For the first time since 1986, HADES' classic "Resisting Success" lineup will reunite for two shows in April 2010. These dates will mark drummer Tom Coombs' first appearances with HADES since the "Exist To Resist" CD was released in 1994. Guitarist Scott LePage (who actually played bass on "Saviorself" and "The Downside" in 1999 and 2000) will handle lead guitar duties for HADES for the first time since recording "Resisting Success".

Commented guitarist Dan Lorenzo: "The German promoter from Keep It True [festival] kept telling me fans would really like an old school performance of songs from the first two albums. When I relayed our conversations to (HADES bassist) Jimmy Schulman, Jimmy asked me what I thought about doing the show with Tom on drums and maybe having both Scott LePage and Ed Fuhrman perform. Ed passed on it, but Scott was really psyched when we first pitched the idea to him.

"It's a bit difficult with Jimmy living in L.A. and Scott in Dallas, but they'll both fly up for some rehearsals around the holidays then again right before we play at Keep It True. The night before we leave we'll have a show in New Jersey or New York City."

Added vocalist Alan Tecchio: "I am so stoked that the legendary T. Coombs is going to be behind the drum kit for these two shows and I am sure the fans will feel the same way. HADES has made some great recordings since his departure but his signature style helped give the first four HADES recordings their unique sound. He and bassist Jimmy Schulman gave the band the progressive tag that got prog fans into what was essentially a thrash band."

Regarding his decision to rejoin HADES for these performances, Coombs said, "I feel now HADES has come full circle. After all these years apart the things that led to the breakup of the band do not matter anymore, and the good memories will inspire us to perform these songs again and enjoy the journey that started so long ago. I am also amazed that our diehard fans have kept the songs alive for almost 25 years. As a founding member of the band, it just feels right."

Video footage of HADES live footage of the band performing the songs "The Leaders" and "Resist Success" in 1987 can be viewed below.

Thrash metal veterans KREATOR and EXODUS will join forces for a tour of South America and Mexico. The dates are as follows:

Oct. 03 - Mexico City, Mexico - Circo Volador
Oct. 04 - Guatemala City, Mexico - Parque De Industria
Oct. 05 - San Salvador, El Salvador - Feria Internacional
Oct. 08 - Quito, Ecuador - [to be announced]
Oct. 10 - Medellín, Colombia - [to be announced]
Oct. 11 - Bogota, Colombia - [to be announced]
Oct. 13 - Caracas, Venezuela - [to be announced]
Oct. 15 - Lima, Peru - [to be announced]
Oct. 17 - Santiago, Chile - [to be announced]
Oct. 20 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - The End
Oct. 22 - Montevideo, Uruguay - [to be announced]

In a recent interview with Terrorizer magazine, KREATOR guitarist/vocalist Mille Petrozza was asked about the group's longevity and the increase in the number of '80s and '90s thrash metal bands who are reuniting for another shot at success. "To be honest with you, I'm not too excited about all these bands from the '80s coming back," Mille said. "I think some of 'em should just stay where they were. I will not mention any names because that would not be fair. But I think there are some bands that were not necessary even back in the day coming back now, and it's even less necessary — in my opinion. I hope they at least come up with some good music. Some of the reunions, to me, made total sense. For example, when DEATH ANGEL came back, that was a great thing. When EXODUS came back, it was amazing. Some bands just never disappeared, like KREATOR, and I think people appreciate that. They see that we just endured the tough times in the '90s when nobody really gave a fuck about any thrash bands. So we just kept playing, we stayed on the road, we kept touring, released albums, and I think people nowadays know that we never disappeared; we were always there. But, on the other band, we don't have the 'OK, they do a reunion now' — we don't have that bonus — but we've always been there. Which is, I think, a good thing, because I wouldn't have known what to do without music. I mean, that's all I know. When I started this band, I was, like, 15 years old. So, I mean, what am I gonna do now?! [Laughs] There's no turning back for me."

KREATOR will take part in the "Thrash Domination 09" tour of Japan in September with TESTAMENT, EXODUS and HEATHEN.

The band's new album, "Hordes Of Chaos", landed at No. 7 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.

EXODUS will perform its classic debut album, "Bonded By Blood", in its entirety each night of the Thrash Domination 2009 tour.

The German edition of Metal Hammer magazine conducted an interview with EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt at this year's installment of the Graspop Metal Meeting, which was held on June 26-28, 2009 on the festival grounds of the Boeretang in Dessel, Belgium.

When asked about EXODUS' plans for a new studio album, Holt said, "Hopefully we're hitting the studio around November 1 with Mr. Sneap [British producer Andy Sneap; MEGADETH, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY]. It's gonna be sick. We have four [songs] recorded [and left over] from the last session [for 2007's 'The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A'], and I've got, like, nine [other tracks] I'm working on, and Lee [Altus, guitar] has a bunch of stuff. But this next album is gonna blow people's minds."

Regarding the upcoming CD's musical direction, Holt said, "There's a couple of twists on this. I try not to repeat every album. I mean, we did 'Tempo Of The Damned' [2004], [which was] a little more old-school, and we did 'Shovel Headed Kill Machine' [2005], which was really brutal and fast, and then 'The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A' [2007], [which] was, like, longer and more epic songs. So this album's gonna have some different stuff to it. Maybe a little more dual-guitar stuff, 'cause I've been playing with Lee for quite awhile now — a little more dual-guitar harmony shred stuff."

U.K.'s Absolute Radio conducted an interview with legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, DIO) when HEAVEN & HELL played the Sonisphere festival on August 1, 2009 at the legendary Knebworth Park, United Kingdom. Watch the 10-minute chat below.

HEAVEN & HELL — the band featuring BLACK SABBATH members Dio, Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums) — kicked off its North American tour last Friday night (August 7) at UBC Thunderbird Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA is providing support for HEAVEN & HELL on all U.S. shows except the August 8 Seattle date, which featured NEUROSIS in the supporting slot.

"The Devil You Know", the new album from HEAVEN & HELL, has sold around 70,000 copies since its April 28 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It debuted at position No. 8 on The Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 30,000 units.

U.K.'s Absolute Radio conducted an interview with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante when the band played the Sonisphere festival on August 1, 2009 at the legendary Knebworth Park, United Kingdom. Watch the seven-minute chat below.

Here are a couple of excerpts from the interview:

On ANTHRAX's performance at Sonisphere:

Benante: "It was everything I thought it was gonna be and then more. And I'm not just saying that in a kind of bullshit way."

"When we found out that this show was gonna go on — playing Knebworth, me personally, since I'm such a huge LED ZEPPELIN fan, to play Knebworth, the site where LED ZEPPELIN played in 1979, it just has this emotional value to it for me. So as soon as I heard that, we were like, 'Yes, we're doing it.' And then we had a problem recently where we made a singer decision [ANTHRAX lost vocalist Dan Nelson in July after working with him for more than a year and a half. — Ed.] and we parted ways, and our good friend John Bush, who was our previous singer, he came back to do the show. The joke, to get John to do this, 'cause John is a huge Boston Celtics fan, I told him 'Larry Bird is gonna come out and announce us if you do it.' So he was like, 'Get the...' I think he still believes it, though."

On how they got Bush to agree to do the Sonisphere concert:

Benante: "It was a bit of a collective effort. It was an emotional thing for us to do it — especially to ask John to come and do this for us — and he agreed.

"We rehearsed yesterday [in London], and it just felt like the next day — it didn't skip a bit — and tonight on stage, it was the same thing. It was like the next show. We just click. When you have a chemistry, you should keep it. Now we're gonna make the attempt to talk about this and possibly go on [with Bush back as the ANTHRAX singer]."

On the fate of the recently recorded ANTHRAX album "Worship Music", featuring Dan Nelson on vocals:

Benante: "Baby steps. I don't know yet. We don't know what's gonna happen. We haven't made a decision yet. It's in our hands, but there's other things involved in it, too. I would love nothing more than for this record to see the light of day, because it's a very good record, and people who have heard it feel the same way, so... I would like this record to come out."

ANTHRAX parted ways with singer Dan Nelson last month due to what has been described as "personal differences." As a result, the band canceled 10 European shows and pulled out of a U.S. tour with SLIPKNOT which was scheduled to take place in August and September.

ANTHRAX's manager, Izvor Zivkovic of Split Media, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET on July 21 that the band's new album, "Worship Music", which was previously due in Europe on October 23 via Nuclear Blast Records, will now be "pushed back to a later date." According to guitarist Scott Ian, Dan Nelson's tracks will most likely be erased from the CD, which was recently mixed at a New Orleans studio by Dave Fortman (a former member of UGLY KID JOE who has also worked with artists such as MUDVAYNE, EVANESCENCE).

Atlanta progressive metallers MASTODON have agreed to play a "secret show" for a select group of "insiders" (registered members) of the San Diego, California radio station FM 94/9 when the band is in town for the Street Scene festival on Friday, August 28.

To be eligible to win a chance to see the performance, make sure you enter by midnight on Sunday, August 16. The radio station will randomly select and notify 20 winners.

MASTODON will team up with the lifesize version of DETHKLOK, the animated band from Adult Swim's "Metalocalypse", for a co-headlining tour in October/November. Also scheduled to appear are CONVERGE and HIGH ON FIRE. The 34-city trek will kick off October 2 and will scorch the nation coast to coast. General public ticket sales begin Friday, August 7, at 10:00 a.m.

MASTODON will perform live on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Thursday, October 29. Tune in 12:35 a.m. and 11:35 p.m. CT on NBC stations.

The band is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Crack The Skye", which sold 41,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 11 on The Billboard 200 chart.

MASTODON fans have responded with manic enthusiasm to the band's new LP, snapping up every available copy of various limited edition artifacts including the deluxe tunnel book CD+DVD package, both color and double-disc 180 gm gatefold vinyl pressings, plus a pair of CD single/T-shirt bundles; all long gone. Act fast and you just might still find a pair of the "Blood Mountain" or "Blade Catcher" design MASTODON Vans shoes, available online and in Vans shops now.

Rock Sound TV conducted an interview with MASTODON at the Sonisphere festival, which was held on August 1-2, 2009 at the legendary Knebworth Park, United Kingdom. Watch the footage below.

David "Gus" Griesinger of BackstageAxxess.com conducted an interview with QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield on July 31, 2009 in Lockport, New York. Watch the chat in three parts below.

As previously reported, QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Geoff Tate has signed on to compose the film score for the noir-crime drama "Fallen Moon".

In addition to the score, Tate, a multi-platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, will compose several new songs for performance by characters in the film.

"Fallen Moon" is the tale of a New York City detective investigating the murder of his long-alienated daughter.

Peter Medak ("Romeo Is Bleeding", "The Krays") will direct the Do-Over Productions film from an original screenplay written by Jarrod Feliciano and Mirjana Novkovic. Feliciano, Novkovic and Valerie McCaffrey are producing, with Roger Pugliese co-producing.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:

A new audio interview with guitarist Greg Mackintosh of British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST conducted by Vassil Varbanov of Bulgaria's Tangra Mega Rock is available for download at this location (MP3, 5 MB). It can also be streamed using the audio player below.



"Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us", the new album from PARADISE LOST, will be released on September 28 in Europe and October 6 in the U.S. via Century Media Records. The highly anticipated follow-up to 2007's "In Requiem" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. As Horizons End
02. I Remain
03. First Light
04. Frailty
05. Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
06. The Rise Of Denial
07. Living With Scars
08. Last Regret
09. Universal Dream
10. In Truth

The track "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

Commented vocalist Nick Holmes: "This song had a massive overhaul in the last few weeks before recording, and thankfully it worked out well. Unlike many bands, we try to know exactly what we are doing once we are in the studio. So re-writes near recording time are as scary as they can be can be rewarding. This song is swathed in melancholy and the closest thing on the album to a 'ballad' perhaps. Lyrically the title says it all. I find faith an oddity in that some people may have such devout belief that the only common ground with another human is death itself."

The album's artwork (see below), which is based upon a "Danse Macabre" woodcut by Hans Holbein the Younger (first published in 1538), was created by Stefan Wibbeke at Medialogistics (LACUNA COIL, POISONBLACK).

A trailer for the upcoming horror/thriller "The Graves" — which stars LAMB OF GOD vocalist D. Randall Blythe, Tony Todd ("Candyman") and Bill Moseley ("The Devil's Rejects") — can be viewed below. Also available is an interview with Blythe about the film, which was written and directed by former comic book writer Brian Pulido.

"The Graves" is Randy's first foray into film. He plays Deacon Luke, one of the evil denizens of Skull City.

In a 2008 interview with Penny Blood magazine, Blythe stated about the role, "The character named Luke is pure aggression — which is what I am when on stage. He intimidates and keeps townspeople in line. I'm Tony Todd's bitch in the movie! I got to deal with a really cool special FX guy and there’s a knife involved, so there was just blood everywhere. When I got done I looked like the cover of the SAMHAIN record 'Initium'."

Blythe added, "They didn't give me a part because I'm Randy from LAMB OF GOD. I tried out for that, did a few video interviews, sent some tapes, and then went to Arizona to try out in front of the producers."

For more information, visit www.thegravesmovie.com.

Trailer:



Interview with D. Randall Blythe:

'80s hard rock queen Lita Ford will release her first new studio album in 14 years, "Wicked Wonderland", 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 Snob
09. Everything
10. Inside
11. Truth
12. Betrayal
13. Bed
14. Garden
15. Push
16. Indulge (Remix)
17. Scream (Remix)

"It's harder and sexier than anything I've ever done," says Lita of the record, which was co-produced by Ford, her husband and former NITRO singer Jim Gillette, and Greg Hampton, the songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his work with ALICE COOPER, his band SCIENCE FAXTION (with Bootsy Collins and Buckethead and Brain from GUNS N' ROSES) and other rock notables. Lita is backed on the record by drummer Stet Howland, formerly of W.A.S.P., Hampton on bass, rhythm guitar and keyboards, Gillette on background vocals, and its vivid cover art is by ROB ZOMBIE bassist and solo artist Piggy D.

The songs brim with a passionate adult eroticism and über-hard rock sound highlighted by Lita's trademark searing guitar riffs. The album includes a keen and timely slice of social commentary on "Patriotic SOB", sexy rave-ups like "Piece (Hell Yeah)", duets with Gillette on numbers like the aptly titled "Indulge", and "Betrayal", which will be featured in the upcoming video game Brütal Legend, in which Lita also voices one of the characters alongside Jack Black, Lemmy Kilmister of MOTÖRHEAD and Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST. The recordings find her rocking, playing and singing with an amped-up fury and power like never before that's also informed by her personal growth as a wife and mother as well as legendary rocker.

After Lita and Gillette married, she left her stiletto heels on the stage and moved to a large home on a deserted Caribbean island and devoted her life to raising the couple's two sons, who she has also home schooled. At the urging of her friends like Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER, devoted fans and even her sons, both of them budding musicians, Lita now reclaims her place as the First Lady of Heavy Metal with an album sure to thrill her many followers and win her new listeners with music that's more fiery and assured than ever before.

LP artwork:

CD artwork:

Austrian death metallers IN SLUMBER, who feature in their ranks vocalist Wolfgang Rothbauer (THIRDMOON, EISBLUT), have announced the addition of bassist Kay Brem (ELUVEITIE) to the group's ranks.

IN SLUMBER has finished recording its third album, entitled "Arcane Divine Subspecies". The CD was mixed and mastered in Denmark by Peter "Ziggy" Siegfriedsen and Tue Madsen.

IN SLUMBER is currently seeking a suitable label to release the new CD.

IN SLUMBER's sophomore album, "Scars: Incomplete", was released in March 2007 via Massacre Records.

Formed in 2002, IN SLUMBER recorded its debut CD "Stillborn Rebirth" the following year.

IN SLUMBER is:

Wolfgang Rothbauer - Vocals
Kay Brem - Bass
Robert Bogner - Guitar
Simon Öller - Guitar
Markus "Max" Pointner - Drums

Video footage of IN SLUMBER performing a brand new song, "Of Pain And Malice", at the Metalcamp festival in Tolmin, Slovenia in July 2009 can be viewed below.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/inslumber.

Quality video footage of APOCALYPTICA's August 12, 2009 performance at Kulturkalaset, Götaplatsen, Göteborg, Sweden can be viewed below (courtesy of "framednoise").

APOCALYPTICA is scheduled to enter the studio in the winter to begin recording its new album for a spring 2010 release.

APOCALYPTICA scored its first No. 1 rock radio hit in November with "I Don't Care", the latest single from the band's sixth studio album, "Worlds Collide". The disc has sold around a quarter million copies in the U.S. and marks the group's first significant success in this country in APOCALYPTICA's 15-year career. APOCALYPTICA's Paavo Lotjonen told The Pulse of Radio that their newfound recognition has been worth all the effort. "It's been really amazing, all the success we have got," he said. "Of course it has taken a lot of work and we have given our heart to this. But I feel that it's been worth that and we have reached something new."

"I Don't Care" features guest vocals from THREE DAYS GRACE frontman Adam Gontier.

SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor contributed vocals to the CD's first single, "I'm Not Jesus".

A new promotional video for "Out Of Ashes", the forthcoming debut album from LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington's side project, DEAD BY SUNRISE, can be viewed below.

DEAD BY SUNRISE recently finished filming videos for the songs "Crawl Back In" and "Let Down". with director P.R. Brown (SLIPKNOT, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KORN, GODSMACK, AVENGED SEVENFOLD). Both tracks will appear on "Out Of Ashes", which is scheduled for release on October 13.

DEAD BY SUNRISE recently launched its MySpace page and posted a song there called "Morning After".

Bennington began working on DEAD BY SUNRISE back in 2006, explaining, "I came up with a few songs that felt and sounded really good, but I knew they weren't right stylistically for LINKIN PARK. They were darker and moodier than anything I'd come up with for the band. So I decided to work on them on my own rather than turn them over and have them transformed into LINKIN PARK tracks."

The band, which is Bennington on vocals, guitarists Ryan Shuck and Amir Derakh (from ORGY/JULIEN-K), bassist Brandon Belsky, drummer Elias Anda (also from JULIEN-K), and keyboardist Anthony Valcic, recorded "Out Of Ashes" in Los Angeles with producer Howard Benson (MOTÖRHEAD, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE).



Photo credit: Travis Shinn

San Diego extreme metallers CATTLE DECAPITATION have parted ways with bassist Troy Oftedal due to "musical and personal differences." The band states, "There is no bad blood and we wish him the best of luck. Filling in on upcoming tours will be our friend Rahsaan Davis. You may have seen him on our recent tour as Troy left tour early due to a physical ailment."

CATTLE DECAPITATION will support SOULFLY on a U.S. tour in September/October. Also scheduled to appear on the bill are PRONG and MUTINY WITHIN.

Confirmed dates so far are as follows (with more to follow):

Sep. 30 - Hollywood, CA - Key Club
Oct. 02 - San Diego, CA - Cane's Bar & Grill
Oct. 03 - Orangevale, CA - The Boardwalk
Oct. 04 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Ballroom
Oct. 07 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Theatre
Oct. 09 - Denver, CO - Cervantes Masterpiece
Oct. 10 - Salina, KS - The Blue Goat
Oct. 14 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
Oct. 16 - Detroit, MI - Harpo's
Oct. 17 - Dayton, OH - McDuffy's House Of Rock
Oct. 19 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
Oct. 20 - Towson, MD - Recher Theatre

CATTLE DECAPITATION recently shot a video for the song "A Body Farm". The clip was directed by the band's friend, DOWNSPELL vocalist Tyson Metruccio (who previously helmed BRUTAL TRUTH's "Sugardaddy" clip), and was shot right before CATTLE DECAPITATION's last two-and-a-half-month tour.

Metal Blade Records released a limited-edition, picture-disc vinyl version of the new CATTLE DECAPITATION album, "The Harvest Floor", on April 14.

"The Harvest Floor" sold around 1,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD debuted at No. 16 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 drum tracks for "The Harvest Floor" were laid down with Zach Ohren (ALL SHALL PERISH, DECREPIT BIRTH) before the rest of the instruments were recorded and the entire thing was mixed with producer Billy Anderson (MR. BUNGLE, MELVINS, SWANS) at Sharkbite studios in Oakland, California. The CD features guest vocal appearances by Ross Sewage (IMPALED, LUDICRA) and Dino Sommese (DYSTOPIA, ASUNDER). There is also a special appearance by Jarboe (SWANS), lending her beautifully haunting voice to the epic death dirge "The Harvest Floor". Jackie Perez Gratz (GRAYCEON, AMBER ASYLUM) graces a couple tracks with her electric cello and Los Angeles noisician John Wiese also lends his electronic/atmospheric expertise to the album, further separating the band from the typical "cookie-cutter" approach applied all too often by today's extreme acts.

Los Angeles metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will release their sophomore album, "War Is The Answer", in the U.S. on September 22 via Prospect Park Records. The CD was produced by the band and Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, IN THIS MOMENT), and was mixed by Randy Staub (METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE, NICKELBACK). According to a press release, "the record evolves the band's already mature sound, ranging from the undeniable melodies in 'Hard to See' to the brutally nihilistic 'Burn It Down' [available for streaming below] — destined to please fans both new and old."

"War Is The Answer" track listing:

01. Dying Breed
02. Hard To See
03. Bulletproof
04. No One Gets Left Behind
05. Crossing Over
06. Burn It Down
07. Far From Home
08. Falling In Hate
09. My Own Hell
10. Walk Away
11. Canto 34
12. Bad Company (BAD COMPANY cover)
13. War Is The Answer

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new single, "Hard To See", is available for streaming at RevolverMag.com. Guitarist Zoltan Bathory recently stated about the track, "It's about seemingly irresolvable differences. It's valid in just about any setting: politics, religion, relationships… Everything is 'only an opinion' based on limited information, yet people sometimes get attached to their point of views to the extreme…in fact, to the point they would launch wars over them."

Regarding the upcoming CD, Bathory stated, "In terms of the overall style, I would say that we've continued the journey we started on the first album, so there's a healthy balance of melody and aggression, and as always we concentrated on writing strong metal songs in the traditional sense. There's some epic moments on the record, and there's some straight-up home-wreckers, too. All I can say is, those who liked our first album are going to LOVE this one!"

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's next album will follow up its 2007 debut, "The Way Of The Fist", which has sold 343,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The CD produced three singles, including "Stranger Than Fiction" and "Never Enough".

"Burn It Down", a brand new song from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, can be streamed using the widget below (courtesy of MetalInsider.net).

Dave Lombardo (SLAYER), Justin Foley (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM), Mat Tuck (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE), Jeanne Sagan (ALL THAT REMAINS), George Fisher (CANNIBAL CORPSE), Orion (BEHEMOTH) and Matt Wicklund (GOD FORBID) were interviewed by Ron Estrada of "The Metal Scene TV Show" on July 12, 2009 at the San Bernardino, California stop of this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Watch the 48-minute report below.

For more information on "The Metal Scene TV Show", go to this location.

This year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival trek is being headlined by SLAYER and MARILYN MANSON, with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE also making an appearance on the same stage (along with Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE). The Jägermeister stage features TRIVIUM, ALL THAT REMAINS, GOD FORBID and the Jägermeister Battle of the Bands winner; the Hot Topic stage features extreme metal bands CANNIBAL CORPSE, JOB FOR A COWBOY, BEHEMOTH, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and WHITECHAPEL. The World's Greatest Freestyle Motocross team METAL MULISHA is also revving up the crowd with their unique style of death-defying motorcycle stunts on all dates.

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is the brainchild of Kevin Lyman, John Reese and CAA's Darryl Eaton, the creative team behind some of the industry's most successful road jaunts, including the long-running Vans Warped Tour and the worldwide Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour.

Stockholm, Sweden-based melodic death metallers DEGRADEAD have posted a six-minute video clip (see below) featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the band's April 2009 Scandinavian tour with SATYRICON.

DEGRADEAD's sophomore album, "Out Of Body Experience", entered the national chart in the band's home country at position No. 48. The CD was released on February 27 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and March 2 in the rest of Europe via Dockyard 1 Records. The follow-up to 2008's "Till Death Do Us Apart" was recorded primarily at Peter Tägtgren's (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) Abyss studio in Sweden with producer Jonas Kjellgren (SCAR SYMMETRY). Mixing and mastering took place at Dugout Productions (IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) in Uppsala, Sweden.

DEGRADEAD is:

Mikael Sehlin - Vocals
Anders Nyström - Guitar
David Szücs - Guitar
Michel Bärzén - Bass Guitar
Kenneth Helgesson – Drums

A 90-second YouTube clip featuring audio samples from "Manannán", the forthcoming album from MAEL MÓRDHA — the world's only "Gaelic doom metal" band — is available below. The CD was recently mastered and is due for release before the end of the year via Grau.

Regarding the upcoming CD, the group recently stated, "It's called 'Manannán', after the Irish God of the Sea. It's a concept album and there are eight tracks in total. We are extremely excited about this album and really want to get it out there as soon as possible."

"Manannán" track listing:

01. Through the Lungs of the Dead
02. The Summoning
03. The Doom of the Races of Éire
04. Our Ancestors Dwell Here
05. Manannán
06. A Nation in Ruins
07. The Gaelic Twilight
08. Back To Éire

MAEL MÓRDHA is:

Roibéard Ó Bogail: Vocals, Whistles
Gerry Clince: Guitars
Anthony Lindsay: Guitars
Dave Murphy: Bass Guitar
Shane Cahill: Drums

For more information, visit www.mael-mordha.com.

Legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley will be the featured guest on the "Mad As A Hatter" show tomorrow (Thursday, August 13) at 1:30 p.m. EST.

For more information and to listen to the program live via the Internet, go to this location.

As previously reported, Frehley has inked a licensing deal with Riot! Entertainment for the Australian release of his fifth solo album, "Anomaly". Due on September 15 via Ace's own Bronx Born Records, with Rocket Science providing a full label service platform in the U.S., the CD was produced and recorded in Westchester County, New York between 2007 and 2009 and was mixed in Los Angeles.

Frehley last year spent time on the road fronting a band that featured second guitarist Derrek Hawkins, drummer Scot Coogan (ex-BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION) and bassist Anthony Esposito (ex-LYNCH MOB).

Frehley will perform at the Viper Room in West Hollywood, California on Saturday, September 12 during the Sunset Strip Music Festival.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased via TicketWeb.com.

Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL will team up with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH for a European tour in November. Confirmed dates are as follows:

Nov. 11 - Cologne, GER - Live Music Hall
Nov. 12 - Berlin, GER - Columbia Club
Nov. 13 - Aarhus, NET - TBD
Nov. 14 - Stockholm, SWE - Klubben
Nov. 16 - Helsinki, FIN - Nostri
Nov. 18 - Oslo, NOR - John Dee
Nov. 19 - Gothenburg, SWE - BrewHouse
Nov. 20 - Copenhagen, DEN - The Rock
Nov. 21 - Munster, GER - Sputnikhalle
Nov. 22 - Hamburg , GER - Grunspan
Nov. 24 - Wolverhampton, UK - Wulfrun Hall
Nov. 25 - Glasgow, UK - Garage
Nov. 26 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
Nov. 27 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
Nov. 29 - Oxford, UK - Academy
Nov. 30 - Norwich, UK - Waterfront

For more SHADOWS FALL tour dates, check out the ReverbNation widget below.

In other news, professionally filmed video footage of Jason Bittner's (SHADOWS FALL drummer) performance at the Drum-Off '08 grand finals on January 10, 2009 at The Music Box at Fonda Theater in Hollywood, California can be viewed below.

SHADOWS FALL's new album, "Retribution", is scheduled for release on September 15 via Everblack Industries. The deluxe version of the CD will feature bonus covers of OZZY OSBOURNE's "Bark At The Moon", NUCLEAR ASSAULT's "Critical Mass" and CRO-MAGS' "Age Of Quarrel", along with a companion DVD, featuring making-of-the-album footage, live material, lessons, interviews and more.

SHADOWS FALL will make its network television debut on the September 3 episode of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon". The program will air Thursday night/early Friday morning at 12:35 a.m. EST on NBC.

Commented singer Brian Fair: "We look forward to bringing a whole lotta metal to the late-night television schedule and into unsuspecting living rooms across America. Set your DVR and raise your horns."

SHADOWS FALL created Everblack Industries label in conjunction with Warner Music Group's ILG, Ferret Music and ChannelZERO Entertainment.

"Retribution" was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (HATEBREED, MUNICIPAL WASTE), with vocal production by Elvis Baskette (INCUBUS, ALTER BRIDGE). The cover artwork (see below) was created by Sons of Nero (UNEARTH, EVERY TIME I DIE, BRING ME THE HORIZON).

"Retribution" track listing:

01. The Path to Imminent Ruin
02. My Demise
03. Still I Rise
04. War
05. King Of Nothing (feat. Randy Blythe)
06. The Taste Of Fear
07. Embrace Annihilation
08. Picture Perfect
09. A Public Execution
10. Dead And Gone

Former MANOWAR guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman will be interviewed on this Sunday's (August 16) edition of the "Heavy Metal Mayhem" show on Blogtalkradio.com at 6:00 p.m. EST.

For more information and to listen to the program live via the Internet, go to this location.

Friedman and his solo band will make their only Midwest appearance on Saturday, August 29, at the Station 4 nightclub in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ross will perform songs off the first six MANOWAR albums as well as material from his new solo CD, entitled "New Metal Leader".

Tickets for this special engagement are $10 and the doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Ross was presented with a commemorative plaque for his 35-year career in music by Nikos Athineos, a rock DJ and presenter on the "Stargazer" metal radio show, one of the longest-running metal radio programs in the world. The award presentation was held on stage at the Notos Club in Chania, Crete on Friday, May 8 at the conclusion of Ross' headlining performance at the venue.

"New Metal Leader" was released in August 2008 via AFM Records. According to a press release, Ross "continues his legacy with a true metal album that doesn't deny his past and displays his charismatic style of creating great music. Imagine a basket of first-class, stomping, ground shaking epic heavy metal in the style of 'Battle Hymns', 'Into Glory Ride', 'Hail To England' and 'Sign Of The Hammer' — this is exactly what you get here. . . Tracks like 'Blood Of Knives', 'God Of Dying' and 'I Got The Right' would have been highlights even on MANOWAR's glorious releases from 1982-1988. The battle shouts of 'We Will Kill' haunt you to the day you die, the thrilling up-tempo smasher 'Death & Glory' and a goodtime-rocker like 'May The Gods Be With You' then round off the whole spectrum of ROSS THE BOSS. Add to this the majestic epic tracks 'God Of Dying' and 'Immortal Son' (both in the tradition of eternal hymns like 'Bridge Of Death' and 'Guyana (Cult Of The Damned)', every fan of the early MANOWAR must be crying out in joy!"

"New Metal Leader" was made available in the following formats: standard CD, limited digipack CD and limited two-LP gatefold vinyl. The limited digipack and the gatefold vinyl contain two bonus tracks.

GENERATION KILL, the new crossover outfit featuring EXODUS frontman Rob Dukes, will make its live debut on August 29 at Olive's in Nyack, New York. Also scheduled to appear are ROBOT SLAVES (playing the best of BLACK SABBATH) and PLANET PISS (Rob Dukes and friends pay tribute to KYUSS).

For more information, see the poster below.

GENERATION KILL has uploaded two demo tracks — "Feast For The Wolves" and "Hate" — to the band's MySpace page.

The group — whose lineup also includes Rob Moschetti (ex-PRO-PAIN, M.O.D.) on bass and Sam Inzerra (MORTICIAN) on drums — is currently in the studio working on more material and preparing to do a small East Coast tour later in the year.

Commented Moschetti: This isn't a side project. We are all 100%. Side projects go away."

A two-minute video clip of Moschetti and Dukes talking about GENERATION KILL's musical direction can be viewed below

GENERATION KILL is:

Rob Dukes - Vocals
Rob Moschetti - Bass/Backing Vocals
Lou Lehman - Lead Guitar
Jason Trenczer - Lead Guitar
Sam Inzerra - Drums

According to GENERATION KILL's official bio, "The original concept of the band was to break away from the current formula. By embracing their roots and incorporating them into the project, GENERATION KILL is a true crossover band. Each song has its own identity, and mood, which gives the band its original sound without abandoning their influences.

"By adding two lead guitarist/song writers to the band, a whole new dimension has been introduced to GENERATION KILL. While Jason Trenczer adds technical guitar work, Lou Lehman adds catchy riffs and solos.

"The final ingredient to the band is veteran drummer Sam Inzerra. Sam has a death metal background which adds speed and power to the project. Each member of the band takes part in the writing process. While each member has established himself in legendary and underground bands, let it be known that this is no side project."

LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler issued the following update:

"This [most recent European] tour has taken us to several new spots around the globe and it has been incredible to find dedicated fans that have been waiting so long for us to arrive.

"It's been an honor to share the stage with METALLICA and get to know them and their crew. They set an inspiring example from the show to how they treat the people around them and we have taken many a note. We have been welcomed as a band, as friends and as drinking buddies from the start. To be on a seven-week run that plays to no less than 10,000 people a night has been surreal.

"I can tell you first hand that it's not easy to open up for METALLICA. If you don't have your 'A' game on every night, you could end up in trouble! Fortunately, we've been around the block a few times and handled it well, held our own and gained a lot of new fans. It's been an incredible opportunity.

"As this seven-week trek [came] to an end, we [were] excited to go home, but also very happy about how things have gone for us [in Europe]. We have seen a considerable positive change in the interest and fan base of the band with the new album, 'Wrath', and the help of our new international label, Roadrunner. We couldn't be happier about that and look forward to returning and continuing to find more corners of the globe to infect.

"We will be home for about six weeks before we head out again with METALLICA across the U.S. and Canada for nine weeks, beginning in Nashville in mid-September. We played the West Coast in late '08 with them for a month, but this time we're heading everywhere. We've got some killer headlining shows planned along the way and since we just hit most of the major markets on the 'Wrath' tour in the spring, we will be digging into many of the smaller cities around the U.S.

"Once we wrap up the U.S./Canada run, we head back to Australia and New Zealand in December, and that's just the beginning. The 'Wrath' world tour will weave its way throughout 2010 and possibly beyond. We've got opportunities coming in to visit new places such as South Africa, Israel, South America, the Philippines and Russia and the list seems to get longer instead of shorter. That's a great problem to have.

"We are very fortunate and I can't wait to get out there and kick some ass. Hope to see you along the way."

As previously reported, GOD FORBID guitarist Doc Coyle has revealed to EMG TV that he will be filling in for LAMB OF GOD's Mark Morton on the Richmond, Virginia metal band's upcoming U.S. tour with METALLICA (as well as LOG's headlining "off" dates), which is scheduled to kick off on September 14 in Nashville and conclude on November 15 in New York City.

Morton did not perform with LAMB OF GOD at the last six shows of the group's recently completed European tour as his wife was expecting a baby. UNEARTH six-stringer Buz McGrath stepped in for these dates, which included an appearance at U.K.'s Sonisphere festival.

For a list of the LAMB OF GOD dates with METALLICA, go to this location.

Professionally filmed video footage of LAMB OF GOD performing the song "Set To Fail" at this year's installment of the Graspop Metal Meeting, which was held on June 26-28, 2009 on the festival grounds of the Boeretang in Dessel, Belgium, can be viewed below.

Dutch old-school death/grind band GRIND MINDED has announced the addition of bassist Lars Heinis (SANGUINARY) and guitarist Remco Peppelenbos to the group's ranks.

GRIND MINDED parted ways with Gea Mulder (bass) and Mathijs Odding (guitar) in June due to "musical differences."

The band's current lineup is as follows:

Wim Eggens - Vocals
Jerry Duinkerken - Guitar
Remco Peppelenbos - Guitar
Lars Heinis - Bass
Erwin Koerts - Drums

GRIND MINDED's latest album, titled "Domestic Violence", was released in February 2008 via Open Grave Records. The follow-up to 2004's "9mm Facial" was recorded between August 20 and August 29, 2007 at Soundlodge Studio (GOD DETHRONED, DEW-SCENTED, OBSCENITY) in Germany, and was produced by Jörg Uken and GRIND MINDED.

EMG TV conducted an interview with Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE on July 10, 2009 at the Mountain View, California stop of this year's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Watch the two-minute chat below.

Regarding how the new BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE song — which the band has been played at some of its recent shows — compares to the group's previous material, guitarist/vocalist Matt Tuck recently told the German edition of Metal Hammer magazine, "It's kind of completely new. I don't think it's like anything on 'Poison' [2005] or 'Scream Aim Fire' [2008], is it?" Moose concurred, "It's kind of more classic, if you ask me. It's not speedy, it's not thrashy." Tuck added, "It's not thrashy or really intense metal or anything. It's just like a mid-tempo kind of really nice, hard rock song. I don't even class it as metal, really. It's got metal influences and a really cool metal riff, but the song, as a vibe, is more hard rock."

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE recently entered a Malibu, California studio with producer Don Gilmore (LINKIN PARK, LACUNA COIL) to begin recording the band's third CD for an early 2010 release. According to Tuck, the as-yet-untitled effort will mark a slight departure from the more aggressive sounds of "Scream Aim Fire", which has sold 321,000 copies in the United States since its January 2008 release. "On the last [album], we tried to be a bit more thrashy, and that was cool, but we just wanna go back to more kind of classic sound now," he said. "We want people to [think] it's a good blend of what we've done in the past.

He continued, "It's a lot more mature-sounding. The record, as a whole, is a lot more mature-sounding, it's a lot more classic. It'll stand the test of time [more] than both the previous things we've done.

"I haven't done the vocal session yet, but it's something I'm really gonna put everything I have into. The last record was what it was 'cause I had loads of problems with my throat — I had an operation and all that shit. So that's why it kind of sounds a bit weird compared to the first one — 'cause I wasn't doing good. But this time, the voice is back, it's firing, it sounds like me again, and I'm really gonna make it a great vocal rock/metal album."

Vocalist Zak Stevens (SAVATAGE, CIRCLE II CIRCLE, MACHINES OF GRACE) will be the featured guest on the next edition of "Hard Rock Nights", the weekly syndicated radio program. Zak will join JT to talk about his new MACHINES OF GRACE project as well as share his thoughts on a possible SAVATAGE reunion.

"Hard Rock Nights" can be heard on a number of radio stations dedicated to rock and metal. Point your browser to this location for a complete list of stations and airtimes.

MACHINES OF GRACE — the new band featuring Stevens, drummer Jeff Plate (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, SAVATAGE, METAL CHURCH), guitarist Matt Leff (guitar) and bassist Chris Rapoza (bass) — released its self-titled debut album digitally on July 7 via iTunes and other retailers.

"It's just a pure, solid melodic rock sound," Stevens said about the project. "It has infectious grooves and its own brand of outright power. To me, it's got great songwriting with a hard rock edge and strong commercial appeal."

Leff and Stevens have a lengthy history, spanning back to their days as protégés at GIT/VIT, respectively. Their first band, WICKEDWITCH, also introduced the talents of drummer Jeff Plate, who clinched the lineup and formed the backbone of today's brainchild: MACHINES OF GRACE.

During a considerable hiatus after the demise of the WICKEDWITCH project, Zak Stevens had gone on to front SAVATAGE (and more recently, CIRCLE II CIRCLE), and later recruited Jeff Plate, who performs regularly with the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA and METAL CHURCH. Meanwhile, Matt Leff had formed TRIGGER EFFECT, and with bassist Chris Rapoza, had toured as an opening act for IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE and HALFORD.

Time had clearly hit the afterburners. Call it chemistry, fate or pure coincidence. A WICKEDWITCH fan suggested that the founding members revise, rethink, record and release the original material, and voila — MACHINES OF GRACE was conceived.

This band accords a shot of rock and roll that infuses several music genres with an innovative twist of smoldering vocals and bludgeoning guitar riffs. Blend that with an explosive rhythm section and you've got an exceptionally powerful elixir. "I'd say we're a mix of melodic metal, hard rock, modern rock and acoustic rock," explains guitarist Matt Leff. "The current rock climate is calling for modern production, strong vocal melodies and memorable songs from guys that can really play. I think we fit that description." Bassist Chris Rapoza agrees: "The CD has an amazing vibe that just flows really well and makes you want to listen to it all the way through. To me, songwriting and recording with that same quality always makes for the best type of album."

Jeff Plate tops off the sentiment: "The music is metal, but not thrash. Rock, but not pop. We could be compared to a number of different bands, and each song will give you a different impression, but in the end the sound is distinctly MACHINES OF GRACE."

For more information, visit www.machinesofgrace.net.

Guitarist Mark Briody of veteran Colorado power metallers JAG PANZER was recently interviewed on "The Barry Kirkey Radio Show". The program is now available for download as an MP3 audio file at this location. It can also be streamed using the audio player below.



JAG PANZER has set "The Scourge Of Light" as the title of its new album. The band, which is currently unsigned following a lengthy stint with Century Media Records, played the Play It Loud festival in Italy at the end of February and the Rock Hard festival in Germany in late May.

JAG PANZER last year announced the addition of Christian Lasegue as the group's new lead guitarist. Those familiar with the band's "Chain of Command" release will recognize his name as the lead axeman on that album.

JAG PANZER's last studio LP, "Casting the Stones", was released in October 2004 via Century Media. Said to be "a more aggressive version" of 2001's "Mechanized Warfare", the CD was recorded in part at Tampa's Morrisound Studios with producer Jim Morris.

C.M.M. Entertainment, LLC and "Metal" Mike Chlasciak (HALFORD, PAINMUSEUM, SEBASTIAN BACH, TESTAMENT) have announced the launch of Metal Heroes Music Academy — world's first heavy metal institution providing workshops, extended sessions and summer camps for metal players at all levels.

"It's always been on my mind — a heavy metal establishment where players can meet, discuss, take classes and learn metal riffs from each other," says Chlasciak. "A real brick-and-mortar place where you can get better and jam with other people that have the same interests as you. I kept thinking how cool would it be to have something like that, something you can call your own and have all this stuff happening. It's all about the timing and scheduling, commitment and so forth. It just feels right to make this happen today. The truth is that you can have great time while you get the info that you want if you surround yourself in an environment that supports your interests. I think we are in for some good times and well, a whole lot of metal."

Metal Heroes allows players to pick a workshop or a music camp that interests them and fits their current playing ability.

Metal Heroes Music Academy is conveniently located at New Jersey's premiere recording and rehearsal complex:

Aarius Studios
4420 Bordentown Ave #4
Sayreville, NJ

To start with a bang, Metal Heroes Music Academy and Aarius Studios invite everyone down to the open house on Saturday, August 29 between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Free admission for all.

For more information, visit link text.

Finnish goth metallers THE 69 EYES will release their new album, "Back In Blood", in Europe (excluding Finland) on August 28 via Nuclear Blast Records (September 15 in the U.S. through The End Records). The CD, which was tracked with the Grammy-winning producer Matt Hyde (SLAYER, MONSTER MAGNET, FU MANCHU), features a guest appearance by MONSTER MAGNET's Ed Mundell. The recording process took place both in Helsinki and Los Angeles.

A sixth promotional video for the album can be viewed below.

The first single from the album, "Dead Girls Are Easy", is described in a press release as "a nasty power anthem for sleazy pin-ups complete with a sing-a-long chorus aimed at those online chicks with the looks that kill!" The video for the song, which can also be viewed below, was directed by MTV superstar and close friend Bam Margera and the artwork was designed by Estevan Oriol, whose work has graced countless covers from such artists as CYPRESS HILL, THE TRANSPLANTS and SNOOP DOGG.

"Back In Blood" track listing:

01. Back In Blood
02. We Own The Night
03. Dead N' Gone
04. The Good, The Bad & The Undead
05. Kiss Me Undead
06. Lips Of Blood
07. Dead Girls Are Easy
08. Night Watch
09. Some Kind Of Magick
10. Hunger
11. Suspiria Snow White
12. Eternal

Canadian thrash metal veterans ANNIHILATOR will release their new DVD, "Live At Masters Of Rock", in October. The cover artwork for the set — which was filmed/recorded on July 11, 2008 at the Masters Of Rock festival in Vizovice, Czech Republic — can be viewed below.

ANNIHILATOR mainman Jeff Waters commented in May 2009 on the reports that the band's record label, the Hanover, Germany-based SPV, had submitted an application to commence insolvency proceedings on May 25 — roughly equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. He stated, "I wish them [SPV] all the best and they have given us metal fans some great releases for a long time.

"The good news is that I signed a deal with SPV, only a few weeks ago, releasing ANNIHILATOR from their contractual commitments to SPV, in return for a live DVD that we shot last summer in the Czech Republic.

"SPV will be releasing the DVD soon (and it rocks; co-headlining in front of 30,000 metal maniacs!) but ANNIHILATOR are now free from the label and negotiating with others to release the new and finished 13th studio release."

ANNIHILATOR was honored in the "Favorite Metal Artist/Group" category at the 2009 Indie Awards (Independent Music Awards), which was held on March 14 at the Royal York Hotel (Canadian Room) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Also nominated in the "Metal" category were BISON B.C., CRYPTOPSY, CURSED and FUCK THE FACTS.

The Indies celebrate the best in independent music. Nominees are selected by committees of industry professionals from all areas of the music scene and winners are decided by a combination of public and industry voting.

For more information on the 2009 Indie Awards, go to this location.

ANNIHILATOR released its latest album, "Metal", in North America in January 2008 via SPV. The CD's ten new tracks were recorded by Jeff Waters (guitar, bass and lead vocals on one song), drum legend Mike Mangini and Dave Padden (longtime vocalist and touring guitarist/vocalist). The album features sensational performances by some of metal's finest players and ANNIHILATOR's good friends, like Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM), Danko Jones, Michael Amott and Angela Gossow (ARCH ENEMY), Corey Beaulieu (TRIVIUM), William Adler (LAMB OF GOD), Jeff Loomis, Jesper Strömblad (IN FLAMES), Steve "Lips" Kudlow, Anders Björler (THE HAUNTED), Jacob Lynam (LYNAM) and more.

The cover artwork for "Black Gives Way To Blue", the highly anticipated new album from ALICE IN CHAINS, can be viewed below.

"Black Gives Way To Blue" is ALICE IN CHAINS' first new studio release in more than 10 years. The quartet (guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney, bassist Mike Inez and guitarist/vocalist William DuVall) recorded the album with producer Nick Raskulinecz (RUSH, FOO FIGHTERS) at Studio 606 in Northridge, CA and Henson Studios in Hollywood.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. All Secrets Known
02. Check My Brain
03. Last Of My Kind
04. Your Decision
05. A Looking In View
06. When The Sun Rose Again
07. Acid Bubble
08. Lessons Learned
09. Take Her Out
10. Private Hell
11. Black Gives Way To Blue

A 30-second audio sample of "Check My Brain" — the first single from "Black Gives Way To Blue" — can be streamed at Amazon.com. It is also available in the YouTube clip below.

ALICE IN CHAINS has tapped U2 and WHITE STRIPES video director Alex Courtes to shoot a clip for "Check My Brain".

Among the many highlights on "Black Gives Way To Blue" is a special guest performance by Elton John. The two rock legends collaborated on the album's stunning title track, "Black Gives Way To Blue", a heart-stirring tribute to ALICE IN CHAINS' late lead singer Layne Staley. The album arrives in stores September 29.

Fans and members of the press heard "Black Gives Way To Blue" in its entirety at a private listening party in Los Angeles on July 14, followed by a three-song acoustic set by the band in which it debuted two songs from the album live — the title track and "Your Decision".

On August 22, band will join TOOL and LINKIN PARK for the first-ever Epicenter show at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA, to be followed by a headlining tour set to kick off September 4 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.