Finland-based HUKUTUS’ Koitus demo is out now.

ALPHASTATE’s The Grind shall be released through Sliptrick Records on April 3rd.

Greece-based band DEAD SOUTH DEALERS has issued a first full-length album, Walk Through the Line, on Sliptrick Records. The band is compared to BLACK SABBATH and CLUTCH.

CANDLEMASS has a game and its soundtrack called House Of Doom.

WARRIOR SOUL has announced April and May tour dates in Europe. The dates are in support of the new album Back On The Lash, which was released on December 1st through Livewire/Cargo Records UK.

CREMATORY's drummer Markus Jüllich has a post on the band’s page imploring fans to buy physical media and concert tickets or the goth rockers may be over. The band’s record and ticket sales are abysmal. CREMATORY will release Oblivion this month.

RUSTY NAILS’s Seasons Of Hatred album is out through Sliptrick Records. The album’s opening song is Years Of Rage. Its lyrics are a tribute to George Orwell’s 1984.

The heavy metal band THE KRAKKENSPIT has a demo called Fear My Name.

RIOT V and PRIMAL FEAR will tour Europe in October.

OPPROBRIUM’S Supernatural Death is being reissued by Brutal Records this summer.

Halfway through its European tour with RHAPSODY, Romania-based female fronted melodic rock/metal band SCARLET AURA is confirmed for a string of North American dates with band ANGRA for September.

Rockshots Records has signed Greece-based SENSE OF FEAR. The band is releasing its debut album As The Ages Passing By… on April 20th.

Sweden-based metal band HEXED issued its debut album Netherworld through ViciSolum Productions on March 30th.

WHITESNAKE will release an album called Flesh & Blood through Frontiers Music in July.

Inspired by KEEL? ROCK GODDESS’ imprint Bite You To Death Records will issue the band’s This Time demo later this year.

From the man who would put his face on a urinal cake (https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/now-you-can-pee-on-gene-simmons-face-210060): Following receiving $10 million in shares Gene Simmons of KISS has an awakening regarding cannabis and becomes a marketing and branding face for Canadian cannabis company Invictus. The man has denounced narcotics and alcohol all his life. He had also praised US troops as heroes while no one in his extended family would enlist, bashed alcohol while serving it at his restaurants and famously married his girlfriend following an allegation of extramarital sex when a secret camera recording surfaced when for years he had mocked the concept of marriage.

DEVIL'S FORCE, the solo project of HELLTRAIN frontman Pierre Törnkvist, has uploaded a song to YouTube called Cold Hard Steel.

Germany-based neoclassical heavy metal band MICHAEL SCHINKEL'S ETERNAL FLAME, has signed a multi-album deal with ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. MICHAEL SCHINKEL'S ETERNAL FLAME’s third album Smoke On The Mountain includes 13 tracks and will be out on May 18th. Smoke On The Mountain features Mark Boals (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and RING OF FIRE) and Göran Edman (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and JOHN NORUM) on vocals.

Heavy rock band/man PROFESSOR BLACK has a debut EP called You Bastard! Through Ektro on the 4th of May.

Released through Stygian Crypt Productions on March 15th, Blood Of The Dragon is a double album by THERION. Disc one features rare cover versions of bands like METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD, JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and THIN LIZZY recorded by the band as bonus tracks or for compilations. The second disc of this collection features sixteen bands offering versions of THERION tracks.

THE BLACK SWAMP’s Witches demo is out now.

Norway-based metal group BLOOD MOON HYSTERIA has a new EP, entitled My Sacrifice, through Wormholedeath on the 13th of April. It follows the Crimson Sky release of 2016.

JUDAS PRIEST's Firepower has landed at position number 5 on the U.K. albums charts. The band’s 1980 alum British Steel had landed at number four. Glenn Tipton joined the band on stage in New jersey, USA for the group’s encore of three songs on March 20th.

The debut EP of HAMMERSTROKE, called Satan's Claw, was issued through DocRock Music Records in February.

Edmonton, Canada-based band STRIKER has been nominated for a Juno Award for the Metal/Hard Music Album of The Year for its 2017 self-titled demo, which was released through its imprint Record Breaking Records. The 2018 Juno Awards will be held in Vancouver on March 25th.

USA-based power metal band REVERENCE has signed a multi-album deal for Europe with ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. REVERENCE is working on a live CD and writing a new full-length studio album for release later this year.

ANGEL OF MERCY’s The Avatar is being reissued as a double-CD package through Shadow Kingdom on June 1.

Spider Rock Promotion has re-mastered By The Seed Of The Same God demo by WINDSEEKER for a digital release. The demo was recorded in 2003, but the group disbanded after its release. The band is interested in a reformation contingent on feedback on this release.

Almost two years after original release BON JOVI's 'This House Is Not For Sale landed again at position number one of the US charts due to a bundling of the disc with concert tickets.

LORDI will release a new album, called Sexorcism, through AFM on May 25th.

ARMORED SAINT will embark on a North American tour commemorating the Symbol Of Salvation album of 1991 this summer.

BLACK SABBATH’s The End DVD is out through Eagle Vision/Universal Music Group. It was mainly shot at the Genting Arena in Birmingham, UK.

Former MÖTLEY CRUE drummer Tommy Lee and his 21-year-old son Brandon got into an altercation, at the former’s house, which left them knocked out and livid. The son blamed dad’s alcoholism later. Tommy has called in the cops. Tommy’s ex-wife Pamela Anderson has landed on the son’s side.

Guitarist Michael Grant was fired from L.A. GUNS and will focus on MICHAEL GRANT & THE ASSASSINS. The man later claimed it was all a surprise to him. The band had issued a statement claiming the man had quit. The Made In Milan DVD has been released through Frontiers. The band has recruited Johnny Monaco of ENUFF Z'NUFF.

Texas, USA-based CRIMSON DEVILS has just self-released its debut demo, A Taste For Blood.

PRAYING MANTIS will release a new album, entitled Gravity, through Frontiers on May 11th.

April 2018 will see the release of the new STORMZONE album Lucifer's Factory through Metal Nations. The band that incorporates Celtic influences believes it was an honour to be the backing band for LYNCH MOB’s European tour.

SKELETOON is working on an album called They Never Say Die, a concept album based on The Goonies. The band is trying to finance it from the fans, but claims to still be on Revalve Records. The band has a web series on its website where fans can vote on the storyline.

LYNCH MOB has recruited former BLONZ singer Nathan Utz following the most recent departure of Oni Logan.

The return of Dwell Records? Yet another covers’ CD is on the way. Diamonds Prod. is working with Wild Steel, the vocalist of Italian band SHADOWS OF STEEL and other musicians, on an album tribute to Ronnie James Dio. The project is called Rock’N’Roll Children.

USA-based hard rock band BULLETS AND OCTANE has announced the release of an album called Waking Up Dead, due through Bad MoFo Records/Cargo Records UK on May 25th worldwide.

PRETTY MAIDS was to shoot a DVD in Zlin, Czech Republic playing the entire Future World album of 1987. The band had aimed to this last year. A DVD was then due this autumn. The band was also aiming for a new album in 2019, but singer Ronnie Atkins sustained a hit to his head and was hospitalized in Switzerland. All plans and postponed now. The band cancelled the tail-end of its tour.

UK-based doom band BONG has an album called Thought and Existence through Ritual Productions on May 4th.

Iron Bonehead Productions is issuing ADVERSVM's debut album, Aion Sitra Ahra, on CD and vinyl LP formats in May. The Germany-based band plays funeral doom. ADVERSVM are a German funeral doom founded in 2015 by S.B. (vocals, guitars, bass).

Joe Perry of AEROSMITH has booked three shows in support of the Sweetzerland Manifesto solo album. Dubbed Joe Perry And Friends the live crew includes Brad Whitford and Gary Cherone. AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler has announced a tour of North America and Europe for this summer. The band LOVING MARY BAND is his backing group.

The remaining members of MR. BIG will play a tribute concert to their dead drummer Pat Torpey — who died due to Parkinson's disease on February 7 — at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California on May 23rd.

Spain-based heavy metal band EVIL HUNTER is a new band formed by musicians from renowned bands like WARCRY, LORDS OF BLACK, CHICANOS, NOVA ERA, NIGHTFEAR, ALIEN ROCKIN' EXPLOSION, etc. The band has signed a deal with Fighter Records for the release of its debut album Evil Hunter on April 10th.

Metalocalypstick is a Western Canadian festival covering women in metal, punk and rock. It has announced its 2018 line-up, which is being hosted in Lone Butte, BC, Canada at the Lone Butte Community Centre during Canada Day weekend June 30th and July 1st. This year's 2018 line-up features headliners CABRAKAAN, DELDESIERTO, KOSM, OBSIDIAN and more.

A Brazil-based band called HEROES OF WAR has a release called Saints And Sinners, which pays tribute to murderers, killers and soldiers. No word on whether the band is breaking up as members join the army.

KEEL frontman RON KEEL will have his 2014 solo album Metal Cowboy re-released as Metal Cowboy: Reloaded through EMP Outlaw/EMP Label Group on April 6th in Europe. The songs are remixed and remastered.

SACRO ORDINE’s Heavy Metal Thunderpicking album is out through Sliptrick Records.

Of Gold And Guns demo by Italy-based band SPELLBLAST is out now. The demo’s theme revolves around various American killers, murderers and thugs.

TNT will release a new album, entitled XIII, on through Frontiers in June. The band’s latest singer is one Baol Bardot Bulsara.

While The Wheels Still Turn by Australia-based GREYSTONE CANYON was issued on Rockshots Records.

UK-based MONUMENT is confirmed for the Bang Your Head!!! Festival 2018, which will take place July 12th - 14th in Balingen, Germany.

20th Century Music will release WICKED WITCH's Wicked Witch Of Boston on April 27. The act features members of METAL CHURCH and SAVATAGE.

DIVINE ERA’s Scripture Codes Summon Suicidal Thoughts demo is out now. The Los Angeles-based tattooed Japanese has credits with Kalen Chase (VIMIC) and Aaron Nordstrom (GEMINI SYNDROME) in THE CHANGING and replaced Japanese-American guitarist Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE) in MANDY LION’S WWIII.

VOIVOD is issuing a new album through Century Media this autumn.

Stupid trend alert: The attack of “prog” and “progressive” bands continues this month. Every publicist is exclusively working with this style of bands.

Stupid trend alert II: Coming on strong this month as a challenger “post-metal” and “post black metal.” Our delete button thanks you!

METAPRISM - CATALYST TO AWAKENING
Theresa Smith and Joey Draper provide dual vocals for this British (Bournemouth) band that was founded in 2012 by guitarist Ollie Roberts. The initial impression of the opener is a sound not far from an Amaranthe or a heavier Evanescence. Somewhat chunky or thick riffs are given melody with a few solos, Smith and the clean vocals, so called harsh vocals are thrown in as well. The catchy moments reside mostly in the vocal and chorus departments and often the instruments fail to deliver a very sound. The vocals extend their range on a song like Incarcerate. By the fifth song, Anomalous I: Illogical Era, it seems the band does make some effort to up the heavy quotient but in modern metal terms nothing really lasts and unsurprisingly a change of pace derails all full metal sections. The songs may have variation within them but they are not that distinguishable. Aftermath is a sort of a ballad and starts acoustically and therefore stands out more. Timo Somers of Delain fame appears on Anomalous II: Ghost Of Asylum to add another guitar dimension. www.metaprism.co.uk for more about the band. – Anna Tergel

MORVIGOR - TYRANT
Tyrant is the second release of this Dutch band, following 2014's A Tale of Suffering. The quintet was formed in 2011. Following the foreboding two minutes Intro the seven minutes long No Repentance dives in with a sound ala a heavy black metal song. There is something that some listeners might classify as modern or melodic but it is certainly not the clichéd folk or synthesizers. It is perhaps something akin to parts of Mayhem, Satyricon and Celtic Frost. The Martyr's Ascension is nine minutes long and starts atmospherically, again no sign of synthesizers here but just a slow mood setting composition, the pace and momentum seems to pick up and the heaviness finds its way in. Morvigor manage to turn The Martyr's Ascension into a black metal song and throw in progressive sounds too. A two and a half minutes long Interlude brings rain, church bell and other sounds before the almost 16 minutes long Blood Of The Pelicans. Starting off with a Voivod Tribal Convictions type way the song certainly has lots of time to move through layers and it is admirable that the band try to avoid clichés. Experimental or progressive elements created within the same realm that the aforementioned Canadians explored work much better than overdone clean vocals or random extra instruments thrown in for their own sake. The heavy and speedy sections are not missing at all. Voices is yet another short intermission (Testimony Of The Ancients anyone?) The title track breaks the pseudo silence with heavy riffing and aggressive vocals courtesy of Jesse Peetoom, a few verses of almost clean vocals included. The song slows for most of its second half and is a bit on the underwhelming side when it does so. Unsurprisingly there is an Outro here, a piano (played by Geert Omta) dominated two minutes long one.
Head to www.morvigor.nl for a well composed 47 minutes. – Anna Tergel

VANTABLACK WARSHIP – ABRASIVE PULMONIC SPEAK
This Quebec, Canada quintet 'wage a metal storm on an unsuspecting earth' and 'unleashes a metal tsunami', aka adding to expectations courtesy of a band bio. All that after listing the sound alikes as Cancer Bats, Gallows and Everytime I Die. Abrasive Pulmonic Speak is a 25 minutes long full-length debut following the band's self-titled debut EP in 2015. Loud, wailing and sometimes punkish vocals are a feature of the opener, Another Dead Rockstar. The guitars are centre forward too, the song is lively and somewhat crossover thrash. Black Tongue Bertha is a more macho wannabe with a thicker sounding riff. Blood On The Mat is somewhat the same, and it does get monotonous at times. Kill The Kid attempt some variation with slower, perhaps doomier seconds. Ruderalis calls for legalization of a roll that is lit and inhaled. Musically it is at least not boring. The title track has parts that are kind of like Machine Head, perhaps a close enough sound alike. The Blackhole's driving riff is effective and the song does well to keep the listener interested. The longest song is called Crisis and ends this album on the heavy sludge side of things. To board the neon black pirate ship head over to www.facebook.com/VantablackWarship - Anna Tergel