Legendary British progressive metallers THRESHOLD reveal details on their upcoming ninth studio album, the follow-up to 2007's "Dead Reckoning".

As previously announced, the record is entitled "March Of Progress" and was recorded & produced in Thin Ice Studios (DRAGONFORCE, PENDRAGON) by band members Karl Groom and Richard West with additional production at Eightspace Studio (LEAGUE OF LIGHTS, THE MORNING AFTER). Vocal duties on "March of Progress" have been performed by THRESHOLD's original front man Damian Wilson (STAR ONE, HEADSPACE), who's been back touring with the band since the release of "Dead Reckoning".

Keyboardist Richard West comments on the approaching release: "It's been a long march but the new Threshold album is finally ready. This is our longest album to date - we hope you're going to love it!"

"March Of Progress" will be released via Nuclear Blast Records on the 31st of August 2012 and comes to you in a limited Digipak edition incl. bonus track, a standard jewel case edition as well as in a 2-vinyl-edition in two different colours, with the following track lists:

Digi
01. Ashes
02. Return Of The Thought Police
03. Staring At The Sun
04. Liberty Complacency Dependency
05. Colophon
06. The Hours
07. That's Why We Came
08. Don't Look Down
09. Coda
10. Rubicon
Bonus track:
11. Divinity

CD
01. Ashes
02. Return Of The Thought Police
03. Staring At The Sun
04. Liberty Complacency Dependency
05. Colophon
06. The Hours
07. That's Why We Came
08. Don't Look Down
09. Coda
10. Rubicon

2LP
Side A:
01. Ashes
02. Return Of The Thought Police
03. Staring At The Sun
Side B:
01. Liberty Complacency Dependency
02. The Hours
Side C:
01. Colophon
02. That's Why We Came
03. Don't Look Down
Side D:
01. Coda
02. Rubicon

After weeks of extensive auditions, occult rock legends PENTAGRAM have found a full-time drummer in Virginia native Sean Saley. Sean's debut with the band begins during this summer's European Festival Circuit, which starts with Sweden Rock.

Sean stated before flying to his debut at Sweden Rock:

"I'm more than excited, honored and ready to rock as part of the essential heavy metal institution that is Pentagram. They're local favorites and idols to me."

Influenced by the likes of Bill Ward, Ian Paice, and Les Binks, drummer Sean Saley grew up on hard rock and heavy metal before taking a turn as drummer for DC underground punk legends GOVERNMENT ISSUE in the '80s. Anyone familiar with the Maryland metal scene may also remember Sean from 90s-era technical/doom/thrash wizards ANGSTROM, which also featured blind guitarist Torey Ferguson. Sean had been a longtime PENTAGRAM fan before joining the band in 2012.

PENTAGRAM have announced their first ever UK tour in the forty years they've been together in October and November 2012.

After the Doom pioneers first ever UK show in London last year Bobby Leibling and the boys return for four shows with Gentlemans Pistols as support:

PENTAGRAM + GENTLEMANS PISTOLS

OCTOBER 2012

31st BRISTOL - The Fleece

NOVEMBER 2012

1st LONDON - Garage

2nd MANCHESTER  - Academy 3

4th GLASGOW - Ivory Black

Swedish Power Metal warriors, Sabaton have announced they are to return to the UK after they conquered their performance at the Metal Hammer awards this week.

"We had a fantastic time at the Metal Hammer Awards, a short gig that gave taste for more and here it comes. Our biggest headline tour in the UK we have ever done. The Swedish War machine is coming to your shores!" said the band.

Catch Sabaton at the following dates;

01-Nov-12           Norwich Waterfront      
02-Nov-12           Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall            
03-Nov-12           Manchester HMV Ritz   
04-Nov-12           Glasgow Garage
06-Nov-12           Belfast The Limelight 
07-Nov-12           Dublin Button Factory            
09-Nov-12           London HMV Forum      
10-Nov-12           Cardiff Great Hall 2         
11-Nov-12           Sheffield Corporation   

'Carolus Rex' is out now on Nuclear Blast Records

London blooze-punks The Bermondsey Joyriders have announced a further two hometown shows for the summer months, which will again see them showcase a set drawn from 8/10 Classic Rock-rated new album 'Noise & Revolution'. 
 
In the absence of John Sinclair (the Detroit-based performance poet and counterculture icon, whose narration innovatively ties the concept record together) the trio have enlisted NME legend and author Charles Shaar Murray to provide onstage spoken word.  He joins '77 veterans Gary Lammin (formerly of Strummer protégés The Little Roosters), Martin Stacey (Chelsea) and Chris Musto (Johnny Thunders' Oddballs) at the following dates;
 
Weds 27th June -  LONDON, 100 Club (w/ The DFC's & Stash)
 
Thurs 12th July -  LONDON Rhythm Factory (w/ The Urban Voodoo Machine)
 
'Noise & Revolution' is out now on limited edition digital CD and high quality 180g gatefold vinyl,  and is available at all the usual digital outlets via Cadiz Music.  Details of a late summer 7" single release and further live shows are due to be announced soon - stay tuned!
 
www.bermondseyjoyriders.co.uk

Boston's debutantes of decadent death groove SEXCREMENT, fresh off the release of their new album 'Sloppy Seconds', have unleashed another track of hedonistic heaviness on their Facebook & brand new ReverbNation pages. 'Heels Up' is a song chock full of the band's signature mix of pummeling extreme metal soaked in perversity sure to make you bob your head up and down with alarming urgency.

The tune is the second song to be released off their sophomore effort. The LP was engineered/mixed by Eliot Bayless (Revocation) and mastered at New Alliance East (Converge, Trap Them). Previously, the band has released their debut single 'Trucker Bombed' alongside a much lauded music video featuring scream queen Linnea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead etc) along with some rather seedy individuals.

In support of their new effort, the band is hitting the road for the "West Coast Penetration" Tour in June. The jaunt will have them appearing at the Las Vegas Deathfest and at various locations throughout California.

Essex post-hardcore mob WE ARE THE OCEAN have confirmed details of a UK and Ireland tour, to coincide with the release of their as yet untitled third album.

Following their appearance at last weekend's Download - which saw the band perform as a four-piece for the first time since the departure of vocalist Dan Brown - they currently are streaming a new track, 'Bleed', on their website.

Tour dates are as follows:

September
18th - The Cavern, Exeter
19th - Barfly, London
20th - Cockpit 2, Leeds, Cockpit
22nd - Deaf Institute, Manchester
23rd - King Tut's, Glasgow
25th - Brickyard, Carlisle
26th - Academy 2, Sheffield, Academy 2
27th - Central Station, Wrexham,
28th - Academy 2, Dublin
29th - Speakeasy Belfast

October
1st - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
2nd - HMV Institute - Temple Room Birmingham

Tickets for all dates go on sale on Friday June 15th.

Listen to 'Breed' here:  www.wearetheocean.co.uk

It has long been rumoured that Kiss would play a London show on July 4th following the cancellation of the Sonisphere festival where they were set to appear.

Fellow Sonisphere headliners Queen-lite and Faith No More announced London shows to make up for the festival's cancellation and a similar move by Kiss has been on the cards ever since.

Well, the rumours were bang on as a Help For Heroes show at London's HMV Forum is nailed on for July 4th.

Kiss Army members have been offered an exclusive presale for the show, which is set to include a signing session by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and those two other blokes. The first single from the band's forthcoming album, 'Monster', is also set to be released on the day.

Tickets, if there are any left, are set to go on general sale on Friday.

Pastemagazine.com reports that two never-before-heard songs from the late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley will feature in a new movie.

The Seattle-based Grassroots stars American Pie's Jason Biggs as an alt-weekly music critic who suddenly decides to campaign for a highly competitive spot on the Seattle City Council.

The film also stars Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Joel David Moore (Avatar, the forthcoming CBGB), Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Christopher McDonald (Grease 2), Tom Arnold (Roseanne) and Cedric The Entertainer.

The film has been directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, who has previously worked on Paris Trout and Homegrown. He is the father of Donnie Darko star Jake Gyllenhaal.

The film will be released in the US on June 22nd.

Layne Staley passed away in 2002 after a long battle with drug addiction.

Dinosaur Jr will release their new album on September 17th in the UK (through PIAS) and the following day in the States, via Jagjaguwar.

Titled 'I Bet On Sky', the new record will be the band's tenth studio album since their debut in 1985, and their first since 'Farm' in 2009.

The band will play a series of North American shows over the Summer and dates in the UK are set to be announced shortly.

'I Bet On Sky' tracklisting:

'Don't Pretend You Didn't Know'
'Watch The Corners'
'Almost Fare'
'Stick A Toe In'
'Rude'
'I Know It Oh So Well'
'Pierce The Morning Rain'
'What Was That'
'Recognition'
'See It On Your Side'

Quality news item of the day: Party maestro, motivational speaker and Front magazine columnist Andrew W.K. has confirmed he will appear at the upcoming Canterlot Gardens, which is billed as the world's premiere My Little Pony fan convention.

Andrew will be conducting one of his speaking engagements at the convention, attempting to answer the question "What Would Pinkie Pie Do?"

Canterlot Gardens is set to take place the weekend of September 28th - 30th in Strongsville, Ohio.

Andrew W.K. will be releasing a special edition of his debut album, 'I Get Wet', in July.

Former rocker Jon Bon Jovi will play his first ever solo show at the end of July.

Billed as JON BON JOVI & THE KINGS OF SUBURBIA, the once-poodled permed soft rock adonis will entertain the ladies at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. on Thursday, July 26th.

Fans can access a ticket pre-sale from those questionable people at Ticketmaster, but the offer is not on for very long. Quick, turn off your daytime TV and rush to buy them, y'all.

Bon Jovi Pre-Sale Password: JBJKOS12. Pre-sale ends soon: June 14th: 11PM EDT (USA), June 15th: 4AM BST (UK) and 12PM JST (Japan).

Ryan Adams is set to release a box set called 'Live After Deaf'.

Posting on his Facebook page, Adams wrote:

"Live After Deaf. Friday. This will not be repressed."

The comment came alongside a photograph of what appeared to be a vinyl box set.

It is widely expected that the album will be a boxset of live recordings. Adams has previously allowed audience members to openly record bootlegs of his live shows, but ended this practice for his 'Ashes & Fire' tour with the promise that live material would be gathered in an official release.

The title 'Live After Deaf' is a reference to the singer's struggle with hearing condition Meniere's Disease, which led him to a take a lengthy break from music in 2001. Meniere's Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo, low pitched tinnitus, and hearing loss.

'Ashes & Fire' was released on the singer's own label PAX-AM in October and it is expected that 'Live After Deaf' will be released in a similar manner.

"We called it the farewell tour thinking - believing - it would be the last time we would play the U.S.A., that wherever we played, that would be the last time," said guitarist Matthias Jabs. "But the tour is still going, due to demand from the audience and promoters."

Yes, despite being on a farewel tour and announcing that last year's 'Sting In The Tail' album would be their last, the Scorpions have reconsidered their future and will continue to rock you like a hurricane.

Jabs revealed the Scorpions will give up "the constant touring, into the studio, out of the studio, back on the road," but confirmed, "The Scorpions will not break up . . . We have so much film material. We will work on something like an anthology, some kind of box set. And nobody has said we'll never hit the stage again, for one show somewhere in the world. Why not?"

Jabs also admitted that the band was approached to perform at the opening ceremonies for the 2014 World Cup, but said it was not confirmed. The Scorpions, who will close out their 'farewell' world tour in December.

Elle Dead will leave UK electro-rock outfit You Love Her Coz She's Dead after performing a series of final shows with the band.

The vocalist will perform at several shows over the Summer while her bandmate Jay Dead searches for her replacement. One of the shows will be on Friday, 22nd June in Italy, and the band have also confirmed an appearance at the Emmaboda Festival in Sweden alongside the likes of Soulwax and Crystal Castles.

Meanwhile Flake Records' Japanese CD version of YLHCSD's debut album is available as a limited (500 copies) edition and includes an exclusive extended version of 'Softer Cell' plus unique remixes from Crim3s, Udar, Dead C∆T Bounce, Irish Steph, Beef Theatre, Tying Tiffany & DirtyRock.

Preorder from Flake Records or HMV Japan

"When Yellowcard decided to take a break in 2008, I had never felt so uncertain about my future," recalls vocalist/guitarist Ryan Key, about the story behind the title of their new album, Southern Air. "I decided the best thing for me to do was leave Los Angeles and relocate to the East Coast to be closer to my family. I landed in a small college town in Northeast Georgia called Athens. It was such a crucial and developmental chapter in my life for which I will be forever grateful." Soon after the band commences their mainstage duties on the 2012 Vans Warped Tour, 'Southern Air' will be released via Hopeless Records on August 13, 2012.

"I learned so much about the future I thought I was so uncertain about," he explains in reference to the previous album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes. "I saw more clearly the things that really mattered, and really moved me. With a renewed energy and passion for music we reentered the studio to begin working on my fifth full length record with Yellowcard. The band was firing on all cylinders and the music was reflecting that energy in every way. WYTTSY was, in a way, our return to ourselves.

"After touring 30 plus countries in nine months in support of When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, we decided to take the momentum we had and start writing songs again at the start of 2012," he continues. "Personally I think getting back on the road and in a way realizing my dreams a second time, coupled with looking back two years later on my time back East, was all the fuel I needed to write what has become known as, Southern Air. "

Once again featuring the crisp production of longtime producer Neal Avron, Southern Air is the sound of band who has not only returned to form but is expanding and growing in confidence with the help and support of the people who welcomed them with open arms - the fans. The propulsive and immediate opening track 'Awakening' reveals a fiercely confident and assured band, one that now stands on firm ground after the resounding success of their previous album. "This record has such an overwhelming sense of self awareness and positive energy that I credit completely to my ability to reconnect with my Southern roots," Ryan explains. "The title, along with much of the lyrical content, takes me to Georgia State Highway 316, or A1A through Neptune Beach, FL, where I am driving with the windows down belting the words along to my favorite songs. I feel like a lot of the album is saying thank you to my family, friends, and fans, for supporting us all of these years."

From the rhythmic attack of 'Surface of the Sun' to the rousing anthem 'Here I Am Alive' to the ballad 'Telescope' (which serves as a memorial to Ryan's Aunt Stephanie who passed away last year) to the epic album closing title track, Southern Air is the sound of a band who has found the voice and energy that fueled their fire from the beginning. "There is a sense of passion for these songs that we all share like never before," Ryan concludes. "Each of us poured our hearts into this one entirely. The result is ten songs that we hope continue to inspire people around the globe as we all continue on this amazing journey together. Everyone needs to breathe some Southern Air from time to time."

Yellowcard is Ryan Key (vocals/guitar), Sean Mackin (violin), Longineu ("LP") Parsons (drums), Ryan Mendez (guitar) and Josh Portman (bass). 'Southern Air' was produced by Neal Avron and features guest vocals from Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low), Cassadee Pope (Hey Monday), and Tay Jardine (We Are The In Crowd). It will be released via Hopeless Records on August 13, 2012.

'SOUTHERN AIR' track listing:

1. Awakening
2. Surface Of The Sun
3. Always Summer
4. Here I Am Alive*
5. Sleep In The Snow
6. A Vicious Kind
7. Telescope**
8. Rivertown Blues
9. Ten
10. Southern Air

* Additional Vocals by Tay Jardine (of We Are The In Crowd)

** Additional Vocals by Alex Gaskarth (of All Time Low), Tay Jardine (of We Are The In Crowd) and Cassadee Pope