Led Zeppelin Counting Down Big Announcement?

On Saturday, Led Zeppelin posted a cryptic graphic on their Facebook page that may be related to the Belgian news report. A photo of the number "Five" – in full Zeppelin logo font. On Sunday, Zeppelin posted the number "Four" in what appears to be the continuation of a countdown to an announcement. more on this story

Guns N' Roses and Jack White For Bridge School Concert

(hennemusic) Guns N' Roses, Jack White and more are set to play the 26th Annual Bridge School Benefit Concert this fall.

The 2012 event takes place on October 20 at 5pm and October 21 at 2pm at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.

Neil Young organizes the annual acoustic-based event, which raises funds for the Bridge School. See the full lineup.

Aerosmith Launch Online Series To Preview New Album

(hennemusic) Aerosmith have launched the first episode in a new 8-part series called "The Making Of Music From Another Dimension."

Directed by Casey Patrick Tebo, "Episode 1: The Beginning" starts in the Aerosmith studios in the summer of 2011, as the band sits down with producer Jack Douglas in a songwriting session.

Due November 6, "Music From Another Dimension" is the Boston band's 15th studio album and their first studio collection of all-new material in 11 years. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and at the band's studio in Massachusetts; it was produced by Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, with the exception of three tracks produced by Tyler and Marti Frederiksen. more on this story

Kings of Leon Offshoot Releasing Debut EP

(Gibson) Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill has a new spin-off band, currently known as Smoke and Jackal.

"I knew that I would go a little bit stir-crazy just not doing anything and not having any artistic outlets," he tells Rolling Stone. With fellow Nashville resident Nick Brown, singer and guitarist of the rock group Mona; Followill's outlet has arrived in the form of a new band.

The duo will release their debut, EP1, a six-song collection, on October 16. According to Followill, the project was anything but premeditated.

"It was super spur-of-the-moment," he says. The two friends' original intention, he says, was to record one song and "put it up on YouTube or something stupid like that for people to see. [Nick] sings amazing and I sing horribly, so we figured we could just go down there and try it one night." more on this story

As I Lay Dying Album Release Show To Be Streamed Live

Metal Blade Records will be putting on an east coast album release show for As I Lay Dying which will be webcast as part of their string of 30th anniversary events.

The event will be taking place Tuesday Septmber 25 at Santo's Party House in New York City, and us billed as "a private CD Release show" for As I Lay Dying, who are releasing their new album Awakened that same day. Battlecross, who recently wrapped up a very successful run on this summer's Trespass America tour featuring Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, and more.

Emceeing the event will be label-mates, comedians, and hosts of VH1 Classics "That Metal Show" Don Jamieson & Jim Florentine and Jose Mangin from SiriusXM's Liquid Metal. more on this story

Robert Fripp Quitting Music?

(Gibson) King Crimson's mercurial guitarist/visionary Robert Fripp has hinted he is quitting playing. In a rare interview with the Financial Times – the highbrow economics paper that, Fripp says, is the only he reads – he says: "My life as a professional musician is a joyless exercise in futility."

Fripp has been a prolific musician outside King Crimson, too. He was David Bowie's sideman on Heroes, played with Blondie and Talking Heads and has collaborated with fellow rock explorers Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel. Kanye West has sampled him. But he is embattled in over royalties, over CD sales, downloads and digital streams of Crimson tracks. "I couldn't concentrate on music," Fripp tells the FT. "So I made the choice to give up my career as a musician in the frontline to deal with the business."

Fripp continues, "It's an interesting strategy for keeping the music moving in the direction it goes – that whenever you get close to success, the band splits up. But it's a strategy that does work. Though it's one that you won't find in 'How to Succeed in the Music Industry'. And I can guarantee it will piss off people who are looking forward to having a good career." more on this story

The Acacia Strain Plan Album Release Tour

The Acacia Strain will be hitting the road this fall to play a string of album release shows.

The tour will be supported by Cruel Hand, I Declare War, Fit For An Autopsy and No Bragging Rights.

The trek kicks off on October 4th, ahead of the October 9th release of The Acacia Strain's new album, Death Is The Only Mortal. more on this story

Footage From Rush's World Tour Opener Goes Online

(hennemusic) Rush kicked off their "Clockwork Angels" World Tour Friday night at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH.

The trek is in support of the band's latest project, which also serves as their 20th studio album.

Rush pulled out a lot of rarely-played tunes in the opening set, while the second set featured a large section devoted to the new album.

The first videos from the show are now making their way online. Watch it here.

Gene Simmons To Sing National Anthem at Today's Raiders Game

(hennemusic) KISS bassist Gene Simmons will sing the national anthem at the Oakland Raiders' NFL home opener tonight.

Simmons will take to the field prior to the Raiders game against the San Diego Chargers to sing the anthem; he follows a pregame performance by Ice Cube.

KISS are currently touring North America with opening act Motley Crue; shows wrap up September 23 in Hartford, CT. more on this story

Emerson, Lake & Palmer Reissues Coming

Razor & Tie will be kicking off their Emerson, Lake & Palmer reissue campaign on September 25th.

The campaign will begin with the reissue of the group's first two albums Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970 – Studio Album) and Tarkus (1971 – Studio Album). The label sent over these details:

Both records will be available as 3-disc deluxe editions containing never before released 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo Mixes, including previously unheard out-takes. Three time Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Steven Wilson (who has also recently remixed classic albums by Jethro Tull and King Crimson for acclaimed 40th anniversary editions) worked from the original Greg Lake produced multi-track tapes to remix both albums more on this story

Former Iron Maiden Singer Guests On A Sound Of Thunder's New Album

A Sound Of Thunder have recruited former Iron Maiden vocalist Blaze Bayley to make a special guest appearance on their new studio album. They sent over these details:

A Sound Of Thunder have begun work on their third full-length album entitled Time's Arrow. The band has entered Assembly Line Studios with producer Kevin "131" Gutierrez (Shinedown, While Heaven Wept, Raven). With the same band line-up, producer and studio that created 2012's acclaimed Out of the Darkness (Nightmare Records), Time's Arrow features 11 new songs combining rousing and catchy traditional metal with crushing modern production. Time's Arrow will release in early 2013 and is the subject of the band's current Kickstarter campaign.

Blaze Bayley (ex-Iron Maiden, Wolfsbane) makes an appearance on the album, performing a duet with vocalist Nina Osegueda on the track "My Disease". "Blaze is a legendary figure in the history of metal, but more importantly he brings incredible power, passion and sincerity to his performances, and that's exactly what we needed on this song. Musically it has little in common with Maiden, and sounds more like a cross between Black Sabbath and Blaze's first few solo albums...and of course A Sound of Thunder,"said guitarist Josh Schwartz. more on this story

On Broken Wings Plan Fall Album Release

On Broken Wings is set to finish recording the tentatively titled Summer Solstice this fall at Darkside Audio, but fans can get a taste of what's to come right now. We were sent these details:

Darkside Audio is the recording studio owned and operated by guitarist Mike McMillen. The new album will be the proper follow-up to 2005's It's All A Long Goodbye, as 2007's Going Down was a re-release of the band's 2001 debut Number One Beautiful with four new songs.

A recurring theme for each of the former releases, including 2003's Some of Us May Never See The World, was the addition of "I Do My Crosswords In Pen" on each release. When asked whether or not the track would appear this time around, Mike McMillen laughed and commented, "No, that song is done!"

However the tracks featured on the Summer Solstice Single, "Crowns Meant For Kings" and "Ego Ideal," will be on the forthcoming release and offers a glimpse into the band's current sound, which is the vintage On Broken Wings. The tracks may currently be heard on Facebook

B Sides

Another Lost Year Singled Out Week: Angels

Another Lost Year release their new album "Better Days" this week and to celebrate we asked lead singer "Clinton Cunanan" to tell us about some of the tracks. Today he tells us about "Angels". Here is the story:

Angels is a song that came from being on the road all the time. Night after night we sell ourselves to people. Being in a band, is hard enough for people around you, being in a touring band is even harder for those people. Angels was just a way to say to those people that at the end of it all we're still the same, and we're not forgetting the sacrifice that these people have made for us to get to where we are at.

I wasn't setting out to write a song that I thought was going to be a "love" song, I was just trying to convey the coin is always 2 sided. I know that my friends and family are struggling through this with me. Basically at the end of it all without the sacrifice, there is nothing to gain. I had been in a hotel room for 3 weeks last year and I was pretty alone, the walls that were surrounding me we're very confining to me. And I started thinking about all the things that people have had to sacrifice to get to where they are at, and all the time they had to spend away. That's where the line "All the walls you've built fall down" came from.

Basically Angels is an apology, but at the same time, nothing should stand between you and whatever it is that you dream. The closing line, "I'll be there, til the angles take your place", has caused a lot of people to really latch on, because it conveys, no matter what I'm not leaving and I will be here until I'm dead. I hope people take some hope and understand that every dream is worth fighting for, and always worth having someone to share those dreams with.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!

3 Inches Of Blood Premiere New Video

3 Inches Of Blood have premiered their new music video for their song "Leather Lord," which comes from their most recent album, Long Live Heavy Metal.

"We are very proud to give you our latest music video. The 'Leather Lord' video is done in a way we've never attempted before but we are pleased with how it has turned out," says singer Cam Pipes. Watch the video here.

In October, the band will return to Europe for a tour supporting the legendary Overkill. more on this story

Original Lineup Of Further Seems Forever Release New Video

Further Seems Forever debuted the video for the single "So Cold," which is the first song the group has released with the original lineup in over a decade.

Further Seems Forever announced in 2010 when it was announced that the original lineup featuring Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional would be back. After several live performances including appearances at Bamboozle and Groezrock, the band signed with powerhouse independent label Rise Records and will be releasing the new album Penny Black on Oct. 23rd.

Further Seems Forever will be playing a string of shows in October and November. more on this story

Def Leppard Rock Of Ages Tour Footage Goes Online

(hennemusic) Def Leppard brought their Rock Of Ages tour to Monterrey, Mexico for two shows this past week.

Joining the UK rockers on the trek are Poison and Lita Ford. The summer-long tour wraps up September 15 in Santa Barbara, CA.

Leppard are sharing a video of "Love Bites" from the shows, and fan-shot footage of several other tracks has surfaced, as well. Watch it here.