BLUES PILLS announce special & limited live album

Multinational blues rock stars BLUES PILLS have announced to release a special and very limited live album, entitled Blues Pills Live.

The album was recorded during the band's headlining show at last year's Freak Valley Festival which marked a special event for the group. With releasing 'Blues Pills Live', they say thank you to the person and festival that paved the way for what is today known as the hottest new band in classic/blues rock - BLUES PILLS.

"To the lovely freaks, Freak Valley creators, our dear friend Jens Heide. For us this moment and this day was really special. It felt like all the puzzle pieces came together up until one moment, this experience at Freak Valley festival. This was our first ever apperience at Freak Valley and our first ever headline show on an outdoor festival. We've known about Jens and his freaks for a long time. He gave the name to our band and been supporting us since day one, before our demos were public or even recorded, before when there was only a young and naive dream of playing for any crowds or getting record deals, before we even played a single show - before devil man even was written and before the band was fully formed, before when it was just the beginning of an idea. This show is a magical moment for us - this is where the circle connects with its other half. This record will only be released on vinyl and cd - the cover is made by our favorite artist Marijke Koger-Dunhamn. Recorded LIVE at one of Europes coolest and loveable festivals of our time - FREAK VALLEY FESTIVAL . Thank you freaks, Freak Valley pioneers and Jens for this experience and for your support. We won't forget, ever. Love - BLUES PILLS"

BLUES PILLS Live will be released March 23rd, 2015 via Nuclear Blast. The album will be out on vinyl in various colours and available from the Nuclear Blast store: www.nuclearblaststore.co.uk and also sold as a lavish digibook CD. No digital version will be made available. The release will be strictly limited and won't be reprinted once it is sold out.

The stunning artwork by Marjke Koger-Dunham (THE BEATLES, CREAM) who also created the cover for the incredibly successful self-titled debut album can be found below.

BLUES PILLS UK Tour: 22.04. UK London - Islington Academy 23.04. UK Cardiff - The Globe 24.04. UK Manchester - Club Academy 25.04. UK Dublin - Voodoo Lounge 27.04. UK Belfast - Limelight 2 28.04. UK Glasgow - Cathouse 29.04. UK Nottingham - Rescue Rooms 30.04. UK Bristol - Bierkeller

Joey Sturgis, Asking Alexandria Producer, Responds To Danny Worsnop Leaving Band

Joey Sturgis, world-renowned metal producer who has worked closely with Asking Alexandria through the band's rise to metal supremacy, opened up about the recent news regarding former frontman Danny Worsnop's departure from the band. Sturgis has produced every Asking Alexandria LP released thus far as well as upcoming unreleased material. He received the honor of RIAA Gold certification for the song "The Final Episode" off of "Stand Up and Scream."

"Working with Asking Alexandria has always been a magical thing, we have always seemed to connect on a very deep level musically. I've been producing the band since the moment they stepped foot on american soil, and I am proud of it. When we first began to bring their songs to life, none of us knew what to expect and what would become of it; but the band had an amazing passion and fire that drove them straight to the top. Asking Alexandria has always had that fire, and will continue to have that fire! This is only the end of an early chapter, and the start to a new one. AA Family will be strong, and AA will live on." — Joey Sturgis, on the departure of Worsnop.

Stream ULI JON ROTH’s Re-Visioning of “Catch Your Train” via LA WEEKLY

Guitar legend ULI JON ROTH will release Scorpions Revisited, a highly-anticipated brand new double album of 19 re-invented Scorpions tracks, on January 26 (digital) / March 10 (physical) via UDR Music.

Today, LA Weekly is hosting the exclusive premiere of ULI JON ROTH’s re-working of the classic Scorpions track “Catch Your Train”, which is featured on Scorpions Revisited. The track stream is paired with an in-depth interview previewing Roth’s performance tonight (Jan. 23) in Hollywood, CA at the House of Blues – part of the Extreme Guitar Tour (see below for all dates).

Listen Here via LA Weekly

For over four decades, ULI JON ROTH has forged new frontiers in the world of guitar, both in terms of approach and style. He even managed to invent the sky-guitar, a six octave lead instrument that remains unparalleled. But before he started to explore the creative worlds of music, philosophy and art, ULI JON ROTH was a member of European rock giants, the Scorpions, a band with which he helped create a new path in hard rock music. In 2013, venerated for his originality and dynamism at the time, Roth found himself intrigued by the memory of those early days which began 40 years ago, and specifically by the music he helped write, perform and occasionally sing on the albums Fly To The Rainbow, In Trance, Virgin Killer and Taken By Force. It lead to Roth deciding to spend a year re-visiting, exploring, performing and re-recording his favorite Scorpions songs.

The first results of this magical, mystical journey into his own past can be heard on ULI JON ROTH’s Scorpions Revisited, a double-disc CD recorded in Hanover, Germany which sees the maestro re-harness all the collective power and poise of those original Scorpions classics, and re-imagine them as he feels today. No one in their right mind would dare call these mere re-recordings, as it’s clear that ULI JON ROTH reinvents these songs from the soul up. Feast your ears, heart and emotions on ULI JON ROTH’s unique return to his most famous musical legacy.

Track listing - CD1:

1. The Sails Of Charon 2. Longing For Fire 3. Crying Days 4. Virgin Killer 5. In Trance 6. Sun In My Hand 7. Yellow Raven 8. Polar Nights 9. Dark Lady

Track listing - CD2:

1. Catch Your Train 2. Evening Wind 3. All Night Long 4. We’ll Burn In The Sky 5. Pictured Life 6. Hell Cat 7. Life’s Like A River 8. Drifting Sun 9. Rainbow Dream Prelude 10. Fly To The Rainbow

“The material for this double CD was recorded last year in the same hall in Hanover that we used for the Scorpions rehearsals 1973-1978,” explains Roth. “Together with an amazing bunch of very talented young musicians, I revisited my personal favourites from the early Scorpions period, some of which were written in that same hall. It was an emotional few days and I am very pleased with the results in more ways than one. The idea was to stay truthful to the original spirit of the music, while also putting a new slant on it whenever it felt like the right thing to do. I feel we really succeeded in this and I’m very excited about this project. It was a intense journey into the past and I think we really managed to bring the songs back to life with a vengeance.”

The band which performed with Roth for these historic shows was Nathan James (vocals), Jamie Little (drums), Ule W. Ritgen (bass), Niklas Turmann (guitar, vocals), Corvin Bahn (keyboards, vocals) and David Klosinski (guitar).

2015 ULI JON ROTH US Tour Dates – Extreme Guitar Tour:

JANUARY

21.01.2015 – California – Ramona - Mainstage 22.01.2015 – California – Anaheim - House of Blues 23.01.2015 – California – Hollywood - House of Blues 24.01.2015 – Nevada – Las Vegas - Vamp’d 25.01.2015 – California – San Josè - Rock Star Bar 26.01.2015 – Oregon – Portland - Tonic 27.01.2015 – Washington – Seattle - Studio 7 29.01.2015 – Minnesota – Moorehead - The Garage 30.01.2015 – Minnesota – Spring Lake Park - POVS 31.01.2015 - Illinois – St. Charles – Arcada Theatre

FEBRUARY

01.02.2015 - Illinois – Chicago – Reggie’s (& Sky Academy) 02.02.2015 – Michigan – Detroit – Token Lounge 03.02.2015 – Toronto – Mod Club 04.02.2015 – Ohio – Cleveland – Agora Ballroom 05.02.2015 – Connecticut – Hartford – Infinity Hall 06.02.2015 – New Hampshire – Londonderry – Tupelo Music Hall 07.02.2015 – New York – Poughkeepsie – The Chance 08.02.2015 – New York – Manhattan – BB King’s 09.02.2015 – Virginia – Springfield – The Empire 11.02.2015 – Missouri – Kansas City – The Scene 12.02.2015 – Texas – Dallas – Trees 12.02.2015 – Texas – Houston –The Concert Pub North

VENOM REVEAL NEW TRACK "GRINDING TEETH" FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM, RELEASED VIA SPINEFARM RECORDS ON JANUARY 26th

VENOM are metal royalty and they remain as relevant as ever as they gear up to release their new album From The Very Depths on January 26th, which sounds as though Cronos and co. have crawled from the very depths of hell itself to bring you this maximum metal opus.



It's so metal that iron ore runs through every vein and ventricle. Go ahead and grind!

The album is available for pre-order available via iTunes here and Amazon here.

MELECHESH - Frontman Ashmedi explains who 'Enki' is in new trailer

Pioneers of Sumerian thrashing black metal, MELECHESH, are set to release their new album Enki on March the 2nd but who is Enki and why did the band decide to name their album after him? Well, wonder no further! The band has just posted the first trailer documenting the new release and today's clip sees frontman Ashmedi explaining the origin of the album title.



The follow-up to 2010's masterpiece ‘The Epigenesis’ marks the band's sixth full-length album and will feature iconic guests Max Cavalera (SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, KILLER BE KILLED), Sakis Tolis (ROTTING CHRIST) and Rob Caggiano (VOLBEAT, ex-ANTHRAX).

Ashmedi commented: "I am flattered and honoured to have esteemed guests appear on this multifaceted album. ‘Enki’ solicited different approaches and new experiences. Max is a lion - I love his voice and the tribal and historic parallels of our lives are uncanny, he did an amazing job on 'Lost Tribes'. Sakis is an old friend and we toured together in the past. His voice added another dimension of mysticism on our 'Enki - Divine Nature Awoken'. Rob and I always wanted to collaborate and he is an agile and excellent guitar player so the lead he did on 'The Palm, the Eye and Lapis Lazuli' was perfect , it rocks and serves the track well. They all did an outstanding job and went above and beyond to make it happen despite their busy schedules. MELECHESH is more than a band - it is a society!"

And it seems Caggiano and Cavalera are just as honoured to be involved in the project, with both musicians commenting:

"I've been a fan of MELECHESH for a while now and it was an honour for me to play a solo on their new album!! These guys sound like nothing else out there!" - Caggiano

"I was very honoured that MELECHESH asked me to sing on their new album! I'm a big fan and I think ‘The Epigenesis’ is one of the greatest extreme metal records ever done! I love the fact that they come from a different part of the world like me. So our worlds finally collide! Long live MELECHESH!" - Cavalera

ROTTING CHRIST's Sakis Tolis gushed further: "When I was told that our brother band MELECHESH would record their upcoming album in my hometown, I immediately picked up the phone and called Ashmedi to participate somehow. Ashmedi responded positively so I was ready to raise some serious hell... It is very interesting since we are sharing the same Mediterranean mentality as individuals. I believe this new album is one of the most unique and atmospheric metal albums I have heard the last years. Ashmedi took me to their majestic oriental path and showed me the way to the new Babylon. I am definitely proud working with the Kings of Fire and I really recommend to check the new MELECHESH album - it is really good!"

Enki features 12 string electric guitars aside from the 6 string played on the entire album, for a heavier and subtly richer harmonic sound. The band also tuned their instruments to the pitch perfect 432 Hz frequency, rather than the standardized 440 Hz one, for a deeper sonic experience within the human psyche and in accordance to the vibrations of the universe. The majority of the album was recorded in Greece and was mixed & mastered at Black Lounge Studio in Sweden by Jonas Kjellgren.

The tracklist reads as follows:

01. Tempest Temper Enlil Enraged 02. The Pendulum Speaks 03. Lost Tribes (featuring Max Cavalera) 04. Multiple Truths 05. Enki - Divine Nature Awoken (featuring Sakis Tolis) 06. Metatron And Man 07. The Palm The Eye And Lapis Lazuli (featuring Rob Caggiano) 08. Doorways To Irkala 09. The Outsiders

Opeth's Fredrik Akesson officially shreds

Opeth's Fredrik Akesson officially shreds! Check out the trailer for Axemen Of Sweden below. Opeth's latest album 'Pale Communion' is out now.