Away Team

Iconic German thrash trio DESTRUCTION will embark on a North American 30th Year Anniversary Tour this May with shared direct support from Vital Remains and Warbringer (who will be alternating each night) plus Pathology.

States DESTRUCTION frontman & bassist Schmier:
“A killer package for old-school thrash & death metal freaks! This may be the best set list we’ve ever had – the essence of thrash metal history united with our new anthems. We’ll have more classics than ever in the set, more from the first records for sure. Can’t wait to hit the road again!!! Some North American cities have a great audience for this old school sound again, and it wasn’t always like that. The main intention for this second North American tour within a year is that we could not play all markets that we wanted to book last time. Now, we’ll play some new places and return to those cities that gave us a great welcome last year like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Montreal. Warbringer are a perfect match to a DESTRUCTION bill. They are one of the best new thrash bands and keep our ‘80s spirit alive. It will be great to have them with us! We’ve played with Vital Remains before; awesome guys and a brutal band. They bring a good variety into the billing. Thrash/death metal is always the best mix, that’s why Pathology complete the show!”

Confirmed dates & cities thus far for DESTRUCTION’s 30th Year Anniversary Tour are:
05-04-12 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
05-08-12 Casselman’s – Denver, CO
05-10-12 Reggie’s – Chicago, IL
05-12-12 Blackened Moon Concert Hall – Lansing, MI
05-16-12 B.B. Kings – New York, NY
05-17-12 The Met – Pawtucket, RI
05-18-12 Maverick’s – Ottawa, ON – CANADA
05-19-12 Rockpile – Toronto, ON – CANADA
05-22-12 Kim’s Pixie Inn – Pueblo, CO
05-24-12 The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA
05-26-12 The Metro – Oakland, CA
05-30-12 Studio Seven – Seattle, WA

More dates will be announced soon.

CHICKENFOOT will perform their latest single “Different Devil” on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” tomorrow, March 1st, 2012. “The Tonight Show” airs on NBC TV at 11:35 p.m. EST. Check local listings for details.

The band recently announced A DIFFERENT DEVIL TOUR in continued support of their newest record “Chickenfoot III” (eOne Music/earMUSIC/Edel). “The Foot are road tested and ready to roll and can’t wait to play the new songs for the fans!” says front man Sammy Hagar. The tour will kick off May 4th in Lake Tahoe, NV and BLACK STONE CHERRY has been tapped to support. Tickets will go on sale this Friday March 2nd at 12PM PST, visit the official Chickenfoot website for more info!

5/4/12 Lake Tahoe, NV Harrah’s Hotel & Casino
5/5/12 Lake Tahoe, NV Harrah’s Hotel & Casino
5/9/12 Denver, CO The Fillmore Aud.
5/11/12 Minneapolis, MN The Brick
5/12/12 Chicago, IL Chicago Theater
5/14/12 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
5/16/12 Boston, MA Orpheum Theater
5/18/12 Atlantic City, NJ House Of Blues
5/19/12 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
5/21/12 New York, NY Beacon Theater
5/23/12 St. Louis, MO Fox Theater
5/25/12 Thackerville, OK Winstar Casino
5/27/12 Pryor, OK Catch the Fever Festival Grounds (Rocklahoma)
5/29/12 Houston, TX Bayou Music Center
5/31/12 Tucson, AZ Anselmo Valencia Amphetheater
6/1/12 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
6/3/12 Portland, OR Schnitzer Hall
6/5/12 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theater
6/6/12 Seattle, WA WaMu Theater
6/10/12 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theater









For more CHICKENFOOT click here.

From The-Haunted.com:
“Peter has decided to leave The Haunted permanently. We don’t have any more news or info for you regarding this at the moment, but stay tuned for future updates… We just wanted to put an end to all the rumors out there.”

Peter Dolving vocalist for The Haunted has also confirmed this on his Facebook page:
“I am officially quitting The Haunted. After years of working with the band, I am out. I have had it. I will NOT answer questions to why. It’s no one else’s business. Thank you very much. I am looking forward to seeing you people at other shows with other projects.”

Hank3’s metal projects, Attention Deficit Domination and 3 Bar Ranch, are set to perform at a free, RSVP only, 21+ metal show at Gramercy Theater in New York City on St. Patrick’s Day (Saturday, March 17th, 2012).

The show marks the official launch of Metal Wreckage Night, presented by Eventbrite, Metal Injection & ‘stache media, and in association with Hank3 Records.

To get into the free show, you must RSVP at this link: www.metalwreckage.eventbrite.com. Entry at the door is not guaranteed and is first come, first served to all who RSVP. This is NOT a country show, so trade out your spurs for spikes and bring the heavy!

The show will be streamed live worldwide—more details coming soon.

Bring your photo ID and Eventbrite print-out to enter the venue. Without these items, entry will not be permitted.

The legendary NAPALM DEATH just released their 14th studio album, Utilitarian, all over the world! To welcome the arrival of this grindcore masterpiece, the band is now debuting a new music video for the song “Analysis Paralysis“. This video was shot and edited by the band’s own guitarist Mitch Harris, who has his own unique underground style that perfectly captures the energy, hate, and sheer power of NAPALM DEATH‘s songs.

The band is already confirmed to play the 2012 editions of Wacken Open Air (Germany), Hellfest (France), Maryland Deathfest (USA), and several other shows throughout Europe. Check the dates below to see when NAPALM DEATH will be coming to a city near you!

NAPALM DEATH live 2012
02.03. Tilburg – Neurotic Deathfest (Netherlands)
03.03. Aachen – Musikbunker (Germany)
04.03. Paris – Maroquinerie (France)
17.03. Kathmandu – Metal Mayhem (Nepal)
19.03. Jablonec – Eurocentrum (Czech Republic)
20.03. Cheb – KC Svoboda (Czech Republic)
21.03. Pardubice – Zluty Pes (Czech Republic)
22.03. Ostrava – Garaz (Czech Republic)
23.03. Slavonice – Sokolova (Slovakia)
24.03. Trencin – Piano Klub (Czech Republic)
25.03. Kosice – Colloseum (Slovakia)
26.03. Budapest – TBA (Hungary)
27.03. Cluj-Napoea – Flying Circus Pub (Romania)
29.03. Pfarrkirchen – Bugaloo (Germany)
30.03. Antwerp – Trix (Belgium)
31.03. Enschde – Atak (Netherlands)
04.04. Blois – Chatodo (France)
05.04. Castres – Bolegason (France)
06.04. Rambouillet – Usine a Chapeaux (France)
07.04. St Brieuc – Citrouille (France)
20.04. Aiglemont – Rock Sur El’ Mont Festival (France)
21.04. Montbeliard – Impetus Fest (France)
22.04. Pforzheim – Haus der Jugend (Germany)
27.04. Lausanne – Les Docks (Switzerland)
28.04. Bari – Demode’ Club (Italy)
29.04. Livorno – The Cage Teather (Italy)
05.05. Lissabon – Jurassic Club Fest 2012 (Portugal)
11.05. Magdeburg – Factory (Germany)
12.05. Essen – Zeche Carl (Germany)
13.05. Neukirchen – Sägewerk (Germany)
24.-27.05. Sonar, Baltimore – Maryland Deathfest (USA)
01.06. Barcelona – Primavera Sound (Spain)
15.06. Clisson – Hellfest (France)
14.07. Neukirchen-Vluyn – Dong (Germany)
27.07. Bertingen – Rock unter den Eichen Open Air (Germany)
02.-04.08. Wacken – Wacken Open Air (Germany)
06.08. Tolmin – Metalcamp (Slovenia)

Oakland California based extreme metal band ALL SHALL PERISH are holding a contest to giveaway a brand new seven string guitar by Ibanez! Send the band a VIDEO RESPONSE (in the comments section of the contest video) telling them why you should win this guitar, and the band will pick the best one and send you a FREE GUITAR! Be sure to check out this video detailing all the rules for submission.









ALL SHALL PERISH will embark on a headlining tour this March/April dubbed the “This Is Where It Ends” 2012 U.S. Tour. Joining them are deathcore merchants CARNIFEX, Italian symphonic death metallers FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE, and THE CONTORTIONIST.

ALL SHALL PERISH, CARNIFEX, THE CONTORTIONIST, CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE
03/29/12 Oakland Metro Operahouse – Oakland, CA
03/30/12 Cobalt Cafe – Canoga Park, CA
03/31/12 Desert Breeze Skate Bar – Las Vegas, NV (ALL SHALL PERISH ONLY)
04/01/12 The Clubhouse – Tempe, AZ
04/02/12 The Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM
04/03/12 Dos Amigos – Odessa, TX
04/04/12 Trees – Dallas, TX

ALL SHALL PERISH, CARNIFEX, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, THE CONTORTIONIST, CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE
04/05/12 Warehouse Live – Houston, TX
04/06/12 White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
04/07/12 Eclipse – Tulsa, OK
04/08/12 Fubar – St. Louis, MO
04/09/12 Mojoe’s – Joliet, IL
04/10/12 Emerson Theatre – Indianapolis, IN
04/11/12 Harpo’s – Detroit, MI
04/12/12 Expo Five – Louisville, KY
04/13/12 The Muse – Nashville, TN
04/14/12 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
04/15/12 Greene Street – Greensboro, NC
04/17/12 Empire – West Springfield, VA
04/18/12 Stanhope House – Stanhope, NJ
04/19/12 Gramercy Theater – New York, NY
04/20/12 The Palladium – Worcester, MA  NEW ENGLAND METAL FEST
04/21/12 Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY
04/22/12 Peabody’s – Cleveland, OH
04/24/12 The Granada Theater – Lawrence, KS
04/25/12 The Marquis Theatre – Denver, CO
04/26/12 In The Venue – Salt Lake City, UT
04/27/12 The Alley – Sparks, NV
04/28/12 Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA

Jerry Gaskill, drummer and vocalist for Houston progressive hard rock band King’s X, had a heart attack Saturday night, according to a Facebook post by his bandmate DUg Pinnick:
“Jerry had a heart attack last night. He was operated on and is in stable condition at the hospital. Were all waiting for more info. I will keep you posted”

Pinnick posted his message about 2 p.m. Sunday. He and Gaskill met as touring musicians with Petra and started King’s X under the name of Sneak Preview when guitarist Ty Tabor came aboard. The trio moved to Houston from Missouri in 1985.

King’s X is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its self-titled Atlantic debut this year. The band’s “First Church of Rock and Roll” tour was scheduled to start next month.

The tour is still up in the air at this time, but the band’s own Facebook page seems to indicate that it will be some time before Jerry is strong enough to tour again:
“We are sorry to confirm that Jerry Gaskill suffered a heart attack in the late Saturday night/ early Sunday morning hours. He has been on a ventilator since. However, there are some positive signs concerning his recovery. Thanks to everyone for the overwhelming support and well wishes. We’ll let you know more info soon.”

Guitarist/vocalist Helmuth Lehner, of extreme metal commando BELPHEGOR, has revealed that the group is working on fresh material for their tenth full-length album. The as of yet untitled record is tentatively slated for a late 2012 release, and will be the follow up to January 2011´s Blood Magick Necreomance.

“It’s amazing to have the opportunity to be creative again and compose a new audible monster,” commented Helmuth. “I begun the compositions in November 2011, after I had to spend five weeks in the hospital and 6 weeks in a rehabilitation center because of my health issues. I survived this hard trial, which still seems unreal. I’m not fully recovered but feel way better now, I can say. Unfortunately we had to cancel all tours until June 2012, when we will get back on the road, and will start with some European open air rituals.”

“At this time, we don’t feel the pressure of a hard touring schedule and all the rigors surrounding that,” stated bass devastator Serpenth., “The way we can concentrate and create these arrangements in a completely focused way and can even put more energy, blood and guts inside. We are working intensely on ten tracks. We are totally concentrated, you know, the musick reigns above all. Magick. It’s time for a new chapter.”

BELPHEGOR‘s most recent masterpiece Blood Magick Necromance was produced by the legendary Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY) at his Abyss Studios (IMMORTAL, DIMMU BORGIR, HYPOCRISY, DARK FUNERAL etc.) in Pärlby, Sweden and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren. The album was released on January 14th, 2011 in Europe and on February 8th, 2011 in North America.











For more BELPHEGOR click here.

Tomorrow, February 28th, marks the release of PINK FLOYD‘s The Wall Immersion Boxset.

Immersion Editions present the complete artistic experience. Lavishly packaged in a sturdy 29cm square box, the sets contain remastered, previously unreleased and audio-visual material, plus much additional content – reproduced memorabilia, brand new graphics, art prints, collectors’ items, lavish booklets and more.

One of the most acclaimed concept albums of all time, The Wall from 1979 is renowned as Roger Waters’ Rock Opera dealing with abandonment and personal isolation. Adapted for cinema by Alan Parker featuring Bob Geldof in the lead role, and featuring the unique artwork of Gerald Scarfe the album also yielded the hit single Another Brick In The Wall Pt2.

The Immersion version features:
The classic Studio album digitally remastered and presented as a limited edition high quality boxset featuring rare and unreleased audio and video material, plus a new 44 oversized perfect-bound booklet, a book of original photographs, exclusive merchandise and facsimile collectables.

PINK FLOYD‘s The Wall Immersion Boxset:
DISCS 1&2 – CDs 1&2
The Wall digitally remastered by James Guthrie, 2011

DISCS 3&4 – CDs 3&4
The Wall album demos (previously unreleased)

DISCS 5&6 – CDs 5&6
Is There Anybody Out There: The Wall Live (digitally remastered in 2011 by James Guthrie)

DISC 7 – DVD, AUDIO VISUAL
Another Brick In The Wall pt2 promotional video – restored in 2011
Behind The Wall documentary
Gerald Scarfe Interview
Short filmed extract of Earls Court concert featuring animation

44 page 27cm x 27cm booklet designed by Storm Thorgerson
Exclusive photo book
27cm x 27cm Exclusive Storm Thorgerson Art Print
5 x Collectors’ Cards featuring art and comments by Storm Thorgerson
Replica of The Wall Tour Ticket
Replica of The Wall Backstage Pass
Scarf
Prints/Cards of Mark Fisher’s stage drawings
3 x white marbles with design of bricks
9 x Coasters (unique to this box) featuring early Storm Thorgerson design sketches
4-8 page credits booklet









To purchase PINK FLOYD‘s THE WALL IMMERSION Box set click here.

Swedish epic metallers SABATON will release their sixth studio album Carolus Rex in North America on May 22nd and in Europe on May 25th. The theme of the album is the Swedish Empire; lyrical references are to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 and are sung entirely in Swedish.

SABATON members share:
“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 previously published works include acclaimed biographies of Karl XII, King of Sweden among others. He has also appeared on the popular Swedish television series “Boston Tea Party.”

The Carolus Rex track listing is:
01. Dominium Maris Baltici [“The Dominion Of The Baltic Sea”]
02. Lejonet Från Norden [“The Lion From The Nordic Countries”]
03. Gott Mit Uns [“God With Us”]
04. En Livstid I Krig [“A Lifetime of War”]
05. 1 6 4 8
06. Karolinens Bön [“Carolin's Prayer”]
07. Carolus Rex [“Charles King”]
08. Ett Slag Färgat Rött [“An Impact Dyed Red”]
09. Poltava
10. Konungens Likfärd [“The King's Funeral”]
11. Ruina Imperii [“The Fall Of The Empire”]

Dates for SABATON’s upcoming North American “Swedish Empire” tour are:
04/10/12 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL
04/12/12 Scout Bar – Houston, TX
04/13/12 Trees – Dallas, TX
04/15/12 Backstage Live – San Antonio, TX
04/17/12 Wreckers – Lubbock, TX
04/18/12 Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
04/19/12 The Beaumont Club – Kansas City, MO
04/20/12 Spicoli´s Grill and the Reverb Rock Garden – Waterloo, IA
04/22/12 The Firebird – St Louis , MO
04/23/12 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
04/25/12 The Casbah – Charlotte, NC
04/27/12 Bogie´s – Albany, NY
04/28/12 Broadway Joe´s – Buffalo, NY
04/29/12 Peabody´s – Cleveland, OH
04/30/12 Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, PA
05/02/12 The Loft – Poughkeepsie, NY
05/03/12 The Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA
05/04/12 The Gramercy Theatre – New York City, NY
05/05/12 The Palladium – Worcester, MA
05/07/12 Petit Campus – Montreal, QC – CANADA
05/08/12 Imperial de Quebec – Quebec City, QC – CANADA
05/10/12 Wreck Room – Toronto, ON – CANADA
05/11/12 Music Hall – London, ON – CANADA
05/12/12 Alrosa’s Villa – Columbus, OH
05/13/12 Blondie´s – Detroit, MI
05/15/12 Station 4 – St Paul, MN
05/16/12 Reggie Rock Club – Chicago, IL
05/18/12 Vernon Club – Louisville, KY
05/19/12 Kingdom – Richmond, VA
05/20/12 Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
05/21/12 Jaxx – West Springfield, VA
05/23/12 Key Club – Hollywood, CA *OFFICIAL RELEASE PARTY*

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For more SABATON click here.

BRENDON SMALL is the co-creator/ writer/ actor/ director/ producer/ of ADULT SWIM’S METALOCALYPSE television series. Brendon Small is also responsible for writing and performing all of the show’s music and DETHKLOK: THE DETHALBUM and DETHALBUM II, the latter now known as the fastest-selling death metal album to date.

Now, Brendon has written and produced BRENDON SMALL’s GALAKTIKON: “A High Stakes Intergalactic Extreme Rock album”, his long-awaited side project set to release in April 2012. The album release will coincide with the Season 4 premiere of METALOCALYPSE.

Coming off of the second DETHKLOK album which was heavier and darker than the first, BRENDON SMALL’s GALAKTIKON searches for melody (in the vocal) and finds inspirations in modern black metal, Queen, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer. No influence is unwelcome on this project. Brendon Small paired with DETHKLOK drummer (legendary metal drummer) Gene Hoglan (Dethklok, Strapping Young Lad, Testament, Fear Factory) and DETHKLOK bassist Bryan Beller (Dethklok, Steve Vai, Mike Keneally band) and DETHKLOK engineer and mixer Ulrich Wild.

“This album should be thought of as an audio comic book, an over acted chamber drama, a ridiculous premise that takes itself way too seriously all the way to the end,” states Brendon Small.

For all up-to-date information and to purchase BRENDON SMALL’s GALAKTIKON, please visit www.brendonsmall.com.

“Do Not Look Down,” a second track off the upcoming new album KOLOSS by Swedish extreme technical metal band MESHUGGAH, is available for streaming in the Nuclear Blast USA Web Shop. Click on any pre-order bundle item to get to the Soundcloud player.

KOLOSS will be released in Europe on March 23rd and in North America on Monday, March 26th. The North American deluxe digi-pak version will include a bonus DVD.

MESHUGGAH will be headlining “The Ophidian Trek” tour with BARONESS & DECAPITATED, which launches April 29th.

Confirmed dates are:
4/29/12 House of Blues – Houston, TX
4/30/12 House of Blues – Dallas, TX
5/01/12 Emo’s – Austin, TX
5/03/12 Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
5/04/12 House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
5/05/12 House of Blues – Hollywood, CA
5/06/12 The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
5/08/12 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, B.C. – CANADA
5/09/12 Showbox Sodo – Seattle, WA
5/11/12 Odgen Theatre – Denver, CO
5/13/12 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
5/15/12 House of Blues – Chicago, IL
5/16/12 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
5/17/12 Sound Academy – Toronto, ON – CANADA
5/18/12 Theatre of the Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
5/19/12 Palladium – Worcester, MA
5/20/12 Olympia de Montreal – Montreal, QUE – CANADA
5/22/12 The Fillmore – Silver Springs, MD
5/23/12 Terminal 5 – New York, NY









For more MESHUGGAH click here.

JOHN 5 is pleased to announce the new release date for his impressive upcoming full-length solo CD/DVD, God Told Me To. The CD/DVD will be released through Rocket Science Ventures and Sony/RED on May 8th, 2012—just days before he heads out to perform with Rob Zombie on their upcoming co-headliner with Megadeth. God Told Me To was recorded and produced by JOHN 5, Chris Baseford (Rob Zombie, Tommy Lee) and Bob Marlette (Sebastian Bach, Black Sabbath) in 2011. The cover art for the album is illustrated by none other than Rob Zombie, who is also tapping JOHN 5 to score the entirety of his upcoming film, ‘The Lords of Salem’.

JOHN 5 doesn’t just play the guitar. His guitar is an extension of his soul and through it his music has become the Frankenstein birth penetrating the ear drums of fans and admirers worldwide. For JOHN 5, the music is not just about playing, but living, breathing, feeling and passion. His impressive resume has seen him work with some of the most renowned musicians in the industry (Rob Halford, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie to name a few), and has cemented his name into the annals of rock history.

The CD portion of the release features ten painstakingly handcrafted pieces transcending multiple styles—an equal combination of acoustic and electronically influenced tracks—each designed to gradually reveal JOHN 5’s innovative interpretation of his instrument. The orchestration of God Told Me To showcases JOHN 5’s ability to master the subtlety of dynamics, thus emphasizing the overall production value of this body of work. God Told Me To stands tall as a stunning, audible cultural experience.

The DVD portion of the release is hosted by retro-style horror-host Mike Odd and takes a look inside the world of JOHN 5 during his terrifying trip into the realm of God Told Me To. The DVD features footage of JOHN 5 in the studio while working on the new album, exclusive videos taken on tour, a peek inside the photo shoot for his 2011 remix album Remixploitation, and more.

“I’m so proud of this record, I’ve put more time into this release than any other! It’s half acoustic and the other half electric with a tribute to Michael Jackson and Eddie Van Halen with ‘Beat It’,” states JOHN 5. “The DVD shows me actually recording the songs as well as behind the scenes of a “day in the life” of JOHN 5! This album will take you on a musical journey designed to show more diversity in my playing than in the past. Enjoy!”

JOHN 5 continues to branch out, coupling his solo career with his work in Rob Zombie. His five previous solo albums, up to his 2010 release, Art of Malice, continue to break new molds in solo instrumentalist work. JOHN 5 also continues to work in 2012 with other artists including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rod Stewart, and is currently working on new music for Rob Zombie’s upcoming album.

JOHN 5 Performing with ROB ZOMBIE on Co-Headliner with MEGADETH:
5/11 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
5/12 Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
5/16 Pittsburgh, PA@ Stage AE
5/18 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Deltaplex
5/20 Columbus, OH @ Columbus Crew Stadium (Rock On The Range)
5/22 La Crosse, WI @ La Crosse Center
5/24 Sioux City, IA @ Tyson Center
5/25 Wichita, KS @ Hartman Arena
5/26 Pryor, OK @ Fever Music Festival Grounds (Rocklahoma)









For more JOHN 5 click here.

February 22, 2012 – 12 STONES will release their fourth album, BENEATH THE SCARS, May 22 on the Executive Music Group label via Fontana/Universal.  The band joined forces, once again, with producer Skidd Mills (Saving Abel, Skillet, Saliva), who had previously worked with 12 STONES on 2007’s ANTHEM FOR THE UNDERDOG.  The first single, “Infected,” mixed by Johnny K (3 Doors Down, Disturbed, Staind), is currently being serviced to Rock radio and will be available for download on iTunes and Amazon on February 28.

Fans who pre-order BENEATH THE SCARS from the band’s official website will have early download access to six songs starting March 6.  The rest of the album will then be made available on May 22.

A lyric video for “Infected” recently premiered on Loudwire.com and can be seen below.  As singer Paul McCoy explains, “The song ‘Infected’ was written about the messed up state of the world. It speaks about how crazy these times are, and about being fed up with the chaos and hatred.”

Early buzz for BENEATH THE SCARS surfaced last year as the track “Bulletproof”—which was mixed by Mike Shipley (Green Day, 30 Seconds To Mars)–made its way onto Rock radio stations across the country, including SiriusXM’s “Octane,” WIIL (Chicago), WBSX (Wilkes-Barre), KDJE (Little Rock), WRXW (Jackson), KFRQ (McAllen) and KHTQ (Spokane).  It reached #1 on the CMW “Rock” chart, where it lived for eight consecutive weeks.

As singer Paul McCoy explains, “The album title comes from knowing that we all eventually fall short of our expectations regardless of financial, emotional, physical well being.  But in the same breath, we all strive to find a way to better ourselves.  That’s human nature.  There are always two sides to people.  It’s all about realizing that we all bleed the same.  We are ALL human.  Lyrically, the songs capture the essence of life’s challenges.  As an example, the song ‘I’m With You’ is about the impact a friend’s suicide had on all of us in the band.  It’s a song of hope for those that are going through the trials we all face and the hardships that are a part of life.”

A new partnership with the Executive Music Group and a recording that is the realized vision of a decade of finding their voice in BENEATH THE SCARS has delivered a renewed passion for the future of 12 STONES.  “Thanks to EMG,” says McCoy, “we have found a new love for this industry.  I think that people forget how hard it is to succeed when you don’t have the right people in place.  We think that we are finally poised to break through the mold.  I have never felt stronger about what we are doing and I think that this is only the beginning for this band.”  Guitarist Eric Weaver added, “EMG, and their partners in Fontana/Universal, are all supporting the vision that we have for the band.  We’ve always wanted to reach out to our fans that are all over the world, and finally we’re getting to do that.  Our first tour in support of BENEATH THE SCARS will be in the U.S., and the opportunity to tour globally is something we have been waiting years for.”

12 STONES’ previous albums and singles have sold over one million copies in the U.S., in addition to singer Paul McCoy winning a Grammy® Award for “Best Hard Rock Performance” for his contribution on Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” smash hit single which went on to sell over 14 million albums worldwide.  The band has also garnered multiple GMA Dove Nominations for their singles “Broken” and “Lie To Me.”

Here’s the complete track listing of BENEATH THE SCARS:

1. Infected

2. Bulletproof

3. For The Night

4. Worlds Collide

5. That Changes Everything

6. The One Thing

7. Blind

8. I’m With You

9. Bury Me

10.        Psycho

11.        Only Human

12.        Someone Like You

13.        Shine On Me

14.        Pretty Poison

U.K. based hard rock band, Starseed, released their debut album, Peace Machine, today February 21, 2012.  The band, who includes Russell Spence (Vocals, Guitars), Gerald Gill  (Guitar, Vocals), Peter Wicker (Guitar), Murray McChlery (Bass, Vocals)  and Andrew Spence (Drums, Vocals), produce some of the most satisfying melodic hard rock.  Epic energy, powerful, and riff driven rock with electrifying stage shows, their music grasps many elements of the post-grunge scene drawing influences from early Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains  to the power and torment of Soil. More recent comparisons include the tenacity and energy of Stone Sour and intense melody of Alter Bridge.

AOL Music is celebrating the release of the music with an exclusive full album stream HERE

Many members of the band were raised in Africa (South Africa and Zimbabwe) until re-locating to the U.K. where Starseed completed the current lineup and achieved success. Starseed has played major festivals alongside Rage Against The Machine, Rob Zombie, and Linkin Park. Most recently, they performed at the 2011 Download Festival.  With these achievements, Starseed are also proud endorsees of PRS Guitars, Blackstar Amps, Tama Drums, Roland, Sabian Cymbals, Rotosound Strings, Protection Racket and TC Electronic.  Their reception by fans and media in the US has been extremely positive and welcoming. Here’s what people are saying about Peace Machine:

“After waiting four years longer than our friends across the Atlantic, Starseed’s Peace Machine will finally be released in the U.S. this February. The five-piece starts off with a bang as “Shine” burns like a phoenix with scorching guitars and fiery harmonies that show off Russell Spence’s range. The suspense is built up through the booming kick drum and high-inducing chords at the beginning of ‘See Through Your Lies.’ Leading up to each verse, one can’t help but want to get up and just run as far and as fast as possible.” -The Aquarian

“For fans of Soundgarden & Alice In Chains, Peace Machine has plenty to savour” -Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden

Fans can buy the album featuring the singles “Shine” and “See Through Your Lies” at ITUNES or AMAZON.COM

For more Starseed visit the band’s official website here.