Good news for all fans of British rock legend UFO: their brand-new studio album, The Visitor, is due out this spring on Steamhammer/SPV. The arrival of the album has been set for late May/early June, tourdates will be announced soon.

UFO composed more than 35 new tracks in the run-up to the recordings, 13 of which were short-listed and produced at the studio. 11 of these songs are expected to make it onto the regular album, the other two are scheduled to become bonus tracks for a limited edition digipak. The current line-up continues to consist of the three original members, Phil Mogg (vocals), Paul Raymond (guitar, keyboards), and Andy Parker (drums), as well as American world-class guitarist Vinnie Moore. Bass legend and original member Pete Way is currently suffering from a liver disease and was unfortunately not available for the studio production.

“All those who have been into UFO for a long time will find all our characteristic trademarks on The Visitor, and anybody new to the band will be impressed by our enthusiasm and dynamism,” frontman Phil Mogg enthuses on the subject of the new songs. The Visitor sees the band benefiting especially from their collaboration with Vinnie Moore, who joined UFO in autumn 2003 and has made an excellent impression on the albums, You Are Here (2004) and The Monkey Puzzle (2006), and on the band’s tours. Mogg: “Without running down previous UFO line-ups – it’s been a long time since we had a team as strong as this one. Vinnie contributes his youthful energy and amazing guitar technique, and in Andy’s return we’ve seen the reappearance of a musician who has always been very important to the band’s original sound.”

Naturally the band will embark on a major world tour this year. Concert dates will be announced soon, and appearances at the Rock Hard festival at the end of May and the Wacken Open Air at the beginning of August 2009, both in Germany have been confirmed.

Release Dates for The Visitor on Steamhammer/SPV:  GAS: May 29th, UK/rest of Europe: June 2nd and USA/Canada: June 2nd

More info at www.spv.de

SPV, UFO

Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens’ solo debut Play My Game will be released this May on Steamhammer/SPV. The album features a sensational recording line-up featuring members of Whitesnake, Queensryche, Dio, Megadeth and many more.

Following his spectacular enlistment by exceptional Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, and his awesome vocal performance on the most recent Malmsteen album Perpetual Flame (2008), American metal vocalist Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens (Beyond Fear, ex-Judas Priest, ex-Iced Earth) is set to surprise the public with the release of his first solo album, Play My Game, in May 2009. The offering consists of around a dozen brand-new tracks that Owens composed himself or together with renowned friends, such as Bob Kulick, Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Mike Callahan (ex-Earshot) and John Comprix (Beyond Fear, Ringworm).

The list of guest musicians featured on Owens solo debut is even more spectacular: along with Bob Kulick and Chris Caffery and the others, he was supported by the guitarists Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Michael Wilton (Queensryche), Jeff Loomis (Nevermore), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), bassists Marco Mendoza (ex-Whitesnake), Billy Sheehan (Mr Big, ex-David Lee Roth), Dave Ellefson (ex-Megadeth), Rudy Sarzo (Dio, ex-Ozzy Osbourne, ex-Quiet Riot), James Lomenzo (Megadeth), Tony Franklin (ex-Blue Murder), Dennis Hayes (Beyond Fear) and drummers Simon Wright (ex-AC/DC, Dio), Vinny Appice (Heaven & Hell), Ray Luzier (Korn), Bobby Jarzombek (Riot, ex-Halford) and Brett Chassen. Fans and experts alike will love this sensational all-star line-up and may rest assured that the haunting songs will effortlessly live up to this illustrious cast of musicians: Tim Ripper Owens has never sounded more impressive and melodic!

“I’ve gotten better as a songwriter,” Owens explains. “And I also write songs that the fans can really get into and get their fist pounding in the air. I’ve always been a great fan of the Black Sabbath line-up featuring Ronnie James Dio, and I love Judas Priest. Both bands delivered records that are straight forward and go directly to the bloodstream – which also happens to be my compositional approach.”

Release Dates for Play My Game on Steamhammer/SPV:

Germany & Austria / Switzerland: May 15th, UK & rest of Europe: May 18th, USA & Canada: May 19th

Stay update: www.timripperowens.com and www.spv.de

SPV, Tim 'Ripper' Owens

DevilDriver  spent a couple of months in the studio in Santa Barbara, recording their 4th album Prey For Villains. This week producer Logan Mader  sent the band back home, as the recordings are done! More info on the new album soon!

Drummer John Boecklin:”This album certainly has a more serious and focused vibe that we may have missed in previous efforts. One song in particular is the craziest double bass patterns I’ve ever done, guitar work you would not expect from us, mixed in with a really fresh vocal approach completely new from Dez. Its vibe is very new for us, but still totally brutal. I guess talking about it won’t do much; I’m just trying to state that you won’t be disappointed with us if you are DevilDriver fan. Yet there will be some surprises in Pray For Villains that are refreshing. I’m very proud of every member for stepping it up!”

Earlier reports on Prey For Villains on our site here or at the Roadrunner website.

DevilDriver, Roadrunner Records

On February 23 Lamb Of God’s new album Wrath will be out and available! In the meantime check out the brand new video for Set To Fail here!

Lamb Of God, Roadrunner Records

Whitesnake are very happy to announce they have committed to playing a one-off UK gig in 2009 at the Download Festival on June 14th with Def Leppard. Whitesnake’s June 14th show at the Download Festival will mark the 4th time the band has performed at Donington Park. 1981, 1983, 1990 and now 2009.

The show will coincide with action-packed anniversary releases of the multi-platinum album Slip Of The Tongue, marking its 20th Anniversary, and the Slide It In album, which celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year. It is understood there is also a special edition of their award winning 2008 album, Good To Be Bad, featuring bonus tracks, being released around the same time.

In preparation for the Download show, Whitesnake will also be playing shows around Europe, starting in Norway on the 21st of May, and will include headlining several festivals and playing some smaller venues in towns and villages outside of major cities. Here are the dates:

21.05. NO-Sandnes – Classic Rock Festival
22.05. NO-Halden – Frederiksten Fortress
23.05. NO-Trondheim – Trondheim Rock Feast
25.05. NO-Bergen – Platehallen Arenum
28.05. FI-Oulo – Ice Hockey Arena
30 05. SWE-Umea – Kajen
03.06. LUX-Luxemborg – Differdange Sport Hall
04.06. F-Paris – Casino de Paris
06.06. NL-Heerhugowaard – De Waerdse Temple
07.06. B-Brussels – Ancienne Belgique
09.06. GB-Isle Of Man – Villa Marina Gardens
14.06. UK-Donnington – Download Festival

More info: www.whitesnake.com and www.spv.de

SPV, Whitesnake

Kreator’s new video for Hordes of Chaos, the title track of the new album, is available for download here, and to watch a stream online you can click here! It’s amazing!!! If you want to receive the video on dvd or beta, get in  touch with us here or via the infos you already have from us!

Other exciting Kreator news: For the first time in history Kreator was featured on all magazine covers and # 1 soundcheck positions of the three biggest German metal magazines plus the Nuclear Blast catalogue. See a picture below.

Kreator, SPV

Below you’ll find 3 brand new Delain banners available for your website! Feel free to use them! We also have a vertical 122×600 banner available, just send us a mail if you’re interested.

599×126:

468×60:

336×280:

Delain, Roadrunner Records

DevilDriver is currently in the studio with producer Logan Mader, working hard on their new album. Here’s a message from Dez:

“This is Dez, DevilDriver is currently recording in LA with Logan Mader and things are going great.  I’ve done 5 tracks on vox and Mike and Jeff are finishing overdubs and solos.  We are recording 15 tracks and we’ve stepped it up big time for this one.  The album is called Pray For Villains and will be out this summer. We know you will love it.  We can’t wait for everyone to hear the songs. Hail, Dez”

Earlier Dez and drummer John Boecklin already told us this about the new album:

John Boecklin: “Everything is coming to an end at the studio now; we should be done tracking by Thursday or Friday. From there Logan will take on mixing alone. He likes to get the mix to a certain level of quality before anyone throws around opinions and ideas.
Read more…

DevilDriver, Roadrunner Records

The Answer will not only be the special guest on the AC/DC arena shows, The Answer will also be the special guest on the AC/DC summer stadium shows in Europe in May and June!

AC/DC tour (w/ special guest The Answer):

13.05. D-Leipzig – Zentralstadium
15.05. D-Munich – Olympiastadium
17.05. D-Gelsenkirchen – Veltins Arena
19.05. D-Cologne – Stadium
22.05. D-Hockenheim – Nürburgring
24.05. A-Vienna – Ernst-Happel Stadium
26.05. SE-Belgrade – Partizan Stadium
28.05. GR-Athens – OAKA Stadium
03.06. PT-Lisboa – Alvalade Stadium
05.06. E-Madrid – Estadio Vincente Calderon
07.06. E-Barcelona – Estadi Olympic
09.06. F-Marseille – Stadt Velodrome
12.06. F-Paris – Stade de France
15.06. NO-Oslo – Valle Hovin
17.06. FI-Helsinki – Olympic Stadium
19.06. DK-Copenhagen – Parken
21.06. SE-Gothenburg – Ullevi Stadium
23.06. NL-Amsterdam – Amsterdam Arena

SPV, The Answer

News for all Kreator fans:

Due to technological chaos, the 2 live tracks that were planned for release on the bonus DVD (to be found in the limited edition digipack/European version) of the new album Hordes Of Chaos, will be made available now for FREE download!

That’s right – the tracks ‘Awakening Of The Gods’ and ‘Coma Of Souls’, both recorded live at the Summer Breeze Festival in 2006, are now available now for a free download! Click here for the two songs!

Kreator, SPV