WMMR's Matt Cord conducted an interview with ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney at the annual MMRBQ on May 18 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey. You can now watch the chat below.
ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here", is due out May 28 and features the singles "Stone" and the chart-topping "Hollow". The group's fifth studio effort is its second with William DuVall on vocals and follows up 2009's "Black Gives Way To Blue", ALICE IN CHAINS' first all-new collection of material in 14 years and first since the 2002 death of original singer Layne Staley.
Guitarist Jerry Cantrell told Revolver about the new album, "I don't think you'll be surprised by anything you hear. It's us. But it's also really unique. It's got all the elements of any record we've put out, but it's unlike any record we've put out."
ALICE IN CHAINS began working on new material in 2011, but the sessions for the album were delayed when Cantrell had to undergo shoulder surgery.
ALICE IN CHAINS kicked off a tour to promote the new disc on April 25 in Miami Beach. The band will also headline the Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival later this summer.
99.7 The Blitz conducted an interview with Lzzy Hale of Pennsylvanian rockers HALESTORM at this year's Rock On The Range festival, which took place May 17-19 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.
HALESTORM has released a new version of the song "Here's To Us", featuring an all-star lineup of guest performers. Joining the band on this edition of the song are guitarist Slash, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith, ALTER BRIDGE vocalist Myles Kennedy, Tyler Connolly from THEORY OF A DEADMAN, DEVICE/DISTURBED singer David Draiman and IN THIS MOMENT's Maria Brink. HALESTORM is also offering fans a chance to record their own shout-outs for the song, and the band intends to take some of the best ones and work them into a new "fan edit" of the track.
The original version of "Here's To Us" is featured on HALESTORM's 2012 album "The Strange Case Of…"
The song was previously covered on a February 2012 episode of the hit television show "Glee". Lzzy Hale told The Pulse Of Radio at the time why the band let it happen. "It's pretty much the strangest thing we've done so far as a band and also, I think, the most exciting," she said. "There's a little bit of controversy because, obviously, 'Glee' is very pop culture, it's very kind of Broadway, and personally I think it's really good for us, only because here's an outlet for us that it's gonna expose us to so many people that would not normally be seeking us out."
HALESTORM is currently on the HardDrive Live tour with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and YOUNG GUNS. The trek will wrap up on May 22 in Milwaukee.
99.7 The Blitz conducted an interview with Southern California's IN THIS MOMENT at this year's Rock On The Range festival, which took place May 17-19 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.
IN THIS MOMENT professionally filmed its May 21 concert in Madison, Wisconsin for the group's first-ever live DVD. IN THIS MOMENT has partnered up with longtime supporter, radio station WJJO, as part of their Mayday Maylay concert series. The band had a bunch of surprises in store for this show, including rarely played songs from their catalog and an all-new stage show created specifically for this concert.
IN THIS MOMENT's DVD is being directed by Brad Golowin who is known for his work with MISS MAY I and 10 YEARS, to name a few.
IN THIS MOMENT singer Maria Brink told The Pulse Of Radio that before the band had a bigger stage production, she used to go out into the crowd and get the fans to form a pit around her. "I don't have to do it all the time anymore, 'cause now we have so much of a live performance and we're kind of upping theatrical everything onstage," she said. "But once in a while it's such an adrenaline rush. The other day I went out there and the funniest thing — I didn't realize it in the moment, but they told me afterwards that I said as I was walking through the crowd, 'Nobody touch me! I get anxiety!' 'Cause I spread the crowd open and walked through, and I said that! [laughs] And it works! I mean, they part the way!"
IN THE MOMENT has followed up its first-ever Top 10 rock radio hit, "Blood", with a new single called "Adrenalize". Both tracks are taken from the group's fourth album, also called "Blood", which debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard album chart and has sold more than 140,000 copies since coming out last August.
"Blood" was reissued as a double-disc set through Hot Topic last December. The special package contained the full original album on one disc, plus a second disc that featured a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS classic "Closer", as well as four additional new remixes of songs from "Blood".
WMMR's Matt Cord conducted an interview with singer Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson of Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY at the annual MMRBQ on May 18 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey. You can now watch the chat below.
BUCKCHERRY's sixth studio album, "Confessions", sold 18,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 20 on The Billboard 200 chart.
"Confessions" was produced by Keith Nelson and Marti Frederiksen (AEROSMITH, OZZY OSBOURNE) and features eclectic CD artwork by graffiti artist Ewok. The songs on "Confessions" merge punk grit, gutter attitude, honest storytelling, and razor sharp hooks, while the lyrics are tied together by the underlying theme of the Seven Deadly Sins.
In a recent interview with Loudwire.com, singer Josh Todd elaborated on the album's subject matter. Josh explained, "There was a point in my life when I was a youth when I lost a family member and I acted out in my grieving process through the deadly sins, so that's kind of what the story's about on the record. I think the seven sins are timeless and that everybody struggles with them in their daily lives all the time."
The provocative video for the album's first single, "Gluttony", was directed by Billy Jayne and filmed in a North Hollywood church.
A two-disc deluxe version of the "Confessions" CD is also available and features the bonus tracks "Give 'Em What They Want" and "When The Fire Starts". In addition, a bonus DVD includes the "Gluttony" music video and lyric video, behind-the-scenes footage and band interviews from the set of the "Gluttony" video shoot, and "The Story Behind Confessions" featurette.
Joey Irsik of In The Now magazine recenty conducted an interview with GUNS N' ROSES guitarist DJ Ashba. You can now listen to the chat below.
Ashba, who joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck, spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald this past February about being in one of rock 'n' roll's most contentious acts.
"It's the craziest roller-coaster ride you'll ever be on," the 40-year-old axeman said, "but I wake up every day grateful to be in the position I am. I don't know many guitar players out there who wouldn't kill to be in my spot, so I refuse to take it for granted."
In addition sole original member Axl Rose (lead vocals) and Ashba, the current lineup of GUNS N' ROSES includes guitarists Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman and drummer Frank Ferrer.
"We're a solid band now," Ashba said. "Before [2009], members were coming and going and it was a different time. We've toured for four years almost constantly and we haven't missed one show since I've been in the band. All that stuff has come to an end and Axl is very inspired."
Ashba, who moved to Las Vegas in January 2012, recently teamed up with BullyVille.com, the Internet's first anti-bullying social web site and media platform. The guitarist also focuses on his media consultancy, fashion line and automotive detailing group.
"I always joke that I play guitar for a hobby and that really I'm an entrepreneur," he told The Sydney Morning Herald. "If you hung out with me at my house you would never know I played in GUNS N' ROSES. I'm not the guy sitting around patting myself on the back. I don't even like the word 'rock star.'"
Shannon's Bands conducted an interview with SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren on April 27 in Jacksonville, Florida. You can now watch the chat below.
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.
SOILWORK's 2010 album, "The Panic Broadcast", sold around 5,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 88 on The Billboard 200 chart.
The band's 2007 CD, "Sworn to a Great Divide", opened with 5,000 units to land at No. 148.
"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).
"Rescue & Restore", the fifth album from the Manheim, Pennsylvania-based quintet AUGUST BURNS RED, will be released on June 25 via Solid State Records.
Video footage from the CD's recording sessions can be seen below.
The new effort, described by guitarist and principal songwriter JB Brubaker as the band’s "most ambitious album yet," turns a critical eye to the oft-maligned genre of metalcore, leading by example to prove that bands can still find exciting new ways to expand the genre.
"'Rescue & Restore' is about challenging other bands and ourselves, as well as fans of this music, to want more than whatever happens to be the current buzz," explains Brubaker.
"We’ve done our best with each new album to try to push our sound in new directions and we’d like to see our peers do the same.
"People need to realize that there’s not much of a difference between a metalcore song that has a couple breakdowns with a repeating chorus and the latest LADY GAGA song. This genre used to be better than that. It can still be better than that."
Throughout the album, AUGUST BURNS RED continue to do their part to challenge the conventions of heavy music. Over the course of 11 tracks, the band artfully blend piano, cello, violin, trumpet, various percussive elements and more into their sonic arsenal, taking their music into new aesthetic territory and contorting the boundaries of the genre.
In support of "Rescue & Restore", AUGUST BURNS RED will perform all summer long as a mainstage act on the 2013 Vans Warped Tour, marking their third appearance overall and first since 2011.
With "Rescue & Restore", AUGUST BURNS RED have proven that it is possible to reshape music in a way that challenges listeners, reinvigorates fans and puts art first. But for any fans who fear AUGUST BURNS RED turning their back on the sound that catapulted them to the forefront of a genre, Brubaker advises them not to worry.
"At the end of the day, we are still a very heavy band," he explains. "'Rescue & Restore' still has plenty of really heavy stuff, techy odd meter riffs, and all the stuff that people have come to expect from us; it just has a lot more surprises along the way."
"Rescue & Restore" track listing:
01. Provision 02. Treatment 03. Spirit Breaker 04. Count It All As Lost 05. Sincerity 06. Creative Captivity 07. Fault Line 08. Beauty In Tragedy 09. Animals 10. Echoes 11. The First Step
WMMR's Matt Cord conducted an interview with DEVICE — the new band fronted by DISTURBED singer David Draiman — at the annual MMRBQ on May 18 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey. You can now watch the chat below.
DEVICE released its self-titled debut album on April 9. It debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard album chart, selling 35,000 copies in its first week of release.
David launched DEVICE last year with ex-FILTER guitarist Geno Lenardo, after DISTURBED went on hiatus in late 2011.
Lenardo is not touring with DEVICE due to previous commitments. The live band, which made its debut on April 10 in Mobile, Alabama, includes DOPE guitarist Virus and EVANESCENCE drummer Will Hunt.
DEVICE will hit the road this summer on Gigantour 2013, along with MEGADETH, HELLYEAH, NEWSTED, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and other acts. The trek kicks off on July 3 in Gilford, New Hampshire, wrapping on August 11 in Toronto, Canada.
According to the Los Angeles Times, EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has bought a home in the Hollywood Hills for $2.15 million. The contemporary features a rooftop swimming pool, spa and cabana with 360-degree views that take in the Hollywood sign. There are high ceilings, a bar, a sauna, four bedrooms, five bathrooms and 5,255 square feet of living space.
Nuno is best known for his work in the rock band EXTREME, which was nominated for a Grammy for its Billboard chart-topping hit "More Than Words". Nuno has worked on many projects including, multiple solo albums, film scores and has also worked with notable artists such as Janet Jackson, Perry Farrell, Robert Palmer and many others.
In 2010, Nuno joined Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Rihanna and became her tour lead guitarist.
"After EXTREME's early success, I got asked all the time to be on pop tours by people like Janet Jackson and others, but I always turned them down," Bettencourt told the Boston Herald. "After I got off the road in 2008, Rihanna's music director Tony Bruno called me, saying, 'I know what you're going to say, but hear me out.'
"I said to Tony, 'But there’s no guitar in Rihanna's songs,'" Bettencourt added. "He told me that's why they wanted me."
To celebrate my 30 years as a singer next year, Blaze Bayley (WOLFSBANE, ex-IRON MAIDEN) will release a booklet with career information, albums, personal comments and stories, tour dates and pictures. Blaze says: "I will add fan pictures to the booklet as YOU have made it possible for me to keep going for 30 years!
"You can send your favorite picture with Blaze to management@blazebayley.net (only pictures you own rights to with email subject 'Booklet fanpicture'). Around 80 pictures will be picked to be added to the booklet."
Blaze released a collaborative acoustic EP with Belgium-based classical guitarist Thomas Zwijsen, "Russian Holiday" on February 5. The effort features four re-arranged songs from previous albums and one brand new song written by Bayley and Zwijsen.
"Russian Holiday" includes a "full classical guitar arrangement" of the IRON MAIDEN song "Sign Of The Cross", which the duo performed on their 2012 U.K. acoustic tour.
Bayley's latest studio album, "The King Of Metal", was released in March 2012. The CD was recorded at Fear Studio in Ravenna, Italy.
The 49-year-old Bayley, who was born in Birmingham, was the original frontman in WOLFSBANE, but left in 1994 to replace Bruce Dickinson as the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN.
This week, Canadian rock legends RUSH will kick off the European leg of their 2013 "Clockwork Angels" tour. In June, the trek brings them to Sweden for the Sweden Rock Festival, marking the trio's first appearance at a European festival in 34 years. RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee told VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner what the group has against festivals.
"The way festivals used to be, we were always prevented from bringing our full show to them, so things changed in the last couple of years," he said. "We've started playing a couple of outdoor venues that allow us to do our full show. We did a few in Canada that are multiple-day festivals, where you have a stage to yourself that can accommodate, so that started to turn us around a little bit about playing festivals.
Geddy went on to say if he thinks they'll play more festivals in the future.
"We'll see how this one," he said. "This one in Sweden is kind of a test case for the European festivals, and if we like the end result, then I think we might start doing more of those, because we can play to more people and shorten the show a little bit and just hit more countries that way. That's kind of what's at the back of our minds — if this goes well, maybe we can go to some countries we haven't visited yet."
RUSH's performance at Sweden Rock Festival is scheduled for June 8 in Sölvesborg.
Singer Kobi Farhi of Israeli progressive folk metal masters ORPHANED LAND was interviewed on the latest episode of MSRcast. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.
ORPHANED LAND will release its sixth full-length album, "All Is One", in North America on June 25 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The cover artwork for the follow-up to 2010's "The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR" was created by the French artist Metastazis (PARADISE LOST, AS I LAY DYING, SONNE ADAM, WATAIN) by perfectly incorporating the three biggest religious symbols into one piece of art.
Commented ORPHANED LAND singer Kobi Farhi: "I'll say it plain and simple — 'All Is One' is ORPHANED LAND's best album so far. I feel that we took all aspects to a new level — the way we write, arrange, play and produce.
"We recorded the album in three countries (Turkey, Sweden and Israel) and it turned out so strong, we can't stop listening to it.
"The album is very rich in sound, with more than 40 people participating (choirs, violins, and many traditional instruments, too).
"Our secret recipe was always the fact that unlike many other bands, ORPHANED LAND doesn't follow ONE master mind that writes everything; we work in a way that 'all is one.' We create our music in a perfect blend of synergy and harmony and all the band members are a part of this process. We translate the album's title and message exactly in the way we work, and we always hope we could give a bit of an inspiration to the people in the tragic Middle Eastern lands.
"We have fans all over the Middle East. We live in a place where huge amounts of people who consider themselves enemies still share one thing in common, they are all fans of ORPHANED LAND, and in these lands of orphans and bloody holy wars, our only weapon is music, and hopefully we will grow to understand that 'all is one.'"
ORPHANED LAND's forthcoming effort will be the band's first to feature guitarist Chen Balbus following the departure of Matty Svatizky in June 2012 due to "personal" and "professional" issues.
From September to November, ORPHANED LAND will play stages all over Europe in support of "All Is One" — but before heading out on this headlining tour, ORPHANED LAND will play a few festivals and shows in South America and Europe.
"The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR" sold around 600 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at No. 80 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.
"The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR" was released in Europe on January 25, 2010.
ORPHANED LAND's concert DVD, "The Road To OR-Shalem", was released in October 2011 in Europe and November 2011 in the U.S. via Century Media Records.
Pop-Break's Bill Bodkin recently conducted an interview with former METALLICA, VOIVOD and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist and current NEWSTED frontman Jason Newsted. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.
Pop-Break: What is different about Jason Newsted — the musician, the man — since you last did a full tour or played with METALLICA.
Newsted: I'm in much better shape than I was at 37 and I'm about to turn 50. When I left METALLICA in 2001, I was on pills, James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] was drinking, the others were doing things they shouldn't … We were all mentally fucked. But it was "let's plow on and not take time to assess our mental health." With this band, we're taking the old avenue of taking the music to the people. I don't care if there's 5,000 people in the audience or 30 people, they are all getting their asses kicked! I've always felt that way to go bring the music to the people. But there's many new avenues I haven't been down or it's been a long time. I mean, I haven't been on a tour bus in 10 years since I was on the road with Ozzy. But there's also the technology, the social networking … I've tried to repel all of this for as long as I could. I've tried and still try to remain as analog as possible. But then I learn and discover that social networking is the way to connect with the people and rekindle my relationship with the fans. Change has made me adapt. Mike [Mushok, STAIND/NEWSTED guitarist] just came off the road with STAIND in October so he's been a big blessing in this, because he's helping me so much. I need that help, because with this band, it's all me. I'm the manager, the bassist, the investor, the singer, I'm micro-managing things, booking flights, hotels … all things I never had to undertake before. I was conditioned to have people handle this for me when I was in METALLICA. Now it's a humbling thing, but it's also exciting because I'm calling all the shots and I have more control and there's lots of new things to learn.
Pop-Break: Is it odd touring without a big production like Ozzy or METALLICA and doing a more club-centric tour?
Newsted: The idea behind this first tour is to get warmed up because in June we're hitting 15 different countries playing with IRON MAIDEN and SLAYER. So that's a pretty big deal. This is the next phase of the band … we'll be second on the bill and we're there to take care of business. We don't have the LP out yet so we just have the EP and the live show, some video is getting out there on YouTube. It's a challenge to get people to respond to the new stuff, but they are definitely responding.
Pop-Break: Then you hit the road with Gigantour this summer. How do you feel about hooking up with [MEGADETH's Dave] Mustaine and this now-epic and popular tour?
Newsted: Dave and Dave [Mustaine and Ellefson] gave my old band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM their first shows outside of Arizona when we opened for them back in 1985. So there's a definite camaraderie there with them. We're going to be on the bill early, but we'll be taking it to the people, for sure. It kinda reminds me of when METALLICA went on the Monsters Of Rock tour in 1988 and we played second before DOKKEN. [laughs] Man, he got pelted with a lot of shit on that tour. I mean, we were playing a take-no-prisoners 30-45-minute set each night. We weren't playing no fucking ballads and we didn't care who was headlining, we were bringing the show to the people.
On April 26, Geoff Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE took part in an acoustic performance of two songs — "Eyes Of A Stranger" and "Silent Lucidity" — inside "Bjorn's Audio Video Live Music Lounge" on WOAI (1200 AM), a San Antonio, Texas, news/talk formatted radio station. You can watch video footage of their appearance below.
"Frequency Unknown", the new album from the Geoff Tate-fronted version of QUEENSRŸCHE, sold around 5,500 copies in its first week of release in the United States to land at position No. 82 on The Billboard 200 chart.
As previously reported, Deadline Music/Cleopatra Records is making available the "new and improved" mixes of "Frequency Unknown" to any customers who have purchased the original mix version and are dissatisfied with the audio. Simply e-mail the label a scan of your actual receipt for the physical CD to Queensryche@cleorecs.com and they will happily send you a replacement disc — at no charge whatsoever. No questions asked!
"Frequency Unknown" was released on April 23. The CD was produced by Jason Slater at a studio in Northern California.
Asked about the decision to remix "Frequency Unknown" shortly before the album's release, Tate told "The Continental Breakfast With James & Raina": "We were a little rushed on the mixing end of it, so after listening to it back, we're having some of the songs remixed now before the album comes out. But that's typical with records — you have to have them in on time. So sometimes you compromise in areas. Luckily, with this situation, we get to go back and correct some areas in the sound where we thought it was kind of lacking. So that's fine. I've done that on… gosh… probably three quarters of the records I've ever made. It's no new thing, but it's a luxury when you get to fix it."
"Frequency Unknown" is packaged with bonus tracks — four QUEENSRŸCHE classics, newly recorded, including the smash hit single "Silent Lucidity". Guest musicians on the CD include K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST), Chris Poland (MEGADETH), Ty Tabor (KING'S X), Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS), Lita Ford, Brad Gillis (NIGHT RANGER), Dave Meniketti (Y&T) and Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN).
Although a lineup for Tate's QUEENSRŸCHE was originally announced in the fall of 2012, things have changed. The band now features Tate along with bassist Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, DIO, WHITESNAKE, QUIET RIOT), guitarist Kelly Gray (QUEENSRŸCHE 1998-2001), keyboardist Randy Gane and new additions, guitarist Robert Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, HURRICANE) and drummer Simon Wright (AC/DC, DIO, RHINO BUCKET).
KING DIAMOND kicked off its European tour this past Sunday, May 19 at the Rock Hard Festival at Amphitheater in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.
KING DIAMOND's setlist was as follows:
01. The Candle 02. Welcome Home 03. At The Graves 04. Up From The Grave 05. Voodoo 06. Dreams 07. Sleepless Nights 08. Drum Solo (by Matt Thompson) 09. Shapes Of Black 10. Come To The Sabbath (MERCYFUL FATE cover) 11. Evil (MERCYFUL FATE cover) 12. Eye Of The Witch
Encore:
13. The Family Ghost
Encore 2:
14. Halloween
Encore 3:
15. Black Horsemen
KING DIAMOND in December signed a new three-album worldwide deal with Metal Blade Records.
Commented the band's vocalist and namesake: "This is gonna be awesome! Another perfect piece of the puzzle. We have the full backup of Metal Blade, and there's an understanding between us that goes much, much deeper than before.
"Our new business setup will noticeably benefit the fans in so many ways. You must have already noticed some of all the cool new stuff that is happening. Now we can't wait to get out there and start touring again!"
After a six-year touring hiatus, KING DIAMOND triumphantly returned to the stage in 2012 for European festivals Hellfest and Sweden Rock.
In a March 2012 interview with the Swedish metal blog Bara Metal, King Diamond stated about what he did during his year-long break, "Well, we did keep up with people. A lot. We started a thing where… it's a Skype web site where people will sign up. And now and then I will call up fans and we talk. We have done that several times. We will call up three fans through that way, 'King Diamond is calling you,' and it could be one from Puerto Rico, one from Sweden, one from Scotland. We pick them randomly, but not the same person twice. Then we sit and talk for an hour. They can ask anything. They usually have a lot of question that are the same as the fans ask in the fan club, the Coven. So we get a lot of info out that way, and we upload it so other can listen to it. We are certainly in touch with our fans."
When asked if there are plans to release new music in 2013, King replied, "That is absolutely the plan. Something has to go totally wrong for us not to do that. We will write material this fall. Hopefully during the autumn, we might do something here in the U.S., after the festivals. But we will not be doing a long tour, it is still a test, we will see what happens. We do not want to take stupid chances, it has to be done properly. And we have a lot to do still, but things are looking good."
King, 56, underwent open-heart triple-bypass surgery in November 2010. He has since completed his cardiac rehabilitation program and has stopped smoking entirely, changed his diet and is getting regular exercise.
King Diamond made his long-anticipated return to the stage with his MERCYFUL FATE bandmates Hank Shermann, Timi Hansen and Michael Denner on December 7, 2011 at the second of four intimate shows at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of METALLICA's week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only.
KING DIAMOND received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the track "Never Ending Hill" off the group's latest album, "Give Me Your Soul … Please".
"Give Me Your Soul ... Please" entered the Swedish national chart at position No. 28. The CD also landed at No. 58 on the Danish chart (the second highest new entry on the chart behind VELVET REVOLVER).
"Give Me Your Soul ... Please" sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 174 on The Billboard 200 chart.
