ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello recently spoke with Dan Veall from iGuitar magazine about Frank's style of bass playing and getting his sound with his Hartke amp. The video clip below is just a small excerpt of the interview which can be watched in full online today in the free iGuitar magazine
ANTHRAX is part of a new series of albums "featuring the greatest hits, signature tunes and fan favorites of the most popular artists in music history," which promise to offer "unprecedented value to consumers." The aptly named "Icon" series from Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) launched in August 31, 2010, with releases from 30 major artists spanning rock, pop, R&B and country.

Each album, at a "great price," includes roughly a dozen hit tracks.

Due on January 10, 2012, the ANTHRAX "Icon" compilation (Island/UMe) will feature the following songs:

01. Madhouse
02. A.I.R.
03. Armed And Dangerous
04. I Am The Law
05. Indians
06. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
07. Antisocial
08. Got The Time
09. Belly Of The Beast
10. Bring The Noise
11. I'm The Man 91

Video footage of ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna's June 15, 2011 performance at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California can be viewed below.

Photos of the concert are available at Metal Assault.

A list of upcoming Joey Belladonna solo dates can be found at this location.

When asked in a recent interview with RockMusicStar.com why he decided to do solo dates at this time, Joey replied, "Well, I'm always putting dates together. Right now, I'm working with some agents and we found some places to play. But I'm always pursuing that, regardless. I've been doing this solo for so long and even though I'm with ANTHRAX now, I'm still doing it. It's not just because I have nothing to do, but because it's what I do. We really aren't working that much (with ANTHRAX) anyhow, but at the same time it really doesn't have anything to do with that. But the dates are just falling in this year, as opposed to last year. I also play out every weekend, locally. I have a cover band called CHIEF BIG WAY. And we do a classic rock covers from BOSTON, JOURNEY, FOREIGNER, LED ZEPPELIN and bands like that."

Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD will release a new live album, "Warriors Of Ice", in the U.S. on June 21 via Sonic Unyon Metal. The CD, which can already be purchased digitally (see below), will be made available in Canada on June 17 through Indica Records.

Late in 2009, VOIVOD released their live "Tatsumaki: Voivod Japan 2008" DVD, filmed the previous fall when they toured Japan for the first time ever. To celebrate its release of the DVD, VOIVOD performed in front of a sold-out crowd on December 12, 2009 at Club Soda in their adopted hometown of Montreal, Quebec. It was their first headlining show in the city of Montreal in more than ten years and it was celebrated in grand style. It was a fitting end to a busy year that saw them named "Metal Band Of The Year" at the 2010 Indie Awards in Canada. The show was recorded for posterity and is now being released as the fifteen-track "Warriors Of Ice", the first official VOIVOD live album to feature original band members Denis "Snake" Belanger on vocals, Jean-Yves "Blacky" Theriault on bass and Michel "Away" Langevin on drums, as well as new guitarist Dan "Chewy" Mongrain.

"Warriors Of Ice" highlights the classic period of the original VOIVOD lineup as well as a few new songs, all raging with the band's notorious live energy. Containing songs from their classic albums, spanning from 1984's "War And Pain" right up through 1991's "Angel Rat", as well as two songs from their 2009 "Infini" LP, the album is built of VOIVOD's signature songs, from "Voivod" and "Nuclear War" to "Tribal Convictions" and "Astronomy Domine" (PINK FLOYD cover).
 

Video footage of drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (ex-DARK ANGEL, ex-STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK) performing with FORBIDDEN last night (Thursday, April 21) at the Inferno festival in Oslo, Norway can be viewed below. Hoglan is filling in for FORBIDDEN drummer Mark Hernandez, who was forced to sit out the band's appearances at Inferno and Metropole Ruhr Festival in Germany because of "a personal family obligation. " Commented Hernandez: "I want to put to rest any thought that I am leaving the band, and will hope to see the faces I miss now later on in the summer touring season. I am very honored to have the mighty Gene Hoglan stepping up to help out and do these shows for me. Without a doubt, everyone in attendance will get a 110% FORBIDDEN show!"

Video footage of drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan (ex-DARK ANGEL, ex-STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FEAR FACTORY, DETHKLOK) performing with FORBIDDEN last night (Thursday, April 21) at the Inferno festival in Oslo, Norway can be viewed below. Hoglan is filling in for FORBIDDEN drummer Mark Hernandez, who was forced to sit out the band's appearances at Inferno and Metropole Ruhr Festival in Germany because of "a personal family obligation."

Commented Hernandez: "I want to put to rest any thought that I am leaving the band, and will hope to see the faces I miss now later on in the summer touring season. I am very honored to have the mighty Gene Hoglan stepping up to help out and do these shows for me. Without a doubt, everyone in attendance will get a 110% FORBIDDEN show!"
 

Added Hoglan: "I'm real excited to be heading over to Europe with my bros in FORBIDDEN this week for their appearances at the Inferno fest in Oslo, Norway and the Metropole Ruhr Fest in Bochum, Germany. We've been great friends for eons, and Craig [Locicero, guitarist] has been my absolute brother since we toured in DEATH together way back when. Not to mention that I'm a seriously diehard fan of theirs. For me, each one of their records was better than the last, and that's really saying something. From 'Forbidden Evil' to the astonishing monument that is 'Green', I'd be hard-pressed to name another band who made the unexpected turns of their evolutionary process sound so damn righteous the way these guys did for me. I'm also real proud to be attempting Mark Hernandez's killer parts off their roaringly brilliant 'Omega Wave'. Savage drumming on their latest, indeed. My work is definitely cut out, without a doubt. And I know Mark is excited to return as well. If you are headed to the Inferno fest or the Metropole Ruhr Fest (that just rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?), I'm looking forward to ripping some evil FORBIDDEN metal for you."
 

Brazilian/American thrashers SEPULTURA played a brand new song, "Kairos", during their April 18, 2011 headlining concert at the Opera House in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.

"Kairos" (an ancient Greek word signifying a time in between, a moment of undetermined period of time in which something special happens) is the title track of SEPULTURA's new album, "Kairos", which is tentatively due this summer via Nuclear Blast Records. The artwork for the CD was created by Erich Sayers, a Los Angeles-based freelance digital artist and photographer whom SEPULTURA first met at the band's recent concert at the House Of Blues in West Hollywood, California.

SEPULTURA's new CD was recorded at Trama Studios in São Paulo, Brazil with producer Roy Z. (JUDAS PRIEST, HALFORD, BRUCE DICKINSON, HELLOWEEN). 13 tracks were laid down during the sessions, including cover versions of MINISTRY's "Just One Fix" and THE PRODIGY's "Firestarter".

SEPULTURA was joined by the Orquestra Experimental de Repertório (conducted by Jamil Maluf) during the band's appearance this past Saturday, April 16 at the Virada Cultural festival in São Paulo, Brazil. The concert was professionally filmed and recorded for a future CD/DVD release.

Kreator will get together for rehearsal in May to start working on songs for the follow up of the highly acclaimed 2009 album, "Hordes of Chaos". 

Some insight from Mille Petrozza: " I have 5 songs more or less ready and ideas for at least 5 more. We are really looking forward to get back into the creative process again. We know that our fans only expect the best from us and we, as a band, will make sure that none of you will be disappointed. I am very aware that some of you don`t like the fact that Kreator is releasing a new album only every 3-4 years, but let me tell you that it will be worth the wait!
Keep an eye our Homepage, Facebook, and Myspace. We'll be posting some stuff from the rehearsals soon."

Some impressions from Mille's signing session at the Musikmesse Fender booth can be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEk6h4tKfWw

You'll have a chance to see the final festival appearances of the Hordes of Chaos circuit at following European Festivals:

24.04.2011 NL - Schijndel, Paaspop
05.06.2011 HU - Budapest, Metalfest Open Air
11.06.2011 CZ - Milovice, Sonisphere
18.06.2011 FR - Clisson, Hellfest
24.06.2011 CH - Basel, Sonisphere
25.06.2011 DE - Dischingen, Rock Am Härtsfeldsee
26.06.2011 BE - Dessel, Graspop
03.07.2011 DE - Roitzschjora, With Full Force
08.07.2011 SE - Gävje, Getaway Rock Festival
10.07.2011 SB - Novi Sad, Exitfest
16.07.2011 SI - Tolmin, Metalcamp
06.08.2011 DE - Wacken, Wacken Open Air
12.08.2011 UK - Derby, Bloodstock Open Air
27.08.2011 DE - Andernach, Summers End Festival .