Fan-filmed video of ANTHRAX's April 23 concert at Sala Del Museo in San Montevideo, Uruguay can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Among The Living
02. Caught In A Mosh
03. Madhouse
04. Metal Thrashing Mad
05. Keep It In The Family
06. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
07. Antisocial (TRUST cover)
08. I Am The Law
09. Medusa
10. Got The Time (Joe Jackson cover)
11. A.I.R.
12. Indians

Late last month, ANTHRAX announced that, due to personal reasons, bassist Frank Bello would not be able to accompany the band on its South American tour, which kicked off on Saturday, April 13 at MXMF The Metal Fest in Mexico City. Filling in on those dates, as well as two U.S. festival shows in May, is ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX's debut album "Fistful Of Metal", was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian.

Asked in a recent interview with Metal Mayhem ROC when he was first approached about reuniting with ANTHRAX for the aforementioned shows, Lilker said: "I was actually contacted, I guess, about a month ago… I had a lot more advance notice than when everybody just found out a couple of days ago. It was just that's when the press release went public. So, yeah, about a month, 'cause I needed some time to learn some of the material, obviously, to play it correctly and play it with authority, too. You don't wanna just learn it; you wanna play it with confidence and look like you're up there being metal and not tentative. So, yeah, you could say late February, early March, something like that."

Pressed about whether there was a reason given as to why Bello isn't able to commit to these shows, Dan said: "Well, we're just saying personal reasons. I am not at liberty to say. But Frank is fine and the picture of health, and it's nothing like that. But [it's] nothing I can go into; it's not my place."

Regarding what his initial reaction was to being asked to play these ANTHRAX shows, Lilker said: "I got a text from Scott when he was in Japan on tour with MR. BUNGLE. And I was actually at work. I work in precision optics [at the Rochester, New York-based company called Sydor Optics], because I've realized that playing the type of music I played for the most part wasn't lucrative enough to not have a job. But point being that, yeah, I was just [having] a little smoke break at work at, like, 8:13 a.m. on a Monday or something, and I got a message from Scott going, 'Do you think yo'd be able to do some shows with us next month?' So, yeah, it would have been the very beginning of March. And it's funny. I just looked at my boss who's also a metalhead — that's that's how I ended up working for the company — and said, 'Hey, I just got asked to be do some ANTHRAX shows next month.' And he goes, 'You'd be fucking crazy not to.' And so I knew it would be cool there. And I said, 'Sure. Sounds like fun.' I looked at the tour dates and said, 'I've never been to Uruguay before,' so I can cross that off the list.' Everybody at [the] company [I work for] has been really super supportive about that. So I'm very lucky in that aspect."

On the topic of how long it took him to accept the invitation, Lilker said: "Oh, I just pretty much said, 'Sure, that sounds cool.' I informed my wife, but I can't imagine that she would have said, 'No, don't do that. That's crazy.' So, I'm pretty sure the order of things was replied and said, 'Yeah, that sounds cool.' And then I went about clearing it with the people I have to talk to here [at home and at work]."

Asked what he is most excited about when it comes to playing with ANTHRAX again, Lilker said: "Well, one thing that's cool is since we haven't done S.O.D. for a while, it was always fun jamming with Scott and Charlie, because the other guys are cool, but remember in 'Fistful Of Metal', that was pre-Joey [Belladonna, current ANTHRAX singer] and everything like that. So we were like the nucleus of the early, early ANTHRAX and, of course, S.O.D., which had one guitar, so in that aspect, jamming with those guys. But also the other dudes — I've never been on stage with Joey or anything like that. And, of course, Jon [Donais], the new [ANTHRAX guitarist], who's been very helpful with showing me riffs. So it'll be that. And also, some of the stuff on [ANTHRAX's third album, 1987's] 'Among The Living', it's real heavy, fast thrash metal — I actually have a couple of riffs I wrote on some of that stuff — so it'll be fun to actually play that stuff too. And, of course, the latter-day stuff from the '90s is fun because it was actually really easy to learn because it was more kind of slow. So, obviously, for me, playing grindcore and death metal and black metal, some of this stuff is going to be nice and easy. I have to make sure I don't start daydreaming."

Regarding what fans can expect from the setlist for the ANTHRAX shows that he will be a part of, Dan said: "I would just say that if you look at recent ANTHRAX setlists, subtract a song or two and add another song or two, that would be pretty close. And as far as subtracting songs, nobody's going to be rapping on stage too much."

After one of the interviewers expressed hope that ANTHRAX will play a "Fistful Of Metal" deep cut like "Subjugator", Dan said: "That's a pretty deep fucking cut, dude. You might get something else that ends with an 'R.'"

Lilker later confirmed that ANTHRAX will perform some material from "Fistful Of Metal" at the upcoming shows. "I mean, that's not many beans to spill there," he said. "They've always played 'Metal Thrashing Mad', and since I already [said] we'll be doing another song that ends in 'R', that would be the song before it ['Deathrider'] on 'Fistful Of Metal'. And, yeah, that's kind of our one thing toward acknowledging me doing the stuff, because that was a pretty primitive album for what ANTHRAX ended up progressing into, some of that having to do with my writing style."

Asked about his current relationship with Scott, Charlie and Frank, having attended Ian's 60th-birthday party this past New Year's Eve in Van Nuys, California, Dan said: "Well, we've always had a relationship. It's just been more kind of like one of those off-on things because you're not traveling in the same circles or whatever; they're out doing something and I'm doing something else. So [at Scott's birthday party], it was more just kind of like getting to see old friends again, catching up with them. Frank, I hadn't seen Frank for a long time; I've seen Scott more recently than that, I believe. And, yeah, it was a really good time going out there with my wife and celebrating his birthday and playing a few tunes."

He added: "But, in general, yeah, I'm looking forward to sharing a stage with those guys, helping them out and having some fun, playing some metal. 'Cause I'm not really playing in bands anymore, which is by choice, and so just getting to do occasional little forays like that are cool with me."

Asked if there are any long-term future plans for him to play with ANTHRAX again, Lilker said: "Well, as far as I know, I'm just doing the 10 shows that I was asked to do — the eight that are in Central and South America and then the two U.S. fests. It's just filling in for Frank — I wanna make sure and stress that. I am not [rejoining] the band, even though I formed it before. This isn't gonna be, 'Finally after 40 years, my plan…' I'm doing my friends a favor. And if that situation changes in the future, it will not have anything to do with me taking any steps to do so, let's put it that way."

Lilker has not been idle over the past four decades, having played in a wide variety of bands. He was the bassist for the thrash/metal band NUCLEAR ASSAULT and the grindcore band BRUTAL TRUTH. He also plays bass for EXIT-13, MALFORMED EARTHBORN, THE RAVENOUS, OVERLORD EXTERMINATOR, VENOMOUS CONCEPT, and more.

Remaining ANTHRAX shows with Lilker:

April 25 - El Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
April 28 - Summer Breeze Open Air, São Paulo, Brazil
May 09 - Welcome to Rockville, Daytona Beach, FL
May 17 - Sonic Temple Festival, Columbus, OH

To celebrate ANTHRAX's 40th anniversary in 2021, the band's social media accounts offered a series of video testimonials sent in by former bandmembers, fellow musicians, colleagues, and industry veterans sharing behind-the-scenes stories of working with the band and what ANTHRAX's legacy has meant all these years on. These videos honored each album in chronological order beginning with the original release, "Fistful Of Metal". The 11-week series included video contributions from former ANTHRAX bandmembers Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin and Rob Caggiano.

Lilker, who played bass on "Fistful Of Metal" and wrote most of the music for the record, told Knotfest about ANTHRAX's 40th anniversary: "I'm definitely proud of that whole thing. I think it's great that those guys are still going… That was real good memories back then. I know people go, 'Oh, they fucking threw you out after that,' and blah blah blah. But, obviously, I got over that and formed NUCLEAR ASSAULT. And next year we were doing S.O.D. So I'm not the kind of guy who stays bitter forever. But, yeah, the memories of those times, writing that record and recording it and everything was... 'Cause there was no blueprint or anything; we just had influences and just tried to put our own stamp on 'em back then. So, yeah, it kind of sucks being thrown out three days before [it got] released, but it gave me an excuse to do something else."

When interviewer Daniel Dekay noted that it was "really cool" of ANTHRAX to allow Lilker to tell his side of the story in the above-mentioned documentary series, Dan said: "There was times in the past where I might have been a little neglected on some of the stuff. So I think they wanted to make sure to just have a nice, inclusive vibe and not forget any particular details. Like the fact that I wrote 75 percent of 'Fistful Of Metal'. You know, a minor detail."

A number of years ago, Lilker told Voices From The Darkside that he was fired from ANTHRAX due to "a conflict" with the band's then-vocalist Neil Turbin. "He was an egotist (like most singers, haha) and it bothered him that I was taller than him," Lilker explained. "Also, he had no sense of humor, so if you busted his balls he took it seriously. So, he told the other members, 'I can't take Lilker anymore. It's him or me.' They decided he was more important as a familiar frontman to the fans, so they threw me out, even though I wrote 75 percent of the music on 'Fistful…'. Oh well. He was, of course, thrown out seven months later, and I played with Scott and Charlie in S.O.D. the next year."

In his 2014 autobiography "I'm The Man: The Story Of That Guy From Anthrax", Ian described Lilker's dismissal from ANTHRAX 30 years earlier as "the worst moment for me in the history" of the band. He went on to say that the decision to kick Dan out ANTHRAX was made by Turbin and not the other members of the group.

"The biggest dick move Neil ever pulled was when he fired Danny Lilker behind our backs after 'Fistful…' came out in January 1984," Ian wrote. "The main reason he did it, in my opinion, was because Danny is taller than him. He honestly didn't think someone should be taller than the frontman onstage. He thought it made him look bad, so he tried to stand as far away from Danny as possible, which was hard when we were playing stages the size of ping-pong tables."

In recent years, Ian has voiced his appreciation for the role "Fistful Of Metal" played in giving ANTHRAX its start, telling Metal Hammer: "Let's face it, 'Fistful Of Metal' gave us our career. It got the band some attention, made people all over the world aware of what we could do — and for that reason alone I have to be grateful to everyone involved. The record was vital in launching us, and everything we've done, and become, since stems from that debut record. I may be critical of it in some ways, but I could never do anything other than admit we owe it all to 'Fistful Of Metal'. If that had never happened… well, perhaps you would never have heard of ANTHRAX."

Original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm says that it was a "relief" to find out that he and his former bandmates will finally be inducted into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

On Sunday (April 21),it was revealed that FOREIGNER is among the 2024 inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The induction ceremony will be held on October 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will air live on Disney+. An edited version will run on ABC at a later date, and will be available on Hulu the day after.

In an interview with News 8 WROC, Gramm stated about learning that he will be one of Rock Hall class of 2024 inductees: "It was a relief, because we have been eligible for a good long time. And we were wondering if we'd ever be in the Rock Hall Of Fame. We've aspired to be part of it, and it's very satisfying now that we're voted in. And I don't think I don't think we could be any happier."

Earlier this week, FOREIGNER leader Mick Jones told Billboard that he will have no problems reuniting at the induction ceremony with Gramm, with whom he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame with in 2013.

"On a personal level, I have no hard feelings toward Lou," Jones said. "We did perform together at the 40th-anniversary concert. It has been so many years now since Lou left FOREIGNER; I like to think that those ill feelings are in the past. There is power in letting go of hard feelings and getting on with your life. Why carry the burden of hard feelings? It serves nothing in the long run.

When FOREIGNER was first nominated for the Rock Hall in February, Gramm released a video message expressing his gratitude. In the one-minute clip, which was posted to Lou's social media, the 73-year-old singer said: "I'd like to thank the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the honor of nomination. And I'd like to acknowledge Mick Jones for his courage as he faces Parkinson's. I'd like to thank my friends in the music and the acting industry for their support, especially over the last two or three weeks in helping us to receive the nomination. Now I've seen a lot of the videos and I've definitely been feeling the buzz. It's really exciting and it means a lot. It means a lot to me and all the guys in the band. Now [multi-instrumentalist] Ian McDonald and [bassist] Ed Gagliardi were vital contributing members of the early FOREIGNER, and I know they're somewhere in the hereafter fist pumping and cheering for this nomination."

Earlier that same month, Jones's stepson, Oscar-nominated producer/songwriter Mark Ronson enlisted Dave Grohl, Jack Black, Slash, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Josh Homme (along with Ronson himself) to create a video campaigning for FOREIGNER's Rock Hall bid.

"Yes, Mick is my stepdad and I love him more than anything," Ronson wrote in a message accompanying the video. "But I'm also a MEGA fan just like Dave, Jack, Slash, Chad and Josh… Enjoy this video and VOTE BABY VOTE!"

In the clip, Homme said: "You want to know what love is? Love is putting FOREIGNER in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame." Smith added: "I can't believe they’re not in already — oh my God."

"I've loved FOREIGNER since I got their debut record," Grohl said. "There's one drum riff that I have used in more than a few songs."

Black sang parts of FOREIGNER's "I Want To Know What Love Is" before pleading, "Hey, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, open the door! FOREIGNER's waiting outside. Let 'em in."

In his Instagram message, Ronson shared a brief history of FOREIGNER's influence, writing: "Everything that made me want to be a record producer came from being in the studio watching FOREIGNER make records. I'm still completely in awe of the sound of those first five albums. Guitars with swagger and bite. Heavy drums that groove like a mutha with the bass. Wide layers of synths. And then there’s that voice. And those songs. It's really crazy. It's also kind of crazy that this is the first time they've ever been on the ballot for the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame — after 20 years of eligibility."

He added: "Fun Facts: FOREIGNER are the most played band on classic rock radio to not be in the hall of fame. They've been sung by our fave characters from the Simpsons, The Office, I, Tonya, Stranger Things and Wet Hot American Summer. They've been covered by Diana Ross and Mariah Carey (what the rock band can boast that??). They were sampled and turned into HOT FIRE by M.O.P. (remember that Cold As Ice joint?) and Tone-Loc who used them to concoct some Funky Cold Medina."

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1999 or earlier.

Eligible since 2002, FOREIGNER has had a huge number of rock hits, including "Cold As Ice", "Double Vision", "Hot Blooded", "I Want To Know What Love Is", "Juke Box Hero" and "Urgent", and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, with no wins.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the FOREIGNER members that will get inducted include only the classic-era musicians Jones, Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Gagliardi, Al Greenwood, McDonald and Rick Wills. McDonald and Gagliardi died in 2022 and 2014, respectively.

Singer and daytime talk show host Kelly Clarkson sang the HEART classic "Crazy On You" with HEART's Ann and Nancy Wilson on today's episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show". Video of the rendition can be seen below.

Clarkson is one of the most popular artists of this era with total worldwide sales of more than 25 million albums and 40 million singles. The Texas-born singer-songwriter first came to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of "American Idol". Clarkson's debut single, "A Moment Like This", followed and quickly went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, ultimately ranking as the year's best-selling single in the U.S. Further, Clarkson is one of pop's top singles artists, with 17 singles boasting multi-platinum, platinum and gold certifications around the world, including such global favorites as "Miss Independent" and "Because Of You".

Clarkson was recently honored with the 2,733rd star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and is the recipient of an array of awards, including three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host" for "The Kelly Clarkson Show", three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, one MTV Movie & TV Award, two Academy Of Country Music Awards, two American Country Awards and one Country Music Assn. Award. She is also the first artist to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts.

HEART kicked off its "Royal Flush" world tour last Saturday night (April 20) at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.

In addition to HEART's classic tracks, the setlist for the concert included some tracks from of Ann and Nancy Wilson's solo albums and a new song called "Roll The Dice". The latter cut was written with longtime collaborator Sue Ennis.

The current members of HEART feature Nancy Wilson (rhythm, lead and acoustic guitar, backing and lead vocals),Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute),Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar),Ryan Waters (guitars),Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals),Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean Lane (drums and bike).

Last December, HEART played its first three concerts in more than four years — in Highland, California, at Greater Palm Springs in Palm Desert, California, and in Seattle, Washington.

Prior to HEART's December 27, 2023 show in Highland, the band's last performance took place in October 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

"Royal Flush" features CHEAP TRICK as support on most of the North American leg, while SQUEEZE will open a handful of HEART's summer European dates. HEART will also join DEF LEPPARD and JOURNEY for summer stadium shows in Cleveland, Toronto and Boston and will make an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival on April 28.

Since HEART's formation in the early 1970s, the band has sold 35 million albums, including seven that made the Top 10, and notched 20 Top 40 singles. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.

LIVING COLOUR vocalist Corey Glover and ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando have launched a new project called SONIC UNIVERSE. The group, whose lineup is completed by bassist Booker King and drummer Taykwuan Jackson, will release its debut album, "It Is What It Is", on May 10 via earMUSIC. The 10-song effort was produced, engineered, and mixed by Orlando at his Sonic Stomp Studios.

The official music video for the LP's third single, the "It Is What It Is" title track, can be seen below.

Complemented by the rhythm section of King and Jackson, Glover and Orlando soar over what the singer called "a tight, tight, tight groove."

Glover continued: "The whole idea is that in order to make something new, you have to destroy the old. We do everything we can to change things, but the only way that you can change things is to believe."

"Right now / Right here/ Is all that it is / We lie / We try / It's all we can give."

"It Is What It Is" is Glover and SONIC UNIVERSE giving their all to make a break with the past and create something new and honest.

"The band is killing it on this," Glover concluded. "It's a real gut-punch kind of sound."

"It Is What It Is" track listing:

01. I Am
02. It Is What It Is
03. Turn A Blind Eye
04. My Desire
05. Whisper To A Scream
06. Higher
07. Life
08. Come What May
09. I Want It All
10. Beautiful Disunity

When the collaboration between Glover and Orlando was first announced in 2019, Orlando described the project's musical direction in an interview with "Talking Metal" as "just straight-up rock. It's heavy rock. Of course, it's just one hundred percent chock-full of Corey Glover and my guitar styles. [It's] bluesy [and] funky. There's a little RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE in there. There's a little bit of soul in there. All the stuff that I love kind of just melded into one melting pot. It's just a conglomeration of styles all melded into one. There's no one particular thing that it screams. It's just heavy, hard rock kick in you know what. [Laughs]"

Describing the upcoming album as "one of the best things I have ever done," Mike said that Corey "is not only the coolest cat going, but he is one of the greatest singers on this earth. It's such an amazing experience to play with Corey and to be doing an album with him."

He added: "It's everything you would imagine from Corey, and I add my element to it, which is different than I've ever done. It's not ADRENALINE MOB, it's not SONIC STOMP — this is something really cool and different for me, so it's even that much more special for me."

Orlando and Glover played their first show together in September 2019 at the Iridium in New York City.

Back in 2016, Mike was injured in an ADRENALINE MOB road accident that resulted in the death of the band's bassist, David Zablidowsky.

At the time of the accident, ADRENALINE MOB was touring in support of its third studio album, "We The People", which was released in June 2017 via Century Media.

In a interview with Keen Eye 4 Concerts, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale and her brother, HALESTORM drummer Arejay Hale, opened up about their personal experiences with a diverse array of mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, and how music has helped them get through their hardest times. Arejay said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My life greatly improved four years ago. Going through immense heartbreak and a terrible breakup with someone you thought was your forever person really makes you a songwriter. Immense heartbreak and tragic life things that happen really, really force you to turn to music to help you cope with it, help you to get through it. So I'm thankful that I went through all that because it made me figure out how to express my emotions in music and how much better it made me feel, how much it helped me get through it. So now that I'm at a place now where my life is more stable and I have an incredible partner, I've got an adorable little dog, I'm glad I was able to kind of bring those things that I learned to the table now and utilize them when I'm writing for either HALESTORM, [my side project] KEMIKALFIRE or myself. Yeah, I think that you can get to the point where you're more mentally balanced, but you can still keep on being creative and keep on bringing things to the table."

Lzzy, who co-founded HALESTORM in her teens and has become an advocate for women and mental health in recent years, said: "And I'm so glad to see [Arejay] happier. We've all seen each other in our lowest lows and our highest highs and helped each other work through them. Arejay has been immense in my ups and downs and healing.

"Something that I try to remind myself of, I think it's helpful to remember that we're on a seesaw," she continued. "There is immense darkness and immense light on either side and one cannot exist without the other. You can't be all one way; there has to be a balance of the two. So I think that for me, if you try to flip the rhetoric and say, 'Well, I'm very grateful for the low times, because those low times were integral in making me who I am. And I like who I am today.' If I had made the best decisions in the world, it would have led me somewhere completely different and I wouldn't appreciate the fact that I've overcome that.

"I think that we have this misconception that we have to be these perfect beings, and we're just not going to be that way, and we shouldn't be that way, because without us failing, falling on our face every single time and trying to move forward, we wouldn't find, we wouldn't recognize our strength," Lzzy added. "And in a selfish way, on a personal level, regardless of whether we're musicians, songwriters, rodeo clowns or strippers or whatever we wanna be, I think that it's important that nobody's expecting you to be perfect, 'cause nobody is. So if you are, in fact, flawed, which we all are… So let's just get that out there — we are all flawed. We are all imperfect. We all make terrible decisions. We all have darkness in us. We all get to the deepest depths and think that we're the most terrible person in the world. We all are there. But as we recognize that and overcome that, you're going to be getting so much more from people. We get so much more from our fans, from our family by admitting to all of that and by showing all of that, because anyone who is looking at you for inspiration or looking at you, especially with us, with that imposter syndrome situation, and if they're looking at you like it's somebody that they want to be, how cool is it that you can say, 'You know what? I'm just as fucked up as you are, and I'm still here.' And that says something."

HALESTORM is currently working on a new album with producer Dave Cobb after making three records with Nick Raskulinecz.

Lzzy and Arejay formed HALESTORM in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

Last May, HALESTORM teamed up with country singer Ashley McBryde for a reimagined version of the band's song "Terrible Things", which was originally featured on HALESTORM's latest album, 2022's "Back From The Dead".

In an upcoming BraveWords feature, Accept guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was asked about working with singer Mark Tornillo, who has now been in the band since 2009 and upcoming album Humanoid will be his sixth with the German heavy metallers. Hoffmann also spoke about rehearsing songs for the live stage and how “Princess Of The Dawn” has remained a staple in the setlist.


Hoffmann gushes, "He and I sort of have seniority status. He's been in the band longer, continuously, than Udo ever was. Sixth album in a row. I feel lot of continuity there. It feels good, knowing he can sing anything we write. People ask me, 'Don't you get tired of playing 'Princess Of The Dawn'? It's such a simple song, monotonous, there's really not much in it... Rehearsing that song, is pretty boring. I'd rather skip it, but playing it live, onstage? It's a whole other ballgame. When the audience gets into it, it's one of my favorite songs. Odd, but the interaction, with the audience, the energy, that song is just a vehicle for that experience. It's not about how difficult it is, or how fun it is to play, it's the interaction with the crowd that brings it all to life."


German heavy metal titans, Accept, are back with their new studio album, Humanoid, out April 26 via Napalm Records. Humanoid was once again produced by British metal mastermind Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Amon Amarth, Testament, Saxon, etc).




This fall, Accept will embark on a massive European headline tour, taking them across the continent with over 20 shows. Following their South American tour, the band will also be performing at some of the world's biggest rock and metal festivals this summer, including Wacken Open Air, Hellfest and more.


Accept have announced the great Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons as special guests for the European tour.


Wolf Hoffmann on the tour: "We are very excited to be touring with the Campbell rock'n'roll family. So much energy and talent - we love sharing the stage with this band. We're really looking forward to celebrating such a real metal festival with our fans and Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons!"


Phil Campbell adds: “We are really looking forward to rockin out with Accept later on this year. Get your tickets and bring your ear plugs, as it’s going to be one hell of a tour!”


Find Accept's complete tour itinerary here.





Once again finalized by leading metal producer Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Amon Amarth, Testament, Saxon, etc.) at his Backstage Recording Studios Ltd. in Derbyshire, UK, Accept's new album, Humanoid, is a towering musical achievement and another world class entry in the Accept catalog, certain to rally fans from around the world. Humanoid will be available in various formats worldwide, some of them strictly limited.


Accept have never shied away from hot button issues, and this album is no exception. Yet the band’s 17th studio album is certainly not a concept album. It deals with topics like AI and how our reliance on technology is gradually stripping away our individuality. Accept offers a warning in this new album and title track single Humanoid. Since singer Mark Tornillo will never be an advocate for the digital age, he counterbalances the title track with raw emotions, frailties, significant Rites of Passage we encounter on the path of life and characteristics that make us uniquely human: feeling uncomfortable, getting older, dealing with hurt, disappointment, and the final stop for everyone: death.





Humanoid will be available in the following formats:


- Ltd Box incl. CD Mediabook + Flag, Keytool in Guitar Look, Lighter, Photo Card, Textile Sticker – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive (strictly limited to 1000 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Splattered Cristallo, Black, Blue, Green, Yellow, White Die-Hard Edition + 12 inch Booklet + Slipmat + Patch + Record Butler – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive (strictly limited to 666 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Solid Baby Blue – Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Translucent Turquoise  – Napalm Records North America exclusive (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Cristallo – JPC exclusive (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Translucent Orange – EMP exclusive (strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Silver – Platekompaniet exclusive (strictly limited to 400 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Solid Royal Blue – North American Indies exclusive (strictly limited to 1100 copies worldwide)
- 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 1-CD Mediabook w/ 28 pages booklet + 1 Bonus Tracks – limited edition
- 1-CD 6 pages Digisleeve + 12 pages booklet
- World exclusive 7“ vinyl incl. ”Humanoid” and “The Reckoning”, physically unreleased – only available with Metal Hammer Germany May issue including Accept cover story (out now)
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Humanoid tracklisting:


"Diving Into Sin"
"Humanoid"
"Frankenstein"
"Man Up"
"The Reckoning"
"Nobody Gets Out Alive"
"Ravages Of Time"
"Unbreakable"
"Mind Games"
"Straight Up Jack"
"Southside Of Hell"


"The Reckoning" video:





"Humanoid" video:





Accept are:


Wolf Hoffmann - guitar
Mark Tornillo - vocals
Uwe Lulis - guitar
Martin Motnik - bass
Christopher Williams - drums


(Photo - Christoph Vohler)

4K fan-filmed video of Bruce Dickinson's April 20 concert at Pepsi Center WTC in Mexico City, Mexico can be seen below.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Accident Of Birth
02. Abduction
03. Laughing In The Hiding Bush
04. Afterglow Of Ragnarok
05. Chemical Wedding
06. Many Doors To Hell
07. Tears Of The Dragon
08. Resurrection Men
09. Rain On The Graves
10. Frankenstein (THE EDGAR WINTER GROUP cover)
11. Gods Of War
12. The Alchemist
13. Darkside Of Aquarius

Encore:

14. Navigate The Seas Of The Sun
15. Book Of Thel
16. The Tower

After playing two warm-up shows at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, Dickinson officially kicked off his first solo tour in more than 20 years on Monday, April 15 at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California.

Joining the IRON MAIDEN singer on the trek is his current backing band, featuring Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Bruce's longtime guitarist and collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez is not part of the touring lineup.

Prior to the April 12 Whisky A Go Go show, Bruce last performed with his solo band on in August 2002 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

During an appearance on the April 16 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Bruce was asked if there are plans for him to stage a full U.S. tour in support of his recently released solo album "The Mandrake Project". He responded: "I brought the [booking] agents and the promoters, and everybody came down and saw the Whisky show [in West Hollywood, California over the weekend], and now they know what they've got to deal with in terms of doing a U.S. tour. So, we're looking at it, we're planning it.

"I absolutely wanna do a full U.S. tour with 'The Mandrake Project'," he added. "I obviously can't do one for the rest of this year [due to commitments in other parts of the world and MAIDEN's upcoming touring activities], but there's '25 and there's numerous opportunities that will crop up. So the answer to that is yes, of course, we wanna come and do the U.S."

Roy played guitar on Dickinson's 1994 album "Balls To Picasso" and went on to produce, co-write and perform multiple instruments on Bruce's subsequent three solo albums, "Accident At Birth" (1997),"The Chemical Wedding" (1998) and "Tyranny Of Souls" (2005).

O'Callaghan is an Irish musician who joined WHITESNAKE in 2021 and toured with the David Coverdale-fronted outfit the following year. She also hit the road with Dickinson last year as part of a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" on nearly a dozen dates in Europe and South America.

Californian drummer Moreno previously played on "Tyranny Of Souls" and has worked with BODY COUNT, Jizzy Pearl, Dizzy Reed and Steve Stevens, among others.

Italian keyboard wizard Mistheria has collaborated with an array of artists live and in the studio, including Rob Rock, Mike Portnoy, Jeff Scott Soto and Joel Hoekstra.

"The Mandrake Project" arrived on March 1 via BMG.

Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's last solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.

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#vynil #Conciertos #live #ontour
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Posted by Vynil on Saturday, April 20, 2024

EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, the extreme metal band founded by Simon Neil (BIFFY CLYRO) and Mike Vennart (BIFFY CLYRO live guitarist and solo artist, ex-OCEANSIZE),has shared "The Silver Cord Sessions" EP. Available today on all streaming platforms, the live EP emerges as EMPIRE STATE BASTARD has just been nominated for two Heavy Music Awards: "Best Breakthrough Album" and "Best Album Artwork", both for their acclaimed debut, "Rivers Of Heresy".

Recorded at Silver Cord Studios in New York, owned by GOJIRA's Joseph Duplantier, who produced the session, the EP sees EMPIRE STATE BASTARD detonating a triple blast of incendiary tracks — "Harvest", "Moi?" and "Stutter" — from "Rivers Of Heresy". The accompanying live studio footage shows the band's frenetic intensity instigated by founding members Neil and Vennart, cemented by bassist Naomi Macleod (BITCH FALCON) and drumming legend Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE).

Since debuting early in 2023, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD has hit festivals including Download, Glastonbury and Hellfest as well as completing a U.K. headline tour that included a London show at Electric Brixton. Next comes the SLEEP TOKEN North American tour, interspersed with the Sonic Temple festival, before they play a London show as guests to THE ARMED and then select European festival dates.

"Rivers Of Heresy" arrived in September 2023 via Roadrunner.

In addition to its digital release, "Rivers Of Heresy" was made available on the following limited-edition physical formats: CD with an exclusive 24-page fanzine; poison green vinyl and red / black marble vinyl; and cassette. The deluxe vinyl bundle adds a seven-inch single featuring "Harvest" and a non-album B-side to either album vinyl.

The concept for EMPIRE STATE BASTARD emerged when Neil and Vennart would spend downtime on tour sitting at the back of their bus sharing the heaviest, most avant-garde and confrontational music they could find. Now, a decade on from its conception, the project is finally coming to fruition, with Vennart writing the songs and recording all the guitars, and Neil focusing on vocals and lyrics.

The two have emerged with a collection of songs which adventurously probes slamming hardcore in the vein of SIEGE; the frenetic, visceral thrash of SLAYER; the claustrophobic sludge of MELVINS; the freeform vocal dexterity of Mike Patton; and the gargantuan stoner riffs of SLEEP. It's a band that's rooted in the tradition of metal's forefathers but informed by more recent waves of leftfield aggression.

During an appearance on "The Jasta Show", Lombardo spoke about his involvement with EMPIRE STATE BASTARD. Dave said: "Simon Neil and Mike Vennart [are] from a very popular band in the U.K. called BIFFY CLYRO. [A lot of people in the U.S.] don't know who BIFFY CLYRO is, but they're massive in the U.K. They headline Download and Glastonbury [festivals]; they headline Download the next day after IRON MAIDEN. So there guys are massive. But Simon Neil, the vocalist for that band, and Mike Vennart have a love and an affinity for hardcore music. And for the past 10 years they've been talking about this. And they hit me up during the pandemic and took a shot in the dark and said, 'Well, why not? Let's ask him. He might not wanna do it.' But they asked. At first, I fell in love with the music. I was, like, 'Wow. This is pretty fucking cool.' Odd time changes. It's a little thrashy. It has a little bit of grindcore in it. It's hard to describe. It's its own entity and it has a personality of its own. So to give it a description is really difficult. But it is in the hard music vein. And when I heard the music, I was blown away. And I agreed. And they sent me the files [for the album]. And I recorded the drums in my home studio, and I sent it back. And they were pleased."

Simon told Kerrang! magazine that he has been "needing to make a record like this for a long time. This is where I'm almost trying to be provocative," he explained. "I said to Mike that I don't want to sing any melodies — although there are a few melodies on the record, which is me following the service of the song — but my intention was no melody at all. Just fucking mayhem. We wanted people to feel that they'd almost struggle to get to the end of the first song. Thankfully, it became something more sophisticated than that, more musical, but at this point I needed to do this project. I haven't sat down with my guitar and written a song for BIFFY in a long time, and I think post-pandemic I've struggled a little bit with inspiration. This will help me [going forward], I think."

Vennart told Buzz magazine about Lombardo's drumming approach on "Rivers Of Heresy": "The songs are so complicated, there isn't much margin for improvisation. Dave gets to get his rocks off during [near-seven-minute album track] 'The Looming'; he has an indeterminable amount of time in the middle of that to go as fucking crazy as possible. In fact, when we were doing the record, I kept having to say to him, 'No, you can really open it up on that part. Go crazy. This is your moment. Just fucking go for it.' Any drummer likes being given that permission — and Dave has the chance to open up on certain corners of the music, but myself and Naomi absolutely do not. Every single pick has to be identical.

"I think, to a large extent, the guitar and the bass is the anchor in the band, so Dave can keep the backbeat — but fucking go as wild as possible, because nobody goes wild like Dave Lombardo. He's got such swing, such personality to his playing, that you want to hear him fucking go crazy. But that's the thrill of him, that there's so much power and eloquence in his musical vocabulary. You just want to hear him talk all the time."

Lombardo, who has spent most of the recent years between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS, hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS and MR. BUNGLE, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Lombardo rejoined TESTAMENT in 2022 but stopped touring with that band a few months later.

Video of JUDAS PRIEST's Richie Faulkner performing the ELEGANT WEAPONS song "Horns For A Halo" live for EMGtv can be seen below.

ELEGANT WEAPONS features Faulkner on guitar and Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG) on vocals, alongside Dave Rimmer (URIAH HEEP) on bass and Christopher Williams (ACCEPT) on drums.

ELEGANT WEAPONS' debut album, "Horns For A Halo", was released on May 26, 2023 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was recorded with bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) and drummer Scott Travis (JUDAS PRIEST) and was helmed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among many others.

In a recent interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, Faulkner spoke about a possible second album from ELEGANT WEAPONS. He said: "We've already started. We've recorded drums for the second record. We got together in March, I think, of [2023]; I think it was March — I'm not sure. We got together in the studio and played together to record the drums, get the drums recorded. So it's been started."

Asked if the second ELEGANT WEAPONS LP will arrive in 2024 or 2025, Richie said: "I don't know. Maybe [in 2024]. Back in the day, bands used to release a record every year, sometimes two in a year. I know we don't do things under the same cycle anymore. But the ideas are there for the songs. We all were together, and we thought why not get at least the drums going. We got the drums and we got the guitars, and stuff like that, so why not start the process?

"It was important for me, really, when I started the band… It was a band that it wasn't just a one-record type thing," Faulkner explained. "It was a band that plays live and records — hopefully — multiple records and grows and evolves together moving into the future. So the next record is just a part of that sort of process, really."

Richie went on to say that he plans on focusing on ELEGANT WEAPONS full-time once PRIEST has officially called it a day.

"PRIEST music is gonna be around a lot longer than we are," he said. "It's legendary music. They're genre-defining musicians and it's a genre-defining band. It will be around for a long time. But none of us gets out of this alive. That's just the reality of it. So if one day that call comes in and that's the last tour or the last album, whatever it is… I mean, I joined the band on what was the farewell tour. Luckily it wasn't, and we're still here 12 years later. [It's] fantastic. But at the time, I think I would have been silly not to consider what I was gonna do after the band, because of the circumstances of the tour. It was a farewell tour — it was [supposed to be] the last tour — so what am I gonna do after? So it's always been in the back of my mind. And this is a band that seems natural to me to continue with if that call ever came in."

ELEGANT WEAPONS played a number of shows in Europe in June and July 2023, including performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining gigs.

ELEGANT WEAPONS made its first two festival appearances on June 16, 2023 at Hellfest in Clisson, France and on June 18, 2023 at Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium.

Prepare to be swept away by a tidal wave of raw power and adrenaline as multi-Platinum-selling New Zealand rock icons Devilskin unleash their latest musical masterpiece: a heart-pounding cover of Heart's timeless classic, "Barracuda". With their unmistakable blend of ferocious energy, Devilskin pays homage to the legendary rock anthem while injecting it with their own signature intensity and passion.


Originally released by Heart in 1977, on their third studio album Little Queen, "Barracuda" has long been hailed as one of the most iconic tracks in rock history. Known for its infectious guitar riff, soaring vocals, and unforgettable chorus, "Barracuda" continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. Devilskin's cover of "Barracuda" pays homage to the original while infusing it with their own unique style, resulting in a rendition that is both timeless and fresh.


Lead vocalist Jennie Skulander's powerhouse vocals ascend over the epochal chugging riff, harmonics, and shimmering, layered guitars courtesy of Nail Vincent, and thunderous fusion of father and son rhythm section Paul (bass) and Nic Martin (drums), capturing the essence of the original while adding a modern edge that is distinctly Devilskin. From the opening notes to the explosive climax, Devilskin's cover of "Barracuda" is a masterclass in rock reinvention, showcasing the band's undisputable passion for their craft.







“This is one of those songs that so many people have tucked away in their favourites and for good reason too – the song is a masterpiece! We hadn’t played it live for a few years, but we all still felt a sweet connection with it. So we thought we’d have some fun, and record it as a bonus for our faithful, and of course, to honour our musical heroes. Releasing ‘Barracuda’ for us, is like a gift back to our audience and the really amazing people we’ve had the good fortune to meet over the years. It’s a thank you, from the heart.” - Paul Martin


Devilskin's version of "Barracuda" will appear on their upcoming six-song EP, Surfacing, scheduled for worldwide release on May 3, 2024. The artwork and tracklisting are as follows:





"The Whale Song" 
"Holy Diver" (Dio Cover) 
"Barracuda" (Heart Cover) 
"Let Me Breathe" 
"Insects" 
"Unborn"  


For further details, visit Devilskin on Facebook.





 


 

SEPULTURA's new touring drummer Greyson Nekrutman, who officially replaced SEPULTURA's longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande in February, has uploaded drum-cam video of his performance of the song "Inner Self", filmed during the band's April 21 concert at Teatro Flores in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Check out the clip below.

SEPULTURA kicked off its farewell tour on March 1 at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The sold-out show marked the band's debut performance with Nekrutman, who previously played with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

The 21-year-old Nekrutman is one of the most explosive young players in the drumming world, having garnered a legion of fans since bursting on to the international music scene just a few short years ago.

Greyson is featured on ALICE IN CHAINS vocalist William Duvall's "11.12.21 Live-In-Studio Nashville" CD, which came out in June 2022. Nekrutman has also performed or recorded with Bakithi Kumalo, Darren Criss, Drumeo, Pearl Drums, Meinl Cymbals and has been featured in articles by Rolling Stone, Rhythm, Rhythm And Drum (Japan) and Sweetwater Music.

SEPULTURA announced Eloy's departure on February 27, explaining in a statement that he was leaving to join "another project", with some fans speculating that he will be the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

In SEPULTURA's statement, the remaining bandmembers expressed their shock over Casagrande's departure, saying they were "taken by surprise" that their now-former drummer would "abandon everything related to SEPULTURA" less than a month prior to the start of the tour.

"February 6th, a few days prior to the first rehearsal, drummer Eloy Casagrande informed the band that he was leaving SEPULTURA to pursue a career in another project," they said.

"The band were taken by surprise, without prior warning, he immediately left the band, abandoning everything related to SEPULTURA.

"Luckily American virtuoso Greyson Nekrutman will take the position of Eloy Casagrande and is welcomed as the band's new drummer for the 'Celebrating Life Through Death' farewell tour."

Casagrande, who joined SEPULTURA 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella, later took to his social media to write: "I would like to announce my departure from SEPULTURA.

"Being part of the biggest Brazilian metal band was one of the best experiences of my life. I just want to thank the band and crew members.

"It was a story of almost 13 years, in which I had the opportunity to learn and contribute with every song, show and recording. These were years of great dedication, intensity and commitment. We did 3 studio albums very well received by the critics, countless shows on 5 continents and a lot of stories to tell. So, first of all, I reiterate my thanks to SEPULTURA and the fans for everything we've been through.

"Maybe for the band's fans it doesn't make sense at this point, but decisions needed to be made thinking about new cycles that will come. We are made of choices and they are not always easy. My departure will never erase my respect and gratitude to the band.

"There is a lot to come and I hope to continue making a lot of music and art. See you on the road."

Nekrutman also commented on his addition to SEPULTURA's lineup, writing in a statement: "Today I express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible opportunity to join the legendary ranks of SEPULTURA for their farewell tour.

"To contribute to this legacy is a privilege that fills me with both honor and excitement. SEPULTURA's fearless approach to exploring new territories in the metal sphere is something that I have always admired and strived to emulate in my own musical endeavors."

He continued: "I am eagerly looking forward to adding my own spirit and passion to the mix, to connecting with the fans who have supported the band through its evolution, and to the electrifying experiences we'll create together on stage. Here's to the new chapters we'll write together, to the stages we'll conquer, and to the powerful music we'll unleash upon the world."

Confirmed "Celebrating Life Through Death" tour dates so far include shows in South America and Europe. More concerts will be announced soon.

Gene Simmons and his solo band performed last night (Tuesday, April 23) at the grand opening of the Rock & Brews restaurant at the Ilani dining and entertainment destination in Ridgefield, Washington. It marked the KISS bassist/vocalist's first live appearance since the legendary rock act concluded its "End Of The Road" farewell tour at New York's Madison Square Garden in December.

The GENE SIMMONS BAND took the stage at Rock & Brews at 8 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place eight hours earlier.

In addition to Simmons, the GENE SIMMONS BAND members include guitarists Brent Woods (WILDSIDE, SEBASTIAN BACH, VINCE NEIL) and Zach Throne (COREY TAYLOR) alongside drummer Brian Tichy (LYNCH MOB, THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, PRIDE & GLORY, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT).

The GENE SIMMONS BAND played a number of KISS classics alongside covers of MOTÖRHEAD's "Ace Of Spades" and LED ZEPPELIN's "Communication Breakdown". Simmons's KISS bandmate, guitarist Tommy Thayer, came up on stage for "Parasite" and "Lick It Up".

The setlist was as follows:

01. Deuce
02. War Machine
03. Detroit Rock City
04. Weapons Of Mass Destruction
05. Ace Of Spades (MOTÖRHEAD cover)
06. Communication Breakdown (LED ZEPPELIN cover)
07. I Love It Loud
08. Shout It Out Loud
09. Love Gun
10. Calling Dr. Love
11. Cold Gin
12. Parasite (with Tommy Thayer)
13. Lick It Up (with Tommy Thayer)
14. Are You Ready?
15. 100,000 Years
16. Let Me Go, Rock ’N’ Roll
17. I Was Made For Lovin’ You
18. Rock And Roll All Nite

Simmons and his KISS bandmate Paul Stanley co-founded Rock & Brews with a team that also includes entrepreneur, restaurateur and hotelier Michael Zislis, who is behind some of Southern California's most well-known establishments like The Stand House and Shade Hotel, as well as concert industry veteran Dave Furano and Dell Furano. The team opened the first Rock & Brews near LAX airport in Southern California in 2010. Since then, they have quickly expanded the growing franchise to include over 20 of locations in California, Florida, Kansas, Missouri and Texas, with more coming soon.

Prior to the Ridgefield appearance, Simmons told ABC Audio about the show: "There are no rules, which is my favorite thing in life. Anything is bound to happen. I may jump off the stage and get into the audience. We may pull some folks out of the audience. You wanna sing 'I Was Made For Lovin' You'? Here's the mic. Good luck."

Regarding the setlist for the concert, he said: "We get a chance to play songs KISS has never played and some songs have never been recorded. So it's a very exciting event."

Located on the Cowlitz Reservation, Ilani, developed by the Cowlitz Tribe and Salishan-Mohegan, a partnership that includes Mohegan Sun, one of the world's foremost gaming and entertainment developers and operators, is the Pacific Northwest's premier gaming, dining, entertainment, and meeting destination. With nearly 400,000 total square feet, Ilani includes more than 100,000 square feet of gaming space with nearly 3,000 slots and 75 gaming tables; 18 different restaurants, bars and retail outlets; and a 2,500-seat meeting and entertainment venue hosting nationally recognized performances.

GENE SIMMONS BAND will next play the Summer Breeze Open Air festival in São Paulo, Brazil on April 26 before launching a European tour on July 27 in Kuopio, Finland.

Back in 2017 and 2018, the GENE SIMMONS BAND played a number of shows with a lineup that consisted of Simmons alongside guitarist/bassist Jeremy Asbrock, guitarist Ryan Cook, guitarist Phil Shouse and drummer Brent Fitz.

Six years ago, Simmons stated about his solo shows: "Doing these smaller concert halls, which hold a thousand to three thousand people, means they get filled up by real diehard fans. They don't want to hear the 'same old, same old.' They want to hear nuggets, as they say. It's a hoot for me because I've never really had a chance to do this stuff live. It's been a lot of fun." Gene told the Chicago Sun-Times: "By the end, I get the chance to bring as many people from the audience as we can fit on the stage to sing with me."

Regarding how the idea for a solo tour came about, Simmons told Australia's Advertiser in a 2018 interview: "The GENE SIMMONS BAND was not a plan or anything. About a year ago, a corporate event asked me to be keynote speaker … then they said, 'Won't you get up and sing a few tunes?' I explained that you can't just do that, you've got to have a band and rehearse and all that. They said, 'Well, we'll pay you X dollars more,' and I said, 'I like you!' "So I put together a band from Nashville — these guys back up Kid Rock and lots of other people — and without a single rehearsal, I just told them which songs I wanted to do and they learned them. It just sounded natural — there is such a thing called chemistry. They don't teach that anywhere — I mean, they do teach 'chemistry' but not the kind I'm talking about. It felt right and as soon as the videos went on YouTube and such, people were calling. This little GENE SIMMONS BAND never tried to be KISS… It was just a little bit of fun and stuff. Now all of a sudden, we're headlining festivals in the Czech Republic, Canada, Germany… It's crazy."

KISS played the final concert of its "End Of The Road" farewell tour on December 2, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Regarding why now was the right time for KISS to call it quits, Simmons told USA Today: "The touring band that is KISS with the makeup and the dragon boots and fire-breathing, that has to stop and that has to do with Mother Nature and Father Time. If we were a blues band or I was blessed to be Keith Richards in THE ROLLING STONES, I'd show up in my comfy sneakers and T-shirt and stand still and play. But we're different bands. Physically, we are the hardest-working band on the stage. We idolize [Mick] Jagger and Bono and the great showmen, but if you put those guys in my outfit, they would pass out in half an hour. It's 40 pounds of armor and studs and seven-inch dragon boots that are about the weight of a female bowling ball. So you've got 20 pounds on your feet and then you've got to spit fire, fly through the air and the entire band is doing that for two-plus hours. If you have any love for the fans, get off the stage before it's too late. How many boxers have stayed too long in the ring? We're doing the right thing."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has shared the official music video for his new song called "(Hold On) To The Dream". The track is taken from his upcoming solo album, "Child Within The Man", due on May 10 via Reigning Phoenix Music. The clip was directed by Jim Louvau and Tony Aguilera and can be seen below.

"If someone asked me to play the heaviest song I have ever recorded in my 35-year career, I would play them '(Hold On) To The Dream'," Sebastian says. "This song is an homage to two of my favorite things: classic metal of the '70s and also yacht rock as well! Hence the new term yacht metal!

"I have never heard a song quite like '(Hold On)To The Dream' where the crushing verse combined with the luxurious chest-hair harmonies of the chorus. I have tried to incorporate every tone of my voice into this song. For those of you keeping score, I can tell you that my voice hits some of the highest notes of my career in '(Hold On) To The Dream'!

"HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS!!! CAUTION: this is a MONSTER JAM!"

"An album more than 10 years in the making," according to Bach, "Child Within The Man" was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate and mastered by Robert Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album's 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals.

"Child Within The Man" features guest appearances from John 5 (MÖTLEY CRÜE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON) — who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach — and two tracks co-written with ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy ("What Do I Got to Lose?" and "To Live Again"). Devin Bronson (guitars),Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums) round out the players on the album. The album will be available on jewelcase CD, cassette, and double LP in a variety of colour options.

"I have been putting out records since the year 1989," Sebastian says. "Thank YOU for 35 years of Bach N' Roll…all leading up to 'Child Within The Man'! If you like the records I have put out in the past, I can GUARANTEE that you will enjoy the new album. THIS is the kind of Rock N' Roll that keeps you young ! Can't wait for you all to crank up 'Child Within The Man' — a magical elixir to the Fountain of Youth! Gone Wild! Forever! It's all one big song! TURN IT UP!"

In an interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, Sebastian spoke about the inspiration for the "Child Within The Man" title. He said: "Well, my wife calls me man-child. That's kind of been a theme for me my whole career. I bring a youthful energy to the stage when I get up there. People are smiling and excited and hooting and hollering. But the line 'child within the man' is a line of one of the songs on the record. And I scream it like bloody murder. And it kept haunting me. "

Sebastian also talked about the "Child Within The Man" artwork, which holds special meaning since it was designed by Bach's father, noted visual artist David Bierk.

"I have a lot of my dad's artwork," Bach said. "He's no longer alive. And we all, all of his kids, we got a lot of his art when he passed away. And I unrolled a roll of paintings that I knew had the SKID ROW 'Subhuman Race' painting in it, and I wanna take care of it and make sure it's preserved. But in that roll was this painting that I remember my dad doing of me when I was 10 in a field next to this beat-up old Cadillac car in the field and then behind the car, it's Jesus ascending into heaven, and I'm running next to the car. It looks like an album cover. And then he also did a painting of me from Circus magazine, the first centerfold of me on stage at Giants Stadium. He did a gigantic painting of that, like 12 feet high. And so the cover is gonna be me running as a child into me on stage as a man, and it's child within the man. And it just reminds me of the '70s, like child in time, and it just reminds me of a good '70s album cover. And the fact that I can bring back a painting from the year 1978 and make it into artwork in 2023, 2024, that's really mind-blowing to me."

"Child Within The Man" track listing is as follows:

01. Everybody Bleeds
02. Freedom (featuring John 5)
03. (Hold On) To The Dream
04. What Do I Got To Lose?
05. Hard Darkness
06. Future Of Youth (featuring Orianthi)
07. Vendetta
08. F.U. (featuring Steve Stevens)
09. Crucify Me
10. About To Break
11. To Live Again

The album's first single, "What Do I Got To Lose?", was co-written by Sebastian, Kennedy and Baskette, the latter of whom also served as the track's producer.

In advance of the album's release, Bach will hit the road in 2024 for an international tour with dates in Latin and North America. The "What Do I Got To Lose?" tour is a mix of solo gigs and festival appearances that kicks off with an international run of performances in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile before North American shows in the U.S. and Mexico. The stateside tour gets underway May 10 in Jefferson, Louisiana before wrapping June 29 in San Diego, California.

Bach performed "What Do I Got To Lose?" live for the first time during his February 24 concert at Palace Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Bach released the official music video for "What Do I Got To Lose?" in December. The clip was directed by Jim Louvau and Tony Aguilera. For the video, which shows Bach cruising through the desert in a convertible and performing with a full band, Sebastian was joined by his former SKID ROW bandmate, drummer Rob Affuso. The clip also features an appearance by actor and comedian Craig Gass and Sebastian's wife Suzanne, who plays a scantily clad car wash attendant.

Bach hasn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014. Like its predecessor, 2011's "Kicking & Screaming", the disc was released through Frontiers Music Srl, the Italian label which specializes in what's commonly called AOR, a term that once signified a popular radio format ("album-oriented rock") but nowadays applies to acts whose airplay is marginal.