Artist Interview

Tampa, Florida, thrash-punk act Illuminate Me will release their new album, 'I Have Become a Corpse,' on July 15 via Tragic Hero Records. In anticipation, the band has teamed up with Revolver to premiere the entire album—which featured guest appearances by Garret Rapp (The Color Morale), Jerry Roush (Glass Cloud), and Landon Tewers (The Plot in You)—right here, right now. Check it out below and let us know what you think in the comments!

To pre-order 'I Have Become a Corpse,' visit Tragic Hero's webstore. For more on Illuminate Me, visit their Facebook and website.

In September, hard rockers SOiL will hit the road with Tantric in support of their latest album, 2013's Whole, which marked the return of original lead singer Ryan McCombs. In anticipation of the tour, McCombs and bassist-vocalist Tim King sat down with Revolver to look back on their last record and break it down track by track.

For more on SOiL, visit SoilTheBand.com, Facebook.com/SOiLmusic, and Twitter.com/SoilTheBand.

"Loaded Gun"
TIM KING This is actually the first song we put together with the return of Ryan on vocals. It set the pace for the return of the original formula yet entirely new writing process. It seemed only fitting to make it the first song on the album. It's one of my favorite songs vocally and the guitar noise in the chorus really makes this song come to life.
RYAN McCOMBS Being that it was the first song, it was nice that it came together as well as it did. It set the pace for the rest of the writing process. The "original formula" being the three of us back together and to quote Tim again, the "new writing process" was there because a lot of aspects of this body of material came together sending files back and forth over the internet since Tim and Adam live in Chicago, Illinois, and at the time I lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I was familiar with this process as it is how we put together the majority of the material for the two studio albums I had previously done with Drowning Pool, the 'Full Circle' and self-titled CDs.

"The Hate Song"
KING This was a song that came together very quickly when we were at a rehearsal one day. It's a pretty basic song musically, but lyrically it delivers hook after hook. It is definitely one of those songs that keeps your attention from beginning to end.
McCOMBS It was funny actually, Adam was doodling around on his guitar waiting for Mitch, our touring drummer, to finish setting up and he just started playing this annoying harmonic that made you want to punch someone in their eye hole. I told him to keep playing on it cause the stupid noise pissed me off so bad. In a matter of 10-15 minutes later, "The Hate Song" was born.

"Ugly"
KING This was our "experimental" song. Ryan treads new territory vocally in the chorus delivery, while the music is very aggressive and has a very dark and moody feel to it. I used bass distortion in all the verses, and Adam layered the guitars four times on the tracks for extra saturation.
McCOMBS The pre-chorus to this song is by far one of my favorite moments on the entire CD. Every line of lyric and music is a punch driving you to the ground in the first half of it. The next half is the process of rising back to your feet in the shadow of that fist and breaking every finger that makes it a fist without raising your own. It is a moment of empowering fuel to me. I hope it comes out that way to others.

"Way Gone"
KING This was a song that almost got cut from making the album in the demo process. We decided to keep it because we liked the flow of it and the chorus vocals. In the end, it turned out to be my personal favorite song on the album.
McCOMBS Hated it! Every writing process has a song or three that just avoid my grasp lyrically. This was one of them. Then about five minutes past the 12th hour, it popped. With that said, it is one of my dearest friends favorite songs as she is very familiar what this past year has been like for me in my personal life.

"Psychopath"
KING This was actually the last song to be written for the album and was written two weeks before we went into the studio to record. Adam came to us with all the parts and Ryan nailed the vocals very quickly writing wise. We felt the album needed another fast song and this track fit the mold perfectly.
McCOMBS I think, without meaning to, this song filled a hole that we weren't aware was even there. We were very happy with where we were material-wise. When I heard that tempo and that style it just reminded me of that change of pace and feel that certain songs provided the albums 'Scars' and 'Redefine.' It needed to be a part of this CD.

"Shine On"
KING This song lyrically was written by Ryan about the fans and supporters that have kept him alive and kicking all these years. It's a "thank you" to all of them. It has become the first single for the new album. Ironically enough, it was not the band's first choice for a lead single but the people that all heard the record in advance were blown away by the track and we decided to go with it.
McCOMBS Tim pretty much summed that all up. I'll add that not only was it not the band's first choice but probably not second or third. I would say it was probably my fifth or sixth. But I wasn't going to argue as the response that it received from the team we put together only told me to be happy with it. If they love my fifth favorite this much, then we have done alright on this CD.

 "Wake Up"
KING This was another song that has that old SOiL feel but with some modern elements to it. We were deciding what to put in the bridge in the way of an effect or overdub of some sort and one drunken night called up our friend Mike Mushok of the band Staind and asked him to put a lead over it. He got it back to us in a few days and that filled the missing piece great!
McCOMBS Lyrically speaking, the title says it all… It's about being trapped, swallowed up, feeling crippled in your own ability to control your own world. I have had to learn in the past year to not only open my eyes every morning but to truly wake up as well.

"Amalgamation"
KING This is a rather clever song on Ryan's part lyrically. It takes various song titles from the songs he wrote with SOiL and his time spent in the band Drowning Pool.  He weaves the titles throughout the verses and bridge and makes for a very interesting listen of fans of Ryan's time in both bands. This is also the SOiL classic "punk" type song. Much like the song "The One" off of the album 'Scars' or the song "Say You Will" of of the 'Re.De.fine.' album.
McCOMBS At some point, I think we will have to have a prize for whomever can come up with the correct number of references this song includes.

"My Time"
KING This was the first song we recorded with Ryan back on vocals since 2003. It was the first taste people got with the three of us back together again. The first mix was used for a sports event here in the states and made it's way onto the album. We re-tracked a couple things and re-mixed the song as well. The original version is out there floating around on the internet as well.
McCOMBS I like American Football. To me, it's chess on a field. Chess is like making your way through many aspects of life and "My Time" has no relation to any of these things and yet everything at the same time. What?

"Little Liar"
KING This song is actually the only song on the album with a different tuning. All the other songs are drop A# as to where this song is only a 1/2 step down in Eb. It definitely adds a great vibe to the album and gives a different feel to the album as a whole. I said "whole"... [Laughs]
McCOMBS Yeah...

"One Love"
KING This song actually came about when the three of us were sitting at my house and I played a riff I had recorded on an acoustic guitar for the guys. Adam added more riffs to it and we actually developed two different songs in one on this. The song starts off as a mid-paced rock song and develops into a world of chaos at the end.  Definitely the album closer!
McCOMBS Yes. Definitely a old school SOiL album closer. I remember when first I heard what Adam had come up with when he Frankensteined the two together. He asked me what I thought and after a long pause I just replied that I liked it. I had no fucking clue what I just listened to or what in the hell I was going to do with it but I knew that I liked it.

This original interview appeared in the June 2009 issue of Revolver. Words by Mikael Wood. Photos by Dale May.

LIST: Top 5 Most Outrageous Facts About Ronnie James Dio

LIST: Essential Listening - The 5 Ronnie James Dio Albums You Need to Own

On a nondescript residential street on the Eastside of Los Angeles, a small fleet of black chauffeured sedans sits idling in the fading late-afternoon sun. Perhaps President Obama is in town, dropping in on an everyday taxpayer to get a sense of how the economic stimulus package is working? Nope.

Maybe Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie lost track of one of their kids and are now leading a door-to-door search party? Wrong again. The Dodgers have decided to forgo the draft and start searching for new players in random backyards? Afraid not.

As it happens, the vehicles are actually awaiting a far more motley crew: Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, all of whom are finishing up a photo shoot inside a nearby home. Individually you know these guys as four of the heaviest hitters in metal. Together, of course, they're Heaven & Hell, and this is how they roll.

The last time Dio graced Revolver's cover, our heroes were heading out on 2008's Metal Masters Tour alongside Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Testament. Now they're preparing for the release of The Devil You Know (Rhino), their first official full-length under the name Heaven & Hell, which follows up the band's 1992 album Dehumanizer. (Dio, Iommi, Butler and Appice originally reconvened in 2006 to record a handful of new tracks for The Dio Years, a Sabbath-era best-of, and in 2007 they put out the double-disc Live From Radio City Music Hall.)

True to its title, The Devil You Know—which the band recorded late last year at Rockville Studios in Wales—is a familiar beast, with Dio howling as dramatically as ever about pain, cannibals, and how religion's light has left him blind over Iommi's uber-metal riffs and Butler and Appice's earth-shaking rhythm-section grooves.

Highlights include "Rock and Roll Angel," with its spookily gorgeous Spanish-guitar outro, and "Neverwhere," in which Dio raises eyebrows about how "the hand that rocks the cradle in the morning could be lurking 'round the corner with a gun." But as befits the work of musicians whose collective idea of quality control seriously predates the iTunes era, Devil is solid all the way through.

"Anything they write is a hit," says Testament frontman Chuck Billy, who fondly remembers "shooting the shit" with the band's members on the Metal Masters trek. (In a neat coincidence, Testament's final gig with its original lineup was an opening slot on Black Sabbath's Dehumanizer tour.) Continues Billy, "It definitely doesn't suck to have new Heaven & Hell music."

To find out how that music came to be, Revolver corralled Dio, Iommi, and Butler for a candid, in-depth talk about where they've been, where they're going, and what it takes (besides a Town Car) to get there from here.

REVOLVER You've all expressed varying opinions in the past about making a new studio album as Heaven & Hell. Why'd you finally decide the time was right?
TONY IOMMI Because we wanted to do one. [Laughs] We chatted about it and decided it'd be a good idea. That simple, huh?
RONNIE JAMES DIO I think it was a whole process. First we wrote the three tracks together for the compilation album. And then some speculation came along: "Will they do another one?" So we toured, and that cemented the relationship a bit more; we had to do that to find out if everything else was gonna work. Then we decided that, yeah, this is too good a thing for us to stop, so we'll carry on. For us it wasn't a matter of not being capable of doing it. That is the case for a lot of bands, but I would hate to think that people were asking if we were gonna do another album based upon whether or not we were capable of doing it. We're damn well capable of doing it, and we've proven it this time.

How do you think the music on The Devil You Know compares to what you made together under the Black Sabbath banner?
GEEZER BUTLER It's still heavy, as heavy as the others that we've done. We're not doing disco or anything like that. We're still carrying on where we left off on Dehumanizer and the three songs that are on the compilation album—that same kind of thing.

How much time did you spend writing in a room together before heading into the studio?
BUTLER We did probably six weeks of writing in Ronnie's studio, then we went on tour for a month. Then we came back and carried on writing at Ronnie's studio for another six weeks. With the current state of recording technology, you could easily make a record without ever being in the same studio at the same time.
DIO You could, sure. But you felt that working together was valuable.
IOMMI Absolutely.
BUTLER You just work off each other, and everybody inspires everybody else. And surprises each other, as well: You'll come up with something and think, Well, that's not gonna go anywhere. And then someone will come up with something that you wouldn't have thought about. That's where the magic comes in.
DIO You also need support when you do things on your own. You can sit in your own little studio and write for the rest of your life, but you don't really know at the end of the day if the other guys are gonna like it. Luckily we don't have a problem with that. If you hear something and someone goes, "No, it's not right," no one screams and yells and kicks. We always seem to know what's right for us; I don't think we try to really present too much that we're unsure of, that one of us is gonna go, "That really is horrible." But once again you need to be affirmed. You need someone to say to you, "That's really good—I like that." That's, I think, why we like to work together, because we do support each other a lot, and I think we get the best out of each other.

How much time do you guys spend around one another when you're not on tour or in the studio?
DIO Because Geezer, myself, and Vin live here in LA, we're not terribly far removed from each other. We see each other a lot more than we see Tony, of course, because Tony's in England most of the time. Geezer will see Tony perhaps more than we will because he has a place in England as well. But even then, you know, I think we spend enough time in each other's pockets—and in each other's purses, perhaps—that it's nice to be away from it because we know we're gonna be put together again. But we like each other. We have parties, you know? If I have a party, Geezer's there, Vinny's here. And we look forward to that—everyone likes to take the Mickey out of each other. It's a very special situation. Last year you played the Metal Masters Tour. What were the audiences like at those shows?
BUTLER Quite a few of the older people.

But it was a mixture: You get the old fans from the '70s, then you get their kids. Now you're getting their kids.
IOMMI And some of the same women from the '70s. Skeletons there in coffins. [Laughs]

Did that tour cement in your minds the influence you guys have had on younger metal bands?
BUTLER I don't even think like that at all. It's a gig, and you go on and play your gig. You don't really think about anybody else. Just concentrate on this band.
DIO It's nice to know that that happens, of course. We hear that all the time, especially in the case of Geezer and Tony, because of Sabbath and how important it was from the beginning with Ozzy and Bill [Ward] and Tony and Geezer, and what that did to young bands. So Vinny and I, our perspective is a little outside that, so we can see it. And of course we see it from what we'd done from Heaven and Hell onward.
IOMMI That created a whole new element. Heaven and Hell opened up a new world for us.
DIO It did. And now we're on the third leg of it, really—the kids of the kids of the kids.

Maybe it's a testament to the cyclical nature of the way music evolves.
DIO I think so. And it's also a testament to the fact that we don't chop and change—we do one thing, and I think that that's always been our strength. We don't apologize for that and we don't write reggae songs or disco material. We do one thing, and I think people are pleased with that. Not having strayed somewhere off is really what has solidified our place of influence among the younger bands who are real adamant about the music that they like. Luckily for us, that music happens to be part of what
we do.

You're heading out on tour soon. Will you be playing much from The Devil You Know?
BUTLER We'll be doing some of it, I should imagine.
DIO It's a difficult thing to do. People are so caught up in what you were. Luckily there are some great songs on this album, but you know, these things take time. It's not like it used to be, when you were just flooded with hearing a band's new material on the radio because everything was going so well. Now you don't get that initial blockbuster attitude coming out, so you don't really know what you're gonna do. We'll do some of them, not only because we want to but because we should.
BUTLER It's all good live stuff. Before we even recorded it, we went into a studio and played the whole thing live end to end. So it's all written with a mind to playing it at live shows. It's just a matter of picking which ones.

The catalog of material between you guys—even just the well-known stuff—is immense. How do you choose what to spotlight?
BUTLER It gets difficult. As soon as you replace one tune with something else, everybody goes, "Why'd you take that out?!"

Do you feel a sense of obligation to give the fans what they want?
BUTLER Well, they're the ones who're paying the money, so you've gotta listen to them. I think on this tour, we know what people most wanna hear, so that's what we give them.

Is there stuff that will always be a part of any Heaven & Hell set list? What are three songs you could never imagine not playing?
DIO, IOMMI, AND BUTLER [together] "Heaven and Hell."
DIO "Neon Knights," probably. Maybe "The Mob Rules."
IOMMI We're gonna reel off the whole set list.
DIO It's amazing when you think about it. We love doing all the songs, and they work so well. It's almost gotta be a sin to take anything out, because we know that set list so well. But we need to and we will.

As you prepare to hit the road again, are there places that you really look forward to playing?
BUTLER Well, of course, as the years have gone on, more markets have opened up and more countries have opened. Now you've got a lot of the Communist countries that you weren't allowed to go to before.
DIO Like Canada. [Laughs]

Is there anywhere in the world any of you have yet to play?
IOMMI We haven't done Dubai yet.
DIO We haven't done Egypt.
BUTLER We haven't done Iraq or Afghanistan.

That could take some time.
DIO We haven't played India either. And we should, because it's our favorite food. I'm sure we will this year, though. India's become a hell of a market—lots of money and people who have it to spend now. But that's about it. I mean, we played Iceland. What more do you want?

Revolver's own Stephanie Cabral was on hand to catch all the action for KISS, Def Leppard and Kobra and the Lotus' stop on July 8 at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Check out the photos she captured for us below–you can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Cleveland's Mushroomhead recently released their eighth studio album, 'The Righteous & the Butterfly,' and the band of masked miscreants in currently on the road as the part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival.

Today, two of the group's vocalists, J Mann and Jeffrey Nothing, are sharing their thoughts on each of the tracks on the new record. Check out what they have to say below, and let us know what you think in the comments.

"Our Apologies"
J MANN This is the lead-off track off the album and a reclamation of sorts. It's also a statement to those who think we should feel guilt, shame or inferiority. It's a hard-driving song with a big hook and no regrets. I couldn't think of a better way to start off the bands rejuvenation. It's meant to silence those quick to judge and armed with stones.

"How Many Times"
J MANN This is one of those "glass houses" songs, which is basically a comment on a judgmental culture and it's fixation with tabloid sensationalism.

"Devils Be Damned"
J MANN This song is an observation of religious fanaticism and a cult/worship mentality. I'm all for worship, but when it's a blind agenda of control, it must be stopped.

"QWERTY"
JMANN As a band we've always been a fan of cinematic composers such as Angelo Badalementi and Danny Elfman. This song is definitely a nod to Elfman with it's twisted carnival vibe. Lyrically, it is about the cult of fear and how fear is being used to invoke false patriotism. Loyal as a dog on the lap of a bitch slap.

"Portraits of the Poor"
J MANN Mushroomhead always tried to incorporate a wide pallet musically to increase drama and tension. This song once again is a tip of that hat to our earlier releases which were full of piano-laden melodrama. Lyrically, it's a reflection of the human condition and the potential aftermath of the seeds we sew.

"Childlike"
JEFFREY NOTHING This is a portrait of life taken from both sides. The person living the life and the people watching it unfold. What guides this mind, the dreams, perceptions, obstacles, and demise of ones self. Before after and in between. We all want so much, accept so little,  and reflect on what once was, or what might have been. Had we ever chosen to try, had we ever truly lived. Instead of keeping these thoughts, safely in our heads, as we slept.

"This Cold Reign"
JEFFREY NOTHING I perceived this as the tyrant, to be. Growing all at once in strength and insanity. Corruption coursing thru his veins as the soul dissipates. These once good people throwing right from wrong aside for this sickeningly wonderful, solitary prize. Turf never enough in size, populations made to minimize. What once was can never be again, a prisoner, a puppet King. Assassination, the only win.

"We Are the Truth"
JMANN This song talks about global militarization and the mask it wears to convince you that it truly has your best interest at heart. Jackie LaPonza, of the band Unsaid Fate, provides the quest vocal on this one. There are actually two additional versions of this one that appeared as a Best Buy exclusive.

"Son of 7"
J MANN Shredding guitars by Tommy Church an absolute blast to play live. Lots of fret board lots of energy.

"For Your Pleasure"
J MANN This song was an attempt at getting back to the roots of Mushroomhead. Reaching back to our earliest influences, musically, it definitely has a Faith No More vibe. It was also our first attempt at blending all three singers into one song. The song's working title was "Righteous" to serve as a tribute to our original guitarist JJ. Lyrically, this is an address to all the wounds, scars, and bruises one goes through both physically and emotionally and the fortitude to overcome them all.

"Worlds Collide"
JEFFREY NOTHING This one is an act from that great tragedy, the play called "Humankind." We all bleed and are doing so with rapid fire regularity. Suicide bombings promise the driver everything they could ever want in the afterlife. All they have to do is die. Taking however many unlucky souls along for the ride. Drawing as much attention as possible to their cause. At whatever the cost.

"Graveyard Du Jour"
JEFFREY NOTHING Let's all pray for the prey in the "Graveyard of the day." We the People... To many, we are disposable. In which ever way it happens. So many things are designed with thinning the herd in mind. Life expectancy changes with each new day and age. Whether on the front lines or home safe inside your cage. Your time is ticking,  rapidly away.

"Out of My Mind"
J MANN This is the song we just shot a new video for. It's about the unraveling of the American Dream. A magnifying glass on the apathy and disinterest in anything that's not seen on TV or sold at the mall.

"Rumor Has It"
JEFFREY NOTHING We wanted to do a cover and we also wanted to completely reinvent the song we chose. I picture people saying, "How do I know this?" and then moving to our version, much more than the original one. This to me is the "cougar" take on what Adele made.

Black Label Society have premiered the music video for their ballad "Angel of Mercy." The track is off the band's latest album, 2014's 'Catacombs of the Black Vatican.'

Check out the clip below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Weed-obsessed death-metal band Cannabis Corpse—featuring Municipal Waste bassist/Iron Reagan guitarist Phil Landphil Hall—recently released their new album, 'From Wisdom to Baked' (stream the record in its entirety here). So we asked Landphil to share some of  his wisdom.

REVOLVER THow long did you spend working on 'From Wisdom to Baked,' and what was the most challenging part?
PHIL "LANDPHIL" HALL My brother,  [Josh] HallHammer, and I spent about two years writing and recording. Every aspect of writing and recording a death-metal album is a challenge. Especially when you have already previously completed several full-lengths. Part of the challenge is that these days I record everything entirely at my home studio in Richmond, Virginia, so occasionally some roadblocks come up from teaching myself how to use the recording technology. I wanted this album to sound as natural as possible without compromising quality. I also had the luxury of being able to nit-pick the performance of every instrument very thoroughly because of the ability to work at home. Another challenge is trying to keep my cat from deleting things accidentally by walking on my keyboard while I am not looking.

The band started almost as a parody, but it has completely transcended that now. Why do you think that is?
The band was never a parody—from the beginning, it was worship. I started this band as a humorous tribute to my favorite style of music. It has grown from that. I think death-metal listeners out there can tell that a lot of effort is put into making these records as memorable and well made as possible. I love the old-school [Scott] Burns-era style of death metal and want to bring that feeling into Cannabis Corpse. That music from the early '90s had such an impact on me as a teenager, and this band is a direct result of that. I feel like our music is just as real as any other band we just make our influences a little more obvious. I think the music is what helps the band transcend the initial, "Is this a joke?" reaction.

"Individual Pot Patterns" features vocals from current Six Feet Under and ex-Cannibal Corpse's Chris Barnes. How did you get him to be part of the album, and does that mean you have a seal of approval from Cannibal Corpse?
We actually asked Paul [Mazurkiewicz] from Cannibal if we could do Cannabis Corpse before we recorded the first song. They have been super nice guys about it and have been spotted wearing Cannabis Corpse T-shirts on occasion. I met Chris Barnes while touring with Six Feet Under in the summer of 2013. He was very friendly to us and when I asked him if he would be interested in doing a song he was very cool about it. I love what he did on the album—it might be my favorite song. Working with him is a dream come true, of course, because I am a huge Cannibal Corpse fan and I love Six Feet Under, as well. His vocals are so gnarly. He sounds like a monster.

Other guests include Trevor Strnad from The Black Dahlia Murder and Sean McGrath from Ghoul—why those guys?
They are musicians that I have worked with in the past and are friends of mine. I love collaborating with creative people to hear what ideas come out of it. Trevor actually wrote his own lyrics for the song that he did called "With Their Hash He'll Create." It turned out to be one of the best songs on the album.

From album titles to song titles, there are a lot of metal and pot puns. How long does it take you to come up with them or is that just your sense of humor?
We generally come up with a big list of titles and choose the ones that make us laugh the most. I especially like titles that still sound super brutal after a pot pun has been injected. We want the vibe of the title to maintain it's scariness even after the pot pun has been injected. I am surrounded by hilarious people every day of my life so finding humor in song titles is a snap.

You're in three bands that tour frequently. The road probably feels like home at this point—do you have any creature comforts you take with you?
These days I bring my laptop and write riffs and record even while I am on tour. I love the fact that I can demo new songs for bands while I am in the back of the van. This luxury is going to increase my creative output 100 percent. I am driven to create music every day of my life. As long as my brain functions, I will be putting out records. I am also thankful that people out there are listening to what I have created, with out the fans I wouldn't be able to so this.

Favorite weed-related experience?
I have been smoking weed for so long that is almost like asking what my favorite life experience has been! [Laughs] Being stoned and playing a show in front of hundreds of thousands of people has happened on occasion. Smoking weed with people that I admire in the music industry, like Chris Barnes, or just being stoned and enjoying the outdoors on my free time are things that I love about doing what I do. Or getting high and doing an interview like right now.

Have fans offered you any strange substances?
Well, sometimes I will get weed food like brownies or Rice Krispy treats or something. Eating weed always plants me right on my ass. I have had to quit eating weed brownies and stuff because of how insane the buzz can get sometimes.

Revolver's sister publication Guitar World talked to many of the hardest-rocking bands on the road this season for the magazine's Summer Tour Survival Guide in the August 2014 issue online. Here, we're sharing the interview with Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates (pictured above far right), in which he reveals how he plans to beat the heat and tame the crowds on this summer's Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival.

REVOLVER Your sweatiest concert ever?
SYNYSTER GATES Definitely the 2004 Warped Tour when we played in Arizona. I think it got up to 127 degrees, and I remember feeling like I was going to faint. Just god awful. So we drank a bunch of margaritas to keep us extremely sedated.

Considerations when playing an outdoor show versus an indoor show?
Nothing at all. We just go out there and have a lot of fun. I mean, the only time you're ever worried about anything is if there are extreme elements, like rain or crazy wind.

Primary gear you'll be playing this summer?
My gear is pretty easy. I usually play through my Hellwin amp and signature guitar [Schecter Synyster Custom]. I'm not a big effects sort of guy—I like to keep it simple.

One item you will carry with you at all times this summer?
A ProTools rig strapped to my back, literally. It keeps me sane, writing a bunch of different stuff like classical stuff or any guitar stuff. I don't like being locked in a cage on the creative scale. I need an outlet.

Highlight of your band's set list?
I'm really excited about the reaction "This Means War" [from 2013's Hail to the King] is getting these days. That's a real fun song to play, and I like the grooves and riffs.

Tips for winning over a tough crowd?
You just have to be confident. Don't give 'em anything to further their disapproval. Just go up there, rock out, and act like it's a base of your fans. And don't scream and yell at them.

Advice for a band just starting to play live?
Just go up there and enjoy it, because it's a really special thing to be able to do. We interact with the crowd, turn it into a party. I wouldn't worry about the performance or having a stiff and ridged structure for the show. If you keep it loose, you'll find yourself, eventually.

Las Vegas rockers Otherwise have teamed with Revolver to premiere their new single, "Darker Side Of The Moon," which is the lead cut off their new album, 'Peace at All Costs.' The single will be unleashed next month to Active Rock radio and available on all digital platforms starting July 8 via Century Media Records. 'Peace at All Costs' will be in stores at the end of this Summer.

Otherwise singer Adrian Patrick comments: "'Darker Side of the Moon' is just the beginning of the journey that we plan to take with everyone. The Moon is a heavenly body that we've come to cherish and worship throughout our meager lives...but there is another side to it that most of us know nothing about. We hope that our album 'Peace at All Costs' will help the world navigate the depths of its own darkness and break through into the light on the other side."

Check out the lyric video for the song below and let us know what you think in the comments.

"Darker Side of the Moon" is available now on Amazon and iTunes.

Avenged Sevenfold have released the official music video for their song "This Means War." The track comes off the band's latest album, 2013's 'Hail to the King.' Watch it below and let us know what you think in the comments.

You can catch Avenged Sevenfold live on the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival this summer. The group will also release its new video game, 'Hail to the King; Deathbat,' later this year. Additionally, in August, A7X's second album, 'Waking the Fallen,' will be reissued in an expanded anniversary edition, featuring demo tracks and a DVD.