To be called All I Was, it will be heavier than his previous work, with a lot more guitar solos. The expected track listing is:

All I Was
Brains
So You’re Afraid
You Waste Your Time
Decay
New Way Out

Leave It Alone
Wish You Well
Don’t Claim
Proof
Gone
All That I Got
Giving Up
Doesn’t Matter

Joining Tremonti, who also does the lead vocals, are Eric Friedman (guitar/bass/backing vocals) and Garrett Whitlock (drums).

Find out more at www.marktremonti.net

It’s called Live At Wembley and was recorded at Wembley Arena on November. This will be a double disc, with  a CD and a DVD. The expected track listing for the latter is:

1. Slip To The Void
   2. Find The Real
   3. Ghost Of Days Gone By
   4. Before Tomorrow Comes
   5. Come To Life
   6. All Hope Is Gone
   7. White Knuckles
   8. Brand New Start
   9. Metalingus
   10. Broken Wings
   11. I Know It Hurts
   12. One Day Remains
   13. Coeur D’Alene
   14. Buried Alive
   15. Blackbird
   16. Wonderful Life (Acoustic Version)
   17. Watch Over You (Acoustic Version)
   18. Ties That Bind
   19. Isolation
   20. Open Your Eyes
   21. Duelling Guitar Solos
   22. Rise Today

Find out more at www.alterbridge.com

Words: Malcolm Dome

It appears to have become a habit to slag off the Lou Reed and Metallica collaboration, even before hearing a note of Lulu (Vertigo). Metallica fans seem to hate the very idea of their faves working with Reed. And this isn’t recognisable as a Metallica album. But why should it be? It’s something separate. Perhaps if a project name had been used instead of the various protagonists being so readily identified, then people would have more of an open mind. The truth is that the album is interesting and arresting. Far from being instant, there’s enough here to keep you returning. What does it sound like? It’s Lou Reed with a heavy, progressively atmospheric rock approach. In some respects, not far removed from Opeth taking on board a Peter Gabriel influence. Not the disaster some believe. And if you want to listen to the whole album before buying a copy, it’s being streamed at www.loureedmetallica.com

Far more obvious is the new Megadeth album Th1rt3en (Roadrunner). Yes, the spelling of the title is either cunning or just plain daft, but the music is vibrant on what is the best Megadeth album in years. The return of bassist David Ellefson has given everything a lift, and the band have returned to a style not far removed from Rust In Peace The future for this lot now appears healthier than ever.

Last year Alter Bridge put out the AB III album. Now they’ve got a deluxe edition called AB 3.5 (Roadrunner). There are three extra tracks on the CD, all of which are the equal of anything on the original. Plus a bonus DVD titled One By One, which is a documentary featuring interviews with all the band. One could argue that the whole thing is a gratuitous attempt to exploit an old album. However, nobody’s forcing you to buy a copy. And with those extra songs, not to mention a new DVD, the package is worthwhile.

Foreigner are the latest band to revisit their back catalogue. On Acoustique (earMUSIC), they present some of their great moments in an acoustic setting, It doesn’t all work, but the approach pays dividends more often than not, and Long, Long Way From Home and Starrider are particular triumphs. There’s also new song Save Me, which proves this line-up don’t just have to rely on past glories.

Black Widow will always be known for Come To The Sabbat, and for once having a daring occult stage set. But can they still offer anything these days? Perhaps against the odds, Sleeping With Demons (Cargo) is more than decent. The blues-rock approach is intact, added to which is lustre of foreboding in both the lyrics and the music. Some of it is patent, camp nonsense, but if the impact is more Hammer than Crowley, then it’s still entertaining.

Jane’s Addiction have their own style, which makes The Great Escape Artist (EMI) unmistakably them. And this band really don’t make bad albums. However, while the songs are strong enough to match anything on 2003’s Strays, nonetheless it does fall short of Nothing’s Shocking or Ritual De Lo Habitual. Maybe the problem is that the musicians fall so easily into the Jane’s groove and are a little too comfortable with it all.

Armored Saint are one of those bands who should have been so much bigger than they were.The reissue of second album Delirious Nomad (Rock Candy) proves the point . Orginally put out in 1985, it has an intelligent approach to metal that transcends genres such as thrash and power metal. This lot wrote and delivered multi-faceted songs, which set them apart from most of their contemporaries, and the quality still shines through.

There’s a perceived wisdom that the second album from Lone Star was far superior to their debut. Well, both have now been re-released by Rock Candy, and it may make people reassess their evaluation of the fine 70s Welsh band. The self-titled debut actually sounds really strong, full of powerful moments, and possessed of a vibrancy and expertise that underscores why so much was expected of this band on the album’s release in 1976. However, second album Firing On All Six (first put out in 77) hasn’t fared quite so well. Despite having the evergreen Bells Of Berlin, the production here (from Gary Lyons) is stilted and stuttering, which means the album now sounds rather dull. A pity, because there are some fine songs here, and the band clearly were playing at a high level. But while Roy Thomas Baker got his production spot on for the debut, Lyons is way off the mark.

This will have an expanded CD plus the hour-long documentary One By One. The new track listing is:

1. Slip To The Void
   2. Isolation
   3. Ghost Of Days Gone By
   4. All Hope Is Gone
   5. Still Remains
   6. Make It Right
   7. Wonderful Life
   8. I Know It Hurts
   9. Show Me A Sign
   10. Fallout
   11. Breathe Again
   12. Couer d’Alene
   13. Life Must Go On
   14. Words Darker Than Their Wings
   15. Zero (extra track)
   16. Home (extra track)
   17. Never Born To Follow (extra track)

Find out more at www.alterbridge.com

You can see it here.

Lowlife is from the Canadian band’s new album The Truth Is…, which is released on July 12 by Roadrunner. You can see Theory Of A Deadman on the bill with Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry on the following dates in November:

Tue. 22: Birmingham LG Arena

Wed. 23: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Thu. 24: Manchester MEN Arena

Sat. 26: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

Sun. 27: Glasgow SECC

Tue. 29: London Wembley Arena

The dates happen in November and are:

Tue. 22: Birmingham LG Arena

Wed. 23: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Thu. 24: Manchester MEN Arena

Sat. 26: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

Sun. 27: Glasgow SECC

Tue. 29: London Wembley Arena

Find out more at http://www.alterbridge.com/

WHERE: Donington Park

WHEN: Friday, June 10 – Sunday, June 12

The ninth annual Download Festival, which continues the Donington tradition for staging one of the most important events of any year, has a lot to live up to following the huge success in 2010. But the bill certainly features some strong names.

Def Leppard will headline the first night, on a bill that also features the reactivated Darkness, Alter Bridge. Thin Lizzy and Black Stone Cherry.

It’s System Of A Down who, reunited, headline the second day. They’ll be joined by Skunk Anansie and Down. The second stage offers some enticing acts that day  as well. Headlined by Alice Cooper, you can also see Twisted Sister, Cheap Trick, Mr Big, Dio Disciples, Clutch and Dan Reed.

Finally, it’s Linkin Park headlining the last night, with Rob Zombie topping a bill on the second stage that also has The Cult, Buckcherry and GWAR.

In all, there are five stages, with a total of well over 100 bands, so there’ll be plenty to keep everyone occupied. There are also plenty of other attractions happening over the weekend., including the eerily titled Madam Pain’s Boudoir Circus!

Find out more at http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/

CD

1. Come To Life
2. Before Tomorrow Comes
3. Brand New Start
4. White Knuckles
5. Buried Alive
6. One Day Remains
7. Watch Over You
8. Ties That Bind
9. Blackbird
10. In Loving Memory
11. Metalingus
12. Open Your Eyes
13. Broken Wing
14. Rise Today

DVDD/Blu-ray

1. Come To Life
2. Find The Real
3. Before Tomorrow Comes
4. Brand New Start
5. White Knuckles
6. Buried Alive
7. Coming Home
8. One Day remains
9. Watch Over You
10. Ties That Bind
11. Blackbird
12. In Loving Memory
13. Metalingus
14. Open Your Eyes
15. Broken Wings
16. New Way To Live
17. Mud Bone
18. Rise Today

This also has an hour-long documentary and a photo gallery.

Find out more at http://www.alterbridge.com/

WHERE: Newcastle O2 Academy

WHEN: Monday, October 17

The welcome return of a band who’ve become very popular with UK audiences since they released their debut album, One Day Remains, in 2004. Now as, they put out new album ABIII (their third) vocalist Myles Kennedy, guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips are back, playing bigger venues than ever.

This comes after a period when Alter Bridge have taken a brief break. While Kennedy’s been working with Slash, the other three were part of a Creed reunion. But, the forntman feels trhis has, if anything, sharpened them up.

“I think the fact that Mark, Scott and Brian were touring with Creed and I was out with Slash kept our road chops in tact. There was very little down time between tours which kept musical atrophy from setting in.”

Kennedy also feels the band now better than ever, with the new album taking them into new areas.

“Though I felt like we found our voice as a band by the time we completed Blackbird (their second album, released in 2007), the general consensus is that our sound moved into a darker and heavier direction both lyrically and musically with AB III. Maybe by the time we record AB IV we will evolve into something completely different. Perhaps we will integrate some disco into our jams…nah, I’m kidding!”

The band’s live set this time around will be divided between the three albums to date. Sadly, though, they won’t be doing any of those trademark covers, which have delighted audiences in the past.

“We will probably just stick with our songs on this run. A lot of folks, who have been following us over the years, have mentioned that they would prefer to hear a set comprised of nothing but AB tracks this time around.”

You can expect the four members to be very busy next year as well.

“We are going to find a good balance with all of our musical endeavours. With that said, some of us will be on the road nonstop for a long time to come. I can speak for myself and say that in the immediate future,  There is no such thing as “home” in the traditional sense. The road is home.”

After Newcastle, the band have the following shows lined-up in England:

Oct. 19: Manchester Academy

Oct. 20: Nottingham Rock City

Oct. 22: London Hammersmith Apollo

Oct. 23: Southampton Guildhall

Oct. 25: Birmingham O2 Academy

Oct. 26: Bristol Colston Hall

Find out more at www.alterbridge.com

Words: Malcolm Dome

Voodoo Six are one of those Brit bands who’ve been threatening a breakthrough for some while. Well, Fluke? (Powerage) could just be the album to do the trick. It introduces new vocalist Luke Purdie, who’s edgy style suits the songs.  This could be an important time for the Six.

Stringer Beasant are Gary Stringer and Jack Beasant from Reef. And, thankfully their debut album together, Yard  (Xtra Mile) doesn’t sound like Reef. Only because there would be no point in doing an album that’s merely a copy of what you do in that band. This is more acoustic, introspective and laidback. But showcases Stringers’s voice rather well, and also Beasant’s guitar talent.

Joanne Shaw Taylor is a blues rocker who really is the true deal. Diamonds In The Dirt (Ruf) is a low-slung selection of gritty songs, with Taylor’s voice telling a life lived in bars and hustling on the road. Which may or may not be true, but the combination of that voice and some sharply observed guitar work makes this something of a killer.

Kobra And The Lotus are Canadians who’ve got an almost British sense of power and urgency. Out Of The Pit, their debut, rides high on the NWOBHM era, with vocalist Brittany Paige providing some modern swagger. Of interest here is that not only is producer Kevin Shirley involved, but so is Greg Godovitz, and some of you might recall him from Goddo, a cult Canadian from the late 1970s. He’s produced all the music here. The band tour the UK next month, and you can find out more at www.kobraandthelotus.com

The return of Strangeways has been heralded by some as the AOR equivalent of finding Elvis’ false teeth buried at the bottom of your garden. In other words, it’s momentous for aficionados, but puzzles everyone else. Now, the Scottish rockers did come up with a couple of gems in the 1980s, and Perfect World (Frontiers) is a genuine grower. With American vocalist Terry Brock back, the band don’t go for the obvious, but deliver an album that gets better with every listen. Classy stuff.

Cradle Of Filth have, it must be admitted, been treading water for a while. Once the proud leaders of a new dawn in the black metal world, in recent times they’ve been left somewhat behind by defter and dafter bands, who’ve been prepared to try out fresh ideas. However, Darkly, Darkly Venus Aversa (AbraCadaver/Peaceville) sees Dani Filth et al slowly clawing back lost ground. By no means a masterpiece, but a return to more brutal basics, and better use of orchestration than has been the case on the last few albums, makes this nightmarish fairy tale a decent descent into Hell, Filth style.

By contrast Dimmu Borgir have been getting more elaborate and expansive with each album. The danger always was that the Norwegians would one day place style over substance. Well, that day has arrived. Abrahadabra (Nuclear Blast) is much ado about not a lot. There are massive symphonic statements and sweepingly portentious epics. But it all feels vacuous and a little pointless. Shame.

Given the fact that all four members have been otherwise occupied recently, the third Alter Bridge album could easily have ended up as an afterthought. But ABIII (Roadrunner) is their best yet. Perhaps the time apart, when Creed reunited and vocalist Myles Kennedy got involved with Slash’s solo project, has done them a power of good. This is everything you want from the band, only taken to a new level.

King Crimson continue their campaign of reissues to celebrate their 40^th anniversary. Beautifully packaged and wonderfully remastered, both In The Wake Of Poseidon and Islands (Panegyric) sound better than ever. Each comes with a bonus DVD, which includes 5.1 surround sound remixes.

Finally, a weighty book on AC/DC. High Voltage Rock ’N’ Roll: The Ultimate Illustrated History (Voyageur Press) has been put together by veteran British journalist Phil Sutcliffe. It’s stuffed with good photos (some rather rare) and info, although most of the latter will already be well known to fans. However, the idea isn’t to give an amazingly new insight into the band (no revelations here about Bon Scott actually planning to do a six-hour opera, based on the life of Kierkegaard!), but to celebrate their achievements. It does this rather well. It is a hard back book, therefore slightly more expensive, but with Xmas coming up, time to persuade someone this is the ideal pressie.