The reunited SLAVES ON DOPE has set "Over The Influence" as the title of its new album, tentatively due in early 2010. The CD will feature a guest appearance by THE AGONIST vocalist Alissa White-Gluz.

The ninth webisode documenting the making of SLAVES ON DOPE's new album — and featuring special guest appearances by Anders Fridén of Swedish metallers IN FLAMES and actress Linda Hamilton of "Terminator" fame — can be viewed below.

SLAVES ON DOPE vocalist Jason Rockman and guitarist Kevin Jardine recently reformed the group and are encouraging "old fans and possible new ones" to join them at their new Facebook page.

SLAVES ON DOPE's "Inches from the Mainline" album was released through Ozzy Osbourne's now-defunct Divine Recordings label. After Divine Recordings lost its distribution deal with EMI's Priority Records, the band was left without a label. After a long search, a deal was struck with Bieler Bros. Records. SLAVES ON DOPE's second major album, "Metafour", was released in 2003.

In March 2004, SLAVES ON DOPE announced it was going on hiatus due to Jason Rockman leaving the band.

Former SOUNDGARDEN and AUDIOSLAVE singer Chris Cornell performed John Lennon's iconic song "Imagine" on last night's (Friday, September 11) edition of "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" on NBC-TV. Watch video footage of his appearance below.

Cornell cancelled his previously announced September 12 performance at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in Los Angeles due to "band scheduling conflicts."

Cornell has been touring in support of his 2008 Timbaland-produced solo album, "Scream", which has bitterly divided fans over its urban pop sound.

Starting in October and running through the holidays, the entire Virgin America airline fleet will feature Cornell on all in-flight programming. His latest LP, "Scream", has been added to the airline's music library and will be a part of a collection that plays during boarding. Beginning in November, passengers will also be able to select various Cornell music videos and albums throughout their flight.

German metallers MOB RULES will release their sixth album, "Radical Peace", on November 13 via AFM Records. The CD was recorded at Bazement Studio with longtime engineer Markus Teske (VANDEN PLAS, SPOCK'S BEARD, OASIS). A single, "Astral Hand", will precede the full-length CD on October 9.

According to a press release, "Radical Peace" "presents a multitude of stylistic variations and effective surprises in a musical direction that is clearly and consciously not watered-down by pseudo-modern frippery. [MOB RULES'] tight interaction between deep melodic vocals, two powerful guitars, atmospheric keyboard passages and a driving basic rhythm is rare among European bands. Beyond that, MOB RULES have established an excellent reputation based on their five previous albums, which the band themselves consider to be outside the typical hard 'n' heavy pigeonhole: with critical lyrics about environmental pollution, the politics of the Catholic Church in medieval times and the alarming political situation in the Middle East on their early albums, MOB RULES shine again with fascinating and witty stories."

The press release continues: "Alongside the first single, Astral Hand, which was inspired by the well-known Michelangelo fresco 'The Creation of Adam' in the Vatican and already had its baptism of fire at the Wacken Rocks Seaside festival, the Bloodstock Open Air in Derby, England, and the Ginetarock festival in Spain, there are a number of tracks which deserve a mention. Musically as well as in terms of its content (the song is about death camp doctor Josef Mengele and his appalling experiments on concentration camp children), the opener 'Children Of The Flames' with its anthemic chorus and doom-laden guitar outro nonchalantly ventures into the realms of Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN). The two subsequent tracks, 'Trial By Fire' and 'Warchild' prove how intelligently MOB RULES connect their stories with epic musical structures and contemporary guitar riffs.

"The focal point of the album is the 18-minute epic 'The Oswald File'. This number is about the assassination of John F. Kennedy and raises the question whether the alleged killer Harvey Lee Oswald (who was later shot himself) really was responsible for Kennedy's death. With this song, MOB RULES continue their concept of memorable political moments in world history, which they started on 'Ethnolution A.D.' (2006)."

"We all know that Kennedy played an important role in the reconstruction of Germany," guitarist Matthias Mineur says of the track. Vocalist Klaus Dirks adds: "At the moment, this topic has gained new relevance through the new U.S. president Barack Obama, who is celebrated as Kennedy's quasi-heir. And as luck would have it, Obama will be coming to Berlin on a state visit four days before the release of 'Radical Peace'." This automatically brings to mind Kennedy's legendary speech featuring the unforgettable words "Ich bin ein Berliner," which were used as the intro to "The Oswald File".

Not only thematically but also musically, "Radical Peace" is MOB RULES' most uncompromising release to date. The direction of the new album is unmistakable, sounding much tougher compared to their previous offerings without compromising the essential features of the typical MOB RULES sound. "Even as we were writing the songs, it was clear that the new material would be more dynamic and haunting than our other releases, a fact that we allowed for during the studio production," says Dirks.

MOB RULES filmed a video for the song "Astral Hand" on April 18 at Jahnhalle in Nordenham, Germany. Directing the clip was Ronald Mattes from ROAX Film, who also worked with the band on the "Black Rain" and "Last Farewell" videos.

"Radical Peace" track listing:

01. Children Of The Flames
02. Trial By Fire
03. Warchild
04. Astral Hand
05. The Oswald File (Ethnolution II - A Matter Of Unnecessary Doubt)
06. Waiting For The Sun
07. The Glance Of Fame

Bassist Eric Brittingham of the multi-platinum '80s hard rock band CINDERELLA filled in for Bobby Dall on the last few shows of POISON's just-completed tour with DEF LEPPARD and CHEAP TRICK after Dall was either taken ill or was dealing with other personal issues (depending on which rumor you choose to believe).

Video footage of POISON frontman Bret Michaels introducing Brittingham to the audience at the band's September 6, 2009 concert at the San Manuel Amphitheatre San Bernardino, California can be viewed below. Also available is footage of the "Talk Dirty To Me" performance from the same show (both courtesy of "tarantulaman").

BON JOVI's bass player Hugh McDonald filled in for Dall at the August 25 POISON concert at USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Utah. According to the Deseret News, McDonald stepped up to the plate just 20 minutes before POISON was scheduled to go on stage. Rather than cancel their set, Michaels said McDonald volunteered his services and took a crash course in learning several POISON songs.

An EPK (Electronic Press Kit) for "Last Light", the second album from Ireland's FOR RUIN, can be viewed below. The clip features interviews, recording and live footage and audio from the forthcoming full-length CD and digital EP "Enlightened".

FOR RUIN will self-release "Last Light" on October 30. The CD was recorded earlier this year with producer Alwyn Walker at Komodo Mobile Studios and it features artwork (below) by Paul McCarroll who has previously worked with PRIMORDIAL, among others.

"Last Light" will be preceded by the release of a digital-only EP, "Enlightened", available through CDBaby in late September. The EP will contain new album tracks, a remixed older track and other material.

According to FOR RUIN, "Last Light" will be made "freely available" via the band's web sites upon its release, and high-quality and hard copies (CDs) of the album will be produced, along with other merchandise.

"Last Light" track listing:

01. Enlightened (instrumental)
02. Care Of The Dead
03. Decline
04. In Suffering
05. Solace
06. Recoil
07. Crawl (instrumental)
08. Deluge
09. Cold Call
10. Elysium

Two songs from the album — "In Suffering" and "Care of the Dead" — are available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

FOR RUIN recently announced the addition of drummer Pete Alcorn to the group's ranks.

Orange County, California's hardcore/metal act THROWDOWN will release its new album, "Deathless", on November 10 via E1 Music (formerly KOCH Records). The CD was produced by Mudrock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GODSMACK, POWERMAN 5000) and was mixed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, THE RED CHORD and SHADOWS FALL, among others. The artwork is being created by Ryan Clark of Invisible Creature and DEMON HUNTER.

"Deathless" will be the band's fourth album with Dave Peters as frontman and primary songwriter, its second with guitarist Mark Choiniere (who joined the band in 2005) and first with bassist Mark Mitchell. Drummer Jarrod Alexander (ex-DEATH BY STEREO), who performed on the band's breakthrough "Haymaker" album in 2003, returned to work on "Deathless".

THROWDOWN last year completed touring behind the band's last album, "Venom & Tears", which was produced by the group with Mudrock. The past two years saw them on the road with KORN (Australia), KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (Canada), CAVALERA CONSPIRACY (U.S.), MACHINE HEAD / ARCH ENEMY (U.S.), headlining the Ernie Ball stage on the Vans Warped Tour, hitting major European festivals like Download, and headlining a U.S. tour of their own.

Christian hard rockers STRYPER kicked off their 25th-anniversary tour last night (Friday, September 11) at the House Of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts.

Video footage of the performance can be viewed at this location. A couple of the clips are available below.

As previously reported, STRYPER bassist Timothy Gaines will be posting regular updates from the band's 25th-anniversary tour exclusively at StryperForum.com. You can check out the blog at this location.

Bassist Tracy Ferrie is not be performing on the U.S. leg of the STRYPER tour. Instead, original bassist Gaines is the sole bass player. What was originally planned to be a two-set performance has now turned into one full 90-minute concert consisting of all the greatest hits and new STRYPER material.

The band is wearing new yellow-and-black outfits designed by the original outfit designer. All original members — Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox, and Tim Gaines — are performing on the 25th anniversary U.S. tour.

"Murder By Pride", the new album from STRYPER, sold 5,900 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 73 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Murder By Pride" was released in Europe on August 28 via Frontiers Records. The CD was made available in the U.S. on July 21 through Big 3 Records.

25 years ago (1984), STRYPER broke onto the scene with its debut EP, "Yellow And Black Attack", and has since gone on to sell 8 million records worldwide and tour the world spreading an inspirational message through their branded sound of rock songs, heavy guitars, and pristine harmony vocals.

Denver, Colorado "satanic" metal band SATAN'S HOST will release its new album, "Power ~ Purity ~ Perfection: 999", on October 26 via Moribund Records. The CD was recorded at Flatline Audio with producer Dave Otero and features the group's latest additions, D. Monic (ex-AND HELL FOLLOWS) on bass and Evil Little Hobbit (a.k.a. Anthony Lopez, ex-TORRID FLESH) on drums.

According to the band, "The metal on this new project is very diverse. From different modes, to different keys. There are eight full-length songs, from five minutes to eight-and-a-half minutes [in length], as [well] two acoustical interludes which separate the whole, three-part concept" of the CD. "There is a wide array of dark melodies, which fill the demonic soul with a serenade unto the dark lord. Very empowering rhythms, filled with groove and speed, which encapsulates the purist Satanic metal essence in the scene today, as with generations to be."

Check out the cover artwork below.

SATAN'S HOST's current lineup:

Patrick Evil - Guitar
Eli Elixir L.C.F. - Vocals
D. Monic - Bass
Evil Little Hobbit - Drums

"Like No Tomorrow", the new video from Swedish hard rockers THE POODLES, can be viewed at Expressen.tv. The song comes off the band's third album, "Clash Of The Elements", which was released in Europe on August 28 via Blistering Records.

"Clash Of The Elements" recently entered the official chart in the band's home country at position No. 5.

Audio samples of all 14 tracks that appear on the CD can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

The group, which last year parted ways with record label Lionheart International after a three-year partnership, once again worked with producer Mats Valentin.

THE POODLES last year recruited guitarist Henrik Bergqvist (SOUTHFORK, TIAMAT) to replace Pontus Norgren, who left the group to join HAMMERFALL. The new axeman made his live debut with THE POODLES in June 2008 at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

THE POODLES — Jakob Samuel, Henrik Bergqvist, bassist Pontus Egberg (ex-LION'S SHARE) and drummer Christian Lundqvist — released its previous album, "The Sweet Trade", in September 2007 via AFM Records.

Canadian metal legends ANVIL will take part in an in-store performance and signing session at Sunrise Records in Toronto, Ontario, Ontario on September 22, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

For more information, go to this location.

ANVIL — whose rock-doc "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" has certainly been the most feel-good, comeback stories of recent times — will make its late-night performance debut on "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" on Tuesday, October 6. "The Tonight Show" performance is in support of the re-release of the band's new album, "This is Thirteen", which hits stores on Tuesday, September 15, and the "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" DVD, set for an October 6 release.

For this auspicious occasion, ANVIL — Kudlow, Reiner, and bassist Glenn Five — will perform the song that many consider their anthem, "Metal On Metal", which is included as a bonus track on the "This is Thirteen" limited-edition vinyl. The band members will also get a little couch time with O'Brien.

"I am so nervous about doing the show," said Lips. "This is big, the biggest thing we have ever done on TV. I almost cried when my mom said she might not be able to stay up that late to watch it, so we're going to tape it for her. We can't wait to meet Conan, and I think Robb is pretty excited to meet Max Weinberg."

ANVIL's re-release of "This is Thirteen" is available for streaming its entirety at VH1.com. The collectible double vinyl LP also boasts a newly re-recorded version of ANVIL classic "666". The album, originally recorded in 2007 and produced by Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY), was primarily available directly from the band via their web site and at their concerts.

More video footage of HAIL!'s September 7, 2009 concert at the Rock in Copenhagen, Denmark can be viewed below (courtesy of "Metalex1982").

HAIL!'s current touring lineup includes guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA), vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (JUDAS PRIEST, BEYOND FEAR, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, ICED EARTH), bassist David Ellefson (F5, MEGADETH) and drummer Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR, SOULFLY).

The group's setlist for the Scandinavian tour consists of the following classics:

01. Ace Of Spades (MOTÖRHEAD)
02. Territory (SEPULTURA)
03. Symphony Of Destruction (MEGADETH)
04. Grinder (JUDAS PRIEST)
05. Stand Up And Shout (DIO)
06. Walk (PANTERA)
07. Balls To The Wall (ACCEPT)
08. Neon Knights (BLACK SABBATH)
09. Wrathchild (IRON MAIDEN)
10. Run To The Hills (IRON MAIDEN)
11. Black Metal (VENOM) (with Andreas on vocals)
12. Green Manalishi (JUDAS PRIEST)
13. Burn In Hell (JUDAS PRIEST) / Symptom Of The Universe (BLACK SABBATH)
14. South Of Heaven (SLAYER)
15. Peace Sells (MEGADETH)
16. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH)

Encore:

17. Refuse/Resist (SEPULTURA)
18. Whiplash (METALLICA)

Kisser recently stated about the band's Scandinavian tour, which kicked off in Trondheim, Norway on September 1, "We intentionally booked some shows in smaller cities because we realize that SEPULTURA and JUDAS PRIEST and MEGADETH could never play in some of these places, so we wanted to make the effort to give everybody a chance to come hang out with us and enjoy the show."

Due to previous touring commitments with ALICE COOPER, regular HAIL! drummer Jimmy DeGrasso was unable to make the Scandinavian trek.

Mayorga's ties to HAIL! run deep, having played with guitarist Andreas Kisser while filling in for the entire SEPULTURA 2006 European tour and also taking part in the Roadrunner Records 25th birthday bash in December 2005 with both Kisser and HAIL! frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens.

Commented Kisser: "I've known Roy for a long time and he's great, so when this situation came up to find a sub for Jimmy, we knew Roy would fit in perfectly."

Mayorga enthusiastically concurred: "When the guys asked me about playing these shows with them, I was thrilled! It is so cool what they are doing and to be able to help them out and fill in for Jimmy is truly an honor for me."

On May 20, 2009, Rock Fist Reviews conducted an interview with SPEED X — the new band featuring BLACK LABEL SOCIETY guitarist Nick Catanese, ex-QUEENSRŸCHE axeman Mike Stone on guitar and vocals, DOUBLEDRIVE drummer Mike Froedge, former DOUBLEDRIVE bassist Joshua Sattler and ULTRAPHONIC's Jason Fowler on lead vocals. The chat is now available for viewing in three parts below.

The current SPEED X lineup made its live debut on May 22 at the Hard Rock Café in Atlanta, Georgia.

Video footage of the performance can be viewed at
this location.

SPEED X performed on January 17, 2009 at the Hilton hotel in Anaheim, California during this year's NAMM show.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:

Hollywood.TV has posted video footage of Ozzy Osbourne and his wife/manager Sharon hitting the Nobu restaurant in Malibu, California this past Monday, September 7. Watch the clip at this location.

Ozzy Osbourne will close the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF) later today (Saturday, September 12) by performing the festival's final set. The three-day event kicked off when Ozzy was honored at a tribute event on Thursday, September 10 at the House of Blues.

Ozzy's appearance will mark his first full performance on the Sunset Strip in almost 40 years and his first ever as a solo artist. Back in 1970, BLACK SABBATH performed a five-night stand (November 11-15) at the legendary Whisky A Go-Go as part of their first U.S. tour.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, Osbourne waxed sentimental about those early days on the Strip. "It was like a different world," he said. "I remember seeing hippies on every corner, just trying to catch the vibes. For us English guys, it was like landing in some beautiful paradise. It was the start of my love for L.A."

Osbourne is currently finishing a new album in his home studio. "It's still heavy but it's not all dark," he said. "At this stage, I can experiment." He isn't sure what he'll play Saturday night but he insists there won't be any SABBATH.

"Mitt Enda Hopp", the new video from YERSINIA, one of Sweden's most popular post-hardcore acts, can be viewed below. The clip was directed by BraveArt and was released in connection with the band's current tour.

YERSINIA released its sophomore EP, "Lejonhjärta" ("Lionheart"), in May. It contains for tracks produced by Daniel Bergstrand (IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH, SOILWORK) and mastered by Peter In De Betou at Stockholm, Sweden's Tailor Maid Production.

KAMELOT and HAMMERFALL have been confirmed as the headliners of next year's ProgPower USA XI festival, set to take place September 8-11 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The festival billing is shaping up as follows:

Friday, September 10:

KAMELOT
NOCTURNAL RITES
TYR
SEVENTH WONDER
STORMWARRIOR
ILLUSION SUITE

Saturday, September 11:

HAMMERFALL
TAROT
DELAIN
DGM
OCEANS OF SADNESS
PARADOX

ProgPower USA is a progressive and power metal festival held annually in the United States since 2001. Its latest edition is being held September 11-12, 2009 at Center Stage Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. It is being headlined by CRIMSON GLORY and FATES WARNING.

Pollstar.com recently conducted an interview with legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Pollstar.com: Your music is out there even more now for aspiring guitarists to learn from. There's even an "Yngwie Malmsteen Award" on "Guitar Hero II". How does it feel to be included in this trend?

Yngwie: It's been tremendous for me because I've been doing this for many years. A few years ago, I took my son to a big video store and there was a cat there that knew who I was and everything. I'm sure he did this to amuse me but he said, "Check this out!" and he put on his plastic guitar. I'm like, "Is this guy for real?" This was before [the trend] exploded and I was very skeptical. But having said that, I am completely for it now. This has become what MTV was 20 years ago but this is even cooler because it's interactive. We can go to Best Buy where I live, for instance, and there's a full-blown music store as well. They sell the Marshalls and Strats like Guitar Center. To see these kids standing there, trying out their plastic guitars and then look over to the real ones, it's a good thing.

Pollstar.com: Have you been noticing new age groups at your shows?

Yngwie: It's unbelievable! Super-young kids, older fans, girls — it's a great mix! It's not just the guitar-playing dudes. I think it started when I went out with G3. That's when I saw it first happening in the U.S. and Canada – the guitar thing was just going through the roof, and that was just the beginning. Now it's growing more and more. It's the funniest thing. I go into GNC and buy some vitamins and here's some bodybuilding guy saying, "Dude! I saw you on YouTube, man!" That wouldn't have happened five years ago.

Pollstar.com: Have the changes in the music industry over the years altered the touring experience for you at all?

Yngwie: When I first started out in the United States, I was very lucky. I got to go out with AC/DC for four months coast-to-coast. I love those guys, they're amazing and what an opportunity for me! Then I went out with IRON MAIDEN, another band called TRIUMPH (1985) and a few shows with Aerosmith and stuff like that. It seems to be a thing of the past now. I guess what I mean is back then, it was more wide open and more fun, really (laughs). It wasn't business, it was fun. That I see as a difference. [But] I think once you're on stage, it's very similar. I don't think that has changed. The audience has always been great. I go to Argentina, France, different states in America, Taiwan or Bangkok, Thailand — they're completely different cultures but the audiences are the same as always at my stops. I feel like [the music] is communication beyond languages. That's what makes it so rewarding to me.

Pollstar.com: How have you kept your vision for your music through all the different trends?

Yngwie: Some people had the misconception for a while that I had something to do with the '80s. I became known in the '80s, or what people now think of as the '80s. And when the '80s became the '90s and everybody wanted to turn everything upside down, it didn't change what I wanted to do. I've never turned my coat to the wind. It's actually turned out, in the long run, to be the right thing to do. There's a lot of people who were doing what I was doing 25 years ago who are not [now.] What's "in" is bound to go "out," so if you don't have a steady course, you're lost. What's more important is that, to quote [Italian musician and composer] Niccolò Paganini, "One must feel strongly to make others feel strongly." When you feel so strongly about what you do, people can't help but like it or hate it but they won't ignore it. If you're real about it – what you see is what you get — that's longevity. I love to go on stage because every night is different — a different audience and a different show. Every time I hit the stage, I play like it's the last show I'm going to do.

Read the entire interview from Pollstar.com.

'80s hard rock queen Lita Ford will support QUEENSRŸCHE on their fall "American Soldier" tour. A formal press release and list of official dates will be made available on Monday, September 14.

A new track from Lita Ford, entitled "Patriotic SOB", is available for streaming on her MySpace page. The song comes off Lita's first new studio album in 14 years, "Wicked Wonderland", which is scheduled for release in Europe on October 2 via earMUSIC/Edel. The set will be issued in the U.S. on October 6 through Lita's own JLRG Entertainment label as a regular CD and limited-edition vinyl with different artwork (see below).

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Love
02. Piece
03. Crave
04. Scream
05. Sacred
06. Wicked Wonderland
07. Indulge
08. Patriotic SOB
09. Everything
10. Inside
11. Truth
12. Betrayal
13. Bed
14. Garden
15. Push
16. Indulge (Remix)
17. Scream (Remix)

Lita Ford will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday, October 7 at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with Lita by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625).

For more information, visit RocklineRadio.com.

LP artwork:

CD artwork:

Video footage of DOWN performing the VAN HALEN classic "Ain't Talking About Love" last night (Friday, September 11) at the Nokia Theatre in New York City can be viewed below. Also available is a clip of the "Hail The Leaf" performance from last night's show.

As previously reported, former PANTERA and current DOWN bassist Rex Brown had his gallbladder and polyps on his pancreas removed last week in a surgical procedure.

Brown, who is suffering from acute pancreatitis (a sudden inflammation of the pancreas which can have severe complications and high mortality despite treatment), will likely be sidelined for approximately five weeks following the operation. A full and healthy recovery is expected.

DOWN tapped Danny Theriot of Metairie, Louisiana to fill in on bass for the group's North American trek, which kicked off on August 3 at Beaumont Club in Kansas City, Kansas.

Theriot was in a band called VICTORIAN BLITZ in the mid-to-late '80s with DOWN guitarist Kirk Windstein. Although the group reportedly started out by playing original material, they eventually began including more covers in their set from such acts as IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and METALLICA.

DOWN has been confirmed for the 11th annual Voodoo Experience music festival, taking place Halloween weekend in New Orleans.

More than 150 acts will play on eight stages in three separate areas — named Le Ritual, Le Flambeau and Le Carnival — around the city.

Other major acts on the Voodoo Experience bill include KISS, JANE'S ADDICTION, WOLFMOTHER, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL, MEAT PUPPETS and DOWN.

Fuse will provide on-air and online coverage of the Voodoo Experience and will broadcast a one-hour special on Nov. 7.

For more information, visit www.thevoodooexperience.com.

Matt Cord of the Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania radio station 93.3 WMMR conducted an interview with bassist Mike Inez of ALICE IN CHAINS on September 5, 2009 at the TLA in Philadelphia. Watch the eight-minute chat below.

As previously reported, the video for "Check My Brain", the first official single from ALICE IN CHAINS much-anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", will premiere this Monday, September 14 on MTV2 and MTVu. The clip, which was helmed by U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes, will be shown on MTV2 at 6 a.m., and air again at 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 3 a.m., 4 a.m., and 5 a.m.

The premiere starts on MTVu at 6 a.m. and continues throughout the day.

The video will also have homepage placement on MTV2.com, MTVu.com and MTVmusic.com on September 14 as well.

ALICE IN CHAINS will be IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson's guests on Friday, September 25 during Bruce's weekly BBC 6 Music radio program, dubbed "The Bruce Dickinson Friday Rock Show". Listen to the broadcast live via the Internet between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (midnight) U.K. time at BBC.co.uk.

ALICE IN CHAINS will celebrate the release of its highly anticipated new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", with an outdoor mini-concert on ABC-TV's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, September 29 (which will actually air the morning of Wednesday, September 30).

If you pre-order ALICE IN CHAINS' new album, "Black Gives Way To Blue", via iTunes, you will receive two exclusive bonus tracks: "Your Decision" (live) and "Black Gives Way To Blue (Elton John Piano Mix)".

Swiss metallers SYBREED have posted two new songs — "Doomsday Party" and "I Am Ultraviolence" — on their MySpace page. Both cuts come off the band's third album, "The Pulse of Awakening", which will be released via Listenable Records on the following dates:

Nov. 16 - Switzerland, France, Benelux, UK
Nov. 20 - Germany
Nov. 23 - Rest of Europe

The U.S. release is planned for January/February 2010.

The CD was mixed and mastered by Rhys Fulber (FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, FEAR FACTORY, PARADISE LOST), and it is said to sound "immense." The vocals and the drums for the follow-up to 2007's "Antares" were laid down at the SDF studios in Lausanne, while the guitar and bass were tracked at the Drone studio in Geneva. The cover artwork (see below) was handled by Seth from SEPTICFLESH.

According to the band, "The Pulse Of Awakening" will feature such songs as "Nomenklatura", which is being described as "a groovy, technical and hypnotic piece of industrial metal"; "Electronegative", which is "equally technical but with an intense 'right-in-ya-face,' down-to-up-tempo pace"; and "Doomsday Party", which "sounds like the illegitimate progeny of EBM beats, synth-pop melodies and metal riffing."

"The Pulse Of Awakening" track listing:

01. Nomenklatura
02. A.E.O.N.
03. Doomsday Party
04. Human Black Box
05. KillJoy
06. I Am Ultraviolence
07. Electronegative
08. In The Cold Light
09. Lucifer Effect
10. Love Like Blood
11. Meridian A.D.
12. From Zero To Nothing

The Japanese version will feature an exclusive bonus track, "Flesh Doll For Sale".

Prior to the full-length CD release, SYBREED will issue an exclusive digital EP entitled "Aeon", featuring two new songs from the upcoming album and three raging electro/ techno remixes of "Emma 0" from their previous album, "Antares".

"3Aeon" EP track listing:

01. A.E.O.N. (5:03)
02. Human Black Box (5:10)
03. Emma-0 (BAK XIII remix) (4:02)
04. Emma-0 (Phreakers Syndicate remix) (3:38)
05. Emma-0 (Tanz / Tanz remix) (4:45)

SYBREED released its second album, "Antares", in the U.S. on August 15, 2008 via Koch Records. The U.S. version of the CD includes a previously unreleased song called "Plasmaterial" as a bonus track.

Finnish metallers SAATTUE have posted a new song, "Vapahtaja", on their MySpace page. The video for the track, which was directed by Matti Salminen, can be viewed below.

"Vapahtaja" features special guest appearances by Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM) on guitar solo, Pasi Koskinen (AJATTARA) on backing vocals and Aapo Romu (VANGUARD) on cello. The song comes off SAATTUE's sophomore album, "Vuoroveri", which is scheduled for release on October 21 via Spikefarm Records. The CD will include "eight works of heavy, dark and multi-dimensional saatto metal," according to a press release.

"Vuoroveri" was recorded at D-Studio in Klaukkala, Finland with producer Jarno Hänninen and was mastered at Finnvox Studio by Mika Jussila.

"Vuoroveri" track listing:

01. Vapahtaja (Saviour)
02. Luopio (Apostate)
03. Evoluution Kruunu (The Crown Of Evolution)
04. Itsensä Herra (His Own Master)
05. Synnistä Syntynyt (Born Out Of Sin)
06. Taakka (A Burden)
07. Verenperimä (Heritage Of Blood)
08. Häpeän Linnut (Birds Of Shame)

SAATTUE writes its lyrics in Finnish and calls its music "saatto metal."

"Saatto," as well as "saattue," means "procession" in Finnish.

For more information (in Finnish), visit www.saattue.net.

According to the Toronto Sun, all the tickets to KISS' October 7 concert at the GM Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada have sold out.

"Every single, solitary, last one is gone," Oshawa city councillor Robert Lutczyk told the Sun today. "Everything, not one is left."

Tickets went on sale to the general public this morning at 10 a.m. The centre was expected to hold around 5,600 people for the concert.

Members of the KISS Army and GM Centre's Backstage Pass were able to take advantage of pre-sales earlier this week but Lutczyk said he's heard every batch of tickets went like hot cakes.

"They all went in minutes," he said. "There was a huge demand for these things."

At least 100 fans spent two days lined up outside the GM Centre waiting for tickets. Early this morning, the line had grown to a few hundred.

"I doubt that the 10th person in line got tickets," Lutczyk said.

Read the entire report from the Toronto Sun.

Geoff Barton of U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine recently conducted an interview with W.A.S.P. mainman Blackie Lawless. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Classic Rock: You wrote the songs on Babylon while the world was experiencing a global financial meltdown.

Blackie Lawless: It's no secret that I wasn't Bush fan, neither Bush No. 1 nor Bush No. 2. In general, I don't trust politicians. But when this supposed global meltdown was happening a year ago and I saw all these world leaders calling for a one-world government, a one-world system and a one-world currency, I thought to myself: "They gotta be kidding." I mean, do these guys understand what they're talking about? I don't think that they do.

Classic Rock: What sort of stuff makes you grit your teeth?

Blackie Lawless: The whole Lockerbie situation. Freeing that Libyan bomber was a despicable act. Plus, as I say, you look at how it's been socialized. I was watching a TV program the other day. It was a British kid here in the U.S. The interviewer asked him: "What did you come here for?" The kid said: "I wanted to start a small business and I couldn't do that in the U.K." There's no help from the government. You can't get a bank loan. There's no incentive to get anything done. Those days are gone. I thought to myself: "Is this where America's going?" It really hurts me to watch your country go that way. The pride factor has gone.

Classic Rock: You were a supporter of John McCain during the U.S. presidential election campaign.

Blackie Lawless: By default.

Classic Rock: So, how are you finding life under Barack Obama?

Blackie Lawless: I was very, very critical of Obama during the campaign. I wrote a long letter and I sent it out to all the press the night before the election. I pulled no punches with this guy because I had really done quite a bit of research on him while the election was going on. He's one of these old-time 60s radicals from way back. He thinks he's going to change the world and he's hell-bent on doing that. When he stood there the night of the nomination and he said that he intended on "fundamentally changing" America — a chill ran down my back. Thousands of people were just standing there, wildly applauding, and it reminded me of Hitler standing on the steps of the Reichstag. I thought, "These people don't understand what this man is talking about, what his true intentions are, and how he is going to go about doing this." This man, like I said, is straight out of the '60s school of radicalism where he thinks he's going to be Robin Hood and rob from the rich to give to the poor. I subscribe to the theory: if you work, you eat. And if you don't, you don't. It's really no more complicated than that. Do we want to be compassionate? Yes. Do we want to help each other as best we can? Yes. But that doesn't mean that I bust my hump to create something and somebody comes along and decides that I can't keep that anymore. That's not what either one of our countries was really built on.

Read the entire interview from Classic Rock magazine.

Quality fan-filmed video footage of W.A.S.P. performing the song "Wild Child" on June 19, 2009 at Hellfest in Clisson, France can be viewed below (courtesy of "FinnishPrkele").

Video footage of Christian Älvestam (SCAR SYMMETRY, MISERATION, THE FEW AGAINST MANY) laying down guest vocals for the sophomore album from Australian melodic death metallers UNIVERSUM can be viewed below.

UNIVERSUM will enter the studio in the coming months to commence recording the follow-up to their debut album, "Leto Destinatus".

Due for release in early 2010, the follow-up to UNIVERSUM's debut album, "Leto Destinatus" — tentatively titled "Mortuus Machina" — will feature guest guitar solos from NIGHTRAGE axemen Marios Iliopoulos and Olof Mörck. Jens Bogren of Sweden's Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, SOILWORK, AMON AMARTH, KATATONIA) will once again handle both mixing and mastering duties.

UNIVERSUM lead guitarist Michael Soininen previously stated, "We are all excited by how the new album is developing so far and believe that the songs have a newfound depth, both musically and lyrically. The combination of the new material, the great guest musicians Christian, Marios and Olof, along with Jens' mixing and mastering should result in a great album."

In the year since the release of "Leto Destinatus", UNIVERSUM made a major impact both in Australia and internationally and has received widespread acclaim from the media and its ever-growing legion of fans. The success of the debut album, together with live performances alongside international big guns DRAGONFORCE (Australian national tour) and CRADLE OF FILTH, a string of endorsements and a very well received video clip has seen UNIVERSUM quickly become regarded as one of Australia's premier melodic death metal acts.

For more information, visit www.universum.com.au.

INFERNAL, the project led by Swedish guitarist David Parland (NECROPHOBIC, DARK FUNERAL), has posted a 35-second snippet of a new song, "Killing Christ", on the band's MySpace page. He says, "This is a just some really harsh and rough demo outtake and nothing else. This song will, of course, be professionally recorded for the next demo."

Regarding INFERNAL's current status, Parland states, "We are still working on new songs for the next 'demo,' (meaning a 'pro' demo and no crap-sounding 'necro'-type stuff) and things slowly starts to take shape, but there is still some work to do before we go into the studio to record the next couple of songs. However, we'll use a session drummer for the next recording since the departure of Tomas Asklund [ex-DARK FUNERAL, DISSECTION], and as it looks, we think we have found the guy to do the job."

Joining Parland in the new INFERNAL lineup is guitarist Martin Halfdan (ex-NECROPHOBIC).

Regarding the decision to use the INFERNAL name for the new project (INFERNAL's previous lineup split up in 2003), David previously said, "When we started up again, we initially wanted to call the band something totally different, but we never came up with anything good enough, and whenever we did, we found out that these names already were taken. . . The concept still remains 100% Satanic; we see no reason to not call ourselves something less good or half-assed, just because the sound mainly is no longer the hyper-blast stuff we used to do in our earlier bands. This new INFERNAL is still purely Satanic, but generally has a more accessible sound, more melodic, but still brutal, and with some blast parts as well. We generally want to people to think of this as new band, more or less a complete rebirth of a band that once was (and still is again). We don't want people to even compare it with the old stuff since it's in most ways not the same band."

Several new photos of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen — including two pictures from his 5150 Studios in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California — have been posted on his official MySpace page. Check them out at this location.

Eddie Van Halen recently told Rolling Stone that he underwent the hand surgery due to a bone spur, a twisted tendon, and a cyst in the joint of his left thumb. He explained that the hand problems first popped up during VAN HALEN's last tour, saying, "During the last leg of our tour, I started developing pain in my thumb and my pinky. I didn't think much of it at the time. It got progressively worse to the point that about three months ago I wasn't able to play at all. My pinky and my thumb were totally locked up and felt like there was something broken."

He sought help from hand specialists in Dusseldorf, Germany, who at first were treating him for arthritis before further examinations showed the extent of the problem: "They said the only way to fix it was surgery, which of course scared the shit out of me, but I was told it was the only way to fix it. Surgery was a success, now I just have to let it heal. I am totally jazzed that they found the problem, fixed it and in about four months my hand will feel like I am 18 again. Thank God."

The stitches came out within a few days, and his recovery will be complete in four-to-six months. "In the meantime I am able to write a bit, but cannot overexert my hand because it needs to heal properly," he said.

Van Halen says that like all of VAN HALEN's albums, the seeds to all great material stems from jam sessions with brother Alex. "What I do on any record is I basically lock myself up in the studio with my brother, and we jam, and whatever comes out is what we (laughs) use," he said. "And a lot of the stuff we, we don't use, 'cause it's not good (laughs). But the good stuff we keep, and we just carry on from there."

VAN HALEN — featuring brothers Eddie and Alex, Eddie's son Wolfgang, and David Lee Roth — are expected to record a new album and tour sometime in 2010.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio has responded to Kerry King's recent comment that the SLAYER guitarist is "offended by the silliness" of KILLSWITCH's live performance.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and SLAYER toured together as part of this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, also featuring BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, among others.

In a July 2009 interview with MusicRadar.com, King was asked about the reports that SLAYER once threw KILLSWITCH ENGAGE off one of its tours. "We actually didn't get able to," Kerry replied. "I tried. Because I'd never seen 'em live, and then I saw them live at some, I don't know, maybe at Kerrang! Awards over in Europe. And I'm just offended by the silliness that goes on on stage [on the part of] the guitar player [Adam Dutkiewicz]. He puts his foot in his mouth all the time and he says stupid shit, and I just didn't think that side show should be on my stage. So I pulled the plug on the spot, but on that particular Jägermeister tour, we didn't have any product and they did, so Jäger kind of insisted, and I went... They're all friends of mine, so I said, 'OK, I'll deal with it.' [But I] still don't like it."

Way Too Loud! recently asked D'Antonio how he felt about Kerry King's remarks. "I heard a little too much about it," he said. "We just did the Mayhem tour [with SLAYER], and it was uncomfortable. They don't get it, and probably never will, that you can actually be in a metal band and have fun, and smile. You can do things differently than other metal bands have ever done. We just like to have a good time. We just a party band, and I think that comes from punk-rock roots where anything goes. A lot of the old guys think it has to be straight-forward or nothing, and that's their loss, I guess."

Kerry's comments regarding KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's live show were not the first time a veteran heavy metal musician has slammed the Massachusetts band for its unconventional stage presentation. In the February 2008 issue of Sweden's Close-Up magazine, SOULFLY/ex-SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera described the experience of seeing a KILLSWITCH ENGAGE live show. "I went to see LAMB OF GOD in that States and they were alright, but KILLSWITCH ENGAGE opened and it was the gayest show I've ever seen," he said. "I was like, 'I'm not part of this scene, it's fucking gay.' They were acting like they were U2 and I was like, 'Hmm….' The attitude was so ridiculous. I don't know these guys, they're on my label [Roadrunner] and all, but it was completely disappointing and gay. Like really lame, such a lame band live, everything about the whole attitude. LAMB OF GOD came out and destroyed them and I don't even like LAMB OF GOD that much, but they were so much better coming after KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. I was like, 'If that's what the scene is about, hey fuck it, it ain't got nothing to do with me.'"

Jason Ward and Eric A.K. of veteran Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM were interviewed by Michael Edele of Laut.de after the band's August 24, 2009 performance in Frankfurt, Germany. The chat is now available for streaming at this location (Windows Media).

Check out photos of the Frankfurt concert at Laut.de.

Fan-filmed video footage of FLOTSAM AND JETSAM performing the song "Doomsday For The Deceiver" on August 23, 2009 at the Rock Temple, in Kerkrade , the Netherlands can be viewed below (courtesy of "stoneagelightning").

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has spent time in the studio over the course of the last year recording the band's new album for a tentative early 2010 release. The group's drummer, Craig Nielsen, previously stated about the upcoming CD, "I can promise with total confidence this is by far the very best record this band has done in over 10 or even many more years! The songs are inspired, there are really no fillers. It's fast with feeling, tight, memorable, fresh, and so far masterfully engineered."

Metal Mind Productions released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's "Once in a Deathtime" DVD in Europe in June 2008. The disc contains footage of the band's March 8, 2008 performance at Metalmania Festival in Katowice, Poland, including live renditions of such classic songs as "Doomsday for the Deceiver", "No Place for Disgrace", and "I Live You Die". The DVD also features an interview with Craig Neilsen (drums) and Ed Carlson (guitar), biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images and weblinks. A limited-edition version of the DVD includes an audio CD containing songs recorded at the Metalmania Festival.

Metal Mind Productions released a digipack edition of FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's "Dreams Of Death" album in Europe in April 2008. The CD was engineered by Tom Giatron and produced by FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and Tom Giatron at Genesis Studios in Phoenix. Travis Smith did the cover art. Metal Mind Productions also re-released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's albums "When The Storm Comes Down" (1990), "Cuatro" (1992) and "Drift" (1995) in March 2008 in Europe and June 2008 in the U.S. via MVD. Each remastered limited-edition digipack title (limited to 2,000 copies) was made available on golden disc, digitallyremastered using 24-bit technology.

Due to great demand, DEF LEPPARD has decided to add another leg to its highly successful 2009 tour. Although the third leg will consist of more than 20 shows, only three have been revealed s far:

Oct. 22 - Reno, NV - Events Center
Oct. 24 - Boise, ID - Idaho Center
Oct. 25 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena

DEF LEPPARD fan club pre-sales for these shows will start on September 16. Other details (such as the general on-sale dates) are still to be confirmed.

On the third leg of the tour, DEF LEPPARD will be joined by CHEAP TRICK.

DEF LEPPARD recently released deluxe editions of its classic albums "Pyromania" and "Adrenalize". The albums feature never-before-released B-sides and live recordings as well as nine Top 10 singles from the legendary rock band. The deluxe edition of "Pyromania" features a 15-track live show recorded at The Forum in Los Angeles in 1983. The deluxe edition of "Adrenalize" features demo tracks, live tracks and acoustic tracks.

KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley was interviewed yesterday (Friday, September 11) on WLS-TV, Chicago, Illionois' local ABC affiliate. Watch the chat below.

KISS' new album, "Sonic Boom", will be released in Europe on October 5 via Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records. The CD will be made available on October 6 in the U.S. and Canada exclusively via Wal-Mart, Walmart.com and Sam's Club retail locations.

"Sonic Boom", produced by guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley in Los Angeles, is the centerpiece of a three-disc set that also features a completely re-recorded greatest hits CD (previously available in Japan) as well as a live DVD shot in Argentina during the band's recent, record-breaking KISS Alive 35 South American tour. The CD set will retail for $12, with pre-orders starting in September on Walmart.com.

Wal-Mart, one of America's largest music retailers, is finalizing its exciting plans now for its in-store and online destinations for KISS fans surrounding the launch of the new album and tour, and will host various KISS products in addition to their music in its stores this fall. More details on Wal-Mart KISS activity, announcements regarding album pre-sales, sweepstakes and KISS appearances will be shared shortly.

The "Sonic Boom" cover art was created by Michael Doret, who also designed the band's classic "Rock And Roll Over" album cover.