Evanescence, Chevelle and Halestorm are among the band confirmed for this year’s edition of the Carnival Of Madness tour, which kicks off Tuesday, July 31 in Springfield, Illinois. You can find all of the dates below.

“We’re really looking forward to the Carnival Of Madness tour this summer,” said Evanescence singer Amy Lee in an official statement. “We love Chevelle and haven’t hit the road together in years, and I’m really stoked to finally be playing some shows with Halestorm. Naturally I’m a fan of strong women in music and Lzzy’s voice is spectacular.”

If you don’t already have a copy of last year’s “The Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock” issue of Revolver — featuring cover girl Amy Lee as well as Lzzy Hale of Halestorm — head over to our online store to pick up your copy now!

Carnival Of Madness 2012 Tour Dates:

Jul. 31 – Springfield, IL – Prairie Capital Convention Center
Aug. 01 – Columbus, OH – LC Pavilion
Aug. 03 – Atlantic City, NJ – House Of Blues
Aug. 04 – Chester, PA – Harrah’s Chester Downs
Aug. 06 – Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion
Aug. 07 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six
Aug. 08 – Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre **
Aug. 10 – Atlanta, GA – Aaron’s Amphitheatre atLakewood
Aug. 11 – Gulfport, MS – Jones Park
Aug. 13 – Belton, TX – Bell County Expo
Aug. 14 – Laredo, TX – Laredo Energy Center
Aug. 15 – Midland, TX – Midland Horseshoe Arena
Aug. 17 – Lubbock, TX – [futureusgalleryto be announced]
Aug. 18 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
Aug. 20 – Sioux City, IA – [futureusgalleryto be announced]
Aug. 21 – Milwaukee, WI. – Eagles Ballroom *
Aug. 23 – Grand Rapids, MI – Rock The Rapids – Downtown **
Aug. 24 – Detroit, MI – DTE Music Theatre
Aug. 26 – Chicago, IL – Toyota Park
Aug. 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE **
Aug. 29 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Amphiteatre
Aug. 30 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun **
Sep. 02 – Buffalo, NY – [futureusgalleryto be announced] **
Sep. 05 – Evansville, IN – [futureusgalleryto be announced]

The band will be hitting the road next month as part of Megadeth’s Gigantour, along with Motörhead and Volbeat. You can view the full list of dates below the video.

Gigantour dates:
01/26 Camden, NJ, Susquehanna Bank Center
01/27 Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun Arena
01/28 New York, NY, Theater at Madison Square Garden
01/29 Lowell, MA, Tsongas Arena
01/31 Baltimore, MD, Rams Head Live (Lacuna Coil headliner show)
02/01 Glens Falls, NY, Glens Falls Civic Center
02/02 Quebec City, QC, Colisee Pepsi Arena
02/03 Montreal, QC, Bell Centre
02/05 Kingston, ON, K-Rock Centre
02/07 Oshawa, ON, General Motors Centre
02/08 Hamilton, ON, Copps Coliseum
02/09 Auburn Hills, MI, Palace of Auburn Hills
02/10 Chicago, IL, Aragon Ballroom
02/12 Milwaukee, WI, Eagles Ballroom
02/13 Des Moines, IA – People’s Court (Lacuna Coil headliner show)
02/14 St. Paul, MN, Myth
02/16 Saskatoon, SK, Prairieland
02/17 Edmonton, AB, Shaw Conference Centre
02/18 Calgary, AB, Big 4 Building
02/20 Abbotsford, BC, Abbotsford Ent & Sports Centre
02/21 Kent, WA, Showare Center
02/23 San Jose, CA, Events Center
02/24 Universal City, CA, Gibson Amphitheatre
02/25 Phoenix, AZ, Comerica Theatre
02/26 Albuquerque, NM,Tingley Coliseum
02/28 Denver, CO, The Fillmore Auditorium

REVOLVER When are you planning on going into the studio?
MARIA BRINK It’s looking like we’re going into the studio, like, January 1st, or January 3rd, right after the new year. And so we’re in the heavy process of just all the pre-production, like, writing all the new songs. We’re actually gonna work with some writers this time, which we’ve never done before. It’s exciting and scary at the same time, you know? And I’m always kind of the visionary part as far as, like, the new theme and the feel. I like our album to kind of have a whole feeling to them and sometimes a loose concept that kind of goes through it. So I’m kind of trying to dig out all those artistic things in myself and lock myself in the dark.

What sort of themes are you coming up with right now?
I definitely think that this is gonna be the darkest album that we’ve ever done and I think dark in every way–like, visually, you know, the chords that we’re playing, the lyrics that I’m singing, our video. Like, I just really feel a dark vibe to the whole thing, kind of like, I don’t know–if I could explain it in colors, like crimson red and black. We’re normally kind of different. This is definitely more of the alluring, sinful side of us, I guess you could say. That’s what I’m really coming up with a lot and really kind of feeling, I guess.

When I say dark, I don’t mean like I’m depressed and sad. It’s more of a fiery thing, I think.

Is that something that you guys kind of get together and plan out or is it that just what’s coming out when you’re writing?
They kind of vibe off of, you know, they’re pretty… They’re not like I am. I’m so passionate with all of these types of things like, What’s it gonna feel like? What’s it gonna look like? They’re a little bit more loose in that area. Not that they don’t care, but they kind of leave that whole thing up to me when it comes to certain things, I guess you would say. They write songs and they… They let me be the crazy one when it comes to that stuff, I guess.

You mentioned that you were bringing in writers this time. Was it hard bringing in other people to work on songs that, I guess, are pretty personal to you?
Exactly, yeah. I can’t, no matter how much I try, I can’t sing someone else’s lyrics. Like, I’m super passionate about, you know, how I feel. If I don’t feel what I’m singing then nobody else is gonna feel it. And if I’m not passionate about it and it doesn’t move me inside and I feel that fire about it then I’m just gonna be like a singing puppet. And I just can’t do that and I can’t be that–to me, it is about art. But I’m totally open to, you know, sitting down with the things that I come up with, with the writers, and then saying we could probably come up with a better word here, or we could come up with a better line than this. ‘Cause I think challenging yourself is always good. And as long as I can have the emotion in the song and I can kind of have a concept so I feel attached to it. If someone’s just like, “You’re gonna sing this song and it’s gonna be about this and you’re gonna be…” Like, I just can’t do that.

Have you decided which writers you’re bringing in yet?
We know a few people, but nothing is, like, set in stone right now. So I’m not quite sure. I would like to work with Ben Moody–I think he’s an amazing song writer. But we’re just kind of talking and things like that right now. But nothing is actually set in stone as of yet. Our producer is Kevin Churko, who just did the Five Finger [futureusgalleryDeath Punch] album, the last two Five Finger albums, and the last two Ozzy albums. And he, himself, is actually an amazing writer as well, so he’s actually gonna be writing a little bi, too.

And are you going to be recording in Las Vegas again?
Yeah, Kevin actually opened up a new studio, called the Hideout, so this is going to be the first time we’re working in that studio with him. I’m excited, it’s a very cool, you know, writing an album–there’s nothing like it. Just everything, the music and the lyrics, it’s such a journey and it’s so artistic for me and it’s like you kind of get lost in this whole world of creating this thing that, like, is gonna be there, you know? No matter how much it sells, or when I die or whatever, it’s just something I’m kind of leaving. I don’t know, it’s a really a personable and really magical thing for me. I love it.

What have you been listening to that’s been inspiring you?
Lately I’ve been listening to just a lot of atmospheric stuff lately actually, like things that just kind of calm me and kind of let my mind open up. Like Sigur Rós, or M83, or Massive Attack–things that kind of just open my mind artistically for me personally. But, I mean, those things always influence me regardless, they kind of let me open my mind up, I guess. But, what have I gotten new? I did like the new City and Color album–that was really great. I know these are all mellow things, not what people would probably think I would… Because I love heavy stuff obviously, it’s a certain part of myself I have to express in my music and I love it and if I just did all the mellow in In This Moment I think I would be lost and I’d feel like it was missing that part. And then vice versa, I would never want to do a bunch of heavy stuff either, without the melodic and, you know, the other. So I just gotta find a healthy balance. But when I’m starting to kind of calm myself into going into the new album and kind of opening myself up, I usually listen to really atmospheric stuff.

I know you try to keep a close bond with your fans and you’ve recently relaunched your Wonderland fan site. How is that going?
Yeah, it’s Maria Brink’s Wonderland. I love it. It is a cool way for me to just kind of have this special connection, because there are so many social networks now, so I cherish our fans. ‘Cause without our fans, you know, and the economy’s down right now, they pay money to come see you, you know, so I do keep in contact with them through our social networks and let them know I appreciate them and kind of have that thing. Like, I do live chats on there with them, I do blogs every day, and do little special things this and that. So it’s kind of just like our little private community where no haters can come on there. It’s all locked and sealed.  So it’s cool though to me, it’s special and it’s kind of like our private thing.

I can imagine, as much as you want to interact with fans, sometime the haters out there just spoil the whole experience.
If I had my forum open to everybody and not just my Wonderlanders, I had that before, and there was just all these haters and they can just make up emails and they can write evil horrible things on there. And I was just like, I’m making this whole thing locked down, sealed. It’s just for like our special community. It’s great. I love it.

What do you think is the sexiest hard rock or metal song?
“You’ve Seen the Butcher” off the last Deftones album, Diamond Eyes. They’re my favorite band. I mean Chino is amazing. Yeah, for like that world of music, yeah, for sure. He’s my favorite guy singer.

What is it that makes that particular song sexy?
Ah, just everything: the beat to the song, the music, his lyrics, the way he’s singing it. I mean that’s sexy–I love it.

Mic Mishap
“We were playing in San Francisco a few years ago, and the roadies didn’t set the microphone up properly. The stand wasn’t really stable, and it was moving all by itself. The first thing I do when I go onstage is, like, a violent headbang right near the mic stand, but this time my head went right into it. My forehead cut open above the right eye. I was bleeding like hell, but I didn’t realize it. The next thing I know, my face is hot and wet and I don’t know why. I looked at Marco , and he just turned white. I put my hand up to my face and it came back red. I didn’t know what to do, so I just hid my face behind my hair and finished the concert. In the end, the cut was not that bad, but I still have a little scar.”

DiGiorgio Who?
“At that same San Francisco show, I was on the bus putting on my makeup before the gig. The other guys were in the venue. The door of the bus opened, and I see this guy with long blond hair walk up. He was obviously not a regular fan, and he asked me where the guys were. Then he says, ‘By the way, I’m Steve.’ So I shook his hand and said, ‘Cristina. Nice to meet you.’ Then he grabbed my hand again and goes, ‘DiGiorgio.’ But I had no idea who he was—I was not familiar with any of his bands at that time. So I just said, ‘Scabbia!’ The guys still make fun of me for that one.”

Ponytail Up
“Around the time of Comalies, we were playing in Vienna, Austria. My hair was a little shorter back then, so I was wearing a fake ponytail onstage. At a certain point during the show, I must’ve been headbanging and I didn’t realize that my ponytail just flew away. At the very end of the show, we bowed to the crowd, and as I look down I see what looks like a dead cat. Of course it was the ponytail. Everyone at the show probably saw it fly off.”

Falling Angel
“At the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, I slipped onstage and fell right on my butt. It was a part where I was singing, so I couldn’t stop. Instead of getting up, I just lay down on the stage completely and finished the song. The guys were just looking at me, like, ‘What the fuck are you doing?’ It happened again at Ozzfest not long after that. I actually fell all the way offstage that time. I don’t know how I didn’t break a leg. I probably walk too much onstage, I think. I need to fucking stand still.”

Leaving Las Vegas
“In 2006, we went on tour with Rob Zombie. After the Vegas show, he knocked on the door of our dressing room and tells us that his friend Nic really enjoyed the show and wanted to come and say hi. So he asked if he could bring him into our dressing room for a minute. Of course we said yes. So he calls his friend in, and Nicolas Cage appears at the door of the dressing room. It was one of those moments where you don’t know if you are on Candid Camera or what. We just looked at each other like, ‘That’s fucking Nicolas Cage!’ It was awkward, but fantastic.”