Chris M. Junior

Four years after being named Sexiest Female at the Kerrang! Awards, singer Amy Lee of Evanescence has been honored by fellow heavy-music magazine Revolver as its Hottest Chick in Hard Rock for 2011. She graces the cover of the current issue, available now at newsstands.

Loud and heavy music defines Zakk Wylde. He works out to Ministry, loves Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, and was Ozzy Osbourne‘s longtime guitarist. He also serves as the leader of Black Label Society. But during those long stretches of travel while on tour, Wylde likes to dial it down and listen to mellower tunes by some notable old-school artists.

When CJ Ramone was approached a decade ago about possibly replacing Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, he declined the chance even though he took Dee Dee Ramone’s spot in the final years of the legendary punk band the Ramones. Ramone’s reason was simple: Touring with the metal band would not have been beneficial to his family, specifically his son Liam, who had been diagnosed with autism.

Back in the day, the release of a concert album used to be a sure sign that a band was not going to be putting out a new studio effort anytime soon. Chevelle fans can rest easy, however. Even though the Chicago-bred group released the live collection ‘Any Last Words’ in the spring, a new studio disc is on the way, just in time for the year-end holiday season.

Up to this point in the band’s career, Three Days Grace has released three albums, with a gap of three years from one to the next. This month marks two years since ‘Life Starts Now’ hit the streets, and frontman Adam Gontier has hinted that the next 3DG album might beat the full three-year mark by several months.

By the end of next week, Pink Floyd fans will really be ‘Comfortably Numb.’ From Sept. 26-30, Jimmy Fallon will pay tribute to the legendary British band on his NBC show. Among those scheduled to drop by are Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Dierks Bentley, plus Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason.

This fall is going to be a memorable one for Disturbed, particularly singer David Draiman. According to the tweet-happy Draiman, his hard-hitting band will release the 16-track B-sides, rarities and covers album ‘The Lost Children’ on Nov. 8. But before that, Draiman will reportedly tie the knot with his model/actress fiancée, Lena Yada, on Sunday (Sept. 25).

With Jane’s Addiction changing the release date for ‘The Great Escape Artist’ more than once, it’s understandable if some of the band’s fans had serious doubts that the album would ever see the light of day. But two of its songs, ‘End to the Ties’ and ‘Irresistible Force,’ have been circulating for weeks, and the latest evidence that the album really does exist is the recently released cover art.

Three unreleased Nirvana tracks that are part of the upcoming deluxe 20th anniversary reissues of ‘Nevermind’ are now streaming free on the web. One’s a scorching demo, another is a rather good quality “boombox” recording and a third is a concert version of the band’s most famous song.

Given the choice of touring for another year or more behind 2009′s ‘War Is the Answer’ or “jump right back in the studio” and make another album, Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook and his band mates chose the latter option. The result is ‘American Capitalist,’ due Oct. 11, and the faster-than-usual follow-up is all part of 5FDP embracing the evolution in and around the music industry in

It’s not too late to rename it Nirvanathon. Over the course of 12 hours, local performers from Canada will take a crack at playing the Nirvana anthem ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ 144 consecutive times as part of the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche art festival in Toronto on Oct. 1.

The drummer slot in Black Label Society has seen a lot of turnover in recent years. Former drummer Will Hunt left in early 2011 to resume his role in Evanescence. This fall, the band is touring with Judas Priest. The man in charge of, as Black Label frontman Zakk Wylde puts it, “holding down the foundation of the black cathedral” will be former Breaking Benjamin drummer Chad Szeliga.

A friendly rivalry, trying to be better than the next guy — members of Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer all have a slightly different way to describe their relationship with one another back in the day. They’re on good terms lately, proven by the fact they’ve shared the same concert stage this year in California and New York, collectively billed as the Big 4. And while the metal bands are s

With his third solo album, 2009′s ‘Scream,’ Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell surprised and frustrated longtime fans by abandoning heavy guitars and exploring more pop- and hip-hop-flavored textures. So what should the Soundgarden faithful expect from the recently reunited band, which is working on its first studio album since 1996? According to Cornell, something unlike its back catalog, but not n

Certain guitarists are known for playing certain makes and models. Jimi Hendrix was quite loyal to the Fender Stratocaster. Former KISS member Ace Frehley has made a good living with the Gibson Les Paul. And AC/DC‘s Angus Young has a thing for the Gibson SG. For Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain, the electric guitar he’s probably most identified with is the Fender Jaguar. By mid-to-late September, musici

It seems so far-fetched, even by Hollywood’s standards: Actor Shia LaBeouf, star of ‘Transformers’ and other mainstream blockbuster films, rubbing elbows with musician Marilyn Manson, the reigning king of shock rock. But not only are they friends, they’re also collaborators. And the result of their recent work together is now available for the world to see — the graphic and NSFW video directed by

This could end up as the oddest musical pairing of 2011 — or at the very least, the oddest song of the year. Former White Stripes leader Jack White has joined forces with the Insane Clown Posse to produce the rap duo’s new single, ‘Leck Mich Im Arsch,’ a supposed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart song with a title that translates in English to ‘Lick Me in the Arse.’

Patience is a virtue, especially for Jane’s Addiction fans. After all, the band has released only four studio albums since its self-titled debut dropped in 1987, and it’s been eight years since the last one, ‘Strays.’ Well, the Jane’s faithful will have to wait a little bit longer than originally planned for the arrival of ‘The Great Escape Artist.’ Originally scheduled for a Sept. 27 release, the

From the outside, it would appear as though the last few years have been relatively quiet for Evanescence. But a lot has happened in the life of leader and big-voiced singer Amy Lee during that time. Starting around 2007, she pursued some personal growth — or as she puts it, made a conscious effort to “find myself as an adult.” And in the process, Lee also expanded her musical horizons by learning

As the bassist for Guns N’ Roses, Duff McKagan was paid quite handsomely. But at the time, he didn’t really have a firm grasp on the ins and outs of his earnings. He does now. And once Meridian Rock Capital Management launches in October, McKagan and his fellow co-founders will do their best to see that other musicians stay in tune with their money and don’t ever end up singing the financial blues