On politics:

Mustaine: "You've got all these politicians saying that they're your friends, and they're not. Republican, Democrat, whoever they are, they're all the same monsters, and they don't care about us. When they passed that bill exempting them off of Obamacare, that was the cherry on top of the cupcake for me. All I have to say is, 'I told you so.' "

On openly embracing Christianity:

Mustaine: "I don't think that my faith has anything to do with my lyrics. I try and keep religion out of it. Frankly, for me, I don't believe in religion. I have a personal relationship with God and with Christ, and that's it. I don't push that on anybody; it's private. I kind of leave it there. Dave's [Ellefson] real open about it."

On his days in METALLICA:

Mustaine: "I remember when I was in METALLICA, the second-to-the-last show that I did with those guys, [IRON MAIDEN bassist] Steve [Harris] came and checked us out. I was talking to him after the show and he goes, 'Yeah, I think you guys are going to be big.' And I was like, 'Yeah, I think so, too.' Little did I know."

On up-and-coming metal bands:

Mustaine: "Regardless of their age, if they're young or they're old or whatever, they've got talent. I've got to say that. But the originality is like flaxseed oil. To me, it's absolutely tasteless."

On how much of his competitive fire is still there:

Mustaine: "I'm not going to say I'm complacent, but put this into another metaphor. You're a gunslinger. Just because you're the best doesn't mean you have to keep your gun out on the table all the time. You get respect. When people want to challenge you, they'll let you know. It's like, if you're standing in front of a samurai, if he pulls his sword out even one inch, you're fucked. Excuse my French."

According to a press release, ".44" "investigates a mindset of a school killer, exploring a dark past and eventually, depicting the delirium that takes a hold on its victim, the killer."

".44" comes off DE LIRIUM'S ORDER's third album, "Veniversum", which was released in March 2012 via DLO Productions, distributed by Inverse Records.

"Veniversum" track listing:

01. Autistic Savant02. .4403. Maximum Sentence04. Seppuku05. The Gravity of Crime06. Schizophrenic07. My Kingdom from Baekdu08. The Aftermath

Regarding the CD title, Shepherd told Bass Player magazine: "That's an old nickname for the neighborhood where I hang out."

He added: "[The album] was done before SOUNDGARDEN returned to doing anything, and then it was put on the back burner."

Speaking about the lyrical approach of his solo material, Shepherd told PureVolume: "I want to do that to give people freedom to think and feel about what it is. I don't want to just blurt it out, unless it's one of those songs where you want to say exactly what it is. I don't tend to write journalistically like that when it comes to words. Like 'Stone Pale' was made up on the spot years ago. Then, I added a verse during the recording of this record because I thought it needed another verse instead of just repeating a verse."

Nardi revealed in an online post this past April that he is "planning to finish the new music and release it in some form, but I'm not sure of the details just yet. This will not be an acoustic project like CRUEL APRIL. It will be exactly the same album that I had intended to record with [fellow ANACRUSIS original members] John [Emery, bass] and Mike [Owen, drums].

"Basically. I have been recording new songs myself over the last couple of years (during the reunion rehearsals/shows/festivals) with the intention of going back and replacing the programmed drums and the bass parts that I recorded using the other guys. Unfortunately, this was going nowhere and we could just never find the time to get things moving. So I have left John's bass on a few songs that he had completed and have played everything else myself. There were rough drum tracks which Mike played and had planned to go back and re-do which I have just replaced like the rest of the demos (If you've heard the version of 'Made' I posted, you'll have an idea as I was the only one on that recording).

"I have more than 20 songs completed and will be working on recording the last batch over the next few weeks. In the end, there will be maybe 30 songs making up two complete CDs packed full of new material. Most will be very much in the style of ANACRUSIS (or at least where we would be 20 years after 'Screams And Whispers') and some a bit more experimental and/or melodic. There will be thrash stuff, proggish stuff, melodic stuff and some things like you've never heard. I have even recorded a heavier version of 'A Little Light' from the CRUEL APRIL project. With 2 1/2 hours worth of songs, there should something for any fan of ANACRUSIS and more.

"I still plan to call it 'Parallax Error', though I am debating whether to put the name ANACRUSIS on it or not. Regardless, by any name, the album would be the same. I plan on posting a medley of samples soon to give everyone an idea what to expect.

"I personally have so much time and creative effort invested in these songs that I did not want to abandon the entire project just because we cannot find the time to be a band right now. Hopefully some of you will enjoy what I have created this time and the new recordings will be something fresh for those of you who've waited for new ANACRUSIS music."

ANACRUSIS in 2010 spent time in the studio recording a "new" album entitled "Hindsight: Suffering Hour & Reason Revisited". The two-CD set featured both ANACRUSIS' debut album, "Suffering Hour", and its second release, "Reason", along with the classic ANACRUSIS demo track "Apocalypse", all fully re-recorded by the original lineup of Nardi, Kevin Heidbreder, John Emery and Mike Owen. The package also featured a 24-page, full-color booklet with lyrics and lots of photos both old and new. The cover art was created by Eliran Kantor (TESTAMENT, SIGH, MEKONG DELTA, GWAR).

In 2009, Stormspell Records released the CD/DVD compilation, "Annihilation Complete: The Early Years Anthology", which featured ANACRUSIS' demo and video footage of Nardi's pre-ANACRUSIS band, HEAVEN'S FLAME.

Tickets that were already purchased for the dates in September will be honored for the rescheduled dates in January.

Unfortunately, one of the shows could not be rescheduled and has been canceled. This is show is Vienna, West Virginia on September 21.

The shows scheduled for South Burlington, Vermont on September 24 and Long Island, New York on September 27 will be rescheduled for a later date; please hold on to your tickets. Refunds for the West Virginia are available at point of purchase.

The band will still be playing The Shindig festival on September 14 in Baltimore, Maryland. All dates on the October - November leg of the tour will go on as scheduled and planned. The Hampton Beach, New Hampshire date originally in September is now scheduled for October 25.

Unfortunately, THE SWORD and CROBOT will not be appearing on this new date in Hampton Beach, NH. News about support will be released in the coming weeks. CLUTCH frontman Neil Fallon gave the following update on his condition: "Dear friends, this week I've learned that a childhood injury to the neck, a genetic predisposition for spinal disease, and 20 some years of headbanging will exact a toll. I've been diagnosed with an ugly case of cervical spinal stenosis and two herniated discs.

"In some instances, these conditions can be treated non-surgically. This is not the case for me. I have been advised by several neurosurgeons that my spinal cord has already been damaged and that I risk further damage were I not to address the situation. For this reason, I've decided to take care of this [as soon as possible].

"Believe me, rescheduling a tour turns my stomach, but I believe this is the wisest choice given the prognosis. "On Tuesday, I will undergo surgery. The procedure will fuse three vertebrae together with a small titanium plate.

"I have faith that this surgery will go as well as it can, and that I will be back in the saddle for our October-November tour.

"Killhammer" was recorded at the Prophecy & Music Factory Studios with singer Roberto Dimitri Liapakis (SUICIDAL ANGELS, VALLEY'S EVE, INSIDEAD) once again sitting in the producer's chair. Fredrik Nordström (HAMMERFALL, IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY) was responsible for the mix at the Studio Fredman in Sweden. The album's cover artwork was created by Uwe Jarling and can be seen below.

Comments Liapakis: "We are truly satisfied with our new album.

"I'm pretty confident that we have taken MYSTIC PROPHECY to the next level, and I believe our fans will be satisfied with the result too.

"We already have great reviews coming in, and a very warm response from the people who have already listened to it.

"We strongly believe that 'Killhammer' is heading for the German charts.

"As in our previous albums, we had some nice surprises to present; the same goes for 'Killhammer'. We have a couple of aces up our sleeves, certain elements which, when you listen to it, you will understand the path we are walking into."

"Killhammer" track listing:

01. Killhammer (4:16)02. Armies Of Hell (4:24)03. To Hell And Back (4:24)04. Kill The Beast (3:24)05. Hate Black (4:54)06. Children Of The Damned (4:41)07. 300 In Blood (4:22)08. Angels Of Fire (4:07)09. Warriors Of The Northern Seas (4:21)10. Set The World On Fire (3:47)11. Crazy Train (OZZY OSBOURNE cover) (5:19)

A trailer for "Killhammer" can be seen below.

MYSTIC PROPHECY is:

Roberto Dimitri Liapakis - Vocals Markus Pohl - Rhythm guitar Laki Ragazas - Lead guitar Connie Andreszka - Bass Tristan Maiwurm - Drums

A few days after the release of "Killhammer", MYSTIC PROPHECY will launch a European tour alongside MASTERPLAN and JADED HEART.