Geezer Butler to Be Honored in Birmingham

In addition to the big stories we covered today, Wire-to-Wire provides you with some of the other key rock and metal news items from this week:

- Congrats are in order for Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler. According to the Birmingham Mail, the bass god will be enshrined in the Walk of Stars on the British city's Broad Street. The "star" will be awarded to Butler Feb. 3 during a presentation at Villa Park. The date was chosen specifically because it marked the 50-year anniversary from when Sabbath played their first show in the city. It's also the one-year anniversary since their final show.

- You've been seeing Jack White's name turn up in association with music festivals. Now he's got some music to support as the singer just unleashed a pair of new songs -- the single "Connected by Love," which comes with a corresponding video, and the grittier "Respect Commander." Both songs will be featured on the upcoming Boarding House Reach album, which is expected later this year. This Saturday (Jan. 13), both tracks will be available as a limited edition 7" at Third Man Records stores in Nashville and Detroit.

- Circle it on your calendars. Record Store Day for 2018 will be Saturday, April 21. Organizers have yet to reveal this year's Record Store Day ambassador or release the long list of specialty releases, but you can at least start making plans to attend.

- Another scene has leaked from the upcoming Inside Metal: The Rise of L.A. Thrash Metal documentary, this one with Metallica's Lars Ulrich discussing the band's influences and energy. Watch the clip, which debuted at Billboard, right here. Look for The Rise of L.A. Thrash Metal (Part 1) arriving Jan. 19 on DVD and via streaming services.

- We Sell the Dead have issued an animated video for their new song "Turn It Over." Watch the clip here and look for their debut disc, Heaven Doesn't Want You and Hell Is Full, arriving on Feb. 23.

- Turn it up and strap in. Rising rockers Vexes, who include former members of A Life Once Lost, Fury of Five and Vessl, have unleashed the blistering new track "Helion" that you can hear at this location. Their Ancient Geometry album is due Feb. 23.

- MyChildren MyBride will be back out on tour next month. The band has announced a brief headline tour, taking out Capsize and Kingdom Giants for shows beginning Feb. 9 in San Diego. See all the stops here.

- Terror have confirmed that a new album will be released come mid-2018. The band just inked a deal to release their music through Nuclear Blast in Europe.

- Skinlab have announced that guitarist Steve Green, aka Snake, has returned to the recently reactivated lineup. He'll be with the band on their "Brothers in Blood" tour. Read the band's statement on Snake's return here.

- Dirkschneider will be stateside starting next month. The veteran band kick off a North American tour Feb. 23 at the Gramercy in New York City. See all of their dates here.

- Edge of Paradise will open for Metal Allegiance Jan. 25 at the House of Blues in Anaheim during NAMM weekend. The band also has January gigs lined up in Clarksville and Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 19 and 20 as a warm-up for the show.

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