LIMP BIZKIT guitarist Wes Borland has commented on bandmate DJ Lethal's decision to go public with the fact that Lethal and drummer John Otto have become estranged from the band's frontman, Fred Durst, and may soon be getting the axe from the group.

In a series of tweets from March 30, DJ Lethal revealed that "Fred has plans for a 'new' LIMP BIZKIT which doesn't include John Otto or I." He added, "From what I understand, Fred doesn't approve of our lifestyle which includes partying and fun."

After a number of LIMP BIZKIT fans voiced their displeasure over the prospect of Otto and DJ Lethal being booted from the band, Borland took to his own Twitter account to defend Durst and to explain why a change in LIMP BIZKIT's lineup may be necessary in order for the group to be able to move forward.

"We are seriously trying our best to help John and Lethal, but this whole thing was something that should have stayed internal," Wes wrote earlier today (Sunday, April 1). "[DJ Lethal] should not have made this a public affair and you (the fans) should not have ever had to deal with something so personal and damaging. Making this public has caused way more damage than was necessary and now we’re faced with an even harder situation than before. You (our supporters and friends) do not have the information needed to form valid opinions on the situation and we can't give it to you…. because you'd have to have lived through it in order to understand. That being said, LIMP BIZKIT is still a functioning unit and we have no plans to stop moving forward.

"Our intentions have never been to try and divide our fans. Our only intention has been to move ahead with the parts of the band that can function together.

"All that being said, we are trying our hardest to make the best out of this situation. And none of this has been Fred's decision alone. It's been between Sam [Rivers, bass], Fred, and I and has been an ever-evolving situation. So please get off Fred's back about it, because we are together in this.

"Once again, I'm sorry for you that this was ever made public. If it hadn't [have] been, you may never have even known about it. Unfortunate.

"We weren't 'keeping a secret from fans.' We were trying to get it worked out internally, like I said."

LIMP BIZKIT recently signed a new record deal with Cash Money Records, the American hip hop label founded in 1991 by the brothers Bryan "Baby" Williams (a.k.a. Birdman) and Ronald "Slim" Williams.

Durst told Billboard.com last month that LIMP BIZKIT was working on what he called "the heaviest, most crazy metal record of all time," "The Unquestionable Truth, Part 2", which Durst said would probably be an EP.

DOWN guitarist and CROWBAR forntman Kirk Windstein has posted the following message on his Facebook page:

"I am watching the [the 47th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards on CBS-TV]...These fuckers can all sing, and hot damn, dem boys can play!!! The pop shit is a joke... Honestly, I lie awake at night trying to figure out how a person who doesn't write their tunes, and then proceeds to lip-synch everything, can be so popular. But it just goes to show how horrible the worldwide music scene truly is... Nicki Minaj couldn't hand me a pick... She's undeserving... Fuck these talentless millionaires!!!"

DOWN recently completed recording the first in a series of four EPs, to be released over the next few years (with a year between EPs), each touching on a different aspect of the band's sound. The first six-song EP, which heralds the sound of DOWN going back to its roots, with influences from BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS and WITCHFINDER GENERAL, is described by singer Philip Anselmo as "a very pure doom metal record."

CROWBAR and PRONG will join forces for a U.S. tour later this month.

CROWBAR's latest album, "Sever The Wicked Hand", sold around 3,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 4 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.

On February 24, Radio Metal conducted an interview with vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Radio Metal: Since "The Electric Age" was the first album written after [the 25th] anniversary, were you in a special state of mind while writing it?

Bobby: I don't think so, I mean it's business as usual. We have a process, we obviously enjoy it, we don't try to overthink it. I think that is really the key to success. There's something right now that we have with the band that's a very positive chemistry. I think a lot of that is due to [drummer] Ron Lipnicki. He's been the last member to join but he's been here for seven years and he brought the level of energy to a higher level. He's the new guy and he brings a higher energy. Everyone has to match that energy or otherwise you're left behind. And I think that's where we're getting our success from. Overthinking would be wrong. D.D. [Verni, bass] and I were sitting around and having a coffee and I said, "What do you think about the new record?" and I think he took a sip and said, "We are not gonna reinvent the fuckin' weel, are we?" Well, I don't think so! [laughs] So it's a very simple process for us. Get the job done, don't repeat yourself, keep the energy level high.

Radio Metal: The new album is called "The Electric Age". Is this a way to define the current state of the world?

Bobby: No, not necessarily. This is a really simple way of looking at a time period. I mean, we talked about 25 years early on in the interview, and I think that when you start talking about one period of time, you're obviously talking about an age. This is not necessarily about electric instruments, but more so about electricity. OVERKILL is synonymous with energy. I think electricity is a synonymous with energy. I think electricity is that we've been able to create between band and public that really makes it one. I think that's really one of a key of our success: we know when a room is electric, when a record is electric, we know when the energy is on a high level, and we exploit it! And that's why I think a band like us is still around for a period of 25-plus years. We know when the energy's there, and we're taking advantage of it.

Radio Metal: Whereas "Ironbound" had some epic, kind of progressive parts, this new record feels more direct and straight to the point. Was this album written in reaction of the previous one?

Bobby: Well, it's not really a reaction, since I think the record was accepted very well. Regarding "Ironbound", it took me one year to figure out what that record was all about. You can't be objective on it when it's new. It takes a while for me to even feel what we've created. I was excited around it. I think it showed many of the different elements of what OVERKILL's about. But I think that the most important element again is energy. I think that it's an aggressive energy, and I don't mean that in a negative perspective — aggressive energy can be very positive — whereas "The Electric Age" does have a positive-hype feel. We forgot our most aggressive representations, much like records that have had that feeling in the past, but with a very contemporary presentation. So I think it's rooted in what we've done, but presented with regards to what we are. Sure, there's a lot of notable differences between them, but a song like "Electric Rattlesnake" contains pretty much every element that "Ironbound" had, it's fast and it breaks down to half-speed, then it breaks down to a quarter-speed after that, with slower, more progressive-type, dreamlike vocals, great guitar parts put through them… But I do agree with you that by and large "The Electric Age" is a more straight-forward approach than the "Ironbound" record was.

Read the entire interview from Radio Metal.

WYKKED WYTCH vocalist Ipek recently conducted an interview with Richie Cavalera, the vocalist of the Phoenix, Arizona-based metal band INCITE and the stepson of SOULFLY/CAVALERA CONSPIRACY mainman Max Cavalera. The chat, which aired on the March 29, 2011 edition of "Wytching Hour" show on Metal Messiah Radio, can be streamed using the audio player below.

INCITE recently inked a deal with the Bay Area label Minus Head Records. The group is currently in the studio with producer Logan Mader (GOJIRA, SOULFLY, DEVILDRIVER) recording its new album for a late fall release.

"INCITE has a fresh take on thrash, [and] we're excited to be a part of it!" said Minus Head owner Brad Hardie.

INCITE released its debut album, "The Slaughter", in North America on October 20, 2009 and in Europe on November 2, 2009 via I Scream Records.

INCITE's current lineup is as follows:

Richie Cavalera - Vocals
Zak Sofaly - Drums
Kevin "Dis" - Guitar
Luis "Marrufo" - Bass

Richie Cavalera has made a number of guest appearances in the studio and on stage with both SOULFLY and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

INCITE will hit the road in the U.S. as the support act for SOULFLY starting on April 13 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Photo credit: Glen LaFerman

U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, will release a "rare-tracks" album with some very special gems for the fans. Entitled "Celebrator", the effort will be made available on May 4 via AFM Records.

"Celebrator" track listing:

CD 1:

01. Stormbreaker ("Rev-Raptor" Japan BONUS)
02. Tallyman (Taken from the "Rev-Raptor" recording session)
03. Run! (Remix)
04. Free Or Rebellion (bonus "Leatherhead" Single)
05. Bleeding Heart ("Dominator" Japan bonus)
06. The Silencer (Taken from the "Dominator" recording session)
07. Bodyworld (bonus "Infected" Single)
08. Systematic Madness (bonus "Infected" Single)
09. HAMMERFALL feat. Udo Dirkschneider - Head Over Heels
10. Balls To The Wall (piano version)
11. Artificialized (Taken from the "Mastercutor" recording session)
12. LORDI feat. Udo Dirkschneider - They Only Come Out At Night
13. Streets Of Sin (bonus "Wrong Side Of Midnight" single)

CD 2:

01. Tears Of A Clown ("Classical Version")
02. Man A King Ruler ("Mastercutor" Japan bonus)
03. Hardcore Lover (remix from "24/7" single)
04. Scream Killers (bonus "24/7" single)
05. U.D.O. feat. Faktor2 - Platchet Soldat (remix with national Russian artist)
06. Borderline ("Thunderball" Japan bonus)
07. U.D.O. feat. Doro - Dancing With An Angel (remix)
08. X-T-C (remix from "A Tribute To ACCEPT Vol. 2")
09. Azrael (remix from "No Limits")
10. The Key (remix from "No Limits" Japan bonus)
11. Metal Gods (from "A Tribute To Judas Priest")
12. RAVEN feat. Udo Dirkschneider - Born To Be Wild

Check out the cover artwork below.

U.D.O.'s November 16, 2011 perormance at Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, Bulgaria was professionally filmed for the band's next official live DVD, tentatively titled "Rev-Raptor Tour - Live from Sofia", for an August/September release.

U.D.O.'s latest album, "Rev-Raptor", was released on May 20, 2011 via AFM Records. The recordings for the CD took place between June 2010 and February 2011 at Roxx studios (owned by U.D.O. guitarist and ex-ACCEPT drummer Stefan Kaufmann) in Pulheim, Germany. The effort was mastered by Manfred Melchior at MM Sound Digital studios in Steinhagen, Germany. The album's cover artwork is once again a comic-like motif: but the "Dominator" character is this time "a lot more effectual and colorful," according to a press release.

Episode six of "Adults Only", the web series that features former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach as an adult video store clerk named Shifty, will air this coming Wednesday, April 4.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has posted a short "blooper" clip from "Adults Only", the web series that features him as an adult video store clerk named Shifty. Check it out below.

People can watch the web series via YouTube, and can learn more about the show and Sebastian's involvement at this location.

"Adults Only" is about a former Olympic gold medalist, who, after falling on hard times, is forced to accept a job managing his brother-in-law's adult video/novelty store.

Series description: "After winning a pair of gold medals at the 1988 Olympics, gymnast Chance Rioux became America's Sweetheart, but times change and even the shiniest of medals eventually give way to rust. Now America's Forgotten, Chance must accept a job managing his brother-in-law's adult video/novelty store in order to make ends meet, all while trying to conceal his identity from the public, particularly a new love interest who serves as the trigger in his reinvention of self."

Cast:

* Danny Nucci as Gary
* Vincent Pastore as Mitch
* Brian Austin Green as Dick
* Sebastian Bach as Shifty
* Brianna Brown as Kris
* Ronnie Marmo as Crotch
* Adrienne LaValley as Larissa
* Todd Poudrier as Chance Rioux
* Caralyne Fondulis as Janice

Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH played an acoustic version of the song "Remember Everything" for the first time last night (Saturday, March 31) at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington.

Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH ditched the usual performance footage for the "Remember Everything" video. The clip was shot over the course of three days in Los Angeles in February, with the band members taking small cameo roles in the plot-driven narrative. Singer Ivan Moody told Noisecreep, "When we first developed the concept for 'Remember Everything', we decided we didn't want the band performing in the video. There are far too many ego shots of musicians these days playing their instruments in the desert, or churches or random places, that really have nothing to do with the song itself."

The video opens in a white setting and follows a little boy as he gets older, becomes an adult and eventually joins the military. As the boy continues to grow, he uses other means to create more visuals.

"Remember Everything" comes off FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's third album, "American Capitalist", which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 chart, selling 91,000 copies in its first week of release. Both the chart and sales numbers were career highs for the group.

"American Capitalist" was released as a standard CD, and a limited-edition deluxe CD format complete with special packaging plus second disc containing a number of exclusive remixes, including one for "Under And Over It". Meanwhile, the iTunes version carries the bonus track "The Tragic Truth".









Setlist photo courtesy of RockAndMetalNewz

Video footage of the four members of KISS walking on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on March 20 from their press conference for "The Tour" at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" studios can be seen below.

KISS has completed recording its new album, "Monster", for a summer release. Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "It's A Long Way Down", "Back To The Stone Age", "Shout Mercy", "Out Of This World", "Wall Of Sound" and "Hell Or Hallelujah".

Speaking to VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner following the March 20 press conference at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California to officially announce details of KISS' summer co-headlining tour withMÖTLEY CRÜE, KISS vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley stated about the band's new CD, "'Monster' is really the culmination of everything this band has been in the past and where we're going. When we did [2009's] 'Sonic Boom', it was a big task for us because we were saying, 'How do we define who we are today without losing who we've been?' So, that was a tall order for us, but once we got that under our belts, we wanted to go back in and 'Monster' is far, far beyond anything we've done in terms of 'Sonic Boom' and yet it's right up there with some of the best stuff we've done. It's KISS."

So is there a single coming soon? Paul told VH1 Radio Network when to expect it and if it has a name.

"It should be right around the time of the tour," he said. "It does have a name but we haven't chosen it yet. I think our problem right now is that we have 13 great songs and any one of them has possibilities."

In a 2011 interview with Classic Rock magazine, Stanley stated about the band's decision to return to the studio so soon after releasing "Sonic Boom", "I wasn't interested in making an album unless I was in charge and no one agreed to it half-heartedly. The band's all there, all the time, and we cut the tracks all facing each other in the same room. Chemistry and camaraderie, that's essential. That's what made [2009's] 'Sonic Boom' so great, and this album is thunderously better."

Finnish gothic metallers TO/DIE/FOR have inked a deal with Massacre Records. The band's sixth album, "Samsara" — which was made available in Finland last December — will receive a wider European release during the summer.

"Samsara" track listing:

01. Kissing The Flames (4:49)
02. Damned Rapture (5:12)
03. Cry For Love (IGGY POP cover) (4:21)
04. Death Comes in March (3:13)
05. Folie á Deux (7:11)
06. Hail Of Bullets (4:25)
07. Love's A Sickness (5:54)
08. Raving Hearts (3:48)
09. Oblivion: Vision (6:13)
10. Someday Somewhere Somehow (6:38)

A video for the song "Hail Of Bullets" can be seen below.

Regarding the musical direction of the new material, vocalist Jape Perätalo previously stated, "[The next TO/DIE/FOR CD] is gonna be much darker compared to [2006's] 'Wounds Wide Open', but it will include some rocking ones, too."

He added, "We are not trying to create anything very 'technically nice' and very 'new'... We just record whatever the fuck we want to . . . We're gonna keep things simple but one thing is important for us... it must have real soul in it!"

TO/DIE/FOR's current lineup is as follows:

Jape Perätalo - Vocals
Juppe Sutela - Guitar
Antza Talala - Guitar
Eza Viren - Bass
Matti Huopainen - Drums
Juska Salminen – Keyboards

TO/DIE/FOR released a "best-of" collection, "Epilogue From The Past - Best Of", in January 2011 via Spinefarm Records. Included on the set was the brand new song "Angelica".

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).

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King has released the following statement regarding the passing of his longtime tech Armand Crump (pictured below):

"Holy shit. Never thought I'd be writing this.

"The world lost a great man yesterday.

"It was an incredibly rough day for me, I can't imagine what it was like for his family and Cassie [Armand's longtime girlfriend Cassandra Dines]. Needless to say, no one saw this coming.

"I thought I had a great guitar tech until the day I retire.

"Life is short. Enjoy what you have while you have it.

”I was one of the few lucky ones. I saw him Friday, played him some new SLAYER and watched him bang his head and play air guitar.

"What a great dude!! I even got what may have been his last man hug.

"Love ya, buddy."

For more musician tributes and remembrances of Crump, go to this location.

Video footage of Armand Crump taking Dunlop TV through King's live rig back in 2010 can be seen below.

Last September, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine underwent surgery for stenosis, a neck and spine condition that he says was caused by years of headbanging.

In a March 31 tweet, Mustaine offered the following update on his health: "Got my 6 mos. X-rays 3/30/12 on my neck. Totally fused, and I can FINALLY start exercising. Thank God, and thanks for your prayers."

Speaking to the Detroit Free Press in February, Mustaine stated about his surgery, "My neck is completely recovered. The surgery was a breeze. The doctor I used ... did Peyton Manning's surgery. Fortunately, my recovery time has been a lot faster than Peyton's. He was in before me and I'm out playing before him. I wish him well in his recovery."

When asked if he can still headbang, Mustaine said, "I can headbang, but I've found with the limitation of, 'Do I want to headbang or do I want to be in a wheelchair?' I kind of toned it down a little bit. There's more body parts you can move around. I mean, I'm not dancing or anything like that but I'm making the best use of it I can."

Speaking to Decibel magazine last November, Mustaine stated about his neck injury, "The way [2011's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival] ended, with me being hurt, I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how bad. Nobody knew the writing was on the wall. I pretty much thought, 'Well, I''m hurt, but I'll just take it easy, have a couple of glasses of wine. I'll get through it, get a couple of trigger point injections, get an epidural.' There were a couple of times they gave me a shot in my neck that numbed me up. I saw chiropractors and masseuses all the time. It inevitably gets to the point where you're starting to take medication, and that's never good, because if you're taking something and you never feel the pain… You saw Curt Schilling when he was playing for the Diamondbacks, and Randy Johnson; I can't remember if [Schilling] was playing for the Diamondbacks that time he had the bloody sock or if he'd gone back to Boston or not yet — [he] did some heroic feat where he had his foot put back together and he went out there and played."

He added, "I'm an athlete, as a guitar player and as an onstage persona. But as far as being a musician that has to do hurdles — I don't think most musicians, when they start playing music, think that they're going to be playing this demanding-type music that those of us who are part of the 'Big Four' and all the bands we influenced and kind of created [play]. With the advent of the headbanging — which was not my invention, by any means; I'm not like Al Gore who invented the Internet — there was that whole headbanging thing that came around, it's hurt a lot us… What is headbanging, anyway? It's kind of like chronic whiplash syndrome, isn't it?"

Veteran American death metallers DECEASED played without their drummer Eric "The Hindenburg" Mayes last night (Saturday, March 31) at the Championship Bar in Trenton, New Jersey. DECEASED frontman King Fowley doubled as the band's drummer for the gig — the first time he has assumed the dual role in almost a decade.

Fowley told Blistering.com that Mayes had to remove himself from DECEASED on a temporary basis due to an undisclosed illness.

"He's had some health issues that are being taken care of and he just can't do the show," Fowley said. "He's on different medicines but he'll be back in no time. This isn't going to affect the band going forward. It's something he's been dealing with for a while and he's been having some troubles, but he doesn't want to make a big fuss over it. The good thing is that he doesn't drink at all anymore and he's trying to quit smoking and eat much healthier foods. The dude's smoked like three packs a day for the last thirty years, so that'll be tough. It's all a process and he'll be at full strength before our next show, which is going to be May 26 with Artillery in New York." He added, "Eric will be back and better than ever in a few weeks so people don't need to worry too much."

Video footage of last night's concert can be seen below (courtesy of Metal Rules! TV).

In a recent interview with Chips And Beer magazine (issue #2), Fowley stated about DECEASED's current status, "We've got a new live guitarist in James Danzo, who replaces Matt Altieri. Matt stepped down late last year to do other things. Chris Paolino is still playing live on bass for a lot of gigs. Bassist Les Snyder just got married and is living still in Texas. Mike Smith is still on guitar for the records and Shane Fuegal is on guitar both live and studio. Eric Mayes is rocking the drums and I'm out front singing at the live gigs. We're preparing to write the new record, 'Ghostly White', and thinking about 2012 for more in-depth touring."

P.O.D. singer Sonny Sandoval will interview KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and ex-KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch on April 21 during "Day 2" of The Whosoevers' "Threat To Formalized Religion…I Am" conference in Diamond Bar, California. This will mark the first time Welch and Fieldy have shared the stage together in six years.

Formed by Sonny and Ryan Ries in 2008, The Whosoevers are a worldwide movement leading the way to reflect hope, life, and love in culture. For the event, featuring live musical performances and engaging forums, The Whosoevers have assembled a group of influential musicians and artists, along with athletes from the freestyle motocross, surf and skate worlds for their second annual free, all-ages conference.

"My favorite thing about being a part of The Whosoevers movement is gathering together with a bunch of people who are just as messed up as I am," Welch says. "One day we will get it right…LOL."

Fellow Whosoever Lacey Sturm of FLYLEAF adds, "It's awesome to be able to sit down with crazy famous rock stars, and find out that they are just 'whosoevers,' like me, with miraculous stories, like anyone else who has eyes to see the odds that we've all beaten to still be breathing."

For more information, visit www.thewhosoevers.com.

Welch abruptly quit KORN in early 2005 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."

Fieldy's 2009 memoir, "Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn", details his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction during KORN's early years and how he became a born-again Christian to help get his life together and get sober.

Mark Morton of the Heavy Metal Examiner recently conducted an interview with drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz of Florida death metal veterans CANNIBAL CORPSE. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Heavy Metal Examiner: When I first listened to "Torture", I was floored by how youthful and energized the band sounds. Can you explain to me how CANNIBAL CORPSE is retaining its freshness after all these years?

Paul: It's a tough one to figure out, man. I think it has something to do that we've always loved what we do; the music is always aggressive, of course. But I know exactly what you mean. When we started writing these songs, they just came together so well. And these old-school tempos, which we haven't really used much lately, we also started to bring back. I don't know if it was a conscious effort beyond our desire to write some really great songs. First and foremost, it's about having a catchy, brutal song. But the more I think about it, I think that Rob [Barrett, guitar] and Pat [O'Brien, guitar] really contributed moreso than they have in a while; especially Rob, who wrote three songs for this new record (every record he's been on prior to this, he'd only written one per album). I think he really came into his own as a CANNIBAL songwriter with these three songs. And with Pat, who has contributed and collaborated a lot over the years, the four songs he wrote for "Torture" I think are arguably the best songs he's ever written. The things these guys came up with really helped us create a more diverse record. I'm just glad it's happening, and I think CANNIBAL fans will be really happy with it.

Heavy Metal Examiner: At what point did you notice that the game had changed for you? What I mean is, CANNIBAL CORPSE was on the vanguard of the whole gore/death metal genre, but there came a point where the infatuation with gore became almost comical and less menacing. And somewhere along the line, you recognized that and seemed to mature musically.

Paul: I know exactly what you're talking about. I think really, ever since "The Bleeding", we've began to evolve into what is now the "modern CANNIBAL sound." Even though all our CDs are CANNIBAL CDs and you can tell them all apart, I don't think it was until "The Bleeding" that we began to refine our songwriting and our musicianship. And we decided to keep moving up from that point on. There have been bands that have come and gone, and trends and fads, and certain styles that have come and gone, and we actually really try to stay true to where we started — as a brutal death metal band. We've been lucky that the older we got, the more attention we paid to what we were doing, and even more luckily, we are still writing records that the fans continue to love.

Read the entire interview from Heavy Metal Examiner.

John Doan of MusicFrenzy.net recently conducted an interview with ADLER, the new band led by former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler. You can now listen to the chat in four parts below.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:



ADLER will release its debut single, "The One That You Hated", via iTunes on April 10.

The cover for the single, which was created by the band's guitarist, Lonny Paul, can be seen below.

ADLER will film a video for "The One That You Hated" next week in the Los Angeles area.

In addition to Steven and Lonny, ADLER features Jacob Bunton (LYNAM, MARS ELECTRIC) on vocals/guitar. The group has been recording its debut album in Los Angeles with producers Jeff Pilson (former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER/TOOTH AND NAIL bassist) and Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, ADRENALINE MOB).

ADLER's CD will feature guest appearances by ROB ZOMBIE/ex-MARILYN MANSON guitarist John 5 and Steven's former GUNS N' ROSES bandmate Slash (guitar).

"I love the music that we're creating!" states Adler. "I haven't been this excited about my band since the GN'R days. Jacob is exactly the singer I have been searching for. He has an amazing range and is a great writer and frontman. Lonny is an amazing guitarist and songwriter and the vibe is amazing!" He added, "I'm so excited for everyone to hear this record!"

Steven spent the past several years touring and recording with ADLER'S APPETITE, which played original material alongside cover versions of songs from GUNS' classic debut album, "Appetite For Destruction".

In 2010, Adler collaborated with Slash on the latter's self-titled debut solo album. He appeared on the track "Baby Can't Drive", along with RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS bassist Flea, Alice Cooper and Nicole Scherzinger. The song was featured on an expanded edition of the album released by Classic Rock magazine.

Adler, Slash, bassist Duff McKagan, singer Axl Rose and guitarist Izzy Stradlin will all be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next month in Cleveland, along with later GUNS N' ROSES members, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and drummer Matt Sorum.

Swedish metallers TAD MOROSE have announced the addition of guitarist Kenneth Jonsson to the group's ranks.

Commented TAD MOROSE guitarist Christer "Krunt" Andersson: "Kenneth is a very talented guitar player. Some of you probably already heard of him from bands such as TORCH and THE CITADELL.

"We have been searching for another guitar player since Markus left the band and we are really pleased with Kenneth.

"We will play the first show with Kenneth at Tuppenz in our hometown of Bollnäs, Sweden on Friday the 6th of April. This show will also include CIBOLA JUNCTION and a suprise headliner!

"The new album, 'Revenant', is soon completed! Finally!!!!!

"TAD MOROSE will also play at the Swordbrothers Festival in Germany on September 8th.

"We are really, really looking forward to get on the stage again! ....and last but not least, to get that album out!!!! When that is done, we will have a release party where I will celebrate until it hurts!!! Anyone dare to join?

Added Kenneth: "It's an honor to be a part of TAD MOROSE and I'd like to thank the guys in TAD MOROSE for giving me the opportunity. I've been listening to the band since the '90s and have always thought that they where one of the best heavy/power metal band out there. The decision for me to make was even easier after listening to the new TAD MOROSE songs for the upcoming album, 'Revenant'! This is truly going to be a blast and I hope to see all of you fans out on the tour!"

TAD MOROSE 2012 is:

Christer "Krunt" Andersson (Guitar)
Peter Morén (Drums)
Ronny Hemlin (Vocals)
Tommi Karpanen (Bass)
Kenneth Jonsson (Guitar)

TAD MOROSE in August 2008 announced the addition of singer Ronny Hemlin (STEEL ATTACK) and bassist Tommi Karpanen (ex-MORGANA LEFAY) to the group's ranks.

The band's last album, "Modus Vivendi", came out in 2003.

Metal Sickness conducted an interview with with drummer Stix Zadinia of Los Angeles glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER before the band's March 25 concert in Paris, France. You can now watch the chat below.

STEEL PANTHER's sophomore album, "Balls Out", sold nearly 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on November 1 via Universal Republic Records, the follow-up to 2009's "Feel The Steel" contains 14 soon-to-be classics such as "Just Like Tiger Woods", "Gold Digging Whore" and "Weenie Ride". The album also features cameos by Dane Cook on the album opener "In The Future" and NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger and EXTREME axeman Nuno Bettencourt show up on an instant classic "It Won't Suck Itself". "Balls Out" was produced by Grammy-nominated producer/mixer Jay Ruston who produced the band's "Feel The Steel" debut and is known for his work with ANTHRAX, MEAT LOAF, THE DONNAS and MORRISSEY, to name a few.

STEEL PANTHER is Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitar), Lexxi Foxx (bass) and Stix Zadinia (drums).

Swedish death metallers EVOCATION have entered IF Studios, the IN FLAMES-owned facility in Gothenburg, Sweden, with producer Roberto Laghi (IN FLAMES, SONIC SYNDICATE, HARDCORE SUPERSTAR) to begin recording their fourth album for a late 2012 release via the band's new label home, Century Media Records.

Commented the band: "Janne [K. Bodén, drums] has been extremely efficient as usual. 10 tracks are already laid down after two days of work. The sound is very impressive, to say the least! Producer Roberto Laghi has set an sound that is overwhelming."

Video footage from the studio can be seen at this location.

In addition, Century Media will issue a compilation of EVOCATION's entire demo discography, plus additional footage, comments, liner notes, exclusive artwork and unreleased songs. A summer 2012 release is expected.

EVOCATION's third album, "Apocalyptic", was released on October 29, 2010 via Cyclone Empire Records.

KEN MODE was honored in the "Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year" category at this year's Juno Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards), which is being held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 26 - April 1.

This new category is an award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the Canadian recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position. Eligible albums include metal, metalcore, hardcore, heavy rock, thrash metal, death metal and their respective sub-genres including (but not limited to) nu-metal, power metal, grindcore, extreme metal, industrial metal, viking metal, folk metal, doom metal, gothic metal, speed metal, and sludge metal.

"Metal/Hard Music Album Of The Year" nominees were as follows:

* ANVIL - Juggernaut of Justice (The End/Sony)
* CAULDRON - Burning Fortune (Earache/eOne)
* FUCK THE FACTS - Die Miserable (Relapse/eOne)
* KEN MODE - Venerable (Profound Lore/Sonic Unyon)
* DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT - Deconstruction (HevyDevy/eOne)

Jesse Matthewson of KEN MODE told The Canadian Press that he was surprised when he first saw that his band was nominated for this year's award. "I thought, well, that's kind of cool, but I didn't really take it that seriously because I just assumed it'd be treated more like the Grammys where it's only the very, very big bands that could ever have a hope in hell of getting nominated. And then when I saw the list and it's like ... what is going on here?"

He added, "With a lot of quote unquote 'normal' people, that sort of thing really excites them — it's almost like we're a legitimate band now. (My parents') friends are like: 'Wow, they're like, really talented, aren't they?"'

"It's nice that Canada's finally waking up to appreciate some of the darker arts," he said. "It's cool that hopefully we'll start getting more recognition on a grander scale."

For more information about Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences (CARAS) and the Juno Awards, go to www.junoawards.ca.

KEN MODE is a name synonymous with the Canadian hardcore and metal scenes. The band has effortlessly blended Amphetamine Reptile-styled noise rock with pure hardcore fury to become one of the Canada's most crushing acts. In the process, it has built a reputation for itself through its unique brand of metallic noise rock as well as touring with musical titans such as MASTODON, PELICAN, CURSED, PROPAGHANDI, BARONESS and more. Now KEN MODE is back once again with a plan to conquer the aggressive music scene and establish iself as the leaders of innovative and aggressive music.

KEN MODE's "Venerable" was released in March 2011 via Profound Lore Records. The CD was produced by Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE, TRAP THEM, TORCHE) at Godcity Studios and was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side.

"Venerable" features 10 tracks that blur the lines between raw sonic energy and introspective, melodic moments. Songs like "Batholith" and "Book of Muscle" raise the bar for hardcore standards a little higher while "A Wicked Pike" pays homage to bands like THE JESUS LIZARD with spastic noise rock elements and "Flight of the Echo Hawk" (a tribute to David Kelly from KITTENS) is an instrumental masterpiece that will certainly play well for fans of ISIS, PELICAN, JESU, etc.

The spectacular cover art for "Venerable" features imagery by Julie Anne Mann and layout by Josh Graham (SOUNDGARDEN, NEUROSIS, A STORM OF LIGHT).

"Venerable" track listing:

01. The Book Of Muscle
02. Obeying The Iron Will
03. Batholith
04. The Irate Lumberjack
05. A Wicked Pike
06. Flight Of The Echo Hawk
07. Never Was
08. The Ugliest Happy You've Ever Seen
09. Terrify The Animals
10. Mako Shark

"Obeying The Iron Will" audio stream:



For more information, visit www.facebook.com/kenmode.

Total Guitar, Europe's best-selling guitar magazine, caught up with DREAM THEATER's John Petrucci and PERIPHERY founder Misha Mansoor at the bands' landmark Wembley Arena show in London to talk guitar for a cover feature in the publication's April issue. An excerpt from the story follows below.

Total Guitar: How does it feel that such ambitious music is selling out Wembley?

Misha Mansoor: "Well, it's not our music: it's his! We're not selling out a damn thing!"

John Petrucci: "It's great. I still remember our first time coming to London to play the Marquee. Growing up as a kid, it was 10 of us raving about the new RUSH album and way into progressive music, but that pocket of kids was as far as it went. Now it's still pockets of kids, but it's all out there on the Internet. I always felt there was an audience for this music in the world, it was just a matter of tapping into it."

Misha Mansoor: "DREAM THEATER, I think, are one of the last bands who'll be able to play music on this level. There's so much competition, so many bands, all accessible within seconds on YouTube and Facebook... it's created an even playing field, but there's less money to go around. I feel lucky to witness this kind of a tour, even as an opener. It's tough right now."

Total Guitar: What do you think of each other's technique and sound?

Misha Mansoor: "[deadpan] I think his sucks."

John Petrucci: "I'm working on it. I love Misha's sound. It has aggression, but there's clarity and it has a personality: it sounds like your tone is talking. You know, PERIPHERY has a sound, and I'll show my age here, but I have two 16-year-olds and their buddies are so into his style. It's like you've started off a new generation. They'll say to me, 'Why can't you play something like that?'"

Misha Mansoor: "Ah, you're making me cry here! When I was 17, I decided that I needed to become John Petrucci. I'm not joking. Until that point, it was just powerchords, but then I went out and bought a Petrucci seven-string and learned as much DREAM THEATER as humanly possible. I realized really fast that it was not gonna happen. The hardest part was the alternate picking. I've always been rubbish at alternate picking! That was definitely a challenge. This is the master; you can hear the pick attack on every note and it's always locked in perfectly. More abstract was that it seemed every note was perfectly chosen. I've never been impressed with shredders. Y'know, people who turn it into a sport..."

John Petrucci: "It's just wankery."

Misha Mansoor: "Pure guitar wankery. That's a good British word. We're trying here, us Americans!"

The full interview with John and Misha features in Total Guitar issue 226, along with an exclusive lesson from John Petrucci.

You can buy the digital edition via iTunes and Zinio.

* iTunes (U.S. readers)
* iTunes (U.K. readers)
* Zinio

LIMP BIZKIT's DJ Lethal has revealed via Twitter that he and drummer John Otto have become estranged from the band's frontman, Fred Durst, and may soon be getting the axe from the group. In a series of tweets from March 30, DJ Lethal wrote, "So far the only news I've heard is that Fred has plans for a 'new' LIMP BIZKIT which doesn't include John Otto or I. I'm hoping for the best.

"From what I understand, Fred doesn't approve of our lifestyle which includes partying and fun. I don't want to cause drama. It's unfair.

"I've tried to reach out and make things better. But Fred seems to have made up his mind. Bands fight and argue all the time. [I] just don't get it.

"This is not an April Fool's joke, unfortunately.

"I love being in LIMP; it's been my life for 15 years. A lot of good people and good times.

"I'm not going to whine about it. I just had to vent because it's pretty sad. And had to address all the fans that a going to a 1/2 BIZKIT show."

TMZ.com has since reached out to DJ Lethal, who told the site, "We've worked together the last four years to bring LIMP BIZKIT back to where it is today ... and to just be thrown out on the street after the band gets a new deal and a new chance at life isn't cool."

He added, "You can't push away the people who helped you get there. The fans should know that if two-fifths of the original band are not playing at the concerts, it won't be truthful to them."

LIMP BIZKIT recently signed a new record deal with Cash Money Records, the American hip hop label founded in 1991 by the brothers Bryan "Baby" Williams (a.k.a. Birdman) and Ronald "Slim" Williams.

Durst told Billboard.com last month that LIMP BIZKIT was working on what he called "the heaviest, most crazy metal record of all time," "The Unquestionable Truth, Part 2", which Durst said would probably be an EP.

Guitarist Oz Fox of Christian hard rockers STRYPER has announced the launch of his new guitar-lessons web site, SirOzAcademy.com.

Many online guitar resources are great for beginners, but lacking for other guitarists, not SirOzAcademy.com. SirOzAcademy.com is online guitar school that teaches electric guitar techniques using videos lessons taught by Fox.

Oz will teach you proper theory, modes, licks, scales and pattern techniques that he's used and taught for years.

At SirOzAcademy.com, you will gain proper skill and techniques that will assist you achieving a whole new level of playing ability.

Subscribe online at SirOzAcademy.com and pay monthly or annually. Subscriptions start at $10.99 a month.

Guitar instructional videos are added regularly, including lessons and tutorials on how to tune the guitar, guitar scales, picking techniques, guitar chords, gear talk and so much more. There are even special guest videos in the library that include techniques from other players such as Howie Simon (ALCATRAZZ) and Paul Jackson (BLOODGOOD). With over 50 videos in the library, there is something for everybody, regardless of your skill level.

Blake Hayes, the afternoon drive on-air personality on Houston's Mix 96-5 radio station, conducted an interview with Bret Michaels prior to the POISON singer's March 29 concert at the House Of Blues in Houston. You can now listen to the chat using the audio player below.



As previously reported, Bret told RollingStone.com that his new solo CD, "Get Your Rock On", will include guest appearances by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, MY DARKEST DAYS axeman Sal Costa, Jimmy Buffett and country singer Loretta Lynn.

"Loretta Lynn and I are gonna redo [POISON's] 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' together," Bret told RollingStone.com. "And, for me, growing up in a family that my father loved country music and 'Coal Miner's Daughter', this is gonna be a really awesome time."

He added, "The song 'Get Your Rock On' has Phil Collen playing guitar with me and it also has Sal Costa from MY DARKEST DAYS — [a] really, really good guitar player and good friend. Jimmy Buffet and I did a live version of 'Margaritaville' together."

Michaels said the two duets, with Lynn and Buffett, will be "two bonus tracks." And of the rest of the record he said, "It is just straight-up in-your-face rock and roll."

In a brand new interview with Billboard.com, AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new album, which is tentatively due this summer.

AEROSMITH began work on its first all-new album since 2001 last year, with the rest of the band working on music while singer Steven Tyler made his "American Idol" debut.

The CD is being helmed by producer Jack Douglas, who previously worked with AEROSMITH on classic early albums like "Toys In The Attic" and "Rocks" as well as on 2004's "Honkin' On Bobo".

"This record is different from the recent past, say the last 20 years, where everybody is getting in the studio and throwing down their songs," Perry said. "Some of the songs are completed and some are just riffs. This record is a lot more band-written stuff than there has been in the recent past.

"We probably have two songs to write to finish. Or certainly there are slots to fill. We don't sit there and listen to the songs as a bunch. First time we did that was two weeks ago. The record company came in and wanted to hear what's happening and that gave us a chance to listen to everything as a bunch. We get a sense of where we're at and we'll do that again very soon."

AEROSMITH is currently mixing a reworked version of its 1991 outtake "Legendary Child" (originally written during the "Get A Grip" sessions) for inclusion in the upcoming summer film "GI Joe: Retaliation" (which arrives in theaters around the U.S. on June 29).

AEROSMITH's "The Global Warming" tour will kick it off on June 16 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota and wrap up on August 8 in Tacoma, Washington.

"This tour, in addition to a couple songs we know we're going to play from the new record, we want to bring out songs we just haven't played for years," Perry told Billboard.com. "We'll be playing some of those -- songs that were staples in the sets back in the old days that will be new songs to a lot of people if they don't know the albums."

Italy's grind demons CRIPPLE BASTARDS will release a brand new seven-inch EP, "Senza Impronte", featuring their fastest, most aggressive and pissed off material to date. Due on April 24, the limited-edition EP is band's first recording for new label Relapse Records.

A brand new CRIPPLE BASTARDS track, taken from the forthcoming EP, is currently available for streaming via the official Relapse Podcast.

For more information, visit Relapse.com.

Reactivated classic early '80s metal band OBSESSION has inked a deal with Inner Wound Recordings for the release of its long-awaited new album, "Order Of Chaos". The CD will be made available later in the year.

The group's current lineup is as follows:

Michael Vescera - Vocals
John Bruno - Guitar
Scott Boland - Guitar
Chris McCarvill - Bass
BJ Zampa – Drums

Video footage of the OBSESSION performing the song "Scarred For Life" at the 2010 edition of the Keep It True XIII festival, which was held April 23-24, 2010 at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, can be viewed below.

The band's 2006 CD, "Carnival of Lies", was re-released through Mausoleum Records on February 12, 2008. This reissue featured new artwork and the bonus tracks "Panic In The Streets" (previously only available on the Avalon release in Japan) and "Judas". The album's title track featured Swedish guitar sensation Robert Marcello (DANGER DANGER, IRONHORSE) and Boston based neo-classical shred-god Joe Stump (REIGN OF TERROR).

OBSESSION gained success in the late '80s with the release of a four-song EP, 1984's "Marshall Law" (Metal Blade Records), two LPs (1986's "Scarred For Life" and 1987's "Methods Of Madness", both for Enigma/Capitol Records), and an MTV "Headbanger's Ball"-aired video for "For the Love of Money", from "Methods of Madness".

OBSESSION's original lineup featured Michael and Jay along with Bruce Vitale, Art Maco (guitar, retired) and Matt Karagus (bass, retired).