's best to just get on the stage and do your thing, especially in the larger festival settings.

"As for tour dates, we've spent a great deal of time in North America these past few months so aside from a couple shows in Las Vegas and Tucson we are spending most of our year in other parts of the world."

"Super Collider" has sold less than 80,000 copies in the United States since its June 4, 2013 release. The CD arrived in stores via MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

"I think 'Super Collider' is kind of like a really broad [distillation] of what our whole catalog represents," Mustaine told The Morning Call in an interview. "There's aggressive stuff, there's thrashy stuff, there's kind of more of the heavy metal stuff. There are someof the more introspective lyrics. There are some simple lyrics and soon and so forth. I think that's what really makes the record refreshing is that it shows everything that we've done. It's almost like a biopic of our career. It's a pretty good slice of everything I've learned over the years."

MEGADETH's tour with FEAR FACTORY and NONPOINT kicked off on November 23 in St. Paul, Minnesota and wrapped on December 19 in Reno, Nevada.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY Mixing Third Album

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, the band led by brothers and founding SEPULTURA members Max (also of SOULFLY) and Igor Cavalera, is mixing its third album for a fall release via Napalm Records. The CD is being produced by John Gray, who has previously worked with SOULFLY.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY recently recruited Nate Newton of CONVERGE as its new bassist.

Says Gray: "This is by far the fastest and heaviest record I have ever had the pleasure of working on with Max Cavalera.

"Max, Igor and Marc [Rizzo, guitar] were on the same page musically from the moment they walked in the door, and recording this album was a very smooth process.

"I had never worked with Igor Cavalera before and I was very impressed with his ability to work out the arrangements with Max and get some extremely complex drum parts done live with hardly any re-takes necessary. Marc Rizzo, as always, was spot-on and a true guitar virtuoso.

"I love to work with Marc because he always pushes himself to perfection, but he is very down to earth and keeps things light when he's under pressure.

"What can I say about Nate Newton — he killed it on the bass tracks with very little back and forth. I'm really impressed with his talent, and I look forward to meeting him some day."

Adds Rizzo: "The new CAVALERA CONSPIRACY record was amazing to record... Definitely a brutal and fast third record!!!"

States Newton: "It was a lot of fun to be a part of this record. For me, it was a challenge to learn the songs sight unseen and record them. It was a pretty interesting look into the way Max writes songs and I am glad to have been a part of it."

Johny Chow, who had been touring and recording with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY for the past few years, in 2013 joined STONE SOUR as that band's new touring bassist.

Joining CAVALERA CONSPIRACY on stage last year for its tour of South America and Mexico was SOULFLY bassist Tony Campos.

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY released the critically acclaimed and universally praised albums "Inflikted" and "Blunt Force Trauma" through Roadrunner Records.

"Blunt Force Trauma" sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 122 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's debut CD, "Inflikted", opened with 9,000 units to enter the chart at No. 72.

"Blunt Force Trauma" was tracked with ex-MACHINE HEAD/SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader, who co-produced the LP with Max. Logan also mixed the effort.

Photo credit: Glen Laferman

7

Cavalera Conspiracy

SOILWORK's BJÖRN 'SPEED' STRID Offers More Information On Upcoming DVD Shoot

Singer Björn "Speed" Strid of Swedish metallers SOILWORK has issued the following update:

"We are nothing short of super excited to announce the recording of our first live DVD ever. This very special and unique evening will go down in beautiful Helsinki, Finland, where SOILWORK have always had very loyal fans and shared some great success through the years. The show will take place at The Circus on the 21st of March.

"It's been a long time coming, considering we released our first album in 1998, but here it is!

"We can't wait to share this special moment with you, our fans! The show will bring you songs from each and every album of our career. We also have some very special guests invited for the show as well that we can't wait to announce. In addition to this, we will randomly draw 25 people out of the 500 first people to enter the venue that will join the band and the crew for an after-show party!

"Make sure you don't miss out on this... See you on the 21st of March in Helsinki, at The Circus. It's a date!"

The choice of location for the shoot of the first-ever SOILWORK audiovisual live document was an easy one since Helsinki has always been a second home to the band. The venue itself, Circus, was just the right one to offer a full-on SOILWORK show.

The show will mark SOILWORK's only Scandinavian show of the spring.

The DVD will be produced by Jouni Markkanen and directed by Ville Lipiäinen, who also helmed the most recent NIGHTWISH DVD, "Showtime, Storytime".

SOILWORK's ninth studio and first dual-disc album, "The Living Infinite", sold around 7,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to enter The Billboard 200 chart at position No. 60. The effort also landed at No. 11 on the Independent Albums chart, and No. 2 on the Hard Music chart. "The Living Infinite" entered the iTunes Metal Top Albums chart at No. 1 and was the No. 1 most added album on the CMJ radio chart.

"The Living Infinite" was produced by Jens Bogren (OPETH, AMON AMARTH, BLOODBATH) and boasts artwork by MNEMIC's Mircea Gabriel Eftemie. The CD features Justin Sullivan — lead singer of the English band NEW MODEL ARMY — as a guest vocalist on the track "The Windswept Mercy" and also marks the recording debut of longtime SOILWORK touring guitarist David Andersson (also of THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA).

SOILWORK released a lavish deluxe version of its 2001 classic breakthrough album "A Predator's Portrait" on October 18, 2013 in Europe and October 15, 2013 in the U.S. The effort was reissued as a digipack with an all new artwork and will contain two previously unreleased live bonus tracks.

2

Founding EXCITER Guitarist JOHN RICCI Retires From Music Business

Pioneering Canadian thrashers EXCITER have released the following statement:

"It is with a heavy heart that EXCITER announces the departure of guitarist John Ricci.

"After 30 ass-kicking years in the music business, John has decided to retire, leaving longtime members Rik Charron (drums), Clammy (bass), and Kenny Winter (vocals) to carry on the EXCITER legacy.

"As one of the founding members of the band, John was a driving force behind EXCITER's genre-defining albums including the ground breaking 'Heavy Metal Maniac' (1983), 'Violence And Force' (1984), and 'Long Live the Loud' (1985). As part of the modern era of EXCITER, his unique, manic, style propelled EXCITER's comeback album 'The Dark Command' (1996) along with 'Blood Of Tyrants' (2000), 'Thrash Speed Burn' (2008) and 'Death Machine' (2010).

"EXCITER wishes John the very best in his future endeavors and invites all you metal maniacs to continue pounding metal with us in 2014 and beyond!"

EXCITER's latest album, "Death Machine", was released on October 29, 2010 via Massacre Records. The effort was made available as a standard CD, a digipak and a limited-edition (500 copies) gatefold LP.

In an interview with Music Legends, Ricci stated about the making of the CD: "The recording sessions for "Death Machine" were a little disjointed. We recorded all the instruments at different times because of scheduling conflicts and also the fact our singer, Kenny, lives in New York City, therefore it wasn't one smooth recording session. Kenny arrived to record vocals after all the music was done and he sang the songs for the very first time without really hearing the songs previously. Nevertheless, the album turned out good. Because we were trying to meet the deadline to complete the record, I think we rushed the mixing process as well. All in all, no matter what we do or what gear we use, we always get this raw garage or 'very analog' sound."

When asked where he finds the inspiration to write music, John replied, "EXCITER's inspirations to write music comes from everyday news events, mostly of violent topics. Killings, murders, etc. We live in such a sick world, with senseless killings and unprovoked violence. The lyrics I write do not glamorize violence but condone it. Of course, some song topics include witches and Satan, but these topics are strictly fantasy. For example, if you watch a horror movie, it's not for real only make-believe. The instrumental part of EXCITER's music is always from an angry point of view. As far as I'm concerned, metal has to be played with aggression and simple power chords to get the message across to the listener. This has been the EXCITER formula for over 30 years."

3

CRASHDÏET's First Demo Re-Released On 'Illegal Rarities Volume 1' Limited-Edition Digipack CD

Swedish rockers CRASHDÏET have issued the following update:

"Since it's been around 10 years ago we recorded our first demo, we decided to re-release it (on our own) on limited-edition digipack CD. Martin Sweet has revisited the old original Cubase projects recorded in his home with Dave, Peter and Eric in Hallonbergen, Stockholm back in 2003. With enhanced sound and three bonus tracks not included on the original demo, we wish bring you back to a time where we were young and destroyed…"

Due on February 28, "Illegal Rarities Volume 1" is limited to 999 copies and is available now in the CRASHDÏET online store.

"Illegal Rarities Volume 1" track listing:

01. Gimme What I Need02. Queen Obscene03. We Play It, You Scream It04. Miss Pain05. California White06. Get Ready For Tonite (bonus)07. Within The Sleaze (bonus)08. Too Hot To Stop (bonus)

CRASHDIET's original singer David Hellman (a.k.a. Dave Lepard) committed suicide in January 2006.

Hellman was found dead on January 20, 2006 at his apartment in the Swedish city of Uppsala, north of Stockholm. It was reported in several places that he hanged himself.

CRASHDÏET's fourth album, "The Savage Playground", entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 2. The CD was released on January 25, 2013 in Europe (excluding Scandinavia) and January 22, 2013 in North America via Frontiers Records.

"The Savage Playground" was recorded during summer/autumn 2012 at Kingside Studios outside Stockholm with producer Otto Wellton.

CRASHDÏET released a DVD entitled "Shattered Glass And Broken Bones – Three Years Of Generation Wild" on December 4, 2012. The disc features three hours of live and behind-the-scenes footage complied by the band with Bear Productions.

SLASH: New Album Studio Updates Available Via Online Series 'Real To Reel With SLASH'

Ernie Ball, one of the world's leading manufacturers of guitar strings and musical instrument accessories, is proud to launch a new digital series with the Grammy-winning, iconic guitarist and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame artist Slash and his band MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS. The innovative online series, titled "Real To Reel With Slash", documents the entire in-studio recording process of the iconic artist's forthcoming third solo album, along with world-renowned music collaborators Myles Kennedy, Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz, returning to the studio for a third time.

From the first day of recording to the last, the multi-segment fly-on-the wall series will follow Slash and THE CONSPIRATORS from pre-production at NRG Studios in Los Angeles to Studio Barbarossa in Florida, as they write, play, create and record the new album from start to finish. A new episode clip will be featured on the site for fans every week starting February 25.

Each clip will showcase a behind-the-scenes sneak peek inside the recording sessions, giving fans unprecedented exclusive access to some of the world's most legendary musicians. The segments will give viewers up-to-date, virtually real-time progress on the recording journey each week, along with commentary from the band members, gear talk, and more.

"We're incredibly excited to give music fans an inside look into the recording process of one of the most anticipated rock albums of the year!" said Brian Ball, Vice President of Ernie Ball Inc.

Both Slash and Kennedy emphasize that creatively, it is was crucial for them to bring the recording process back to basics, keeping it simple by capturing the essence of a classic rock band utilizing the often forgotten art form of recording to two-inch analog tape.

"I love the process of recording live in the studio and the sound of a rock n roll band recorded on 2" tape as opposed to digital," explains Slash. "I thought it would be cool to show some footage of us doing exactly that."

Fans can tune in to the first episode of "Real To Reel With Slash, Presented By Ernie Ball" below.

MISS MAY I To Release 'Rise Of The Lion' In April

Ohio metallers MISS MAY I will release their fourth album, "Rise Of The Lion", on April 29 via Rise Records. The CD was produced by Terry Date, who has previously worked with PANTERA, DEFTONES, WHITE ZOMBIE and BRING ME THE HORIZON, among others.

MISS MAY I vocalist Levi Benton recently told Metal Hammer about the band's decision to work with Date: "We chose Terry because we’re all huge PANTERA freaks. If you ever get the chance to work with him, you take it! We've always wanted to work with him but we was always out of our price range. He's the Bentley of producers and we could only afford a Ford. [Laughs]"

Regarding the musical direction of MISS MAY I's new material, Benton said: "A lot of it could be considered leftfield for us. I won't go into detail because when you do that, people expect something that they may not particularly hear, but when we finished 'At Heart', we were all stoked and thought we'd thrown everything we had into it. After a couple of years touring and growing, we've come back to writing and have been adding different influences. There's some slower, heavier stuff, thrashier parts and no two songs sound the same. We're doing something to challenge ourselves and our listeners but please both, too." "Rise Of The Lion" track listing:

01. Refuse To Believe02. Lunatik03. Gone04. Echoes05. You Want Me06. Tangled Tongues07. Hero With No Name08. Darker Days09. The End Of Me10. Saints, Sinners, and Greats

"Rise Of The Lion" will be available in digital, physical CD and vinyl versions.

This Thursday, February 27, the band will launch the first single from "Rise Of The Lion", "Gone", as well as official album pre-orders.

The worldwide release of "Rise Of The Lion" will be supported by a brief headline tour of the United States this April and May, with support from FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS. MISS MAY I will stop in eight cities, including a closer in their home state of Ohio at Rock On The Range.

HIRAX: New Song 'Hellion Rising' Available For Streaming

California thrashers HIRAX will release their new album, "Immortal Legacy", on March 4 (February 24 in Europe) via SPV/Steamhammer. It will be made available as a CD, gatefold colored LP and a digital download.

A song from the album, "Hellion Rising", can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.

"On our new album we more than ever felt an artistic obligation to our fans to give them a really big-sounding record," says HIRAX singer Katon W. De Pena.

"Our philosophy has always been to remember where we come from and stay true to our roots.

"Our fans know that we will never let them down and that they have helped to raise us up to a level with bands such as SLAYER, SODOM, KREATOR, EXODUS, OVERKILL, TESTAMENT, ANNIHILATOR and many others.

"This record proves that we are at the top of our game musically." According to Katon W. De Pena, the reason "Immortal Legacy" sounds so powerful is the fact that the members of HIRAX's current lineup agree 100 percent on the group's stylistic direction.

"Lance [Harrison, guitar] is a riff-writing master and a major force to reckon with," says Katon. "Nicknamed the Shred Baron for obvious reasons. He believes in heavy metal 100 percent." His younger brother Steve (bass) is an important part of the HIRAX sound. "Nobody plays bass like him," says Katon. "There is a unique sound and bond between Steve and his brother. As a bass player, he is a true musician."

Last but not least, there's Jorge Iacobellis (drums and percussions), who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Iacobellis is a seasoned veteran who plays with lots of heart and soul. Katon says: "The best way I can describe his drumming style is loud and powerful." The most unusual song on "Immortal Legacy" is "The World Will Burn" which has to be heard to be believed, according to Katon. His favorite track on the record changes daily, "but if I had to decide today, it would be 'Black Smoke', along with the title track, 'Immortal Legacy'. Once you hear them, you will never forget them."

"Immortal Legacy" was produced by Bill Metoyer (SLAYER, ARMORED SAINT, W.A.S.P., SACRED REICH) who previously worked with HIRAX in the early 1980s on their first two albums. Metoyer is a master of his craft and HIRAX feel honored and lucky to have him working with them. For Katon, Bill is a "musical wizard and his work on our new album is genius." The cover of "Immortal Legacy" was created by legendary artist Philip Lawvere (KREATOR, CELTIC FROST), marking his first oil painting in 25 years since coming out of retirement. He is the artist behind such classic album covers as KREATOR's "Pleasure To Kill" and CELTIC FROST's "Emperor's Return". Lawvere had done stunning illustrations for numerous albums and is best known for a slew of thrash metal offerings released on Noise Records. The HIRAX frontman comments: "We couldn't be happier to have Philip Lawvere illustrating the cover of our new album. After getting Bill Metoyer to produce it, this is truly the icing on the thrash metal cake!" With guest guitar players Jim Durkin (DARK ANGEL), Juan Garcia (AGENT STEEL, EVILDEAD) and Rocky George (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, FISHBONE) on the album, Katon is excited about a real metal monster that his band has produced.

"This is our most epic-sounding record to date, sonically powerful and over the top," he says. "14 new raging thrash metal songs that will make you bang your head!!!"

He adds: "This is probably our most diverse album ever. I think there is something for every heavy metal fan on this record! Obviously I'm very proud of it."

CD Version:

01. Black Smoke (4:35)02. Hellion Rising (4:05)03. Victims Of The Dead (3:07)04. Thunder Roar, The Conquest, La Boca De La Bestia - The Mouth Of The Beast (4:54)05. Earthshaker (0:44)06. Tied To The Gallows Pole (4:05)07. Deceiver (3:42)08. Immortal Legacy (4:40)09. S.O.W. (intro) (0:57)10. Violence Of Action (3:36)11. Atlantis (Journey To Atlantis) (1:30)12. The World Will Burn (2:07) Online Version:

01. Black Smoke (4:35)02. Hellion Rising (4:05)03. Victims Of The Dead (3:07)04. Thunder Roar, The Conquest, La Boca De La Bestia - The Mouth Of The Beast (4:54)05. Earthshaker (0:44)06. Tied To The Gallows Pole (4:05)07. Deceiver (3:42)08. Immortal Legacy (4:40)09. S.O.W. (intro) (0:57)10. Violence Of Action (3:36)11. Atlantis (Journey To Atlantis) (1:30)12. The World Will Burn (2:07)

Bonus track:

13. Mephistopheles (5:16)

LP Version:

Side 1

01. Black Smoke (4:35)02. Hellion Rising (4:05)03. Victims Of The Dead (3:07)04. Thunder Roar, The Conquest, La Boca De La Bestia - The Mouth Of The Beast (4:54)05. Earthshaker (0:44)06. Tied To The Gallows Pole (4:05) Side 2

07. Deceiver (3:42)08. Immortal Legacy (4:40)09. S.O.W. (intro) (0:57)10. Violence Of Action (3:36)11. Atlantis (Journey To Atlantis) (1:30)12. The World Will Burn (2:07)

Bonus track:

13. Mass Hysteria (3:45)

HIRAX is:

Katon W. DePena - VocalsLance Harrison - GuitarSteve Harrison - BassJorge Iacobellis - Drums

2

U.D.O. Signs New Deal With AFM RECORDS

U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT singer Udo Dirkschneider, has signed a new long-term contract with AFM Records. The new deal includes the release of three albums plus three DVDs.

"We feel very comfortable with AFM Records and we appreciate the good vibes," says Dirkschneider in a statement. "The mutual understanding is perfect and our individual wishes and ideas are respected and converted. This is obviously hard to find in the music business nowadays."

AFM managing director Jochen Richert is very proud that U.D.O. remains part of the AFM family. "We wanted such an extensive deal with U.D.O. because the cooperation has proved fertile in the past," he says. "U.D.O. is one of our biggest acts, sales figures have grown constantly; this proves that — together — we are successful!"

U.D.O.'s latest album, "Steelhammer", was released on May 24, 2013 via AFM Records. The CD was produced by Dirkschneider and Fitty Wienhold.

U.D.O. in 2012 announced the addition of guitarist Andrey Smirnov to the group's ranks. He replaced Stefan Kaufmann, who left the group for health reasons.

Stefan will continue to work with U.D.O. behind the scenes and produce other bands at his Roxx studio.

Kaufmann was the drummer for ACCEPT on nine albums but was forced to give up drumming towards the end of the band's initial run due to health problems.

Stefan joined U.D.O. as a guitar player in 1996, following ACCEPT's second breakup, and has recorded nine albums with them.

"Live In Sofia", the most recent DVD+CD and Blu-ray+CD from U.D.O., entered the Music DVD chart in Finland at position No. 1 and in Germany at No. 4.

"Live In Sofia" contains footage of U.D.O.'s November 16, 2011 concert at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria.

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AS I LAY DYING Singer TIM LAMBESIS Pleads Guilty In Murder For Hire

According to NBC San Diego, AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis pleaded guilty to his role in a murder-for-hire plot.

Lambesis, 32, entered the change of plea in court Tuesday, admitting that he hired a hit man to kill his estranged wife.

According to Radio.com, Lambesis' attorney offered no stipulated plea deal, which means the judge has the freedom to apply whatever sentence he determines appropriate, with a maximum of 9 years in state prison plus 4 years parole after release.

Sentencing is set for May 2 in front of the Honorable Judge Carlos Armor.

Prosecutors alleged Lambesis had twice told a man at a gym that he wanted his wife killed, then met with an undercover detective known as "Red", and gave the agent an envelope containing $1,000 in cash, photographs of his wife, and the security gate code to her house. He also allegedly told the agent the dates he would be with the couple's three adopted children, in order to give himself an alibi.

A number of witnesses testified for the prosecution during a September 2013 hearing, including the undercover officer who posed as a hitman. The officer explained that Lambesis told him, "Just to clarify, just so you know, I do want her dead."

Investigators say the undercover cop operation was staged after Lambesis told a man at his gym at Pure Fitness back on April 23, 2013 that he wanted his wife killed. Lambesis was allegedly complaining that she was making life difficult for him, that it was hard for him to see his children and that it was impossible for them to complete their divorce.

"[Lambesis said that] he wasn't allowed to visit his kids, he wasn't allowed to see his kids, he wasn't allowed to take his kids out of the state to go on tour with him, and that angered him," the undercover officer testified. "And the fact that his wife was gonna get a large portion — up to 60 percent — of his income [as part of a divorce settlement]."

The singer at one time has said he considered himself to be a Christian and acknowledged that he found inspiration for lyrical content from biblical texts.

Lambesis' attorney said the "gym culture" led to "changes in [the singer's] physiological and mental status," with Tim's bodybuilding obsession causing him to go from 170 to 220 pounds after first taking supplements, then steroids. "[He] was not the same person. He was irritable and lost God."

Tim's wife Meggan filed papers in September 2012 in San Diego Superior Court seeking a dissolution of the couple's marriage.

The couple had adopted three children from Ethiopia in recent years.

Lambesis was released on $2 million bail in May 2013 with the requirement that he wear a GPS monitor and stay away from his wife and kids.

VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS: 'Lust And Lies' Video Released

"Lust And Lies", the new video from VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS, the Dutch rock band led by former VANDENBERG and WHITESNAKE guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, can be seen below.

VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS' self-titled debut album was released on February 24 via Mascot Label Group. An extensive European tour will follow.

"Vandenberg's Moonkings" track listing:

01. Lust And Lies02. Close To You03. Good Thing04. Breathing05. Steal Away06. Line Of Fire07. Out Of Reach08. Feel It09. Leave This Town10. One Step Behind11. Leeches12. Nothing Touches13. Sailing Ships

"Vandenberg's Moonkings" is a sensational mix of blistering rock songs and powerful ballads from the Dutch guitar hero, and includes a newly recorded version of Vandenberg's ex-band WHITESNAKE's classic "Sailing Ships". Special guest David Coverdale adds his unique vocals to the equation, to complement Vandenberg's powerful riffs for a welcome moment of nostalgia. Multi-talented Vandenberg — who has designed all of his album sleeves since his very first record with Teaser at the age of 22 — took care of the artwork for this record. Mascot Label Group CEO Ed van Zijl is over the moon with signing Adrian Vandenberg's brand new band.

"Adrian is one of the most outstanding rock guitarists in the world," Ed said. "I have always followed his career and needless to say we are thrilled to finally be working with him. VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS are a fresh and hard rocking new band that will surely make an impact on the scene." Adrian Vandenberg rose to worldwide prominence with VANDENBERG, the melodic rock band that hit internationally with the powerful ballad "Burning Heart". Adrian solidified his status as one of the most talented rock guitarists around when he joined David Coverdale in the hard rock supergroup WHITESNAKE, co-writing many of its Billboard Hot 100-hits, like "The Deeper The Love" and "Now You're Gone", and supplying the legendary guitar solo to "Here I Go Again". After leaving WHITESNAKE, Adrian concentrated on his successful career as an artist, exhibiting his paintings in prestigious galleries all over Europe. Music however was always prevalent on his mind, so as soon as he had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented young musicians, he started creating new music.

VANDENBERG'S MOONKINGS is:

Adrian Vandenberg (guitar)Jan Hoving (vocals)Sem Christoffel (bass)Mart Nijen Es (drums)

For more information, visit www.moonkingsband.com.

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DEMON HUNTER: Lyric Video For New Song 'The Last One Alive'

The official lyric video for the song "The Last One Alive" from Seattle-based Christian metallers DEMON HUNTER can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's new album, "Extremist", which will be released on March 18 via Solid State.

"Extremist" track listing:

01. Death 02. Artificial Light 03. What I'm Not 04. The Last One Alive 05. I Will Fail You06. One Last Song07. Cross To Bear08. Hell Don't Need Me09. In Time10. Beyond Me11. Gasoline12. The Heart Of A Graveyard

Deluxe-edition bonus songs:

13. Waste Me14. Helpless Hope

DEMON HUNTER's sixth album, "True Defiance", sold 12,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 36 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on April 10, 2011 via Solid State Records. The CD was produced by Aaron Sprinkle (ANBERLIN, EMERY) and mixed by Jason Suecof (ALL THAT REMAINS, TRIVIUM).

"True Defiance" was released on limited-edition vinyl on July 31, 2012 via Solid State. Limited to a one-time pressing of 1,000 copies, the double LP, double gatefold package features stunning large-scale versions of DEMON HUNTER frontman and graphic artist Ryan Clark's beautiful artwork — making this a must-have for DEMON HUNTER fans and vinyl collectors.

DEMON HUNTER made headlines last year for its purported association with the Navy SEAL who killed Osama Bin Laden. In an article in Esquire, the anonymous SEAL said: "I wore my DEMON HUNTER patch on every mission. I wore it when I blasted Bin Laden."

"The Last One Alive" lyric video:

1

Ex-MEGADETH Guitarist MARTY FRIEDMAN: More 'Inferno' Album Details Revealed

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman will release "Inferno", his first solo album of original material in four years, in late May via Prosthetic Records (except in Japan, where the album will be released by Universal Music). The CD was recorded primarily in Los Angeles with engineer Chris Rakestraw (DANZIG, CHILDREN OF BODOM) and mixed by Jens Bogren (OPETH, AMON AMARTH) — features what Friedman recently told Guitar World is "the most intense writing and playing I can do." The album also includes notable guest appearances by several artists influenced by Friedman, including flamenco/metal acoustic guitar duo RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho, SKYHARBOR mastermind Keshav Dhar and REVOCATION guitar whiz David Davidson, as well as Friedman's first songwriting collaboration with Jason Becker since the pair played together in CACOPHONY, the pioneering duo of guitar mayhem.

In addition, "Inferno" breaks all genre rules and creates new ones with an exhilarating and musically daring mash-up with Jørgen Munkeby of the acclaimed "blackjazz" act SHINING, as well as two tracks featuring vocals by rock guru Danko Jones. Overall, "Inferno" is by fa Friedman's most thrilling and adventurous effort to date.

"Inferno" track listing:

01. Inferno02. Resin03. Wicked Panacea (feat. Rodrigo y Gabriela)04. Steroidhead (feat. Keshav Dhar)05. I Can't Relax (feat. Danko Jones)06. Meat Hook (feat. Jørgen Munkeby)07. Hyper Doom08. Sociopaths (feat. David Davidson)09. Lycanthrope (feat. Alexi Laiho & Danko Jones)10. Undertow11. Horrors (co-written by Jason Becker)12. Inferno (reprise)

"Inferno" release dates:

North America: May 27UK: May 26Rest of Europe: May 23Japan: May 21

"Steroidhead" — hailed by Rolling Stone as a "mix of searing solos and chugging prog-metal riffs" — was unveiled last month prior to the annual NAMM convention, where Friedman introduced a new Paul Reed Smith signature series guitar and performed live before capacity crowds at the PRS and Roland/Boss demonstration booths.

"I'm extremely proud of the work I've done with CACOPHONY and MEGADETH, but I was never interested in stopping there," Friedman said. "'Inferno' is the album that fans of my work with those two bands have always wanted me to make. I've finally made it, and completely on my own maniacal terms."

He added: "On the guests' songs, each would write a song from scratch, and then I would arrange it and add my parts to it," Friedman said. "That way, we were both invested in it, and it’s a little bit of a deeper experience than just banging out a guest solo."

"I wanted to create a new landmark to which my future music will be compared," Friedman said. "That idea of just going completely balls-out — knowing what the full potential of my music and my playing could possibly be, and actually making it a reality — was what drove me through the whole process."

Regarding his brand new collaboration with Becker — who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease) at age 20, shortly after joining David Lee Roth's band for the gold-selling 1991 album "A Little Ain't Enough" — Marty said: "[Jason is] able to make music, but he's not able to play guitar. If you see the [documentary] movie 'Not Dead Yet', you'll learn how he does it with his eye movements, because that's all he can move. But his brain is completely intact and his music has evolved, just like any other musician would have evolved over time. So it's really insane how his evolved his music is."

He continued: "I wanted to have one song where [Jason and I] could collaborate, just like we used to collaborate together in CACOPHONY. And what he did was he gave me a bunch of his musical ideas to choose from, and I chose from those, and then I arranged them. And I added my parts to those and I fleshed it out into a complete kind of an opus of a song — it's really long; it's, like, seven and a half minutes or something. And then it came to the point where now I've gotta play Jason's parts of have someone play Jason's parts. So, basically, I played everything that was electric. But there's an acoustic section of the song that I'd rather have an acoustic master play than me, 'cause I'm totally a half-assed acoustic player. So I had a friend of mine named Ewan Dobson, who is also a friend of Jason's, I had him play what Jason wrote and what I arranged of Jason's parts, I had him be Jason. So I had him come into the studio and be Jason, and I had him play exactly the way I had arranged Jason's material. And it was literally just like sitting in a room with Jason and having him play it, because [Ewan] didn't diverge from what was actually written at all, he just interpreted it exactly the way it was… It was written down — I arranged it, I had it written down — so he just nailed it completely perfectly and I wanted to make sure it was true to a Marty-and-Jason collaboration. I mean, [Ewan is] a fantastic guitarist — I would love to collaborate with him sometime — but on this, it was all about the Marty-and-Jason thing. So I had him do the Jason parts on acoustic, and I played everything else on electric. Of course, I play nothing like Jason."

Friedman also spoke in more detail about the track itself, telling VintageRock.com: "The song, it's definitely CACOPHONY, and it's definitely what [Jason and I] would be doing in 2014 and the future. So it's very evolved, it's very new, but it's definitely the two of us. And it came to life thanks to Jason's willingness to contribute and to Ewan's willingness to be Jason for me."

He continued: "I played a rough mix for Jason the other day, and he just loved it. We finished mixing it this week.

"I wanna play it for everybody so bad, but I guess you'll just have to wait until May. I'm very pleased with it."

According to Friedman, his relationship with Becker has not changed since Jason was diagnosed with ALS more than two decades ago.

"To know Jason, to know his story…. Of course, ALS is the worst thing ever, it's an unbelievably sad, horrible situation," Marty explained. "But Jason, whenever [we are in contact with each other], ever since he's had it, it's the same as it ever was, just the same as friends. We never talk about, 'Oh, it's so sad, I'm so bummed, I'm so depressed.' We totally insult each other like we always did, we put down each other's favorite football teams, we call each other bastards… I mean, nothing has changed; his brain is just as perverted as he ever was. He's exactly the same. His spirit is just perfect. And just seeing him in that situation gives me so much inspiration. And now people will hear the incarnate of something that we've done together in 2014, and I'm just so glad that it's happening. And it's a very important part of my record. I mean, it's a big, important part of the record."

"Steroidhead" song audio stream:

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BLACK STONE CHERRY: New Song 'Me And Mary Jane' Available For Streaming

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY will release their fourth album, "Magic Mountain", on May 6 (one day earlier internationally) via Roadrunner Records. The CD's lead single, "Me And Mary Jane", has just hit radio waves to coincide with the band's sold-out series of intimate "fan-curated" U.K. shows.

"Me And Mary Jane" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Commenting on the making of the Joe Barresi-produced "Magic Mountain", BLACK STONE CHERRY said: "Not since before our first album have we felt the freedom and confidence that we felt while writing and recording this album.

"After touring the world behind three previous albums that we are extremely proud of, we feel this album best captures the live energy, honesty and vibe that encompasses our true musicianship."

Renowned as electrifying live, BLACK STONE CHERRY will hit the road hard in support of "Magic Mountain", kicking off the album cycle in the U.K. with a series of intimate — and already sold out — live performances dubbed "The Southern Hospitality Tour". Set for late February/early March, the dates will see BLACK STONE CHERRY creating each evening's set list from a list of fan requests, guaranteeing every night's performance will be completely unique. The boys will also break the lengthy set to answer fans questions during an audience question-and-answer session, marking the shows out as a really special evening.

BLACK STONE CHERRY's previous albums, 2008's "Folklore And Superstition" and 2011's "Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea", both topped the U.K. Rock Albums chart on their release and have since racked up silver sales certification status from the BPI (British Phonographic Industry).

BLACK STONE CHERRY is:

Chris Robertson - Vocals/GuitarBen Wells - Guitar/VocalsJon Lawhon - Bass/VocalsJohn Fred Young - Drums/Vocals

1

Black Stone Cherry

SLASH Featured On 'Bob Dylan In The 80s: Volume One' Tribute Album

Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash has joined forces with Aaron Freeman (a.k.a. Gene Ween of WEEN) on a cover of Bob Dylan's "Wiggle Wiggle", to be included on a new tribute album to the legendary singer.

Slash played acoustic guitar on the original version of the song, which appeared on Dylan's 1990 release "Under The Red Sky".

Due on March 25 via ATO Records, "Bob Dylan In The 80s: Volume One" is the brainchild of producers Jesse Lauter (ELVIS PERKINS, THE LOW ANTHEM) and Sean O'Brien (DAWES, PAPA). The mission of the collection is to shed new light on a large cache of Bob Dylan songs that have long gone ignored, covering the period starting with 1980's "Saved" and ending with 1990's "Under The Red Sky".

To see the complete track listing, go to ATORecords.com.

In the liner notes to this collection, New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Lethem ("Motherless Brooklyn", "Fortress Of Solitude") writes, "In the famously difficult art of going up against Dylan's performance of his own material, a number of these reach the highest threshold. I hope Bob Dylan listens to this record, and plays it for his current touring band."

When you ask someone to name a Bob Dylan song or album from the 1980s, you usually get a blank stare in return. "Bob Dylan In The 80s: Volume One" helps to answer this question.

"80s Dylan is by no means a celebrated period in his career," says co-producer Lauter. "It was, in fact, the lowest point of his commercial success even though he released eight studio albums." He continues, "Our goal was to showcase one of the greatest artists of our time during an off-rhythm period and bring a stronger sense of harmony to the material at hand. Sean and I did everything we could to make this album flow together sonically as if you were listening to a concept album."

Again, Lethem claims, "Given the benefit of decades more hindsight, our Dylan was a lot better than anyone knew… Were one to begin compiling instances of greatness in the type of songwriting that defines our esteem for the earlier Dylan — complex, suggestive, glinting, cascading constructions — you'd hit a dozen examples even before the 'comeback' of 'Oh Mercy'."

Portions of proceeds from album sales will go to the charity, Pencils Of Promise. Pencils of Promise is a non-profit organization that builds schools and increases educational opportunities in the developing world. The charity has built more than 150 schools in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

LACUNA COIL: Fan-Filmed Footage Of New York City Concert

Fan-filmed video footage of LACUNA COIL's February 24 performance at Irving Plaza in New York City can be seen below.

LACUNA COIL's new studio album, "Broken Crown Halo", will be released in North America on April 1 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded Italy by producer Jay Baumgardner (P.O.D., SEVENDUST, EVANESCENCE, PAPA ROACH) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., BUSH, ZEBRAHEAD). The effort was mastered by Howie Weinberg, whose credits include RAMMSTEIN, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, DEFTONES and SHERYL CROW.

"Broken Crown Halo" is LACUNA COIL's seventh studio effort, and the highly-anticipated follow-up to "Dark Adrenaline", which was released in January 2012 and saw the band tour with acts including MEGADETH, MOTÖRHEAD, VOLBEAT and SEVENDUST after debuting at No. 15 on The Billboard 200 album chart.

"Broken Crown Halo" track listing:

01. Nothing Stands In Our Way02. Zombies 03. Hostage To The Light 04. Victims 05. Die & Rise 06. I Forgive (But I Won't Forget Your Name)07. Cybersleep 08. Infection 09. I Burn In You10. In The End I Feel Alive11. One Cold Day

LACUNA COIL is touring as a quintet following the departures of guitarist Cris "Pizza" Migliore and drummer Cristiano "Criz" Mozzati. Marco "Maus" Biazzi is handling all guitar duties on the trek while drummer Ryan Blake Folden is once again sitting behind the kit. The band states: "Fans will already be familiar with Ryan, as he performed live with LACUNA COIL on the majority of the 2012 and 2013 'Dark Legacy' and 'Dark Adrenaline' tours."

Regarding the departures of Migliore and Mozzati, LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia told U.K.'s Metal Hammer: "It's something we announced [on February 14] but knew for a few weeks, and honestly, I feel good, because we couldn't have a better — I don't even wasn't to use the word ‘split'; that sounds like, 'Oh, we had a big fight and we don't want to see each other anymore,' she said.

"It was something that was coming from the heart, very sincere. They just decided they wanted to change their lives. It's not like they didn't like the band anymore, but this lifestyle is not easy. You're on tour all the time, you don't have any private life anymore.

"Being on tour is really surreal, because time moves in a different way, so I think it's absolutely normal that after so many years together, some of us want to carry on doing what we do because we still enjoy it, and some of us would want to move on, keeping the great memories we have together. I mean, they're not planning to join other bands. It's not going to be a huge difference, because we will have the same songwriter, and we are determined to go on. So I'm sad that they're leaving, but we will continue seeing each other outside the band. They are happy, we are happy, everyone is happy."

She continued: "It's too early to think about replacements, and we don't even know if we want that. We might work with session musicians for a while, because even if we are serene and happy, it's hard for us, because we lost two brothers, so we don't want anyone to come into the family just like that. It would be wise, I think, just to go on with us four and then move on with friends like Ryan, who is a great drummer and very easy to get along with. And that's an important factor, because if you're going to share a tour bus with people, you have to be able to get along with them!"

The Revolver-magazine-presented "The Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock Tour runs through March 20 in Anaheim, California. Visit www.hottestchickstour.com for additional details and VIP packages.

DEVIN TOWNSEND's CASUALTIES OF COOL: Album Cover Artwork Unveiled

The cover artwork for the forthcoming debut album from the CASUALTIES OF COOL project from Canadian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend can be seen below.

Devin recently launched a three-month-long crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMusic for CASUALTIES OF COOL since the album will be released without record-label backing.

In a 2013 interview with BluntMag.com.au, Devin stated about CASUALTIES OF COOL: "If there's anybody who's new to what I do, who maybe heard 'Liberation' or some of the songs off 'Epicloud' and thought, 'This is really cool, I could get into this,' you're going to hate CASUALTIES. [laughs] I mean, really, it's as opposite of 'Epicloud' as 'Ghost' was to 'Deconstruction'. It's this weird, dark, not evil but verging on it, bluesy, Johnny Cash-y, strange, quiet folk record. But I love it, it's the one record that I've done over the past 10 or 15 years where I can truly say, 'This is where I am right now.'

"You know, the other things that I've done have been as well in their own right, 'Epicloud', 'Deconstruction' and 'Addicted!', but there was an agenda with those, I was trying to say something with them or I was trying to prove a point, make a statement about the past or whatever. CASUALTIES is something that I've done without any pressure, without anybody telling me what to do, without showing it to anyone, it's just what evolved when I wasn't thinking about it. As a result of that, I'm incredibly proud of it, but it remains to be seen whether or not other people will resonate with it. I think they will, man. I think it's fucking awesome, and I mean, I haven't smoked weed in a long time but I can't imagine that it wouldn't be awesome while you're smoking. [laughs]"

Asked where CASUALTIES OF COOL will fit into the Devin Townsend discography in terms of sound — among his more traditional-sounding albums, or a bit more removed like his ambient albums, Devin said: "Somewhere in the middle, you know, somewhere in the middle. It's like, if you took the weird elements of 'Ki' and the weird elements of 'Devlab' and added a vintage sort of vibe.

"My management had a suggestion, which I think is pretty cool, which was, 'You shouldn't call it DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, you shouldn't even put your name on it, just call it CASUALTIES OF COOL and put it out as its own thing.' It's got a different singer, I sing on like half of it right, but it's got this lady [Vancouver artist Ché Aimee Dorval, who also appears on 'Ki'] who's just this brilliant singer, she's a young, despondent-sounding bluesy vocalist and it's creepy. I think that that might be a way for me to get away with it, putting it out without it being part of the DTP [DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT] or whatever.

"I don't know what to tell you, man. I just go where it feels the most honest to go, then I deal with people thinking it's weird afterwards. [laughs]"

Regarding whether there is a particular atmosphere he wants to create or a story he wants to convey with CASUALTIES OF COOL, Devin said: "Yeah there's a story, definitely. It's going to take a little longer than what we've got for me to explain it, but you'll hear it eventually. I want it to be something you listen to quietly, by yourself, in the middle of the night, with a big old full moon outside. It'll work perfectly."

8

FAKE IDOLS: Debut Album Cover Artwork, Release Dates

Italian hard rockers FAKE IDOLS will release their self-titled debut album via Lifeforce Records on the following dates:

April 25: Digital worldwideApril 29: North AmericaMay 2: Germany, Austria, SwitzerlandMay 5: Rest of Europe The CD was recorded at Raptor Studios and features a special guest appearance by CRUCIFIED BARBARA singer Mia Coldheart. According to a press release, the effort "will surely please anyone who loves great songs and killer riffs, showcasing a surprising attitude in rock songwriting with their original and catchy sound."

FAKE IDOLS was formed from the union of three well-known and recognized European bands in the hard rock/metal genre (who previously released two albums on Lifeforce Records), RAINTIME, SLOWMOTION APOCALYPSE and JAR OF BONES.

Some of the members of all three bands were united in their search for new sounds and decided to join forces in this promising new project, relying on their different backgrounds and different musical influences and styles in order to infuse their invaluable musical experiences over the years into the new album.

CHEVELLE: 'La Gargola' Artwork, Track Listing Revealed

CHEVELLE will release its seventh studio album, titled "La Gargola", on April 1. The disc was recorded in Pasadena, California instead of the band's usual spot in their hometown of Chicago, and follows up 2011's "Hats Off To The Bull".

The "La Gargola" cover, which can be found below, features a dark figure wearing a buttoned up coat and a beak-like mask worn by plague doctors back in the days.

"La Gargola" track listing: 01. Ouija Board02. An Island03. Take Out The Gunman04. Jawbreaker05. Hunter Eats Hunter06. One Ocean07. Choking Game08. The Damned09. Under The Knife10. Twinge

Drummer Sam Loeffler explained the group's sound to Loudwire Reloaded, saying: "At the end of the day I think we sound like our band without trying to sound like somebody else, and that's important. But at the same time you hope your music evolves. To me, it does evolve, but it's still melodic hard rock music which is what inspires us to want to write."

The first single, "Take Out The Gunman", addresses the issues of guns and mass shootings, but Loeffler says it's also about more than that. "It is hitting a little close to home," he tells The Pulse Of Radio. "However, certainly it's about that but the real point is about how the media sensationalizes it and how it perpetuates it, because we talk about it so much and concentrate on it so much, which is — when you put something on television, it just becomes bigger than life and then, you know, the age-old question is, if you don't put it on TV and nobody knows about it, will it happen less? I don't know."

The official lyric video for "Take Out The Gunman" can be seen below.

The trio will head out on the road for a headlining tour with MIDDLE CLASS RUT and OH BROTHER, beginning on April 4.

The group is also scheduled to make appearances at the Rock On The Range and Welcome To Rockville festivals in April and May.

1

LOUDBLAST: New 'Burial Ground' Studio Clip Posted Online

French death metal veterans LOUDBLAST have inked a deal with Listenable Records for the follow up to 2011's "Frozen Moments Between Life And Death". Due out later this year, the band's newest album will be titled "Burial Ground".

A solid mix of classic and modern influences, the latest output from these death metal veterans dares transgressing their traditional thrash/death style of yore to achieve a much more malign yet as catchy sound. "Burial Ground" benefits from a massive production and sees the band evolving in further darker sounds while retaining the original '90s classic death metal roots.

A new video teaser for "Burial Ground" can be seen below.

LOUDBLAST is:

Vocals/Guitar: Stéphane BuriezGuitars: DrakhianBass: Alexandre LenormandDrums: Hervé Coquerel

Photo credit: Anthony Dubois

1

WAMI Project Featuring VINNY APPICE, DOOGIE WHITE, MARCO MENDOZA: CD Artwork, Track Listing

WAMI, the brand new project featuring vocalist Doogie White (RAINBOW, MICHAEL SCHENKER, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), drummer Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, DIO) and bassist Marco Mendoza (THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE) alongside 16-year-old Polish guitarist Iggy Gwadera, will release its debut album, "Kill The King", in May via Metal Mind Productions.

"Kill The King" track listing:

01. The Rider02. Young Blood03. One More For Rock'n'roll04. Guardian Of Your Heart05. Transition06. The Resistance07. Exodus (The Red Sea Crossing)08. Heart Of Steel09. Wild Woman (You Oughta Know)10. Get Out Of My Way11. I Don't Wanna Lose You The front cover illustration of the album was created by Polish graphic designer Jaroslaw Wieczorek and can be seen below.

WAMI is currently promoting the album in Poland with the track "Guardian Of Your Heart", which features guest appearance by Piotr Cugowski from the popular Polish rock band BRACIA. The first international single, "Wild Woman (You Oughta Know)", will be released on March 11.

The idea to record an album together was born after THIN LIZZY's concert in Poland. Mendoza — impressed with Iggy, who supported THIN LIZZY with his band ANTI TANK NUN — suggested that they record some music together. This first idea, which was maturing for the next dozen-odd months, eventually evolved into the above-mentioned project.

In a recent issue of Polish edition of Metal Hammer magazine, Vinny stated about WAMI: "The music is quite heavy. but not as dark as, for example, BLACK SABBATH or KILL DEVIL HILL. It's melodic music, and very well performed. I would label it high-quality heavy rock." He added: "When I first heard that music, I really liked it. Later on, I was informed that the guitarist is only 16 years old. I thought, 'Wow, what an incredible instrumentalist.' And then I learnt that Marco Mendoza will be involved in this project and that made me even more interested in this idea. The demo versions of the tracks sounded very promising so I can't wait for the final results."

Video: TRIPTYKON Performs New Song 'Altar Of Deceit' In Norway

Fan-filmed video footage of TRIPTYKON — the occult/avant-garde metal project formed by former HELLHAMMER/CELTIC FROST singer, guitarist, and main songwriter Tom Gabriel Fischer (a.k.a. Tom Gabriel Warrior) — performing a brand new song, "Altar Of Deceit", on February 21 at Blastfest in Bergen, Norway can be seen below.

TRIPTYKON will release its second album, "Melana Chasmata", on April 15 (one day earlier internationally). The CD will be made available through a collaboration between the group's own label, Prowling Death Records Ltd., and renowned metal giant Century Media Records. This is the same label partnership already responsible for CELTIC FROST's final album, "Monotheist" (2006), HELLHAMMER's "Demon Entrails" demo compendium (2008), and TRIPTYKON's debut album, "Eparistera Daimones", and "Shatter" EP (2010).

Like its predecessor "Eparistera Daimones", the album was produced by TRIPTYKON's singer/guitarist Tom Gabriel Warrior and guitarist V. Santura and recorded and mixed at V. Santura's own Woodshed Studio in southern Germany as well as at TRIPTYKON's rehearsal facilities in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2013 and 2014. Those who have already heard "Melana Chasmata" have described it as "atmospheric, dark, diabolical, and dramatic", "diverse, epic, and doomy, but on an entirely different level", "a fierce boulder of abhorrence", or "very heavy and yet very aesthetic at the same time".

"Melana Chasmata" will feature the following nine songs, at a playing time of around 67 minutes:

01. Tree Of Suffocating Souls02. Boleskine House03. Altar Of Deceit04. Breathing05. Aurorae06. Demon Pact07. In The Sleep Of Death08. Black Snow09. Waiting

Further new TRIPTYKON music has been recorded, to be released as an EP or mini album later in 2014 or early in 2015.

Among other formats, the album will be released as a 32-page mediabook (with lyrics and liner notes to every song, and with a special fold out poster), as a gatefold vinyl double album (with posters and large-format booklet), and for digital download. Additionally, Century Media is scheduled to issue a special box set, limited to 2000 copies. The box set will include the album, a TRIPTYKON silver pendant, a poster, postcards, a TRIPTYKON tote bag, and a cap.

To commemorate the unveiling of "Melana Chasmata", Century Media will release a collector's gatefold seven-inch vinyl single, featuring the songs "Breathing" and "Boleskine House". The single will be available on March 17 , and be limited to a pressing 1000 (of which 200 will be in red vinyl). "Breathing" and "Boleskine House" will also be available as a digital single (including the option for a digital booklet), and they will be streamed on YouTube and SoundCloud.

"Melana Chasmata" will be further distinguished by featuring, for the second time for TRIPTYKON, the extraordinary art of legendary Swiss surrealist HR Giger. Following "Eparistera Daimones", the group began to make arrangements for an entirely different cover for the second album. Completely unexpectedly, HR Giger approached Tom Gabriel Warrior in October of 2011 to express his appreciation of how TRIPTYKON had used his art on the first album and to propose a continuation of the artistic collaboration. This development thus marks the first time any musical artist has worked with HR Giger on three albums (CELTIC FROST's "To Mega Therion", and TRIPTYKON's "Eparistera Daimones" and "Melana Chasmata"), and it commemorates a collaboration that has now lasted for 30 years.

"Melana Chasmata" features Giger's dramatically mysterious "Mordor VII" (work no. 283, 100 x 70 cm, acrylic on wood, 1975) as a front cover and Giger's "Landschaft XVI" ["Landscape XVI"] (work no. 209, 100 x 70 cm, acrylic on paper on wood, 1972) as gatefold art.

After a lengthy hiatus, TRIPTYKON will return to the stage this year to promote "Melana Chasmata". Among the concerts so far scheduled are appearances at the celebrated Roadburn festival, at Rock Hard festival, and, pending the issuance of the proper visas by U.S. authorities, TRIPTYKON's return to the United States for an exclusive appearance at Maryland Deathfest.

TRIPTYKON consists of V. Santura (guitar, vocals), Norman Lonhard (drums, percussion), Vanja Slajh (bass, vocals), and Tom Gabriel Warrior (voice, guitars).

2

AVENGED SEVENFOLD: Fan-Filmed Video Footage Of Entire Sydney Concert

Fan-filmed video footage of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's entire February 23 concert in Sydney, Australia as part of this year's Soundwave festival can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

0:00 Shepherd Of Fire5:40 Critical Acclaim12:00 Welcome To The Family17:00 Hail To The King22:57 Doing Time27:47 Buried Alive36:21 Fiction41:29 Nightmare47:44 Afterlife54:11 Synyster Gates Solo58:06 Bat Country1:03:45 Unholy Confessions

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has tapped Andrew Baird (CAGE THE ELEPHANT, CARRIE UNDERWOOD) to direct the video for the band's song "This Means War". The clip is described as "a grisly street fight on the dark streets of an urban metropolis. Haunted by dark creatures and lost souls."

"This Means War" is taken from AVENGED SEVENFOLD's sixth and latest album, "Hail To The King", which came out last year and was the band's second straight CD to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, following 2010's "Nightmare".

AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Synyster Gates told Music Radar about the "This Means War" track: "We wanted a really impactful, riff-based intro but one that would also feature our dual-lead-harmony approach. It's pretty cool how it fits into the slow groove of the track and just hammers through.

"This song is becoming one of my favorites. I've been really enjoying watching people listen to it because it so fits the vibe of the album. When they hear it, they start moving, and they don't stop. Sometimes, with more progressive songs, you lose that fee somewhere along the line, but 'This Means War' never quits — the energy is always there.

"All of my solos were improvised initially — I would go in and get my bearings and see what I came up with. I was hearing something chaotic in the intro, a machine-gun spray that would build into something more melodic."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has released the animated series based around "Hail To The King". The six-episode series is available on Machimina's HappyHour channel on YouTube and also serves as a prologue and back story for the group's mobile game, "Hail To The King: Deathbat", which will debut later in the year. The series was directed by Jon Schnepp, producer of the Adult Swim animated show "Metalocalypse".

Both the series and game tell the story of AVENGED SEVENFOLD's fictional mascot, the Deathbat.

The band recorded seven brand new songs for the game, which will also include 16 pieces of never-before-seen artwork from all the group's albums that players can unlock.

Avenged Sevenfold

DEVILDRIVER: Fan-Filmed Video Footage Of Entire Sydney Concert

Fan-filmed video footage of DEVILDRIVER's entire February 23 concert in Sydney, Australia as part of this year's Soundwave festival can be seen below.

DEVILDRIVER's latest album, "Winter Kills", sold around 11,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 32 on The Billboard 200 chart. This figure is in line with the opening number of DEVILDRIVER's fifth CD, "Beast", which also shifted 11,000 units back in February 2011 to land at No. 42.

The instrumental parts for "Winter Kills" were recorded at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida while the vocals were laid down at singer Dez Fafara's home studio, with Mark Lewis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, WHITECHAPEL, ALL THAT REMAINS) handling production duties. The album's cover artwork features a photograph by Dean Karr. The layout was done by Ryan Clark of Invisible Creature.

"Winter Kills" was made available in four configurations, including a deluxe digibook with CD (including two bonus tracks, "Shudder" and "Back Down To The Grave") and live DVD (featuring 45 minutes of live raw DEVILDRIVER power — no studio overdubs at all, just the band at their best — and including fan favorites "Clouds Over California" and "The Wretched"), standard CD version, digital version and, for the first time in DEVILDRIVER history, a 2LP gatefold edition.

1

Video: New SUICIDE SILENCE Lineup Performs In Sydney

Fan-filmed video footage of SUICIDE SILENCE's February 23 performance at the Sydney stop of this year's Soundwave festival in Australia can be seen below.

SUICIDE SILENCE recently entered the studio to begin recording its new album with producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, WARBRINGER). The group's first CD with new vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (ex-ALL SHALL PERISH) will be released next summer via Nuclear Blast Entertainment, a division of Nuclear Blast Records formed by Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger and former Roadrunner A&R chief Monte Conner.

SUICIDE SILENCE singer Mitch Lucker died November 1, 2012 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach on Halloween night.

"We never talked about continuing and we never talked about quitting, so it was like an unspoken thing, 'cause with some people, a tragic happening, the last thing you want to do is talk about it," SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza told Music Feeds.

Ultimately, Garza explained, carrying on as SUICIDE SILENCE felt like the right thing to do. "I think keeping the SUICIDE SILENCE brand going and the name going keeps Mitch alive and I think it would be completely disrespectful to Mitch and everything that he worked for if we stopped going or changed the name," he added.

"This record will be the grittiest, most meaningful piece of work we've ever stood behind,” commented guitarist Mark Heylmun. "We cannot wait for everyone to hear it.

"Steve Evetts is someone we've worked closely with for a long while, not only on 'The Black Crown', but also on some instrumental demos just prior to the tragedy last fall. Here we are a year later prepping to record the nastiest, heaviest, most disgusting work we've ever done. Expect the unexpected."

Regarding the direction of the new material, Heylmun told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine: "Eddie is quite a versatile vocalist and he's willing to experiment, so we're definitely exploring the horizons, but don't expect anything less than pure brutality throughout."

Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD), Robb Flynn (MACHINE HEAD) and Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) were among the "surprise" guests who performed with with the surviving members of SUICIDE SILENCE at a special show on December 21, 2012 at the Fox theater in Pomona, California as a tribute Mitch Lucker. All proceeds from the event went towards the education of Mitch's six-year-old daughter, Kenadee Lucker.

The Pomona concert was professionally filmed for a DVD, "Suicide Silence - Ending Is The Beginning: The Mitch Lucker Memorial Show", that was released on February 18 in North America and will be made available March 17 in Europe as a CD/DVD digipack and CD/Blu-ray combo pack.

SUICIDE SILENCE 2014 is:

Hernan "Eddie" Hermida - VocalsChris Garza - GuitarMark Heylmun - GuitarAlex Lopez - DrumsDan Kenny - Bass

Suicide Silence

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