Altitude TV conducted an interview this past Saturday (September 12) with KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer. Watch a two-minute excerpt from the chat below.

When asked about KORN's current relationship with former members Brian "Head" Welch (guitar) and David Silveria (drums), Munky said, "It's kind of a strange thing. Brian actually contacted us recently and wanted to come back to the band. And it was not the right time... for us. We're doing well, and it's kind of like... It's kind of like if you divorced your wife and she went on and she stayed successful and her career flourished, and you go back and [say], 'My gosh, she's still hot.' 'Baby, can we get back together?' 'Wait a minute... All the stuff's been divided, and it's like...' I don't see it happening right now. It's not gonna happen right now. As far as David goes, I heard he sold every single drum he owns... or he gave it away. He doesn't even own a drum stick. I mean, it blows me away... Wow, one of the best drummers I've ever played with and I think a lot of people have ever heard. Just to go... 180 [degrees]... go the opposite direction. I don't think he wants anything to do... The music business can be dirty and some people can endure it and some people just don't want anything to do with it once something bad has happened to them."

For more than a decade, Welch was lead guitarist for the controversial rock band KORN, but in early 2005 he shocked the international music community when he abruptly quit the band and announced that he had been saved by Jesus Christ. His announcement in front of 10,000 people in Bakersfield, California set off a media frenzy, as people from around the world sought to understand what led this rock star into the light.

In a May 2009 interview with Noisecreep, Welch said that he was fully happy with his decision to leave the band and has not considered a return to the group that made him famous. "If I ever felt God lead me back to KORN for some reason, I'd go," he said.

Silveria left KORN in late 2006, taking a "temporary hiatus" to spend time with his family and oversee his restaurant business.

Audio samples of all the tracks that appear on "Babylon", the new album from U.S. rockers W.A.S.P., are available at Amazon.co.uk. Due on October 12 through Global Music (via Demolition Records), the CD is themed around biblical visions of "The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse," and is described in a press release as "a metal masterpiece that will make fans both old and new craving for more."

The track listing for the album is as follows:

01. Crazy
02. Live To Die Another Day
03. Babylon's Burning
04. Burn
05. Into The Fire
06. Thunder Red
07. Seas Of Fire
08. Godless Run
09. Promised Land

W.A.S.P. will be touring extensively throughout Europe this autumn/winter in support of the new CD.

W.A.S.P. last year completed the European and North American legs of "The Crimson Idol Tour", which kicked off on October 26, 2007 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The band performed the 1992 album in its entirety while never-before-seen video footage was being shown throughout the show. After a short break the group returned for another a 30-minute set of W.A.S.P. classics.

ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO, the experimental band led by TESTAMENT/ex-SAVATAGE guitarist Alex Skolnick, has issued the following update:

"Just a quick note to say that we'll be postponing our U.K. and Europe gigs to early next year. We are in a scheduling jam and are stuck in the middle of overdubs and mixing the brand new record, plus we want to come back and cover a lot more ground and really do a full European/U.K./Ireland run.

"Our original thought (some eight months ago) was to play the dates and then record at the end of the run. Unfortunately, our schedules got so ultra-conflicted that this window in mid-October evaporated and it had to be finished immediately or there would be no chance to record the new material until later next year — so this is a matter of everything getting pushed back now.

"We sincerely apologize if you have tickets and/or plans to come hang with us but we plan to see you next year with our new record that we are super-excited about (we feel this is the best stuff we've ever done) in hand and ready to share with you.

"Thanks again for the great support."

Rock House, the leader in music instruction, announced in April that Alex Skolnick had joined its roster of master instructors.

Alex is a founding member of TESTAMENT, one of the most influential metal/thrash bands of all time. He is also a member of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, the popular rock opera whose musical style is described as symphonic rock meets classical music with a touch of metal. In 2002 he began work on the ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO, a traditional jazz band known for their inventive jazz renditions of rock and metal standards. Additionally, Alex is featured on the soundtrack for the hit Broadway musical "Jekyll & Hyde".

In May 2009, production began on the first products in which Alex will share his easy-to-understand method for learning how to play jazz music from a rock guitarist's perspective. Starting from blues, which is the pure roots of jazz, he will examine the commonality between blues, jazz and rock and show how to apply the principals. Students will learn his unique and ground breaking way of taking well known classic rock and metal songs and turning them into jazz compositions.

In June 2009, production began on an in-depth look at his legendary metal techniques and his unique scale and modal approach that allows him to cross genres.

Alex's instructional products will be available at MI retailers around the world for $24.99. Stay tuned at www.RockHouseMethod.com for information on release dates.

All Rock House instructional products are distributed through Music Sales Corp. 1-800-431-7187.

Each of Alex's DVDs will come with a FREE tab lesson booklet, iPod ready video and membership to Rock House's lesson support site. This feature, exclusive to Rock House and its partners offers students supplementary support for the lessons featured on the DVDs.

(Thanks: NJthrasher)

More fan-filmed video footage of OZZY OSBOURNE's September 12, 2009 performance at the second annual Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF) can be viewed below (courtesy of "vescara", "LAwomanPhotography" and "OrionAmore").

FIREWIND guitarist Gus G. played his second concert with Osbourne at Sunset Strip Music Festival. Also returning to Ozzy's performing lineup was drummer Mike Bordin, who did not join the singer for the BlizzCon concert on August 22 due to Bordin's touring commitments with the reunited FAITH NO MORE.

The three-day Sunset Strip Music Festival kicked off when Ozzy was honored at a tribute event Thursday, September 10 at the House of Blues and it concluded Saturday when Ozzy performed the festival's final set. That's when, for the first time ever, the Sunset Strip (between Doheny Drive and San Vicente Blvd.) was closed to host two concert stages. KORN, PEPPER, THE DONNAS and KOTTONMOUTH KINGS are among the 40 acts that also performed throughout the day.

Check out photos of Ozzy's performance at the Sunset Strip Music Festival:

* Wire Image
* theblackcatphotography
* Scherbarth Photography
* photo grafitti
* TheBrando
* Los Angeles Times

Ozzy's setlist was as follows:

01. I Don't Know
02. Suicide Solution
03. Bark At The Moon
04. War Pigs
05. Crazy Train
06. Paranoid
07. Iron Man
08. Mr. Crowley'

Encore:

09. I Don't Want To Change The World

Encore 2:

10. I Don't Wanna Stop

Ozzy's appearance marked 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."

Gus spoke out about getting the job with Ozzy in the new Greek edition of Metal Hammer magazine. Asked how he got the gig, Gus said, "I got a message on my MySpace page from Rob 'Blasko' (Nicholson), Ozzy's bass player, asking me what was doing, if I was living in America or not and saying that he wanted to talk to me. I never thought he'd want me for something like that (playing with Ozzy). I initially thought that maybe he wanted to talk to me about doing a project or something and then he told me that one of Ozzfest's managers was looking for me. The manager said that they wanted me to fly out to Los Angeles immediately for a show that Ozzy was about to do in Anaheim, California."

Gus added that he came to the States and jammed with the other members of Ozzy's band first before Ozzy showed up to sing. Then Gus explained what happened: "Everybody else came into the room and shut the door behind them — Ozzy, Sharon (Osbourne, Ozzy's wife/manager), the band, the managers... You can imagine how anxious I was feeling at this time! Then they came out and said that I got the job and that we're gonna play that BlizzCon show together."

As for replacing longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde, who apparently did not find out until late in the game that he was being sidelined, Gus said, "Zakk is a tremendous guitar player, just like all the guys that have played with Ozzy. In fact, Zakk is my favorite Ozzy guitar player ever and my biggest influence of them all! It's quite an honor for me to step into his shoes."

Finnish gothic metallers TO/DIE/FOR entered the studio on August 6 to begin recording their sixth album, tentatively due in early 2010. Vocalist Jape Perätalo writes on the band's MySpace page, "At the moment there is guitars recorded for four songs. We decided to finish these 'four chosen ones' first because there's some deals we are handling right now, and the other side of the contract needs also something to listen soon.

"This is the first time when TO/DIE/FOR also signs a management contract. Hopefully it helps the band to concentrate only for making and playing music.

"Most of the guitars will be played by Krisse on the new album. He is not a band member. He is doing this as a session musician and he is Tonmi's [Lillman; TO/DIE/FOR drummer] friend from Helsinki.

"We still do not know who will be TO/DIE/FOR guitarist in future, but now we have 'one' who could be."

Songtitles set to appear on TO/DIE/FOR's forthcoming CD include "Angelica" and "End In Tears".

Currently unsigned, TO/DIE/FOR plans to release its next album through the band's own company. Peratalo explained, "We are not gonna look for any record label for releasing this album! All we need is find right labels which we could sign license deals with. Now it seems that licenses for Russian, Japan and Finland are already in our hands. And I am looking for new license deals all the time. So... things will happen mainly through our own company."

TO/DIE/FOR's fifth album, "Wounds Wide Open", was released in Finland in October 2006. The follow-up to 2005's "IV" was recorded by Samu Oittinen at Fantom Studios and by Jari-Jukka Nippala at Sonic Image, and was mixed at Sweden's Abyss Studios by Peter Tägtgren (DIMMU BORGIR, CELTIC FROST).

Vocalist Matti Way (DISGORGE, LITURGY, CINERARY) has quit the San Diego, California-based death metal/grindcore band PATHOLOGY. The group states, "We are extremely disappointed and bummed over this. Matti has other stuff going on right now and we wish him the best. Because of this we are canceling a few upcoming shows."

The band continues, "We are once again looking for a new singer. We need someone that will put their heart and soul into this band. And you must be able to play shows/tours, and lives in the San Diego area or be willing to relocate.

"To try out: Try singing any of our songs and e-mail us through MySpace or email: astordave@yahoo.com."

PATHOLOGY's latest album, "Age Of Onset", was released in May via Comatose Music. The CD was recorded at Double Time Studio in El Cajon, California. The cover artwork was created by Pär Olofsson.

"Age Of Onset" track listing:

01. Symptoms Of Bleeding
02. Age Of Onset
03. Postmortem Dissection
04. Gestation Begins
05. Emesis
06. Cyst Excise
07. Ride The Womb
08. Zodiac Principles
09. Methods Thru Divination
10. Sect Of Malpractice

PATHOLOGY was formed in the beginning of 2006 by Dave Astor (BEING KILLED, THE LOCUST, CATTLE DECAPITATION). The band's debut album, "Surgically Hacked", was released in September 2006 on Amputated Vein Records (Japan). In July 2007, PATHOLOGY signed with Grindhead Records (Australia) to release the band's crushing malpractice, "Incisions Of Perverse Debauchery" (2008).

"The Altar Of Trust", the new video from the French metal band ANTHROPIA, can be viewed below. The song comes off the group's latest album, "The Chain Reaction", which was released in France in February through Adarca Records. The CD was recorded on the French riviera at Artmusic Studio, mixed by Francois Merle of MANIGANCE, and mastered by Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, PRETTY MAIDS, JORN) at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark.

"The Chain Reaction" track listing:

01. Incarnation (Prologue)
02. A New Self
03. Whipping Soul
04. The Torn Off Wing Of The Butterfly
05. Take Me Home
06. The Night At The Opera
07. The Altar Of Trust
08. Those Days Are Always Rainy
09. Trinity (The New Consensus)
10. The Tree Of Life
11. Breeze In The Leaves (Epilogue)

ADAGIO keyboardist Kevin Codfert makes a guest appearance on "The Chain Reaction".

ANTHROPIA last year parted ways with Magna Carta Records, the label which released the band's 2006 effort, "The Ereyn Chronicles: Part 1 - The Journey of Beginnings".

Vicky Bradley (a.k.a. Vix the Angel Of Metal) conducted an interview with U.K.-based experimental/progressive extreme metallers XERATH at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival, which was held August 14-16, 2009 at Catton Hall in Derbyshire, England. Watch the chat below.

XERATH released its debut album, "Xerath I", on May 25 via Candlelight Records. The CD was mixed in France by Brett Caldas-Lima (CYNIC).

An e-card for the album is available at this location.

According to a press release, XERATH is "a new, cutting-edge band combining crushing MESHUGGAH-style riffs with epic orchestral composition. Their sound can be described as taking influence from STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, MESHUGGAH and DIMMU BORGIR to create a distinctive sound they call 'orchestral groove metal' (or chug-score!)."

The band was formed in 2007 by guitarist Andy Phillips, drummer Michael Pitman and bassist Owain Williams, and was later joined by Richard Thomson on vocals.

Originally started as an experiment to combine film-score scounds with syncopated guitar rhythms, XERATH evolved into a full-fledged gigging band with a clear direction.

For more information, visit the band's MySpace page.

Rob Zombie will be destroying a city near you beginning October 29 on the "Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour". Not since 1998's super smash triple platinum "Hellbilly Deluxe" has Zombie hit the road under that moniker.

Confirmed dates are as follows:

Oct. 29 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
Oct. 30 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl
Oct. 31 - Hollywood, CA - Hollywood Palladium
Nov. 03 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Event Center
Nov. 05 - Salt Lake City, UT - Great Salt Air
Nov. 06 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore
Nov. 08 - Tulsa, OK - Brady Theater
Nov. 11 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
Nov. 17 - Akron, OH - Civic Theatre
Nov. 20 - Minneapolis, MN - Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Nov. 21 - Des Moines, IL - Val Air Ballroom
Nov. 22 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
Nov. 24 - Louisville, KY - Broadbent Arena
Nov. 27 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
Dec. 01 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
Dec. 02 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
Dec. 03 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
Dec. 04 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
Dec. 05 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club

This will be Zombie's first headline tour since 2007 and will have other ghoulish delights in tow, including openers NEKROMANTIX and CAPTAIN CLEGG & THE NIGHT CREATURES, last seen rocking Haddonfield and Michael Myers in Zombie's new film "Halloween II". The tour will usher in Zombie's forthcoming album, "Hellbilly Deluxe 2 – Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool" (Geffen), a companion to 1998 original, which is due on November 10.

The tour will blasts off with Phoenix, AZ on October 29, Las Vegas, NV on October 30, and a very special Halloween event on October 31 in Hollywood, CA hosted by Uncle Seymour Coffins, also seen in "Halloween II". Zombie will be accompanied by his longtime bandmates — guitarist John 5, bassist Piggy D and drummer Tommy Clufetos.

The "Hellbilly Deluxe 2" tour will mark Zombie's return to the road after moderate box office success as the writer and director of "Halloween II" (Dimension). His R-rated, animated feature, "The Haunted World Of El Superbeasto", will be available everywhere on DVD and Blu-ray September 22.

"I am bouncing off the walls like a mental patient," says Zombie. "That tells me it's time to take it to the stage and let the demons loose."

Zombie will return to the stage on October 18, when he co-headlines Loud Park festival in Japan with SLAYER that will also feature PAPA ROACH. Zombie says that touring is always a nice change of pace from making a movie. "Touring is awesome, because making a movie is very, like, meticulous and it's totally, you know, it's, like, very time-consuming," he tells The Pulse of Radio. "You're, when you're the director, you're on seven days a week, all day long — it's this meticulous type of process. So to go on tour, where all we have to do is hold it together for an hour onstage and whatever we do the rest of the time doesn't matter — you can be a complete mental patient — so yeah, touring is the great way to break free from that."

Zombie's third solo album, "Educated Horses", came out in 2006.

"Halloween II", the follow-up to Zombie's successful 2007 remake of the original 1978 horror classic, came in at No. 3 in its opening weekend, earning $17 million at the box office. That's far less than the $31 million his first "Halloween" flick did two years ago.

Zombie's next film will be a remake of "The Blob", which he is slated to begin shooting in the spring of 2010.

Dutch brutal death metal outfit VERMIN — consisting of Ron Vermunt (guitar, backing vocals), Pascal Payens (drums), Wolf Josten (guitars), Laurens Oerlemans (vocals) and Rob De Waardt (bass, backing vocals) — will release its second full-length album, "Define : Divine", on October 19 (except for U.K. and Ireland, where it will arrive on November 2) via Deity Down Records. The follow-up to 2006's "A Nihilistic Swarm" was recorded, mixed and mastered by Robbert Kok at AudioVisualz in Amsterdam.

"Define : Divine" track listing:

01. Inferiorganism
02. Define : Divine
03. Imminent Perfection
04. Synthetic Reality
05. I Walk Among You
06. Idolize The Poisonous
07. Nucleus
08. Surrounded By The Silent
09. The Inner Anomaly
10. Supremechanism

The song "Nucleus" is available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

The artwork for "Define: Divine" was created by Daniel Fernandes (Razorshark Productions) and can be viewed below.

METALLICA played a benefit concert this past Friday night (September 11) for the Marin History Museum's "Marin Rocks" project at the 2,000-seat Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael, California. It was the first show in Marin by the heavy metal supergroup.

Official Metallica.com footage of the band's soundcheck and performance can be viewed below.

According to the Marin Independent Journal, concert-goers paid from $100 to $350 a ticket to the sold-out show. MOONALICE, featuring Marin musicians Pete Sears and Barry Sless, opened the concert.

After METALLICA finished its set, guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield thanked the crowd, saying: "We appreciate you coming out to support the ancestry and the history of music in Marin County."

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom the Bell Tolls
03. Fuel
04. Harvester of Sorrow
05. Fade to Black
06. Broken, Beat, and Scarred
07. Cyanide
08. Sad But True
09. One
10. Master of Puppets
11. Battery
12. Nothing Else Matters
13. Enter Sandman
- - - - - - - -
14. Hit the Lights
15. Seek and Destroy

Check out photos from the Marin Independent Journal.

The band previously stated about playing the benefit concert: "We have made Marin County in Northern California our home for many years, so we were more than honored when the Marin History Museum asked us to participate in their benefit concert as they prepare to launch the exhibit Marin Rocks. That's right, finally, a show in our own backyards . . . something that has NEVER happened!"

All proceeds from the show will be donated to the Museum's new exhibition that will celebrate our music community with displays and educational programs. Check out www.marinhistory.org for more information.

Vicky Bradley (a.k.a. Vix the Angel Of Metal) conducted an interview with vocalist Hansi Kürsch of German power metallers BLIND GUARDIAN at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival, which was held August 14-16, 2009 at Catton Hall in Derbyshire, England. Watch the nine-minute chat below.

In an interview with Metalpaths, BLIND GUARDIAN guitarist André Olbrich stated about the band's forthcoming album, "We started the songwriting one year ago and we have almost seven songs ready so far. We have already recorded two songs last year and now, for since like two months, we are recording four more. The drums are ready already so we started the guitar work now and I think that we will be recording the whole summer. In between, though, we are going to play in some really big festivals in Europe so we are rehearsing again, focused on some songs we didn't play so far. After the summer activities, we want to do another break for songwriting and write some more songs for the album which is planned for 2010 . . . It will be out on the end of 2010, that's for sure. But we hope we can manage to accomplish everything in the first half of 2010."

Regarding the forthcoming album's musical direction, Olbrich said, "All songs have their own characteristics; you can't really compare them. It's a real BLIND GUARDIAN album, we have a mixture of songs and so far right now we just finished a song which is very fast, a speed metal song from the old qualities but with new techniques. It's my favorite song. For me, it's a masterpiece so far and we have another power metal song that it's really brilliant and reminds me the style of the 'Nightfall' album very much; it's a little bit different but very good as well. We also have a very nice ballad but it's not finally a real ballad; it will be hard in the end! So we have a real good mixture so far. It's working very good between Hansi and me right now because we have a new system that we can exchange our ideas every day over the Internet, we don't need to meet each other. In the last songwriting process from the 'A Twist In The Myth' we met like once a week and now we can exchange our ideas, like, every day, we have a much better and faster feedback, so we can react better our ideas and I think that this makes the songs really better."

Metalship.org conducted an interview with bassist Peter Iwers of Swedish metallers IN FLAMES prior to the band's September 8, 2009 concert in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Watch the chat in three parts below.

In a recent interview with Live-Metal.net, Iwers was asked about IN FLAMES guitarist Jesper Strömblad's current status after he checked himself into rehab earlier in the year. "His status is that he's still working on getting himself 100 percent — getting well and coming back as soon as he feels he's ready," Peter replied. "Now it's not gonna change. We are five members of IN FLAMES and it's not gonna change, like some people are speculating. Jesper is very much in the band, but he needs to be ready. It's up to him when he's ready to come back and is strong enough to stay on the road. He really needs to do deal with his problems, and we are there for him as much as we can, trying to support him in the best way that we can, not rushing him and showing him that his position is here when he's ready to come back.

"It has been a problem for many, many years. At the beginning of this year, he delayed this decision, but his latest decision was to check himself in and get well once and for all. And with a few minor mishaps, he's been sticking to it.

"It's a disease and a lot of people don't know. And we all had to learn, obviously. Alcoholism is a disease — you can't help it. A lot of people might say [that alcoholics are] selfish and mean, and might take what an alcoholic can do to you very personal, but remember it's a disease. It takes some time to get well. And he's one of my best friends and I'm trying to give him all the support that he needs."

When asked if the band had to take part in an intervention in order to get Jesper into rehab, Iwers said, "No, because we didn't really know how bad it was. And when you're an alcoholic, it's a hard life, obviously, but I guess somehow you know about it. We didn't know how bad it was. He actually told us about it. That was his own decision. We are sticking by him. But we are still touring because we want to be out there and play and perform the commitments that we booked this entire year. We will want to fulfill them. We can't just keep on canceling. We got together with Jesper [and determined] to keep on touring without him until he's ready to come back."

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:

BLÖTT — the Belgian "progressive metalcore" band featuring ATROXENTIS bass player Ludovic Sirtaine, former DRONE.BE guitar player Pawel Gzerda and ex-DISMAL drummer Laurent Verhelweghen — has commenced pre-production for a new six-song EP. The group is currently "finalizing the arrangements of the songs, the vocals and the lyrics, [and] preparing the studio work," according to an update posted on the band's MySpace page.

BLÖTT is:

Antoine Vrebosch - Vocals
Pawel Grzeda - Guitars
Mateusz Dlutowski - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ludovic Sirtaine - Bass
Laurent Verheylewegen - Drums

For more information, visit the group's MySpace page.

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER have just released the "Wither" EP via online retailers.

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. Wither (Album Version) (5:25)
02. Wither (Piano Version) (5:07)
03. Wither (John Petrucci Vocal Demo) (5:24)
04. The Best of Times (Mike Portnoy Vocal Demo) (13:04)

Track 1 taken from the album "Black Clouds and Silver Linings"
Track 2-4 previously unreleased

DREAM THEATER's new album, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", sold 40,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart.

DREAM THEATER's last CD, "Systematic Chaos", opened with 36,000 units in 2007 to enter The Billboard 200 chart at No. 19. 2005's "Octavarium" premiered with 27,000 copies to debut at No. 36.

In addition to the standard-version CD, DREAM THEATER's tenth studio album, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", was also made available on vinyl LP, as well as a three-disc, special-edition CD that includes the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs.

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has recorded three songs for a Finnish Christmas album, produced by Olli Ahvenlahti. According to Turunen, this is "a charity project for missionary workers in Finland and it is going to be released in the beginning of November in Finland."

In other news, Tarja has been busy writing new songs for her new solo album with Johnny Andrews. She says, "We wrote a song few months ago when I was in L.A. and now we did it again in Finland."

She continues, "The biggest difference with 'My Winter Storm' [Tarja's first solo album] probably is that at that time, we recorded all the songs that I was happy with. And we had no leftovers! Everything went into the album, one way of another. But now, the feeling is a bit different. Having so much material to choose from is making things difficult… Is a new and nice challenge. Is quite hard to leave songs out of the album as all the songs have a special meaning to me."

Turunen has announced the lineup of her band for the "Final Storm Tour 2009", which is scheduled to kick off on September 19 at the Elf Fantasy Fair in Arcen, Netherlands. It is as follows:

* Tarja Turunen - Voice
* Mike Terrana (MASTERPLAN, SAVAGE CIRCUS, RAGE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) - Drums
* Christian Kretschmar (SCHILLER) - Keyboards
* Oliver Holzwarth (BLIND GUARDIAN, SIEGES EVEN) - Bass
* Alex Scholpp (FARMER BOYS) - Guitar
* Max Lilja (HEVEIN, APOCALYPTICA) - Cello

For a list of dates, go to this location.

Video footage of Tarja Turunenperforming at the Baltic Sea Festival in Sweden on August 28, 2009 can be viewed below.

Tarja Turunen has set "What Lies Beneath" as the working title of her new solo CD, tentatively due in early 2010. She says, "With [2007's] 'My Winter Storm', I chose the name of the album in the early stages and that helped me to create the concept for the album. With the new album, I decided to do it the same way, so I searched for an inspiring title and all the songs are one way or another related to it."

MUSHROOMHEAD vocalist Waylon Reavis has told Noisecreep that his band's fierce rivalry with SLIPKNOT — which has consisted mostly of insult-trading and has unfolded, largely, through the media — is behind them. "It's been 10 years at this point, and we're still here and they're still there. And we still don't sound like each other," says Waylon. "They're not the first masked band, we're not ... no one was. I think there's a BEATLES video where they're wearing masks and costumes.

"With music, I've always been into theatrics," Waylon continues. "All of us are big into theatrics. I wish more bands dressed up and did the theatrical thing. People like seeing a show. They like visually being stimulated, and not just like a dude in a Hot Topic T-shirt and tight pants playing guitar that spent five hours on his hair. I'd rather see theatrics, I'd rather see a live action horror movie like right in front of me."

Watch Noisecreep's interview with MUSHROOMHEAD's St1tch and Waylon below.

MEGADETH drummer Shawn Drover was interviewed for this week's "The Metal File" podcast from Montreal's CHOM-FM. You can stream the show online at this location.

MEGADETH and SLAYER will team up for the Canadian Carnage East five-date tour in November. The trek kicks off on November 8 in Moncton, NB and wraps up in Toronto on November 13. The tour will feature MACHINE HEAD and SUICIDE SILENCE, and will see MEGADETH and SLAYER alternating the closing spot. Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 18 at 10:00 a.m. local time.

MEGADETH and SLAYER laid waste to four Canadian cities earlier in June when they joined up for the first Canadian Carnage, marking the first time the bands had shared a stage anywhere in 18 years.

MEGADETH's new album, "Endgame", is now being streamed in its entirety on the band's MySpace page.

Due on September 15 via Roadrunner Records, "Endgame" was recorded at the band's brand new, self-built studio in San Marcos, California — Vic's Garage — which was named after the legendary and iconic Vic Rattlehead character.

"Endgame" was helmed by MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine and British producer Andy Sneap (EXODUS, NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, MACHINE HEAD).

Lion Music has set an October 6 release date for the debut solo album from TWINSPIRITS and KHYMERA guitarist Tommy Ermolli, entitled "Step Ahead".

According to a press release, "Step Ahead" sees Ermolli, 21, "delivering nine tracks predominantly in a rock setting showing both his melodic and virtuosic guitar styles. These tracks are mirrored with a couple of softer numbers for good measure. All of which showcase Tommy's guitar and compositional skill with strong production values."

Aided by his TWINSPIRITS colleagues Daniele Liverani (keyboards), Dario Ciccioni (drums and percussion) and Alberto Rigoni (bass), Ermolli's solo debut is a very accessible guitar album, featuring strong melodies and interesting compositions.

Tommy's influences include Joe Satriani, Andy Timmons, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert and John Petrucci. While traces of these musicians can be heard in a few tracks, there is also an original style at play, something which is also apparent in Tommy's band works.

Commented Tommy, "I started to write the album in 2004, after a really sad event that happened in my family. We lost a dear relative in a car accident and so I wrote 'Magic'; that was his nickname among his friends. The song is dedicated to him. After that, I decided to write all the other songs and so a 'solo' album took shape. As I have a pro studio at my home, I recorded almost everything there over the last few years. The drums were recorded at New Frontiers Recording Studio in Rovigo, Italy. There we also did the mix and the master. When I had the final master in my hands I looked for someone to release it and my Lion Music connection through TWINSPIRITS came in handy!”

For more information, go to this location.

Denmark-based symphonic power metallers INFINITY OVERTURE, whose recording lineup includes former ELEGY singer Ian Parry, will release their debut album, "Kingdom Of Utopia", on October 6 via Lion Music. The CD was mixed by Sascha Paeth and Miro, the production team responsible for albums by RHAPSODY OF FIRE, KAMELOT and ANGRA (among others), along with INFINITY OVERTURE guitarist Niels Vejlyt.

"Kingdom Of Utopia" will be released as a standard CD and a strictly limited-edition deluxe CD/DVD dual pack. The DVD features band interviews, videos and much more.

According to a press release, INFINITY OVERTURE's music "is big and explosive in places with insane guitar solos, yet balanced by subtle melodic breaks and big harmonies."

"Kingdom Of Utopia" track listing:

01. Millenia
02. The Great Believers
03. Warrior King
04. Wonderland
05. Temples Of Doom
06. Kingdom Of Utopia
07. Queen Of Hearts
08. Oceans Of Time
09. Sacred Fire
10. War Cry

Recording lineup:

Ian Parry - Male Lead Vocals
Lene Petersen - Female Lead Vocals
Anne Karine Prip - Female Lead Vocals
Niels Vejlyt - Guitar
Kyle Honea - Bass
Mads Damgaard - Bass
Mads Volf - Drums

Live band:

Ian Parry - Male Lead Vocals
Lene Petersen - Female Vocals
Niels Vejlyt - Guitar
Mads Damgaard - Keys
Jakob Vand - Drums
Simon Westergaard - Bass

For more information, go to this location.

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine has posted a lengthy update in the "Forums" section of the band's official web site. A couple of excerpts from his message follow below.

"After my karate class, I am going to the studio to finish learning 'Five Magics' [from 1990's 'Rust In Peace' album] for the Australian [SLAYER and MEGADETH] tour.

"Remember, I said we had a meeting with Chris [Broderick, guitar] and James [Lomenzo, bass] and the three of us agreed on adding more songs to take our live repertoire up to 40 songs total to choose from.

"I am trying to think of a cool way to let our local Droogies help pick the show each night like we did a long time ago. Of course, we are still on a short leash with the time restraints from the promoters. So I am going to kick some ass for an hour, and then go beat my guitars brains out until it surrenders 'Five Magics' today.

"I am feeling quite Cheshire cat-like right now, because the other songs we are adding are as cool as 'Five Magics', I think. I just have to remember that Shawn [Drover, drums] 'knows' all of these songs, I 'knew' them, and we three wise guys have to relearn, teach, and learn several intense songs.

"I think — don't quote me on this — but I think we added 'Black Friday' too, if I'm not mistaken.

"Please don't read into this too much, as I am sure people are going to have a field day with this, as well as the speculation of why I am adding these songs back into my set. The reason is . . . Because I can! That, and as I continue to walk out this life, and being a Christian, I have realized so much, and I have grown so much too.

"In the beginning, I was very cautious, and as I understand more, I am safely adding back into my life all the things that I set aside, because I just didn't know what to do about it. This is why I am spiritually at peace with being out with SLAYER; this is why I have apologized to them and have not been getting baited by journalists that are bringing up 'he said, you said' crap. I also have forgiven them for anything that was or is being said, because I did say some hurtful things in the past.

"I have taken this same new attitude into everything I can with my life.

"I have learned so much over the last seven years that it is mind-boggling. And this is why, and the only reason why, I have changed my mind. My heart told me that I would be doing myself a favor and I would make a lot of people happier if I focused on the 'love' part of my new life.

"Anyway, I will let you know about the songs as they progress, and if my memory serves my right, I think we have to play 'My Last Words' in Oz too?!?

"I'll get back to you on that one."

Guitarist Christofer Malmström of Swedish thrashers DARKANE has issued the following update:

"DARKANE has had some time off during the summer while Peter Wildoer [drums] has been busy touring with PESTILENCE. We played the Roskilde festival in Denmark and the Brutal Assault festival in the Czech Republic this summer, and they both felt very successful.

"Next up is the Underground thrash festival in Oslo, Norway on October 10th. We are also working on a very cool tour pretty far away from where we live, but it will be official when its 100% confirmed.

"During the summer Peter, Klas [Ideberg, guitar] and I have come with ideas and riffs for the next album, and Jens [Broman, vocals] has written some lyrics. We have now started to gather together and put our ideas into actual songs. We are very eager to start recording the next album, and I think we have come up with some very cool stuff so far."

"Demonic Art", the fifth album from DARKANE, debuted at No. 104 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.

"Demonic Art" was released in North America on February 10 via Nuclear Blast Records. The North America version of the CD, which came out in Europe on October 24, 2008 via Massacre Records, contains a bonus track and a bonus DVD.

HardTimes.ca conducted an interview with DARKANE when the band played Foufounes Électriques in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on February 16, 2009. Watch the 17-minute chat below.

Italian technical death metallers APEIRON have inked a deal with Last Scream Records. The band's new album, "Among The Lost", was mixed by Simone Mularoni at Fear Studio (THE MODERN AGE SLAVERY, EMPYRIOS, GORY BLISTER) and is scheduled for release this fall.

APEIRON's "The Cruel Crime" EP was released last year.

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

Frontiers Records has set an October 16 European release date for PINK CREAM 69's celebration release, including the live two- CD set "Live in Karlsruhe" and the "Past and Present" two-DVD package.

Two years after the highly acclaimed "In10sity" album, PINK CREAM 69 are back with two impressive releases at once. Vocalist David Readman, the guitar team of Alfred Koffler and Uwe Reitenauer, bassist Dennis Ward and drummer Kosta Zafiriou have packed their DVD "birthday release" with an impressive amount of content:

* The live concert from the band's 20th anniversary show in their hometown Karlsruhe, filmed in January 2009;
* The legendary "Size It Up – Live In Japan" video from 1992, for the first time ever to be released on DVD, featuring the band's original singer Andi Deris (now with HELLOWEEN);
* A 55-minute documentary with interviews and rare footage;
* All eight official video clips;
* Bonus live material from the band's appearances at Masters of Rock (five songs) and Das Fest (three songs) festivals in 2007.

The double CD "Live In Karlsruhe", contains the entire Karlsruhe concert as well as two bonus tracks recorded at Das Fest festival in Karlsruhe.

This truly is the ultimate package, not only for PINK CREAM 69 fans: "Past & Present" (with a total running time of more than 4.5 hours) and "Live in Karlsruhe" includes everything a rock fan needs to have from PINK CREAM 69.

"The two products," says drummer Kosta Zafiriou, "give a great overview of the band's activities in 20 years: the live in Japan video from 1992, this year's concert in Karlsruhe, lots of festival footage as additional bonus, all video clips the band ever did and an hour interview and backstage footage with the band members reflecting the band's history — you can't get more PINK CREAM 69 than on these DVDs!

"The concert portrayed in the 'Live in Karlsruhe' night was a very special one for us — 20 years since the release of the first record, 10 studio albums, a concert in our hometown to be recorded for our first DVD ever! The feelings were overwhelming: A mixture between a nostalgic look back and the excitement about the night and the show to come… simply great!"

"Live in Karlsruhe" track listing:

CD1:

01. Children Of The Dawn
02. Do You Like It Like That
03. Hell's Gone Crazy
04. Lost In Illusions
05. The Hour of Freedom
06. I'm Not Afraid
07. Talk to the Moon
08. Carnaby Road
09. Break The Silence
10. One Step Into Paradise
11. That Was Yesterday
12. The Spirit

CD2:

01. Livin' My Life For You
02. Welcome the Night
03. Seas Of Madness
04. Keep Your Eye on the Twisted
05. No Way Out
06. Shame
07. So Lonely / No Woman No Cry
08. One Step Into Paradise
09. Better Days (European bonus track)

"Past and Present" includes:

DVD 1:

Live in Karlsruhe, Germany – January, 24, 2009 - Running Time: 1:28:00

01. Children of the Dawn
02. Do You Like It Like That
03. Hell's Gone Crazy
04. Lost In Illusions
05. The Hour Of Freedom
06. I'm Not Afraid
07. Talk To The Moon
08. Carnaby Road
09. Break The Silence
10. One Step Into Paradise
11. That Was Yesterday
12. The Spirit
13. Livin' My Life For You
14. Welcome The Night
15. Seas Of Madness
16. Keep Your Eye On The Twisted
17. No Way Out
18. Shame

Live at Das Fest, Karlsruhe, Germany - July 20, 2007 - Running Time: 13:55

01. One Step Into Paradise (acoustic version)
02. The Spirit (acoustic version)
03. Better Days (acoustic version).

Insight: Interviews and backstage Footage - Running Time: 55:40

DVD 2

Size It Up – Live in Kawasaki, Japan, January 31 , 1992 - Running Time: 58:03

01. Take Those Tears
02. Welcome The Night
03. Do You Like It Like That
04. Signs Of Danger
05. Where The Eagle Learns To Fly
06. Livin' My Life For You
07. Rolling Down A Thunder
08. Talk To The Moon
09. Hell's Gone Crazy
10. One Step Into Paradise
11. Detroit Rock City
12. White Men Do No Reggae

Live at Masters of Rock, Vizovice, Czech Republic - July 5, 2007 - Running Time: 24:50

01. Do You Like It Like That
02. Lost In Illusion
03. The Hour Of Freedom
04. Seas of Madness
05. Shame

The Videos: Total Running Time: 31:25

01. One Step Into Paradise
02. Livin' My Life For You
03. Signs of Danger
04. Face In The Mirror
05. Keep Your Eye On The Twisted
06. 20th Century Boy
07. Only The Good
08. Shame

A "Past And Present" DVD trailer can be viewed below.

Portland, Oregon traditional metal squadron DARKBLACK has inked a deal with California's StormSpell Records.

Commented the band: "StormSpell is currently in the midst of waging an unending, seemingly pitched battle against the followers of the false metal gods (more or less weakling usurpers). We now, with our newest allies, raise our weapons of war to the sky! DARKBLACK will be the vanguard for this righteous cleansing of the weak, uninspired and mediocrity that plagues our world! StormSpell Records are true believers in the true underground heavy metal movement!"

DARKBLACK recently unleashed its debut full-length, "Sellsword", featuring over 49 minutes of music fit for true heavy metal believers! View the striking cover art by Halseycaust (TOXIC HOLOCAUST) below.

"Sellsword" track listing:

01. Sword Of The Morning
02. Icy Tomb Of Time
03. Down From The Mountain
04. Sellsword
05. Dark Apostle
06. Ancient Stone Sentinel
07. ... With Lightning Speed
08. Breath Of Fire
09. Flame Forest

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

New York-based horror/metal quartet WRATH OF KILLENSTEIN will have its song "Igniisis Dance" featured in the forthcoming Brütal Legend (Electronic Arts, Oct. 13) video game.

"It is a tremendous honor to have my music included with and featured alongside the greatest heavy metal bands ever," said Killenstein.

Fronted by the thorn-clad Killenstein, the group also features well-known industrial drummer John "Servo" Desalvo (KMFDM, BILE) and guitar player Joe Coffey.

WRATH OF KILLENSTEIN is currently putting the finishing touches on a new album, titled "St. 7000", which is slated for a spring 2010 release. Also in the works is a series of Killenstein graphic novels.

The band embarks on an East Coast tour in October.

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

CHICKENFOOT's self-titled debut album was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) on September 10, 2009 for shipments in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States. The LP — which has actually shifted a little more than 300,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan — is packaged in heat-sensitive artwork, which means when you put your hand on the CD inlay, photos of the band members are revealed behind the CHICKENFOOT band logo.

CHICKENFOOT's video for the song "Soap On A Rope" can be viewed below. The clip combines recent live performance, rehearsal footage, and sees the members of the band working through their rather unusual cabling issues.

CHICKENFOOT first got together more than a year ago when they started jamming in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Although they called the band CHICKENFOOT at the time, guitarist Joe Satriani told The Pulse of Radio that nobody thought the name would stick. "Sammy's [Hagar] saying, 'Oh, you know, we can call it CHICKENFOOT,' and everybody laughs and says, 'Yeah, okay, it'll never be called CHICKENFOOT, of course, that's a horrible name.' And that's the way it was for about nine months, until finally someone said, 'You know, you can't change it now, everyone's calling you guys CHICKENFOOT.' So we wound up with that name, I think, quite by accident."

AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry and singer-songwriter Katy Perry (no relation) joined forces last night (Sunday, September 13) to perform QUEEN's classic anthem "We Will Rock You" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Watch video footage of their appearance below.

As previously reported, Joe Perry has set October 6 as the release date for his latest solo effort, "Have Guitar, Will Travel". Perry's touring band, THE JOE PERRY PROJECT, will play at the Viper Room in Hollywood, California on that date, with more shows to be announced soon. Perry told The Pulse of Radio what he wanted to accomplish with the record. "It's all done live in the studio, and we just, we really made an effort to give it some of the texture and the feel of the records that we grew up with — those records, like, from the late '60s," he said. "There was so much feel to them, and so much heart and texture, that's what we went into the recording with — that attitude."

The first single from "Have Guitar, Will Travel" is "We've Got A Long Way To Go".

Vocals on the disc are handled by Perry and an unknown German singer named Hagen, who was found on YouTube by Perry's wife Billie.

Perry's last solo album, a self-titled effort, came out in 2005. His three previous solo outings, all under the JOE PERRY PROJECT banner, came out during the first half of the Eighties while he was out of AEROSMITH for a few years.

AEROSMITH was forced to cancel its summer tour after a string of bad luck that concluded with singer Steven Tyler falling off a stage in Sturgis, South Dakota, injuring his head, neck and collarbone. Guitarist Brad Whitford and bassist Tom Hamilton also missed time due to medical issues.

The mini-site for KATATONIA's eighth studio album, "Night is the New Day", can be accessed at this location It includes audio samples, downloads, album information, interviews, art gallery plus exclusive previously unseen studio diaries from the recording session.

A free MP3 of the track "Forsaker" is also available to anyone that signs up for the mailing list.

"Night is the New Day" track listing:

01. Forsaker
02. The Longest Year
03. Idle Blood
04. Onward Into Battle
05. Liberation
06. The Promise Of Deceit
07. Nephilim
08. New Night
09. Inheritance
10. Day & Then The Shade
11. Ashen (*Swedish edition CD and vinyl edition bonus track)
12. Departer

Pre-order links for both the special Swedish edition CD (digibook package and 20 page booklet) and the vinyl edition (double gatefold 180g heavyweight vinyl) will be available from the site from tomorrow (September 15). Both these editions will feature a bonus track and all orders placed through the site will also come with an exclusive signed KATATONIA postcard.

"Night is the New Day" is the long-awaited new studio album of transcendental, atmospheric rock and metal, exploring the darker corners of audial melancholy. It was recorded throughout July 2009 and was co-produced, engineered and mixed by David Castillo. A continuation of the heaviness, depth and atmosphere of their previous album, "Night Is the New Day" is also a more multi-dimensional effort — waltzing between prog moments, doom, folk & the classic melodic anthems that are the staple of KATATONIA's uncompromising sound, completed by the haunting tones of Jonas Renkse's vocal journeys of urban and emotional decay. Cover art once again comes courtesy of Travis Smith (KATATONIA, OPETH, NOVEMBRE) and continues the stylistic identity established so effectively since "The Great Cold Distance".

Commented the band: "It's now been three years since 'The Great Cold Distance' came out and, rightfully so, we had to let the distance ring out long and loud. KATATONIA was not a product conceived at a manufacturing facility. We never inserted ourselves inside the grinding wheel of being a product line — hyped when brand new, tossed away when outdated. Bands come and go, rise and fall. We're a brick in that wall too, but won't crash overnight, because we walked this road for two decades, slowly. Fortunately, we're past the level where struggling bands get caught in the claws of the fast food concept of the music industry. From day one, it was always about a long term mission, something to go hand in hand and accompany a chosen lifestyle through all its stages. The foundation and concept of KATATONIA was, and still is, to channel the negative aspects of living into artistic creativity, and we're well aware that the outcome of that is simply not for everyone to embrace. Our new work is manifested in the whole album as a solid piece, not as destined selections for the very commercial media to deliver the soundtrack to accompany John Doe's shallow daily routines. Airplay doesn't last, but albums are forever.

"KATATONIA cannot be creatively driven by anyone or anything but our own hands, but also we, in turn, need the guidance from our inner demons to understand the direction that lies ahead. The only fuel compatible to our engine is the magic of definite and divine inspiration, without it things go stumbling in the dark, unable to progress nor regress. KATATONIA started because we had a calling and will end when our inner demons no longer speak to us. This time it took a while longer to discover what was behind the door at the end of the long corridor we walked down with the last album. In this time it took for us to get here, we discovered that we could extract the distraction that kept blocking us and use it as the source of inspiration itself; all the fear and worries of the dark times ahead, the apathy of the current state of mind, the lack of hope, the struggle to find a meaning and, maybe most of all, realizing the decline of the western civilization is constantly growing and well underway. That will be the time when the night is the new day."

KATATONIA will support British prog rock legends PORCUPINE TREE on tour in October.

Las Vegas metallers SEVENTH CALLING have inked a deal with Heaven and Hell Records. The label will release the group's new EP, entitled "Prelude to Madness", and the band's next forthcoming full-length album, "Epidemic", the recording sessions for which will begin before the end of the year.

"Prelude to Madness" was produced by Kirk Moll and SEVENTH CALLING and is scheduled for release October 27. The disc will include a video for the song "Blood of the Divine" and wallpapers for download. The art for "Prelude" was designed by Alex Ritchey.

SEVENTH CALLING is:

Steve Handel - Lead Vocals/Guitar
Alex Ritchey - Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals
Shannon Frye - Drums/Percussion
Michael Poplees - Bass

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