Today, June 6, 2011, another birthday is shared by two greats of hard rock and metal. Guitarist Steve Vai is 51 and Slayer front man and bass player Tom Araya celebrates his 50th birthday!

Slayer, led by the fearsome and frighteningly talented Tom Araya, has been at the forefront of thrash metal for nearly 30 years. Its aggression, power, and speed is filtered through Araya, whose domineering presence drives the mighty Slayer sound and performance.

25 years ago Slayer dropped an almighty metal bomb. Reign In Blood for me is the greatest and purest thrash metal album. Born in Viña del Mar, Chile on June 6, 1961, Araya’s contribution to music has not gone unnoticed and he recently receive the key to the city of his birth.

The classic Ozzy Osbourne albums, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman, are scheduled to be reissued in May 2011. The two albums are cited by metalheads around the world as classics, and were indeed an important chapter in the evolution of metal during the 1980’s. They are the first two recordings by Ozzy following his years in Black Sabbath, and were key releases in him reasserting his position as the “Prince of Fucking Darkness!”

Lots of good new stuff has been included with these reissues, scheduled for release on May 31, 2011, and fans will have some different versions to choose from.

First up is the 30th Anniversary Edition of Blizzard of Ozz, including the entire original album recording that has been remastered by George Marino for the release. This CD will also have bonus tracks added, including a rare guitar solo from Randy Rhoads.

Second is the Diary of a Madman: Legacy Edition. This release will be a special 2-disc/double-album. The first disc will be entire original recording of the album, also remastered by Marino. The second disc is a live album, simply titled Ozzy Live, and is a recording from the Blizzard of Ozz tour. Third on the list is a single-disc version of Diary of a Madman.

Russian band Pushking have joined forces with an onslaught of major musicians and vocalists from heavy metal and hard rock to create an impressive line-up on a collaborative album. The release has been titled The World as We Love It, and compiles 19 re-recorded songs from Pushking’s past efforts, with special guests ranging from Paul Stanley (KISS) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) to Alice Cooper and Steve Vai!

If you think those four guests listed above is enough, think again. Check out the track listing and the guests on each song by continuing on below.