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MassConcerts has announced that the 14th annual New England Metal & Hardcore Festival will take place the weekend of April 20-22, 2012.

The New England Metal & Hardcore Festival, the largest and most successful metal festival in the United States, has presented some of the biggest and up-and-coming artists in the metal and hardcore music genres over the past 13 years.

The following artists will perform at next year's event:

Friday, April 20

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
THE ACACIA STRAIN
OCEANO
ALL SHALL PERISH
NILE
SKELETONWITCH
LIONHEART
FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE
FIRST BLOOD
MOLOTOV SOLUTION
THE CONTORTIONIST
REIGN SUPREME
CONDUCTING FROM THE GRAVE
FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY
INCENDIARY
PALEHORSE
HOUR OF PENANCE
LEGION
RELENTLESS

Saturday, April 21

[Headliner to be announced January 2, 2012]
OVERKILL
IWRESTLEDABEARONCE
PROTEST THE HERO
PERIPHERY
BANE
SHIPWRECK
CRUEL HAND
ABORTED
BLACKGUARD
THE MONGOLOIDS
BELGARDOR
SYSTEM DIVIDE
NAYSAYER
THE GREENERY
DIAMOND PLATE
ROTTING OUT
EXPIRE
ELITIST
TRUMPET THE HARLOT
MANNERS
MALEFICE

Sunday, April 22

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE
EVERY TIME I DIE
VANNA
FOR TODAY
CHELSEA GRIN
SLEEPING GIANT
STICK TO YOUR GUNS
ATTILA
ON BROKEN WINGS
MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE
FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS
TEXAS IN JULY
UPON A BURNING BODY
VOLUMES
LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES
HUNDREDTH
NO BRAGGING RIGHTS
COUNTERPARTS
GIDEON

Commented KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones, "Yup, trouble's brewing.

"It's been great to have time off, but now it's back to business.

"All the guys in KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are truly excited to be playing New England Metal & Hardcore Festival again. It's like old times: hanging out with your friends, but they have mustaches now.

"Come on out, bring a friend and let's make some sweat!"

Tickets for the festival will go on sale Friday, December 16 at 10 a.m. Ticket prices are: $40 (Friday), $45 (Saturday), and $40 (Sunday) or $115 (three-day pass).

For more information, visit www.metalandhardcorefestival.com.

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper and his band performed on New Year's Eve at Mala Wailea, the famous oceanfront restaurant that is lobby level at Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, in Hawaii, on a bill that included "Weird Al" Yankovic, Pat Simmons and Michael McDonald of DOOBIE BROTHERS and Bob Rock. Comedian Tom Arnold will act as emcee at the event, which benefits the Maui Food Bank and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

Joining Alice on stage for a performance of THE BEATLES classic "Come Together" was AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler. Tyler also sang AEROSMITH's "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way".

Video footage of the "Come Together" performance can be seen below.

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper and his band performed on New Year's Eve at Mala Wailea, the famous oceanfront restaurant that is lobby level at Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, in Hawaii, on a bill that included "Weird Al" Yankovic, Pat Simmons and Michael McDonald of DOOBIE BROTHERS and Bob Rock. Comedian Tom Arnold will act as emcee at the event, which benefits the Maui Food Bank and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

Joining Alice on stage for a performance of THE BEATLES classic "Come Together" was AEROSMITH frontman Steven Tyler. Tyler also sang AEROSMITH's "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way".

Video footage of the "Walk This Way" performance, along with the previously released "Come Together" clip, can be seen below.

METALLICA has posted a 45-minute video recap of the fourth and final intimate show at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only. Check it out below.

Former METALLICA members Dave Mustaine (currently in MEGADETH), Jason Newsted, Lloyd Grant, Ron McGovney, Hugh Tanner, along with the band's longtime producer Bob Rock, as well as BLACK SABBATH legends Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler joined METALLICA on stage on December 10 for the fourth show at the Fillmore.

After opening sets from THE SOUL REBELS brass band and DEATH ANGEL, as well as an appearance by FAITH NO MORE/ex-OZZY OSBOURNE drummer Mike Bordin — who took to the stage with METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo to honor late METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton — METALLICA rocked the crowd with another 20-song set which featured selections culled largely from the band's classic debut album, 1983's "Kill 'Em All", and included a previously unreleased track from the "Death Magnetic" sessions called "Rebel Of Babylon".

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Orion
02. Through the Never
03. Ride the Lightning
04. The God That Failed
05. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
06. Rebel Of Babylon (previously unreleased song from "Death Magnetic" sessions)
07. Blackened (with fan-club members Dennis, Annette Diaz)
08. Dirty Window (with Bob Rock)
09. Frantic (with Bob Rock)
10. Sabbra Cadabra (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with Geezer Butler)
11. Iron Man (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler)
12. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH cover) (with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler)
13. King Nothing (w/ Jason Newsted)
14. Whiplash (w/ Jason Newsted)
15. Motorbreath (w/ Hugh Tanner)
16. Phantom Lord (w/ Dave Mustaine)
17. Jump In The Fire (w/ Dave Mustaine)
18. Metal Militia (w/ Dave Mustaine)
19. Hit The Lights (w/ Lloyd Grant, Dave Mustaine, Ron McGovney)
20. Seek & Destroy (w/ Jason Newsted, Dave Mustaine, Lloyd Grant, Ron McGovney, Hugh Tanner, Mark Osegueda, and THE SOUL REBELS)

Frontman James Hetfield told The Pulse Of Radio that METALLICA hoped to make the shows special for the people attending. "It is a fan celebration — everyone who's come along the METALLICA ride for 30 years — and we're constantly wanting to give to the fans what they don't normally get from some other band or some other connection," he said. "So these four shows at the Fillmore are something like that."

The other three shows took place on December 5, December 7 and December 9, with special guests and events, rare songs, varied set lists and more.

METALLICA plans to begin work on its next studio album early in 2012. The group recently released its collaborative album with Lou Reed, called "Lulu", which flopped saleswise and earned the quartet the worst reviews of its career.

The band has booked several European shows next summer, including one at a venue in Denmark that used to be a prison, at which it will perform its self-titled 1991 effort, a.k.a. "the black album," in its entirety.

METALLICA was formed when Ulrich, who had moved to Los Angeles from Denmark, placed an ad in a local paper called The Recycler looking for other musicians to play with. The ad was answered by guitarists James Hetfield and Hugh Tanner of the band LEATHER CHARM.

METALLICA officially formed in October 1981 and the band's first recording was "Hit The Lights" for the compilation "Metal Massacre".

Bay Area DJ Ron Quintana came up with the group's name: he was debating between using "Metallica" and "Metal Mania" for the name of his radio show and Ulrich encouraged him to use "Metal Mania" so that he could use "Metallica" for his new band.

METALLICA's first full lineup — featuring Hetfield, Ulrich, guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist Ron McGovney — played its first gig on March 14, 1982 at Radio City in Anaheim, California.

In The Now magazine conducted an interview with gui guitarist Mike Mushok of Massachusetts rockers STAIND. You can now watch the chat below.

In a recent interview with NY Rock Music Examiner, Mushok stated about STAIND's split with longtime drummer Jon Wysocki, "Well, losing Jon wasn't an easy decision or one that was made quickly. He's the only drummer I played with for 16 years! So, in that sense it is pretty different with someone else playing drums. I do have to say though that we have a good replacement in [longtime drum tech] Sal Giancarelli. Also, playing shows with [stand-in drummer] Will Hunt [of EVANESCENCE]. Both guys were able to step in and make a pretty easy transition, which is testament to what good players they are."

The new self-titled seventh album from STAIND sold 47,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No, 5 on The Billboard 200 chart. The band's previous CD, "The Illusion Of Progress", opened with 92,000 units to debut at No. 3.

STAIND topped the chart with 2001's "Break The Cycle", 2003's "14 Shades Of Grey", and 2005's "Chapter V".

Produced by Johnny K – known for his work with 3 DOORS DOWN, DISTURBED, and SEVENDUST, not to mention his Grammy Award-nominated collaboration with STAIND, 2008's "The Illusion Of Progress" — and mixed by the legendary Chris Lord-Alge, "Staind" stands as STAIND's most intense and powerful work to date.

An "enhanced" video clip of VAN HALEN performing the track "She's The Woman" during the band's January 5 concert at the tiny Cafe Wha? nightclub in Manhattan's Greenwich Village can be seen below. The show at the 250-person venue was the band's first since it ended its hugely successful 2007/2008 reunion trek with original singer David Lee Roth. The gig also served to officially kick off the promotional campaign for the new VAN HALEN album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", which will be released on February 7 via Interscope. The CD's first single and video, "Tatoo", arrived on January 10.

The setlist for Cafe Wha? show stuck to VAN HALEN classics from the six albums of the initial David Lee Roth era, with the exception of "She's The Woman". That song originally appeared on the 1976 demo, produced by KISS bassist Gene Simmons, that got VAN HALEN their record deal with Warner Bros. It was left off the group's 1978 debut but has been resurrected for the new disc.

VAN HALEN's setlist for the Cafe Wha? concert was as follows:

01. You Really Got Me
02. Runnin' With The Devil
03. Somebody Get Me A Doctor
04. Everybody Wants Some
05. She's The Woman
06. Dance The Night Away
07. Panama
08. Hot For Teacher
09. Ice Cream Man
10. Ain't Talkin Bout Love
11. Jump
12. Beautiful Girls
13. Unchained

"A Different Kind Of Truth" will be the group's first all-new collection since "Van Halen 3" was issued 13 years ago, and its first with singer David Lee Roth since "1984".

VAN HALEN released details of its upcoming North American tour, which will kick off on February 18 in Louisville, Kentucky. Tickets for the tour will begin going on sale January 14. KOOL AND THE GANG will open for VAN HALEN on selected tour stops.

VELVET REVOLVER reunited with singer Scott Weiland for a one-off performance at last night's (Thursday, January 12) "Love You Madly: A Concert For John O'Brien" at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, California. The band played a four-song set — including a cover version of the PINK FLOYD classic "Wish You Were Here" — at the event, which paid tribute to award-winning ASCAP composer John O'Brien, who was found dead in his Chicago hotel room last August.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Sucker Train Blues
02. She Builds Quick Machines
03. Slither
04. Wish You Were Here (PINK FLOYD cover)

Fan-filmed video footage of VELVET REVOLVER's entire performance can be seen below.

VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Dave Kushner told RollingStone.com last week that he brought the group back together to honor O'Brien, who was his best friend.

"I found out he passed away on August 20, and it was like out of nowhere," Kushner told RollingStone.com. "Next day I was in shock and my wife said to me, 'You gotta have a benefit concert for his wife and you have to get VELVET REVOLVER back together.' That's how it started."

He then approached the different band members. "We did a benefit show for this thing called Road Recovery — me, Duff [McKagan], Slash and Matt [Sorum] — in New York, and that's when I asked those guys individually if they would agree to do it," Kushner says. "Once they said so then I got in touch with Scott, and he agreed."

"Because we hadn't played with Scott in a long time I said, 'Look, let's just do three songs.' It's not too much of a commitment," he says. "So we just got a bunch of people, everyone will do three songs."

Regarding the possibility of VELVET REVOLVER carrying on with Weiland after last night's concert, Kushner told RollingStone.com, "We haven't played together in four years, and so we're really just like, 'Let's see how this goes.'

"I know everyone's got other commitments, but I think everyone's like, 'Let's get this thing done and get through this and then we'll see.'"

It's been almost four years since VELVET REVOLVER parted ways with Weiland, and time appears to have healed all wounds. Although Scott and the band split on unfriendly terms, the vocalist told Classic Rock magazine last year, "We patched things up and we get along. I see them every now and again, we text each other. And you know, we can never say never. Who knows, maybe we'll do some shows some time."

According to The Pulse Of Radio, Weiland was reflective in the interview about his time in VELVET REVOLVER, which teamed him with former GUNS N' ROSES members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. He said, "That was right when I was getting off dope and those guys were all sober and clean, and I had a very special kind of kinship because we'd all experienced the same things . . . It was a great band to see live, and I think we made two exciting albums."

Weiland reunited with his original band, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, just as his run with VELVET REVOLVER was coming to a close. STP has toured constantly since and recorded a new album in 2010.

VELVET REVOLVER has still not found a replacement vocalist and is more or less on hiatus, although it was recently revealed that the group recorded an album's worth of material with STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor.

In a July 2011 interview with Brazil's "Lokaos Rock Show", VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum said about the band's current status, "After [we parted ways with] Scott Weiland [in 2008]… We had such a great first record, especially. The second album is still a good album, but… It's hard to replace Scott for that particular band, I think.

"When we did VELVET REVOLVER, we wanted to make a modern rock album, and we had to figure out a way to make that work. We didn't wanna be like GUNS N' ROSES. We knew we had that in us anyway, especially the Slash and Duff sound was the initial sound of [GN'R's classic debut album] 'Appetite For Destruction', the way they played together and everything. Part of that chemistry was there, and when we added Scott, it brought it into a more modern rock element. He came more from grunge — the Seattle [sound like] SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM and bands like that. So it took it sort of forward. We became more of a modern rock band and we were on modern rock radio."

O'Brien's first prominent composing job came in 1997, when he provided music for the horror film "Nightwatch". He stayed active until his death, composing additional music for "Anywhere But Here", "Iron Man" and "Iron Man 2", "Pineapple Express", "Four Christmases" and "Couples Retreat". O'Brien also scored the ABC series "In Case Of Emergency" and "Detroit 1-8-7". He was most recently working as a music supervisor on the NBC sitcom "Up All Night".

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, the world's largest touring heavy music festival is back for its fifth year, assaulting the senses of United States heavy metal music fans. The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is proud to announce this summer's artists. The main stage will be our strongest ever with the headlining slot occupied by multi-platinum Iowa legends SLIPKNOT. Next up will be legendary thrash metal kings SLAYER and then a major special guest (rumored to be MOTÖRHEAD) will be playing in the third slot, the details of which will be announced on March 5. The main stage will also spotlight a ferocious mix of today's best artists in a rotation, including THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, AS I LAY DYING and ASKING ALEXANDRIA.

In 2012 the tour has upgraded the production on the festival stage and this year the Jägermeister Stage will feature a special headline set by metal masters ANTHRAX supported by a rotation of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, AS I LAY DYING and ASKING ALEXANDRIA, along with WHITECHAPEL, HIGH ON FIRE and the Jägermeister opener. Please note that bands may vary per market.

SLIPKNOT
SLAYER
ANTHRAX
AS I LAY DYING
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
ASKING ALEXANDRIA
WHITECHAPEL
HIGH ON FIRE

The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will make a 26-date trek across the U.S. beginning on June 30 at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California. Get Off Your Ass pre-sale tickets go on sale Friday, April 6. Tune in to www.rockstarmayhemfest.com for up-to-date ticketing information.

Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT says, "You knew we'd be back. Now, you know we're coming. This will be a tour people will scarcely want to miss. It will definitely be a show to remember. Can't wait to see the states again from behind a mask."

SLIPKNOT's Clown states: "SLIPKNOT is headlining this summer's Mayhem festival and it's going to be unlike anything you've ever felt, sensed, or seen. You miss this, you miss everything. Everyone seems to think that there's a chance we're gonna go away. This is the farthest thing from the truth. Stay sic and don't ever judge us."

"Mayhem 2012 might just be the last and greatest metal festival before the world ends!! So wreak havoc and go out in style!!" adds Tom Araya of SLAYER.

SLAYER's Kerry King comments , "We can't wait to get rolling on Mayhem 2012! Been three years since we played it last, and it's gonna be brutal!!! You can't go wrong with SLAYER and SLIPKNOT, pure fucking mayhem!"

The fifth annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival will also feature Rockstar Metal Mulisha Jump Team, on select dates.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival is produced by Rockstar Taste of Chaos organizer John Reese, Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, Live Nation, and Creative Artists Agency. The team has made the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival a standout on the summer concert circuit by following the proven model of utilizing sponsorship to deliver a lower ticket price and an enhanced concert experience. This year sees them joining forces once again with Rockstar Energy Drink as the title sponsor.

"Metal is ALIVE and WELL in 2012," states tour producer John Reese. "The fifth year of Rockstar Mayhem Festival will have a massive lineup that will set heavy music fans ears blazing!"

"Some years it all comes together, from top to bottom and this year's Rockstar Mayhem lineup is going to bring it!" adds tour producer Kevin Lyman.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival dates:

Jun. 30 - San Bernardino, CA - San Manuel Amphitheater
Jul. 01 - San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheater
Jul. 03 - Seattle, WA - White River Amphitheater
Jul. 04 - Boise, ID - Idaho Center Amphitheater
Jul. 06 - Phoenix, AZ - Ashley Furniture Home Store Pavilion
Jul. 07 - Albuquerque, NM - Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion
Jul. 08 - Denver, CO - Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Jul. 10 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
Jul. 11 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Jul. 13 - Tampa, FL - 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre
Jul. 14 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Jul. 15 - Indianapolis, IN - Klipsch Music Center
Jul. 18 - Oklahoma City, OK - Zoo Amphitheatre
Jul. 20 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul. 21 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Jul. 22 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
Jul. 24 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
Jul. 25 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
Jul. 27 - Philadelphia, PA - Susquehanna Bank Center
Jul. 28 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
Jul. 29 - Washington, DC - Jiffy Lube Live
Jul. 31 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Aug. 01 - Buffalo, NY - Darien Lake PAC
Aug. 03 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center
Aug. 04 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
Aug. 05 - Hartford, CT - The Comcast Theatre

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper, along with members of his backing band — Chuck Garric, Steve Hunter, Tommy Henriksen, Keri Kelli (filling in for Orianthi) and Glen Sobel — took Montreal, Quebec, Canada by storm last night (Saturday, January 28) at the 2012 "Show Harley" event. The band played a blistering 60-minute set for a huge crowd of rowdy, Harley-Davidson-loving Alice Cooper fans. According to a post on Cooper's web site, "the setlist consisted of classics, a few covers, Alice gave away a brand new Harley, the stage lit up with fire, there were the infamously... ahem... attractive 'Show Harley' girls on stage for the biker classic 'Born To Be Wild'. It was a wild night."

Alice's setlist was as follows:

01. Black Widow
02. No More Mr. Nice Guy
03. Under My Wheels
04. I'm Eighteen
05. I'll Bite Your Face Off
06. Billion Dollar Babies
07. Muscle Love
08. Feed My Frankenstein
09. Poison
10. School's Out
11. Elected
12. Brown Sugar
13. Born To Be Wild

Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Check out photos at AliceCooper.com.

Rolling into today's Super Bowl festivities where they'll be featured in the KIA Optima commercial airing during the third quarter, the world's most notorious band has taken the world's most notorious city by storm. MÖTLEY CRÜE — vocalist Vince Neil, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee — launched Las Vegas' first-ever hard rock residency with "Mötley Crüe In Sin City" at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with the first two rapturously received sold-out shows.

The "Mötley Crüe In Sin City" experience got underway this weekend on Friday, February 3 — also declared "Mötley Crüe Day" by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman — as The Joint transformed into a rock 'n roll carnival extravaganza bringing in elements of MÖTLEY CRÜE's arena show, including Tommy Lee's 360 drum coaster and the biggest lighting and sound production ever brought into The Joint, including their over the top signature pyrotechnics which fittingly incorporated a Vegas feel. The shows are produced and promoted by AEG Live.

From costuming — which included Vince Neil's illuminated poker-hand belt buckle and rogue carnival styled seat ushers -- to showgirl dancers, female aerialists, little people, macabre clowns and stilt walkers, each element dazzled the eye throughout. In addition to MÖTLEY's high-octane numbers, which included "Kickstart My Heart", "Shout At the Devil", "Saints Of Los Angeles", "Same Old Situation" and "Girls, Girls, Girls", the band also dedicated a portion of the show to an acoustic performance. High above the audience on a floating circular platform, they performed stunning renditions of "Without You", "On With the Show" and "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)". Other songs in the set included rare live gems "Piece Of Your Action" and "Afraid", which haven't been performed live in over 10 years.

On Saturday night (February 4), MÖTLEY was joined by their friend Jacoby Shaddix of PAPA ROACH who jumped on stage for "Smokin' In the Boys Room". Rumor has it that there will be more guests jamming with MÖTLEY CRÜE throughout the residency.

"The 'Mötley Crüe In Sin City' residency transformed the town, not only the Hard Rock Hotel," states Paul Davis, Vice President of Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. "It's never been done like this before." Billboards on the world-famous Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and the 15 Interstate upon entering Vegas beckoned fans to the Hard Rock. Upon entering the casino lobby, Vince Neil's custom 1932 Ford Coupe hot rod was displayed and poker players found themselves gaming on MÖTLEY CRÜE-branded tables. Even maid service signs for hotel guest rooms indicated cleanup for "Home Sweet Home".

Tonight, Sunday, February 5, the quartet returns for the third night of the run which lasts through February 19. Leading up to it, fans can experience their current KIA automotive TV commercial during the third quarter of the Super Bowl. The 60-second spot, titled "Drive The Dream", stars Vince, Mick, Nikki and Tommy in a race car dream sequence performing their 1989 smash hit "Kickstart My Heart". Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima, mixed martial arts legend Chuck Liddell and champion bull rider Judd Leffew are also featured in the commercial.

Don't miss "Mötley Crüe In Sin City" at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas now through February 19:

* Wednesday, February 8
* Friday, February 10
* Saturday, February 11
* Sunday, February 12
* Tuesday, February 14
* Wednesday, February 15
* Friday, February 17
* Saturday, February 18
* Sunday, February 19

Tickets, starting at $45 (plus applicable service fees) are available at the Hard Rock box office.