CRADLE OF FILTH's new video for the song "For Your Vulgar Delectation", taken from the British extreme metal band's latest album, "The Manticore And Other Horrors", is now available exclusively on iTunes as part of "The Manticore & Other Horrors - Extended Claws". This new release also features 12 unreleased demos and another three videos.
"The Manticore & Other Horrors - Extended Claws" track listing:
01. The Unveiling Of O 02. The Abhorrent 03. For Your Vulgar Delectation 04. Illicitus 05. Manticore 06. Frost On Her Pillow 07. Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair 08. Pallid Reflection 09. Siding With The Titans 10. Succumb To This 11. Nightmares Of An Ether Drinker 12. Death, The Great Adventure 13. Sinfonia 14. The Unveiling Of O (Demo) 15. Manticore (Demo) 16. Siding With The Titans (Demo) 17. Death, The Great Adventure (Demo) 18. Succumb To This (Demo) 19. Huge Onyx Wings Behind Despair (Demo) 20. Illicitus (Demo) 21. Pallid Reflection (Demo) 22. The Abhorrent (Demo) 23. For Your Vulgar Delectation (Demo) 24. Frost On Her Pillow (Demo) 25. Sinfonia (Demo)
A trailer for "The Manticore & Other Horrors - Extended Claws" can be seen below.
"For Your Vulgar Delectation" comes off CRADLE OF FILTH's tenth studio album, "The Manticore And Other Horrors", which sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 96 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous full-length effort, "Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa", opened with 5,800 units in November 2010 to land at No. 99.
CRADLE OF FILTH's 2008 CD, "Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder", premiered with a little over 11,000 copies to enter the chart at No. 48. This was slightly less than the first-week tally registered by 2006's "Thornography", which shifted nearly 13,000 copies the first week out to enter The Billboard chart at No. 66, and "Nymphetamine", which premiered with almost 14,000 copies back in October 2004.
"The Manticore And Other Horrors" was released in North America on October 30, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Recorded in eight weeks at both Springvale and Grindstone studios (where it was also mixed by Scott Atkins), Suffolk, "The Manticore And Other Horrors" is a testament to the longevity of the 'FILTH, as not only does it reek of CRADLE's (feared or revered) brand of delicious metal vamperotica, but this thoroughly modern album places the band firmly in fresh killing fields anew.
"The Manticore And Other Horrors" itself possesses an altogether new atmosphere for the band, incorporating a heavier, faster NWOBBM punk vibe that is both current and cruel, blended with ornate orchestration and the quirky immediateness of 2000's "Midian" opus.
The album's title can be likened to a bestiary, a collection of stories on monsters - personal demons, Chimeras, literary fiends and world-enslaving entities to blame but a few. "Manticore", the ravening title track, is a song about a beautiful mythological horror that comes to be feared as the disfigurehead of foreign occupation in the Indian provinces.
The songs "Illicitus" and "Pallid Reflection" bear the sweet ingredients of vampirism and lycanthropy; the wicked "For Your Vulgar Delectation" and "Frost On Her Pillow" are woven perversely into grim fairy tales, whilst classic, monumental tracks like "The Abhorrent And Siding With The Titans" both extol tentacular Lovecraftian values.
VISTA CHINO, the group, comprised of two founding members of the legendary rock band KYUSS — Brant Bjork and John Garcia — and guitarist Bruno Fevery, has inked a deal with Napalm Records. The band's debut is scheduled for an early fall release.
The final live appearances of KYUSS LIVES! — featuring the same lineup as VISTA CHINO — took place in early 2013 as part of Australia's Soundwave Festival.
KYUSS LIVES! decided to change its name after a lawsuit launched by former KYUSS members Josh Homme and Scott Reeder prevented KYUSS LIVES! from recording and releasing any new material.
Commented Garcia: "KYUSS LIVES! is now VISTA CHINO!...it feels great just to write that....and to say it out loud, feels even better. Now that our relationship with Napalm Records is official; it's time to forget about the past year, move forward, and execute our original plan, which was to make kick-ass music and tour the world!
Added Bjork: "We look forward to working with Napalm Records and we anticipate great support in rolling out the VISTA CHINO rock."
Thomas Caser, Head Of A&R at Napalm Records, commented on the signing: "It's with great pride we announce the signing of VISTA CHINO. After all the band has been through they are ready to rock! We at Napalm Records are thrilled to work with such talented artists and look forward to a long-lasting cooperation!"
"Dargona, Dragona", the first song from VISTA CHINO's highly anticipated first full-length album, is available for streaming at this location.
Speaking to Music Feeds, Brant was asked whether there was a slight sense of relief that the legal dispute over the KYUSS name is over. "Absolutely," he replied. "There's always relief when conflict is resolved and people can just let go and move forward. That's where we're at and we feel great. It's always unfortunate to experience differences with specific people, but we feel great as a band. We're really, really excited to move forward into the future and focus on what it is that we do, which is play music."
Regarding whether the change of band's name to VISTA CHINO would have happened had it not been for the lawsuit, Brant said: "That's a good question. The answer to that question is: I don't know. Possibly. We didn't really think about it. We were really just looking at what was in front of us and making our decisions based on what our present situation was. But now we just came to a point where we felt that changing the name was appropriate and was the fastest way for us to get back to playing music."
VISTA CHINO's first North American performance will take place at this year's Orion Music + More festival — curated by METALLICA — in Detroit, Michhigan. VISTA CHINO will play on Sunday, June 9 on the "Frantic Stage." A full North American tour will be announced shortly.
Danish/American metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT paid tribute to late SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman by playing a snippet of a cover version of the SLAYER classic "Raining Blood" on May 14 in Springfield, Missouri. Check out fan-filmed video footage of the performance below.
Members of SLAYER released a statement on May 9 saying that Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis.
The guitarist had actually not been playing with SLAYER for more than two years since he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, from a spider bite in his backyard in January 2011. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.
Hanneman's last appearance with SLAYER was in April 2011, when he played an encore with the band at the "Big Four" concert in Indio, California.
Greek/German heavy metallers MYSTIC PROPHECY will release their eighth album, "Killhammer", on September 27 via Massacre Records. The effort will be made available as a jewel case, limited-edition A5 digipak with a bonus live DVD, as well as limited vinyl LP in gatefold cover.
"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: "After 12 years and seven albums, we are ready to release our eighth album. 'Killhammer' will be a metal masterpiece with a wall of sound, loud guitars straight in your face and without compromises!"
It's time to get metaled up. VH1 Classic's centerpiece in original programming, "That Metal Show" is returning for its 12th season. The acclaimed hard rock and heavy metal talk show hosted by Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine kicks off the latest season on Saturday, June 1 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. "That Metal Show" is back with fan-favorite segments like "Stump The Trunk" and "The Vault", but will also feature some new additions this season: "Metal Modem" features an online video chat with the biggest names in metal and hard rock from the far reaches of the globe, "Take It Or Leave It" where the hosts discuss an array of current topics and share their overly biased opinions, and many other surprise segments this season. Also returning this year is the "Guest Musician" where a legendary guitarist or drummer performs as a one-man house band throughout the show. This season's guest musicians feature ex-OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Jake E. Lee, return guitarist Richie Kotzen, and on drums, the brothers Carmine and Vinny Appice.
The season premiere of Season 12 of "That Metal Show" welcomes to the show for the first time, Jason Newsted, former longtime bassist of METALLICA. Newsted is currently the frontman and bass player for his latest project, NEWSTED, but is also known for his work in the past with FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, ECHOBRAIN, and VOIVOD, to name just a few. During this episode, Jason talks about his time in METALLICA, the injuries sustained on the road, and his new music and regrets.
Season 12 will also feature the 100th episode of "That Metal Show", featuring the bassist for PANTERA, Rex Brown, and his longtime friend in the industry, Sebastian Bach, formerly of SKID ROW. The two of them became friends on the road when PANTERA and SKID ROW toured together, and they retell some of their greatest stories from those days.
Season 12 guests and airdates (all times at 11 p.m. ET/PT):
* June 1 - Jason Newsted (former METALLICA bassist/NEWSTED) * June 8 - Corey Taylor & Josh Rand (STONE SOUR) * June 15 - Rex Brown (PANTERA, KILL DEVIL HILL) and Sebastian Bach (100th Episode) * June 22 - Jake E. Lee (former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist / BADLANDS) and Rick Allen (DEF LEPPARD) * June 29 - QUEENSRŸCHE (Scott Rockenfield & Todd La Torre) and Dave Mustaine (MEGADETH) * July 6 - Rob Zombie & John 5 and Tom Keifer (CINDERELLA) * July 13 - Scott Gorham & Ricky Warwick (THIN LIZZY/BLACK STAR RIDERS) and Neil Fallon (CLUTCH) * July 20 - Buck Dharma (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT) & KIX (Steve Whiteman & Brian Forsythe)
"That Metal Show" premiered on VH1 Classic in November 2008 and since then has become the only place for all things hard rock and heavy metal on cable television. The show has been visited by some of the biggest names in hard rock and heavy metal including members of BLACK SABBATH, AEROSMITH, METALLICA, PANTERA, JUDAS PRIEST, ANTHRAX, KISS, IRON MAIDEN, PEARL JAM, QUEENSRŸCHE, and HEART. Fans can also catch the complete season 11 and bonus clips at ThatMetalShow.VH1.com.
"That Metal Show" is a production of VH1 Classic. Lee Rolontz, Jeff Baumgardner, and Keshia Williams are executive producers for VH1 Classic.
"Endtime Hearts", a brand new song from Swedish melodic death metallers DARK TRANQUILLITY, can be streamed below. The track comes off the band's tenth studio album, "Construct", which will be released on May 27 via Century Media Records. The CD was mixed by Jens Bogren (PARADISE LOST, OPETH, KATATONIA) at his Fascination Street studios in Örebro, Sweden.
"Construct" track listing:
01. For Broken Words 02. The Science Of Noise 03. Uniformity 04. The Silence In Between 05. Apathetic 06. What Only You Know 07. Endtime Hearts 08. State Of Trust 09. Weight Of The End 10. None Becoming 11. Immemorial (U.S. bonus track) 12. Photon Dreams (U.S. bonus track)
The "Uniformity" video can be seen below. The clip was filmed on April 13 with Patric Ullaeus of Revolver Film Company, who has previously worked with DIMMU BORGIR, LACUNA COIL, IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE and KAMELOT, among others.
Comments the band: "After the introspective 'For Broken Words' and the uptempo riffing of 'The Science Of Noise', it's time to showcase the more anthemic aspects of the new album with the song 'Uniformity'.
"In contrast to the more experimental promo videos we made last year, we wanted the 'Uniformity' clip to be an intimate and genuine performance video. Nothing but the music itself and the band members playing in the rehearsal room. For this, we hired renowned director Patric Ullaeus, and we're very happy to share the result with you.
"Stand up and be counted!"
Regarding "Construct", DARK TRANQUILLITY previously said: "The selected few people that so far have been granted the privilege of hearing the full album are uniformingly convinced that 'Construct' is the strongest and most exciting DARK TRANQUILLITY album in a long time, and who are we to disagree? While still bearing the unmistakable mark of the DARK TRANQUILLITY, the record is probably our most different and diverse offering since 1999's 'Projector'. For now, we're pleased to share the tracklist, trailer and sleeve design with you, but the first musical preview will appear in the near future."
DARK TRANQUILLITY recently amicably parted ways with bassist Daniel Antonsson. According to the band, "Daniel wanted to focus on his own musical projects as well as working more in his recording studio. Being first and foremost a guitarist, he felt that the playing bass in a full-time band didn't allow him much time for his main instrument and true passion. With this in mind, he chose to follow his heart and step aside at this point instead of committing to another album and an intense touring cycle that would leave little room for other activities."
German thrashers DEW-SCENTED will release "Insurgent" in North America on May 28 via Prosthetic Records. The 19-track effort will contain over an hour's worth of music, including three new songs mixed alongside live tracks and covers celebrating more than 20 years of restless, deadly thrash metal.
The cover art for "Insurgent" was created by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations.net and can be seen below.
"Insurgent" track listing:
01. Confronting Entropy (5:36) 02. Guided By The Dead Light (5:19) 03. Sadistic Sinner (INCUBUS [Brazil] cover) (4:54) 04. Sworn To Obey (Live 2012) (4:05) 05. Turn To Ash (Live 2012) (3:02) 06. Soul Poison (Live 2012) (3:58) 07. Storm Within (Live 2012) (4:02) 08. Cities Of The Dead (Live 2012) (4:44) 09. Never To Return (Live 2012) (4:13) 10. Acts Of Rage (Live 2012) (4:21) 11. In Dying Mode (4:20) 12. Steady Decline (4:32) * Originally by Prong 13. No Spiritual Surrender (2:48) * Originally by Inside Out 14. Good Day For A Hanging (4:28) * Originally by Wasted Youth 15. The Storm (JUDGE cover) (3:23) 16. Recall The Pain (1:06) 17. The Death Of Common Sense (3:44) 18. Slaughterhouse (POWERMAD cover) (4:31) 19. Superstar Destroyer (GENOCIDE SUPERSTARS cover) (2:55)
1-3: new songs, 2013 4-10: live songs, 2012 11-15: Recorded during the "Icarus" sessions, 2012 16-19: Recorded during the "Invocation" sessions, 2010
Another brand new track, "Guided By The Dead Light", is now available for streaming in the YouTube clip below.
DEW-SCENTED recently supported TESTAMENT on a number of European shows. Also appearing on the bill was BLEED FROM WITHIN.
DEW-SCENTED's latest album, "Icarus", was released on July 31, 2012 in North America via Prosthetic Records (one day earlier internationally through Metal Blade Records). The CD featured guest appearances by Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH), Rob Urbinati (SACRIFICE) and Dennis Schneider (RETALIATION, FINAL BREATH).
DEW-SCENTED vocalist Leif Jensen previously described the "Icarus" main theme as "a modern-times, very apocalyptic adaption of elements of the Icarus myth, using a lot of its symbolism while interlinking with several other personal or observant subjects in true DEW-SCENTED fashion." While the album — recorded at Soundlodge Studio and produced by Jörg Uken (NIGHTFALL, SUICIDAL ANGELS, GOD DETHRONED) — is not quite a concept album per se, Jensen said "Icarus" "has a pretty coherent lyrical flow, and that helps to enhance and also to intentionally enlarge the atmosphere and vibe created by the music." The "Icarus" cover artwork was once created by Björn Goosses of Killustrations.
DEW-SCENTED's current lineup is as follows (pictured from left to right in photo below):
After nearly a decade on the road with WOLFMOTHER, winning a Grammy and numerous ARIA Awards along the way, Andrew Stockdale will release his first solo album, "Keep Moving", this summer.
Stockdale spent the last three years writing in and out of studios and hotel rooms, recording with a variety of musicians and fine-tuning the record to a point where he felt he gelled with it. "I'm really happy with it," Stockdale says of the CD. "Totally, absolutely, I love it. I can live with it. I've listened to it 1,000 times."
The first single, "Long Way To Go", was released April 30 as part of a four-track EP entitled "Keep Moving" on Caroline Records. For Andrew Stockdale, the track came together in a flash — a songwriter's dream. The song grapples with the theme of others' expectations. "It's about when people pigeonhole you, and categorize you," he says. "It's not up to anyone else to tell you the way your dreams can be fulfilled. It's up to you to follow your heart and try make things happen. Whatever someone thinks you can or can't do, it's not up to them. It's up to the individual. And if someone thinks they've got me all worked out, well, hey, I've got a long way to go."
"Keep Moving" is an honest exposé of Stockdale's poetic point of view within his day-to-day experiences and relationships with people. Players and engineers involved in the making of this record featured musicians from the old WOLFMOTHER camp as well as new artists and crew that Stockdale met along the way. Some of them include: Ian Peres (bass, keys); Vin Steele (rhythm guitar); Elliott Hammond (wurly, harp); Hamish Rosser (drums); Will Rockwell-Scott (drums) and Dave Atkins (recording and drums). "Keep Moving" was mixed by Vance Powell at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, and the album was mastered by Chris Athens Masters in Nashville.
Stockdale admits there was pressure to continue playing as WOLFMOTHER, a name created with earlier collaborators. "It was a name, a brand everyone knows," he says. "But I don't feel comfortable playing as WOLFMOTHER. When you write a song, what's on your mind comes out, what's in your heart and soul comes out. It's about your life experiences. I've been getting stuff off my chest, expressing ideas and experiences that are personal to me and I don't want to keep then applying that to the WOLFMOTHER name. I had pressure on my shoulders."
Now there's a new pressure — facing the music world as Andrew Stockdale. "It's a good pressure," Stockdale admits, "because it asks that question: is it any good? Do you like this music, do you like the film clips, the artwork. What's it about? I've put my heart and soul into it, and I believe in it."
Fan-filmed video footage of SUFFOCATION's May 22 performance at Baroeg in Rotterdam, The Netherlands can be seen below (courtesy of "letthedeathmetalflow").
SUFFOCATION has recruited John Gallagher (DYING FETUS) to handle lead vocals on a number of shows this spring. Gallagher is filling in for SUFFOCATION's regular vocalist, Frank Mullen, who is unable to make the dates due to personal commitments.
"I'm stoked to be performing on several shows with longtime friends and my brothers in metal, SUFFOCATION," said Gallagher a couple of monts back. "It's going to be a blast and since I'll JUST be singing the vocals, they are going to be super sick and guttural. So make sure to come out and party with us and witness the brutality!"
"Pinnacle Of Bedlam", the new album from SUFFOCATION, has entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 58. The CD was released on February 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. The artwork was handled this time around by Raymond Swanland and can be found below.
As previousy reported, "Pinnacle Of Bedlam"sold 3,200 copies in the United States during its first week of release to land at position No. 152 on The Billboard 200 chart. The effort landed at position No. 2 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.
"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" was produced by the band at Full Force Studios in New York with longtime collaborator Joe Cincotta. The mixing and mastering of the effort was handled by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, ARSIS, SUICIDE SILENCE).
"Pinnacle Of Bedlam" features 10 genre-defining-bone-crushing tracks and also marks the return of drummer Dave Culross, who previously played on the "Despise The Sun" EP. Founding member and former drummer Mike Smith also makes a special guest appearance on the re-recorded "Breeding The Spawn" track "Beginning Of Sorrow".
On March 8, Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, SEPULTURA) was interviewed by Denise Falzon in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the latest episode of Exclaim! TV's "Aggressive Tendencies" series. You can now watch the chat below.
SOULFLY has inked a deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment, a new division of Nuclear Blast formed by Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger and former Roadrunner A&R chief Monte Conner. The band will enter the studio this month to begin recording its as-yet-untitled ninth album. The record will be produced by the world-renowned Terry Date, who is known for his work with such bands PANTERA, DEFTONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among many others.
Date previously mixed SOULFLY's "3" (2002), "Prophecy" (2004) and "Dark Ages" (2005) albums, but has never produced any of the group's CDs.
The drum tracks on the new SOULFLY CD will be laid down by Max's 21-year-old son, Zyon Cavalera, who joined the band as its touring drummer for its recent rampage through North America.
Zyon previously played with SOULFLY during the band's tour of Brazil in February 2012.
It is Zyon's unborn heartbeat that can be heard during the intro of SEPULTURA's classic song "Refuse/Resist", which appeared on the band's RIAA-gold-certified "Chaos A.D." album, released three years before Max's departure from the group.
Drummer David Kinkade (BORKNAGAR, ARSIS, MALEVOLENT CREATION), who played on SOULFLY's latest album, "Enslaved", left the band last October in order to focus on his personal life.
InfoMusic.ro conducted an interview with MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine prior to the band's May 22 concert at Arenele Romane in Bucharest, Romania. You can now watch the chat below.
01. Trust 02. Hangar 18 03. Public Enemy No. 1 04. She-Wolf 05. Skin O' My Teeth 06. Countdown to Extinction 07. Architecture of Aggression 08. Sweating Bullets 09. Ashes In Your Mouth 10. A Tout Le Monde 11. Whose Life (Is It Anyways?) 12. Dawn Patrol 13. Poison Was The Cure 14. Super Collider 15. Symphony Of Destruction 16. Peace Sells
Encore:
17. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
Fan-filmed video footage of the "Super Collider" performance can be seen below.
The track "Super Collider", which was premiered on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio metal show on April 20, was released digitally on April 23 via iTunes.
"That song kind of came from that 'Symphony Of Destruction' corner of my mind," MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine told Guitar World magazine. "You can't always play aggressive, thrashy stuff. Sometimes those aren't even songs; they're like musical rams. But because I'm not a pop guy, I'm also not really comfortable playing sing-along songs. To me, 'Super Collider' made sense like a normal song — a verse-chorus-verse-chorus kind of thing. It's written the way a real songwriter would write the song, instead of just taking all these musical twists and turns."
The "Super Collider" album is scheduled for a June 4 release via Mustaine's new label, Tradecraft, which is distributed by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe). Other tracks set to appear on the effort include "Forget To Remember", "Dance In The Rain", "The Blackest Crow", "Burn", "Kingmaker" and "Don't Turn Your Back", a snippet of which can be streamed at MegadethGame.com.
"Super Collider" is MEGADETH's first release since the band's recent split with Roadrunner Records.
MEGADETH filmed a video for the title track and first single from the band's new album, "Super Collider", on May 10 in the Los Angeles area. California-based model, actress, singer and songwriter Hunter Elizabeth was cast in the lead role in the clip, which she says is "about a high-school couple still loving each other after all the years after graduation, and at the 10-year reunion, both characters find themselves successful (a model and a mathematician) and still very in love."
As previously reported, MEGADETH will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" with host Bob Coburn on Monday, June 17 at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with MEGADETH by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). The show will be streamed on the "Rockline" web site for two weeks beginning the afternoon after the live broadcast.
On March 18, MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio was interviewed on RockArsenal Radio in Yekaterinburg, Russia. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.
MANOWAR recently completed the second leg of "The Lord Of Steel World Tour" with shows in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
Leg 2 of the trek continued with a power-filled set, including songs from the brand new studio album, "The Lord Of Steel", and many other classic MANOWAR hymns.
"The Lord Of Steel" is now available in stores and on iTunes and was first celebrated live during Leg 1 of "The Lord Of Steel World Tour" in Spain, France, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic and Russia.
Asked why MANOWAR chose to release "The Lord Of Steel" in digital format several months before the retail release, DeMaio told Rockpages.gr: "MANOWAR have always worked with the latest technology. Thankfully, our fans have more options than ever to choose how they get their music and when.
"We are proud to be able to give our fans multiple choices: We have released a limited edition of the album in collaboration with Metal Hammer U.K., with its own artwork and special mixes as a first look at what is to come. For those who prefer digital content and wish this limited version, they have the option of getting it as download album.
"The worldwide retail release [is] available with different versions of the songs and a totally different mix and master as CD and limited vinyl, both with spectacular new art by Ken Kelly. And, of course, this version [is] available as digital album as well. The fans can decide which options and configurations they prefer."
Regarding the difference between MANOWAR's previous studio album, "Gods Of War", and "The Lord Of Steel", DeMaio said: "All of our albums are different from one another, unlike other groups who constantly try to keep to a formula.
"After the massive production of 'Gods Of War', our vision this time was a stripped down, brutally raw, unique sound; 'lean and mean,' so to speak.
"We had started working on material prior Donnie [Hamzik, drums] return to the band.
"MANOWAR are a unit. Every band member brings in a unique contribution, so it was only logical for us to start over and include Donnie from the beginning of the creative process.
"Some people will say its a shame to abandon something you have invested a lot of time and energy in, but that's the way we work. It has to feel right for all of us."
AEROSMITH will perform at the inaugural Social Star Awards in Singapore this Saturday, May 25. The band will take to the stage with other performers, including Cee Lo Green and BLUSH, at the world's first social media awards and also at a post-ceremony concert for fans called The Singapore Social.
On Wednesday (May 22), the members of AEROSMITH took part in a media conference. Check out video footage from Imagine TV network below.
AEROMITH lead singer Steven Tyler, 65, described local women as “a great melting pot… there are a lot of different kinds… delicious."
Asked how he stays youthful, funny and flirtatious, Tyler answered simply: "Music. I live vicariously through music, and through it, I can become Peter Pan. That's the thing about music, everybody loves to dance and sing to it, and at the same time keeps you young. I've married it, I've lived it, I've breathed it and it has offered me that [youth]. Plus, women do something to me, too, that I can't explain."
The Social Star Awards will be a unique 24-hour event with an incredible 288 awards (one every 5 minutes) presented to the biggest stars and brands across the world.
At the Social Star Awards, the world will shine a spotlight on Singapore to discover the world’s most popular stars in social media globally over the past 12 months in this three-hour celebration event.
Danish melodic death metallers MERCENARY have completed mixing their seventh album, "Through Our Darkest Days", for a July 26 release via NoiseArt Records. The CD was recorded at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with longtime producer Jacob Hansen (RAUNCHY, VOLBEAT, NIGHTRAGE, HATESPHERE, PYRAMAZE). The cover art was created by Mircea Eftemie (guitarist of MNEMIC), who has previously worked with SOILWORK, ILLDISPOSED and others.
The "Through Our Darkest Days" title track can be streamed using the SoundCloud widget below.
Says the band: "We are proud to let you all hear the title track of our new album. We put a lot of effort, heart and soul into this beast and can't wait to unleash it on the world!
"For us, the song is very iconic and it embodies the melancholic and grand sound that has always been a trademark for MERCENARY."
MERCENARY comments on the cover: "Last year when we were busy with pre-productions, we considered reaching out to Mircea to ask if he'd like to give our new cover a shot, because we liked his recent stuff and wanted to try someone with a fresh approach. Against all odds, however, he actually beat us to it and contacted us first with the exact same offer, so it very much seemed as a collaboration that was meant to be.
"After a few sketches, we quickly locked on to the main motive of the cover, which we felt was both iconic, mysterious, and not least, oddly disturbing. Most importantly perhaps, we also felt that Mircea's artwork had managed in a natural way to combine something fresh with the style of our older album covers and their dark and atmospheric vibes.
"As our new album is very much a combination our latest material with a lot of the more traditional melodic and melancholic elements of previous MERCENARY albums, we felt that this was a perfect visual expression of MERCENARY's sound and identity in 2013.
"The cover symbolizes a darkness that we have gone through as a band, which we feel that we have finally been able to put behind us.
"The title of the album is meant very positively and thematizes both the journey through existential darkness as a general theme and the ability to break through it.
"The lyrical universe is very much about making the most of life and not getting caught up in negativity."
Adds Eftemie: "I wanted to make something that had a direct visual relation to the album title, but also follow the design patterns of the older MERCENARY album covers, to keep their identity and brand intact. After swapping ideas back and forth, we ended with a piece not too abstract, but dark and disturbing enough to portray the concept of the new album. It was absolutely a pleasure working on this piece!"
"Metamorphosis", the sixth album from MERCENARY, entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 42. The CD was released in the U.S. on March 29, 2011 via Prosthetic.
MERCENARY 2013 is:
Jakob Mølbjerg - Guitar René Pedersen - Bass, Vocals Martin Buus - Lead Guitar Peter Mathiesen - Drums
Fan-filmed video footage of GHOST's entire April 18 concert at Ogden Theatre in Denver, Colorado can be seen below.
GHOST's sophomore album, "Infestissumam", sold around 14,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 28 on The Billboard 200 chart.
The CD topped the official chart in the group's home country after selling nearly five times as many copies as the No. 2 album, MISS LI's "Wolves".
The release date of "Infestissumam" was reportedly pushed back a week to April 16 after four compact disc manufacturers allegedly refused to print a piece of artwork that was meant for the deluxe version of the new CD. The manufacturers all took issue with the sacrilegious imagery, inspired by the work of Gustave Dore, which showcases what looks like a forest nymph orgy.
"We kept on getting turned down because of the CD art, which is basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy," a source close to the band told SPIN.com. "[The bandmembers] weren't surprised. The comment was 'Well, I thought this would have happened sooner.' The artwork was meant to provoke some sort of thought, but it's been one obstacle after another."
The controversial art can still be found on both the vinyl and European copies of the "Infestissuman" CD. "Vinyl manufacturers don't have a problem with the artwork. Neither does Europe," the source told SPIN.com.
GHOST was forced to modify its name in the U.S. to GHOST B.C. for "legal reasons."
Hailing from Linköping, Sweden, GHOST formed in in 2008. They released their heralded debut album, "Opus Eponymous", in 2010. In 2011, GHOST performed at the annual Download festival in the United Kingdom. The band's fanbase began to swell and not long after added some of hard rock's finest to this group. Additionally that year, GHOST took part in the "Defenders Of Faith III" tour with TRIVIUM, IN FLAMES and RISE TO REMAIN. In early 2012, they embarked on their first tour of the United States and later that year shared the stage with MASTODON and OPETH on their "Heritage Hunter Tour" in North America. That summer the band was invited by METALLICA's James Hetfield to perform on the main stage of METALLICA's first annual Orion Music + More festival.
