MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has uploaded behind-the-scenes and performance footage from the third and fourth concerts on the band's "Countdown To Extinction" 20th-anniversary tour on September 7-8 at Teatro Caupolicán in Santiago, Chile. Check out the 15-minute clip below.

MEGADETH frontman Dave Mustaine previously stated about the band's plans for the "Countdown To Extinction" anniversary celebration, "MEGADETH will be going down to South America, we're going celebrate 'Countdown To Extinction''s 20th anniversary and 'Peace Sells… But Who's Buying''s 25th anniversary, so depending on where we're at we might end up doing more than one show. We're definitely going to do 'Countdown To Extinction' in its entirety and if we get a second night, we'll probably play most of 'Peace Sells'. There's a couple of songs on there I don't really like playing anymore, but other than that, it's a fun record to play."

MEGADETH's fifth LP, "Countdown To Extinction" was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. The band's best-selling full-length CD to date, it was certified double-platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for U.S. shipments in excess of two million copies. The album also produced the band's most successful hit singles, "Symphony Of Destruction", "Sweating Bullets", "Skin O' My Teeth" and "Foreclosure Of A Dream".

San Diego, California metallers AS I LAY DYING recently completed a video for the song "A Greater Foundation" with director Drew Russ (A DAY TO REMEMBER, FALLING IN REVERSE) and producer Robby Starbuck. The performance-based clip was shot on location in Los Angeles.

"We were all impressed with Drew's ability to capture the intensity of live band performances in his videos, and 'A Greater Foundation' is no exception," explained AS I LAY DYING bassist Josh Gilbert. "Drew's technique, along with the all-day participation of some of our diehard fans in Los Angeles, definitely accentuated the energy of the song and makes for an exciting and dynamic video. We can't wait to unveil it!"

Several still photos from the "A Greater Foundation" video can be seen below.

"A Greater Foundation" is the first single from the band's sixth album, "Awakened", which will be released on September 25 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was produced by Bill Stevenson, who has played drums for both the DESCENDENTS and BLACK FLAG and is one of the most highly renowned producers in rock. His production credits include work on records by RISE AGAINST, NOFX, PROPAGANDHI, THE CASUALTIES, ANTI-FLAG and many more. The album was mixed by Colin Richardson (MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT).

The cover artwork for "Awakened" was created by Metastazis with Tiffanie Uldry and can be seen below.

AS I LAY DYING is preparing to launch a European tour with TRIVIUM, CALIBAN and UPON A BURNING BODY before returning to the U.S. in November for a nationwide tour.

"A Greater Foundation" audio sample:

Jane Van Arsdale of LocalBozo.com recently conducted an interview with ALTER BRIDGE/CREED guitarist Mark Tremonti. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

LocalBozo.com: Mark, your first solo album, "All I Was", was released back in July and was a project that was a long time coming. How much of a challenge was just finding the time to record this album with so many other projects seemingly going on at once?

Tremonti: You know, it was actually pretty easy. We had a three-month window when [ALTER BRIDGE frontman] Myles [Kennedy] was out with Slash. I had a bunch of ideas just stockpiled and stuff and figured it was a good time to get together with a couple friends and record some ideas. At first, it was just going to be a project, and once we got going with it, we got real excited about it and now we're pushing it as much as we can. I'd come on and off a tour and just knock out bit by bit every time I had a break from a tour and finally got it done.

LocalBozo.com: Can you talk a little bit about how you put this band together?

Tremonti: Well, Eric [Friedman], the other guitar player in the band, he's been a friend of mine for probably about 13 or 14 years. He's one of my best friends. I've played him just as many ideas as I've played any of the other members of my other bands. So he was the obvious choice to join the band. And then Garrett Whitlock was a drummer in his band SUBMERSED that I co-produced; I co-produced their first album years ago and he's a very accomplished drummer. Great guy. Same kind of roots as I have, musically, and he worked out great and so we were just a three-piece on the album.

LocalBozo.com: Now was the plan for you to handle the vocal work on this album all along?

Tremonti: From the get-go I decided to do the singing. Doing the solo record, I think a lot of people thought, me being a guitar player, it would be mostly a guitar-driven record. But when I'm working, most of my time is spent writing vocal melodies and writing songs. And that's what I've done all these years, so I wanted the solo record to kind of be what I'm really about which is writing these vocal melodies and now actually just singing them.

LocalBozo.com: Mark, you're kind of in a pretty unique place in that you have two viable touring acts and now you're emerging on this solo project. What's that like for you as a musician just to reflect back upon all of the success that you've had and to be in this position where you have three bands that you can tap at any given time?

Tremonti: You know, it's great. It's a little stressful sometimes, just working out the schedules between everything. It's just a lot of moving parts. But the whole point of me doing all of this was to be a songwriter and to get as many songs out as I can and it's great to have these three outlets. And I'm just happy that the first two bands — CREED and ALTER BRIDGE — have done so well and I'm very proud of both of them.

Read the entire interview at LocalBozo.com. The chat is also available in audio format.

SEVENDUST has entered Architekt Music studios in Butler, New Jersey with engineer Mike Ferretti to begin recording its ninth album for an early 2013 release.

A new two-minute clip featuring footage of the drum-recording sessions can be seen below.

SEVENDUST's latest CD, "Cold Day Memory", sold around 27,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous effort, "Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow", opened with 25,000 units back in April 2008 to land at position No. 19.

"Cold Day Memory" was released on April 20, 2010 on the band's own 7Bros. Records, through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. The CD — produced by Grammy Award winner Johnny K (DISTURBED, STAIND, 3 DOORS DOWN, PLAIN WHITE T'S) — was the group's first new album with its original lineup back together with Lowery's return after his departure in 2003.

CALL ME NO ONE — the new project featuring Lowery and SEVENDUST drummer Morgan Rose — released its debut album, "Last Parade", on June 5. The CD's first single, "Biggest Fan", was made available to purchase on iTunes on April 24.

SEVENDUST guitarist John Connolly and bassist Vince Hornsby also recently launched a new project, joining forces with CREED/ALTER BRIDGE drummer Scott Phillips in a new outfit called PROJECTED.

PROJECTED has already completed recording its debut disc, "Human", to be released September 18 on Connolly's own Yaya Papu LLC label.

Char Tupper of MetalTitans.com recently conducted an interview with Devin Townsend, Canadian multi-instrumentalist and ex-STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind, during his "Epic Kings & Idols Tour" with KATATONIA and PARADISE LOST. You can now watch the chat below.

"Epicloud", the next album from Devin Townsend to be released under the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT banner, will be issued on September 18 in North America and September 24 in Europe via InsideOut Music. The CD features a guest appearance by former THE GATHERING frontwoman and previous Devin collaborator Anneke Van Giersbergen.

"Epicloud" will be available in the following formats: standard CD jewel case; limited-edition digipack with bonus CD; double vinyl gatefold with an exclusive bonus track; and digital download on iTunes with two exclusive bonus tracks, "Cry Forever" (demo) and "Take My Ego" (demo).

Commented Devin: "This record is unique to me in that I became interested in simpler, commercial structures based on (I suppose) a reaction to [the previous the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT albums] 'Deconstruction' and 'Ghost'. I admit, it's not too far removed, but far enough to take a few people off guard, I think.

"With 'Epicloud', I wanted something catchy as the flu, but with a sentiment that is romantic, positive and beautiful. Spiritual without religion and set to heavy music.

"Again, because some structures are 'common' (but new to me), this record is my take on what a big, epic, commercial sounding record that sings about nice stuff would sound like in Dev-land. Please don't take it as a 'sell-out' move, because it truly surprised me as well and is a 'transition' between the four DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT records and my upcoming musical, 'Z2'."

The idea for "Epicloud" came about while Devin was attempting to write material for the follow-up to his 2007 "Ziltoid The Omniscient" concept album about a fictional extraterrestrial being named Ziltoid from the planet Ziltoidia 9.

Regarding the musical direction of "Epicloud", Devin told Noisecreep, "Over the course of the full record, there's sort of new agey stuff, jazzy stuff, really heavy stuff. We basically cover the gamut. 'Epicloud' is the first record that I felt confident enough to include all those things on one record so it goes between melodic hard rock to schizophrenic heavy metal to country to really ambient stuff and it's all in one place. I'm using a gospel choir, a string section and a horn section for this one as well. On [the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT album] 'Deconstruction', I got to use the Prague Philharmonic [orchestra] and really go far into making an absurd album as over the top as possible and on 'Epicloud' I'm trying to take the same advantages to make some things musically very pleasing, as opposed to just claustrophobic."

Interview:



"True North" audio stream:



"Epicloud" samples:

Metal Recusants conducted an interview with vocalist Marc Grewe of resurrected German death metallers MORGOTH at this year's edition of the Brutal Assault festival, which was held August 9-11 in Josefov, Czech Republic. You can now watch the chat below.

MORGOTH released its first-ever live album and DVD, "Cursed To Live", on June 25 via Century Media Records. The audio tracks were mixed at Unisound Studio in Sweden with Dan Swanö (OPETH, KATATONIA, DISSECTION).

"Cursed To Live" is the documentation of MORGOTH's ongoing 20th-anniversary celebration of the band's all-time classic album "Cursed" (released by Century Media Records in 1991). It was released on CD, a limited DVD+2CD as well as a limited deluxe 2LP. The live show featured on the album was recorded at the band's triumphant show headlining Way Of Darkness festival 2011, at which MORGOTH performed an extensive set of 15 songs, with the main focus on the songs off "Cursed". The cover artwork — with an intentional nod to the original "Cursed" art — was designed by the renowned artist Dirk Rudolph (RAMMSTEIN, IN EXTREMO, APOCALYPTICA), who had also created the original artwork for "Cursed" 21 years ago.

MORGOTH is:

Marc Grewe - Vocals
Harry Busse - Guitar
Sebastian Swart - Guitar
Sotirios "Soti" Kelekides - Bass
Marc Reign - Drums

Interview:



Performance:

Los Angeles cyber metallers FEAR FACTORY are preparing to release a video for the title track of their new album, "The Industrialist". The clip, which will contain footage from this past June's Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, was helmed by James Zahn, the man responsible for creating the "The Industrialist" album trailer (see below).

"The Industrialist" sold 9,300 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "Mechanize", opened with 10,000 units back in February 2010 to land at No. 72.

Released in North America on June 5 via Candlelight Records, "The Industrialist" is a conceptual record based around a story written by Burton C. Bell. Lyrics to the album's ten songs divulge the narrative as discussed recently by Bell with Decibel magazine. The album's artwork was created by American designer Anthony Clarkson with additional direction from the band. The album was made available on three formats — standard CD, a limited edition deluxe digi-book (featuring two additional songs), and 180-gram double vinyl.

FEAR FACTORY recently enlisted Matt DeVries as the band's new bass player. DeVries, previously of CHIMAIRA (where he played guitar) and most recently SIX FEET UNDER, joined FEAR FACTORY as the replacement for Byron Stroud (now with 3 INCHES OF BLOOD). FEAR FACTORY also tapped Mike Heller (MALIGNANCY, SYSTEM DIVIDE) as its new touring drummer.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

David "Gus" Griesinger of BackstageAxxess.com recently conducted an interview with original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about his plans to write a follow-up to his New York Times best seller "No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir", Ace said, "Towards the end of [writing] the ['No Regrets'] book, I finally got hold of a lot of the people I wanted to talk to and then I had the deadline, and by the time the deadline came around, a lot of the stories didn't make it into the first book. So the stuff that didn't make it into the first book is gonna be in the second book. . . [The book publishers] are not rushing me this time. They said, 'Ace, take your time. Get everything in. Don't miss a story.'"

"No Regrets: A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir", landed at position No. 10 on the New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list. The book, which is described as a look back at Ace's "life of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll," arrived on November 1, 2011 via Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

"No Regrets", which was published under Gallery's VH1 Books imprint, was co-written by New York Times journalist Joe Layden who also authored "The Last Great Fight" about what is considered by many to be the biggest upset in the history of boxing: James "Buster" Douglas' tenth-round knockout win over Mike Tyson in 1990.

Frehley performed with KISS from its inception in 1973 until his first departure in 1982 before rejoining KISS in 1996 for a very successful reunion tour. Frehley's second stint lasted until 2002 as Ace went back to being a solo artist again, but the stories and memories still remain from touring in one of rock and roll's most successful acts of all time.

Ace's latest album, "Anomaly", was released on September 15, 2009 via Ace's own Bronx Born Records, with Rocket Science providing a full label service platform in the U.S., "Anomaly" was produced and recorded in Westchester County, New York between 2007 and 2009 and was mixed in Los Angeles.

Swedish metallers SABATON have posted the first in a series of video reports from the "Swedish Empire Tour" with ELUVEITIE and WISDOM. Check it out below.

SABATON's new album, "Carolus Rex", was released on May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records. The lyrics for the CD, which was made available in both English and Swedish, deal with the Swedish Empire (referring to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721).

The band previously stated about "Carolus Rex": "For the first time ever we have had an expert to help us out with the theme, the well-known Swedish historian Bengt Liljegren. We have also added some extra time in the studio to find the absolute right sound on 'Carolus Rex', and our producer, Peter Tägtgren, says that this album will mark a brand new standard for how a heavy metal album should sound like!"

Liljegren's published works include acclaimed biographies of Adolf Hitler and Karl XII. He also appeared in the popular Swedish TV series "Boston Tea Party".

SABATON recently parted ways with guitarists Oskar Montelius and Rikard Sundén, drummer Daniel Mulback and keyboardist Daniel Mÿhr.

The band's new touring lineup is as follows:

Joakim Brodén - Vocals
Pär Sundström - Bass
Chris Rörland (NOCTURNAL RITES) - Guitar
Thobbe Englund (WINTERLONG, RAUBTIER) - Guitar
Robban Bäck (BALTIMOORE, PREY) - Drums

Mark Uricheck of The Musician's Voice recently conducted an interview with legendary guitarist Steve Vai. You can now stream the 20-minute chat using the audio player below.

Vai's new solo album of original material, "The Story Of Light", was released on August 14. The title came out on Favored Nations Entertainment, the label Vai founded in 1999. The sprawling and expressive 12-song set continues a conceptual and cosmic narrative arc that began with the artist's most recent studio release, 2005's acclaimed "Real Illusions: Reflections".

Although "The Story Of Light" is largely instrumental, the album does feature guest vocalists, including singer-songwriter Aimee Mann — dueting with Vai on "No More Amsterdam", which she also co-wrote. Beverly McClellan, a season one finalist on "The Voice", appears on "John The Revelator", a track inspired by a vintage recording of blues singer Blind Willie Johnson, whose acid-soaked vocals are in the mix as well. Other highlights include the title track (which opens the album), "Gravity Storm", "The Moon And I", and "Velorum".

Throughout, three-time Grammy-winner Vai's lead guitar is as lyrically resonant as it is technically masterful, his licks and solos bending sounds and in listeners' minds in equal measure. "The Story Of Light" follows the journey of a man driven mad by grief, intertwining tragedy, revelation, enlightenment, and redemption.

"I'm always pursuing knowledge, I'm a seeker of spiritual equilibrium-and music is a big part of that," says Vai. "I've been obsessed with these kinds of ideas for years." Looking ahead, Vai envisions a third set of songs that will unravel the mysteries and reveal truths that swirl through both 'The Story Of Light' and 'Real Illusions: Reflections'. The completed trilogy, intended to be cinematic-even operatic-in scope, will include lyrics and narration.

"The Story Of Light" is available as of today for online pre-sale orders. This special pre-sale selection of bundled packages is offered exclusively through Vai's web site, Vai.com, where complete details on the products and ordering information are available. Each package includes an instant download of a track from the new album personally selected by Vai, "Gravity Storm".

"The Story Of Light" is Vai's 16th solo effort, and the follow up to 2009's live effort, "Where The Wild Things Are". In support of its release, Vai will begin a tour of North America on August 15 in Fort Lauderdale Florida, accompanied by his band — who are also featured on the new album: Dave Weiner (guitar), Jeremy Colson (drums), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Deborah Hensen (harp, vocals, keyboards).

Interview:

Danish death metallers CROCELL have parted ways with lead singer Magnus Jørgensen and have replaced him with Asbjørn Steffensen (also in MORDAX).

Comments CROCELL guitarist Tommy Christensen: "A number of skilled vocalists auditioned, but when Asbjørn visited, we knew straight away that we had found our new guy. Asbjørn could already sing most of the songs perfectly and together CROCELL sound better than ever before. We can't wait to finish our next album with the new lineup and hopefully play a shitload of concerts."

Asbjørn will make his live debut with CROCELL on October 6 at Club Brutal in Aarhus, Denmark. Also scheduled to appear on the bill is the German band D.A.M.N.

CROCELL is putting the finishing touches on two brand new songs, which will be produced by Jacob Olsen at JBO Sound and made available for free in the near future.

CROCELL's second album, "The Wretched Eidola", was released in May 2011 via Ultimhate Records.

Melodic hard rockers DOKKEN will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline" with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday, September 19 at 8:30 p.m. PT / 11:30 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with DOKKEN by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). The show will be streamed on the "Rockline" web site for two weeks beginning the afternoon after the live broadcast.

For more information, visit RocklineRadio.com.

Frontiers Records has set a September 25 North American release date for "Broken Bones", the 11th studio album from DOKKEN. The effort will be released in two configurations: standard CD and limited-edition CD in digipak with a bonus DVD, which features a comprehensive "Making Of The Album" documentary.

"Broken Bones" was produced by DOKKEN frontman and namesake Don Dokken and was mixed by Bob St. John (EXTREME, DURAN DURAN, COLLECTIVE SOUL) and Wyn Davis (BLACK SABBATH, DIO, WHITESNAKE) and mastered by famed engineer Maor Appelbaum (HALFORD, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, SEPULTURA). The new set features a return to the band's signature sound of catchy melodies, hot riffs and monster production.

"Broken Bones" track listing:

01. Empire
02. Broken Bones
03. Best Of Me
04. Blind
05. Waterfall
06. Victim Of The Crime
07. Burning Tears
08. Today
09. For The Last Time
10. Fade Away
11. Tonight

Audio samples of all 11 tracks are now available for streaming at MelodicRock.com.

The drums for the CD were laid down at MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's The Atrium studio in Calabasas, California.

Don Dokken stated in a recent interview about the "Broken Bones" album title, "[It] is a metaphor that we all have broken bones, be it from an accident, failed relationship, or a broken heart. Everybody gets wounded as we go through life, but, as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Dokken previously described the band's new material as "very uptempo and heavy." He added, "We know our fans like the classic DOKKEN sound, and this is where our new music is headed. It's been a band of brothers doing what we love: 'music.'"

Regarding the new songs' lyrical approach, Dokken said, "I write what comes from the heart, I don't believe in writing music trying to repeat what you've already done. I understand what the fans want but as an artist I see no point in painting the same picture over and over."

The first single from "Broken Bones" will be "Empire".

The cooperation between Frontiers and DOKKEN started with the European release of the group's "Lightning Strikes Again" CD in 2007. The album marked a return to DOKKEN's signature style with melodic hooklines and blazing guitar riffs that epitomized the band's sound on such records as "Tooth And Nail", "Under Lock And Key", "Back For The Attack" and "Dysfunctional".

DOKKEN's current lineup consists of Don Dokken on lead vocals, Jon Levin on guitar, Sean McNabb on bass and Mick Brown on drums.

Photo credit: Mike Savoia

Peek From The Pit just uploaded a two-and-a-half-hour video review of this year's edition of the Tuska open-air festival, which was held June 29 - July 1 in Helsinki, Finland. In addition to some footage from the crowd, there are also interviews with the following bands:

* SAINT VITUS
* EXODUS
* INSOMNIUM
* NAPALM DEATH
* ANAAL NATHRAKH
* AMORAL
* SABATON
* FOR THE IMPERIUM
* TEXTURES
* SONATA ARCTICA
* SUICIDE SILENCE
* APOCALYPTICA
* SKELETONWITCH
* BARONESS
* OVERKILL

Check out the report below.

On September 5, Metal Maiden conducted an interview with KILL DEVIL HILL, the new band featuring legendary drummer Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, KILL DEVIL HILL) alongside Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) on bass, Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) on guitar and Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) on vocals, at 123 Pleasant Street in Morgantown, West Virginia. You can now watch the chat below.

The self-titled debut album from KILL DEVIL HILL sold around 1,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 9 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.

"Kill Devil Hill" was produced by Warren Riker, who is best known for his work with DOWN, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SUBLIME and CATHEDRAL. The effort was made available in a standard CD edition, as an iTunes digital download, and double gatefold LP.

According to Appice, KILL DEVIL HILL's sound is "like a cross between BLACK SABBATH, ALICE IN CHAINS and a little bit of LED ZEPPELIN thrown in. It's heavy, but with a lot of cool hooks and melodic overtones, too."

The members of KILL DEVIL HILL previously stated about their songwriting and recording approach, "We are going old school meets new; no sample drums here!!"

KILL DEVIL HILL is:

* Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) - Vocals
* Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) - Guitar
* Rex Brown (DOWN, PANTERA) - Bass
* Vinny Appice (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, DIO) – Drums

Interview:



"Strange" video:

Brian Gold, a DJ at XtremeMetalRadio.Net, recently conducted an interview with former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland. A few excerpts from the chat follow below.

XtremeMetalRadio.Net: The timing that Gar [Samuelson, drums] brought to MEGADETH along with his style of drumming was special. They talked about it on VH1's MEGADETH "Behind The Music" special. That he was like a praying mantis behind the drum kit.

Chris: That's so funny that you brought that up. When Gar would play the drums, his torso never moved, but his arms and legs looked like he was a spider. [laughs] He was crazy good. I can honestly say that if Gar had not talked Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman] into shortening the song "Peace Sells", I think originally it was eight minutes long, and Gar said, you know what; this is too good of a song to drag it out like this. He said, "Let's shorten the arrangement, cut it down to size and make it a single," and Dave said, "Yeah, let's do that." If Gar had not said that, and I honestly think that Dave Mustaine respected Gar's opinion on stuff, because he was the only guy in the band who Dave wouldn't mess with. He totally respected Gar and thank god that he did that, because I don't think we would be on the phone right now.

XtremeMetalRadio.Net: I think you could tell when Dave talked on the VH1 "Behind The Music" special about Gar's passing that he was shook up talking about it. When they re-mastered the "Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good" album and he dedicated it to the memory of Gar Samuelson… I thought that was awesome that he did that and it meant a lot to the old-school metal fans.

Chris: You know, I think so too. We had our… Let's put it this way: me and Dave, with David Ellefson and Gar, we were like brothers, and we fought like brothers. It was just the drugs that got in the way. That's all it was. Drugs, and when you get four guys in a room who all had pretty big egos about what they wanted to do, there is always that clash. I think that is what fueled the fire for that band. It was competing with the other guy and that added a little extra something that a lot of bands don't get.

XtremeMetalRadio.Net: There was definitely a special chemistry with not only the rhythm section, but the musicianship level was just incredible from all parts of that band.

Chris: You really have to give Dave [Mustaine] credit. Dave wrote a lot of the material. It came from his… He was fueled by hate for METALLICA, so that added that extra angst to what we were doing. It was perfect timing and like you said, the chemistry was right.

XtremeMetalRadio.Net: The next topic I want to touch on is the "Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good" album. I think "Rattlehead" had your most extensive solo play of any songs on that album. I know that Kerry King [SLAYER] not long ago picked that song to play live with MEGADETH and he has raved about your playing in that song.

Chris: I got to tell you, man, I have so many stories about Kerry King. I used to work on his guitars before I even met Dave Mustaine. He would come to my house and I would mill his guitar, put a tremolo on it, set it up for him and tune it. He was kind of like a friend who would come by and I would do some work for him. That show [MEGADETH played with SLAYER] at L'Amour [in late 1984], where the audience was kind of scaring me, he lent me his amp, because we rented amps and my amp was just terrible. I said, "Kerry, let me borrow your boost pedal because I'm not going to make it." He said, "No problem, man, just take it." As far as that record… I think we made that record in less than 10 days. Our budget was so small. Karat Faye was the producer. I didn't feel like he captured the band, but I had only been in the band for like two weeks when we made that record so I felt like I wasn't sure what was happening and I did the best that I could to make it happen. It wasn't until Randy Burns ["Peace Sells" producer] came in and we made "Peace Sells" that I think MEGADETH came into its own. Not that I'm saying that the first record wasn't a great record, because it is, I just wish Randy Burns would have been there for that record.

Scott Weiland's (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, ex-VELVET REVOLVER) business partner and touring guitarist Doug Grean has revealed via Facebook that he is working on a new Weiland Christmas song. He added, "It's the record that just won't quit!"

Weiland's Christmas album, "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year", was released in October 2011 via Rhino Records. According to a press release, the CD covers "a variety of styles including big band swing, orchestrated ballads, reggae, bossa nova and more, all delivered with surprising ease by Scott Weiland."

In a 2011 interview, Weiland stated about his reasons for releasing a Christmas album, "Um, well, why not? They're songs and renditions that I've listened to from a child all the way to my adult years. And they're very special to my heart, you know. If you last long enough in this business, you have the ability to make the kind of music you want to make. And this is something I've wanted to do for a while."

When asked how he ended up making a Christmas album, Weiland said, "We actually recorded one song over a year ago, and we decided, 'Let's make this an album.' So we recorded with a full jazz orchestra — some of the best players around. And we took a lot of time figuring out the arrangements and finding the right keys and giving some of the songs a different flavor. You've got some bossa nova, a little reggae. It was amazing to be able to sing those kinds of songs and experiment with different phrasing. Singing rock 'n' roll is a lot different than singing jazz."

STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor last year slammed Weiland, calling the STP singer a "lazy piece of shit" for recording and releasing "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year".

On Saturday (September 8), LED ZEPPELIN posted a cryptic graphic on its Facebook page that is believed to be releated to the imminent announcement of the DVD/CD release of the band's 2007 reunion for the Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert at London's O2 Arena.

An image with the number "Five" — in ZEPPELIN logo font — has sent the rumor mill into overdrive as fans speculate about its meaning.

One clue may have been offered by LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page's manager, Peter Mensch, who alluded to the upcoming release in a tweet on Saturday, writing, "it's almost here. I've seen it and heard it. almost 5 years to the day."

Mensch was more specific in a July 9 tweet when he wrote, "today, [producer/engineer Alan] Moulder continues with his stellar mixing of the O2 show. it's been 5 years coming and it's almost here."

The new LED ZEPPELIN set is rumored to consist of a double DVD accompanied by two CDs and is expected to be released in November.

An estimated nine million people applied for the 18,000 tickets to the O2 Arena show, which featured Jason Bonham taking his late father's place behind the drum kit.

In its review of the concert, NME.com wrote that LED ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant spoke little during the show, but when he did, it was mostly to pay tribute to Ertegun, who he said after first encore "Whole Lotta Love", "ran the best label in the world" in Atlantic Records.

Speaking to the Los Angeles radio station KLOS in December 2010, Jason stated about the prospect of the concert being released on DVD, "Nothing is official, as yet. I only know that because Robert had said that he'd watched it. I really do hope that it eventually will see the light of day. It's just nice to know that Robert had seen it, so I knew something, but it was nice that he rang up and said, 'Wow, it sounded great.' Fingers crossed, everybody… fingers crossed."

In an interview with U.K.'s Telegraph.co.uk, Plant was asked about ZEPPELIN's 2007 reunion concert. "I really had a wonderful time," said Plant. "It was the best LED ZEPPELIN gig since 1975."

When asked if he would do it again, Plant replied, "I don't think so. You've got to have a lot in common with the people you're working with at this time in your life. Everything has to move on and forward, in all relationships.

"I know that bands that haven't put out a record for 10 years are playing to 20,000 people a night. But that's not the achievement. The achievement is to knock yourself out. It's a very selfish thing. The tail must never wag the dog."

A few months back, radio personality and "That Metal Show" co-host Eddie Trunk tweeted, "Heard from a very reliable source backstage at AEROSMITH show that there will be some sort of LED ZEPPELIN activity around Christmas."