The Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Update

[Deathstroke]

Here's a video of Sledge Leather (featuring ex-Chastain vocalist Leather Leone) performing live. The song is "Her Father's Daughter" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKFJ5...layer_embedded

The new Manowar CD is due out in June and will be called The Lord Of Steel.

[Deathstroke]

25 years after the legendary VIXEN released their first single, "Edge Of A Broken Heart", three of the original members have reunited to form VXN. Two decades have passed since they shared a stage together and they are ready to rev it up.

Singer Janet Gardner, drummer Roxy Petrucci and bassist Share Ross, along with guitarist Gina Stile, who was the guitarist on VIXEN's "Tangerine" album, are gearing up to perform again for the first time in over 20 years. "It just feels right," says Janet Gardner. "It was simply time to do this. The fans kept asking and we respect that."

Share Ross offers, "With hits like 'Edge Of A Broken Heart', 'Cryin'', 'How Much Love', 'Not a Minute Too Soon', 'Love is a Killer' and 'Rev It Up' emblazoned upon our souls, we knew it was time to resurrect our sound. We want to give the fans what they want."

In 1987, "Edge Of A Broken Heart" climbed the Billboard chart to the Top Ten and VIXEN had hit after hit. EMI suddenly had the only platinum-selling all-female rock band of its time on their roster.

Dubbed "MTV Darlings", the hits kept coming with "Cryin'", "How Much Love", "Love Is A Killer" and "Not a Minute Too Soon". The band earned credibility as they opened up for superstars, including OZZY OSBOURNE, DEEP PURPLE, SCORPIONS and BON JOVI, to name a few. A live performance on the "Arsenio Hall" television show sealed their credibility with the fact that these girls could play.

VXN will reunite at a select number of festivals and showcase dates in 2013 to perform all of the VIXEN hits and classic favorites in celebration of 25 years of rock history. The VXN "Revved Up Reunion Concerts" will take place at the kick-off party as well as on board the Monsters Of Rock Cruise on March 16-20, 2013 sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida bound for CoCoCay and Freeport, Bahamas.

[Deathstroke]

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, the renaissance-inspired rock band formed by Ritchie Blackmore and his wife Candice Night, will release a live recording, "A Knight In York", on DVD, Blu-ray, CD and 3-LP set (limited edtion) in late June/early July.

[DonC]

You know, if I had to make a list of hair metal bands I never thought would reunite, Vixen would be near the top of the list. They were never that popular to begin with.

[Deathstroke]

You know, if I had to make a list of hair metal bands I never thought would reunite, Vixen would be near the top of the list. They were never that popular to begin with.

Well the guitarist has been keeping VIXEN alive for years now. They are still active.

[Deathstroke]

The new Hartmann CD Balance is due out June 1st via Avenue of Allies.

01. All My Life (3:56)
02. Like A River (4:06)
03. You Are The One (3:53)
04. Fool For You (4:07)
05. After The Love Is Gone (5:27)
06. Save Me (4:59)
07. Fall From Grace (5:09)
08. From A Star (4:54)
09. Dance On The Wire (4:25)
10. Shout (5:35)
11. Time To Face The Truth (3:11)
12. The Best Is Yet To Come (5:04)

Here's a Melodicrock.com CD Showcase for the album.

[Deathstroke]

The new Testament album The Dark Roots of Earth is now due out in late April or early May 2012 on Nuclear Blast Records.

The album is now due out July 31st.

Here's the tracklistings for each format:

"Dark Roots Of Earth" jewel case CD track listing:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

"Dark Roots Of Earth" CD/DVD track listing:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth
04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace
07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

Bonus:

10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)
13. Throne Of Thornes (extended version)
+ Bonus DVD

"Dark Roots Of Earth" vinyl track listing:

Side A:

01. Rise Up
02. Native Blood
03. Dark Roots Of Earth

Side B:

04. True American Hate
05. A Day In The Death
06. Cold Embrace

Side C:

07. Man Kills Mankind
08. Throne Of Thorns
09. Last Stand For Independence

Side D (Bonus):

10. Dragon Attack (QUEEN cover)
11. Animal Magnetism (SCORPIONS cover)
12. Powerslave (IRON MAIDEN cover)

Here's the cover art:

[Deathstroke]

Here's an interview with Night Ranger's Jack Blades

[Deathstroke]

Candlemass has signed with Napalm Records for their farewell album. The CD is tentatively set for release in Spring 2012.

The CD, Psalms of the Dead is due out June 8th.

01. Prophet
02. The Sound Of Dying Demons
03. Dancing In The Temple (Of The Mad Queen Bee)
04. Waterwitch
05. The Lights Of Thebe
06. Psalms For The Dead
07. The Killing Of The Sun
08. Siren Song
09. Black As Time
10. Sadness Runs Deep (7" bonus single)
11. Beneath The Fire (7" bonus single)

[Deathstroke]

The Doro EP Raise Your Fist In The Air is due out August 3rd.

The Track Listing:

01. Raise Your Fist In The Air
02. Victory
03. Engel
04. Lève Ton Poing Vers Le Ciel

Here's the art for the EP:


The full-length album Raise Your Fist will be out in the fall.

Here's the art for the CD:

[DonC]

Oh, cool. New Doro.

[DonC]

Blaze Bayley's new CD King of Metal is finally available in wide release today. You can get it at record stores (if you can find one), Amazon and iTunes, among other places.

[Deathstroke]

The new American Dog CD Poison Smile is due out June 6th in North America via Colonial Canine and in Europe on Bad Reputation.

01. Devil Dog
02. Just Like Charlie Sheen
03. Old Dog, New Tricks
04. The Real Nitty Gritty
05. 2012 A.D.
06. Poison Smile
07. Lust And Greed
08. Bathroom Romance
09. Splinterin' Sally
10. Off The Chain
11. Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?

[Deathstroke]

US Metal legend Driver feat. guitarist Roy Z and vocalist Rob Rock will unleash their new masterpiece Countdown on May 25 via Metal Heaven.

Originally formed out of the ashes of short-lived super group M.A.R.S. in the late Eighties and reaching cult status based on the strength of a widely circulated 1990 five-song cassette EP that garnered the band a dedicated worldwide following, Driver came back to life with a bang in 2008 via their appropriately titled debut album, Sons Of Thunder. Containing newly recorded versions of the classic EP cuts in addition to seven brand new compositions, the band resurrected their unique brand of melodic yet hard-hitting style of metal that made Driver one of the most underrated heavy rock acts of their time.

Centered around powerhouse vocalist Rob Rock (Impellitteri, Warrior, Joshua, Avantasia, Axel Rudi Pell) and acclaimed guitarist/producer Roy Z (Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, Tribe Of Gypsies) and featuring original drummer Reynold 'Butch' Carlson (Jag Panzer, Joey Tafolla, Tribe After Tribe), along with seasoned players Ed Roth (Glenn Hughes, Ronnie Montrose, Impellitteri) on keyboards and Aaron Samson (Odin, George Lynch, John 5) on bass, Driver was welcomed back with open arms by the hard rock community, culminating in the band's first ever European live appearance at Germany's prestigious Bang Your Head!!! Festival in the summer of 2009.

In the fall of 2011, main writers Rob Rock and Roy Z renewed their long standing creative partnership and commenced work on a follow-up to 'Sons Of Thunder.' As was the case with its predecessor, 'Countdown' is a mixture of brand new material and several rescued-from-the-vaults demo gems, including 'Destiny', 'Thief in the Night' and 'Always on my Mind', which interlock seamlessly for a classic Driver-style album, aided by Roy Z's emphasis on vintage production values that harken back to the glory days of early 80's heavy metal. Chiefly recorded and mixed at Roy Z's California-based studio, the duo once again brought in Carlson, Roth and Samson to cut the bulk of the tracks, with additional contributions coming from bassists Ray Burke (Life After Death, Bruce Dickinson) and Daniel Cordova (Shades Of Crimson, Vengeance Rising), as well as veteran vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Royal Hunt). Mastering duties were again handled by Maor Appelbaum (Halford, Sepultura, Yngwie Malmsteen).

Track list:
01) Return to the Sky
02) Rising Son
03) Countdown
04) Hollywood Shooting Star
05) Thief in the Night
06) Cry of the Wounded
07) Always on my Mind
08) Feel the Fire
09) Destiny
10) Running from the Darkness
11) Babylon (exclusive European bonus track)

Here's the Melodicrock.com CD Showcase for the album.

[Deathstroke]

Here's a 30 second clip of the new Dokken song "Burning Empire" on Youtube.