In a new interview with The Brutally Delicious Podcast, DEICIDE frontman Glen Benton addressed the controversy surrounding the cover artwork for the band's upcoming album, "Banished By Sin". Due on April 26 via Reigning Phoenix Music, the LP features art that some people believe was generated by artificial intelligence (A.I.). When the cover artwork was first unveiled in February, speculation over how it was created led to backlash from fans on social media, as well as memes mocking it and DEICIDE.

Benton said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, people don't understand that the album cover that we did, it was done with Photoshop and with some A.I., but it's a more modern version. It's like 'Legion' [DEICIDE's second album, released in 1992] — when I did the 'Legion' album cover, computers were still fucking new. Nobody knew anything about three-dimensional artwork or any shit like that. And I was the first person to even fucking fuck with that when I designed the 'Legion' album cover. Now I've been in the computers and all that shit since they all came about. So I may be ahead of a lot of people when it comes to computers. I have two iMacs and MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. So I'm a little versed with the whole computer age and in Photoshop and all that stuff and that.

"I like to do something different and provocative," Glen explained. "And I know the whole A.I. thing, everybody's [up in arms about it]… But it was meant to stir. People don't understand. It's a modernization of… It's a sign of the time that we're in. People just can't — their first [reaction] is, like, 'Oh, he's trying to put all of us artists out of work. And I'll be stuck drawing penises in men's bathrooms for the rest of my life.' So everybody's up in arms and thinking that this is the end of the fucking world. And it's really ridiculous, man. It's just a form of art and expression. So I think people should just really stop being ridiculous and accept it for what it is, man. It's a sign of the times.

"I don't do the same album artwork over and over and over again, and I don't use these scribble artists to create these logos that you cannot read or make out," Benton added. "I'm just not into that shit. All these wannabe Rembrandts and shit, man. You know what? I design artwork around the whole thing, man. And I don't take other people's feelings or their ideas or I don't sit here and think, 'Well, what's this blue-haired kid in Nebraska gonna think about the album cover?' I do what I do because I like it, and I don't give a shit what anybody else thinks. So if it pisses people off… And it's really more like these bandwagon little shitheads; they all wanna jump on the bandwagon, 'Boohoohoo.' But here's the thing, how hypocritical it is, because my art was being stolen [through illegal downloading] and stepped all over in the '90s. METALLICA had seen it come and they tried to stop it. But all these wannabe mercenaries for artists and all these idiots out there, they were the same people right there stealing my art back then. So where were all you guys at to defend my art being stolen and taken advantage of? So, all I did was just did an album cover, really, that just focused on the whole modernization of the modern time and, really, it's just a reflection of the age that we're in right now. I can't spend my days trying to explain this. I have a saying: I don't try to convince stupid is dumb and I don't try to convince dumb is stupid. So I just let it do its thing and piss people off. I have a great time with it. It's hilarious. Yeah, it is what it is, man. It's meant to stir the shit paddle, and that's what I do."

This past February, DEICIDE released the second single from "Banished By Sin", a song called "Sever The Tongue". The track was recorded at Smoke & Mirrors with engineer Jeramie Kling, while the mixing and mastering was handed by Josh Wilbur.

DEICIDE collaborated with David Brodsky from My Good Eye: Music Visuals for a visually arresting video for "Sever The Tongue" that complements the track's blasphemous undertones.

To close out 2023, DEICIDE celebrated Christmas with another blasphemous song called "Bury The Cross...With Your Christ".

In August 2022, Benton told "The Garza Podcast" that DEICIDE's new music "is really anthem-style stuff. It's really good, man. There's a lot of prog stuff in there, mixed in there. Steve's [Asheim, drums] our prog guy, man; he's the progressive rock guy. He likes to write those really black metal riffs and the progressive stuff. He's an amazing talent, man. He plays piano. He can play sweeps on guitar. He's a drummer. Yeah, he can do it all."

Benton went on to say that the next DEICIDE album was written in 2021 before he and his bandmates agreed to embark on a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of DEICIDE's sophomore album, "Legion".

DEICIDE played its first show with new guitarist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, INHUMAN CONDITION) on May 21, 2022 at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Two years ago, Nordberg spoke about how he landed the DEICIDE gig in an interview with "The Zach Moonshine Show". He said: "In 2019, my band THE ABSENCE toured with DEICIDE in the U.S. And we got to know the guys and got along really well. And I actually found out that Glen lives, like, two streets over from Jeramie [Kling, THE ABSENCE drummer] and I, where we live. So Jeramie and Glen became good buddies and they ride bikes all the times. It's a funny little thing, thinking about that. But long story short, [previous DEICIDE guitarist] Chris [Cannella], I believe he's the head of A&R at Dean Guitars so he's focusing on that for right now. I heard that they needed a guitar player, so I learned a couple of songs, made a couple of videos, and Glen saw 'em and liked what he saw. So we had a couple of practices, and bing bang boom, here we are."

Cannella amicably left DEICIDE in January 2022 after a three-year run.

Chris joined DEICIDE in 2019 following the departure of guitarist Mark English.

English became a member of DEICIDE in 2016 after the exit of longtime guitarist Jack Owen.

Photo credit: Deidra Kling

Some of you might already have seen the new cover artwork for the upcoming Deicide album. Besides being not very...

Posted by Misanthropic-Art on Wednesday, February 14, 2024

AI please generate me some album covers.....

Posted by Jim Wertman on Saturday, February 10, 2024

To all my friends in bands, in the music industry, in art, or any related field:

If you make an album cover with AI,...

Posted by Ridge Deadite on Saturday, February 24, 2024

Look, I don’t have anything against the music released by both artists. I’ve heard the new Kerry King stuff, and it...

Posted by Felix Sydonai on Sunday, February 11, 2024

Massachusetts metallers ALL THAT REMAINS have completed the recording process for their long-awaited follow-up to 2018's "Victim Of The New Disease" album.

Earlier today (Monday, April 15),ALL THAT REMAINS vocalist Phil Labonte took to his account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to write: "we just finished tracking the record."

Two months ago, Labonte spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for ALL THAT REMAINS' new album during an interview with Rock Feed. He said at the time: "I'm real determined to get music out — I want it to be out by April. I want it to be out at the end of quarter one. So if I can get it out in the last week of March, first week of April, to have our first single from the record come out… We're pretty sure we selected it.

"Right now I'm sitting in one of the dressing rooms at Henson [Recording Studios] in Los Angeles. It's a historiful place [being the former headquarters for A&M Records and the location of A&M Recording Studios]. I mean, Charlie Chaplin's lot is here. Studio A, they did 'We Are The World' in. They mixed [METALLICA's] Black Record here. They mixed [Dr. Dre's] 'The Chronic' here. So I'm in this awesome place with all this history.

"This is our second trip here doing drums," he continued. "We did four songs the first trip and that was in June [of 2023]. And now we're doing four more, and then we've got another session booked in March to finish up the drums. And that should be the last of actual tracking. Everything should be done. We might have some odds and ends, like maybe some solo stuff and noodley stuff. But we should be done tracking by the middle of March, and that would mean the release of the first song end of March, beginning of April would be no problem. Then we'll have the record probably out in June. We're looking at a tour in May into June, because we've got some festivals that we lined up, and we're putting some other stuff together. So we're gonna be busy this year. We're gonna do some touring. We're gonna have new music."

Regarding why it has taken six years for ALL THAT REMAINS to complete a new album, Phil said: "It has been a long time coming because — well, I mean a million reasons: because of COVID, because we had some legal actions with our label. We're no longer on a label. We're self-releasing it. So we're self-financing. We're gonna own it, which is a huge milestone. We had a great agreement with our label. We were supposed to have another record, but they let us go and they let us venture out on our own, which was awesome. I've got tons of love for Fearless and Concord Music Group and stuff, 'cause they let us do our thing. So that's awesome. And we're gonna get it out as soon as we can. We don't want to rush it."

Labonte added: "We started the sessions [for the new album] — really, the first time that I got together with Josh Wilbur, who's producing it. Josh Wilbur, you guys know him from TRIVIUM, from LAMB OF GOD, from a ton of [other bands]. He's worked with us [before]. He did [2015's] 'The Order Of Things', he produced that one, he mixed 'Victim Of The New Disease', so we've got a lot of history with him. But he's here [in Los Angeles], and we started with him — I think it was 2021, is actually when we started with him. He came out the first time and started working on some riffs and some ideas. And then we got our first like real song together in February of last year, where I got with Josh and wrote lyrics for a song. It was actually a song that Jason [Richardson, ALL THAT REMAINS guitarist] wrote the whole thing and kind of gave it to us. And so that's gonna be — that'll probably be the first one. I'm not gonna give out the name yet. But it's gonna be a great debut for Jason Richardson."

Speaking about the addition of Richardson, who replaced late ALL THAT REMAINS guitarist Oli Herbert more than five years ago, Phil said: "He's super creative, so it's a ton of fun. And this being his debut with us, we wanted it to be right. Not only is it the first record that we've put out without Oli Herbert, which took us a long time to kind of get used to the idea and figure out what that means and what it looks like and all kinds of things that had to happen since Oli passed away. But this being the first record that comes out with Jason, we want it to be right. There's not gonna be any half-assed [songs] on this at all. There's not any deep cuts — nothing at all. Right now we're eight songs in and there's zero deep cuts. Every single song that we've got, if someone else was, like, 'Oh, let's put this one out as the first single,' it'd be fine. That would work as a first single. And that's a big, big deal. Usually you'll hear three or four songs or five and you're, like, 'Yeah, we've got some killer songs on this record. We've got six great songs.' And there's 10 or 11 songs on the record and you're, like, 'Yeah, these other ones are cool, but we didn't have the time to do with them what we wanted. They didn't quite come out the way we want, and the record label wants to have this many songs on the record, so we don't have time to…' blah, blah, blah. 'We've got a deadline.' So you end up making compromises, and because we're doing it ourselves, putting it out ourselves and we've got a career and we're super fortunate that people still listen to our music and we've still got people out there that support us, so we can take the time to deliver the record that the fans deserve."

Last July, longtime ALL THAT REMAINS drummer Jason Costa announced his departure from the group, citing "deeply personal" reasons that "have nothing to do with any drama or anything within the band."

Jason was the featured drummer on the last six ALL THAT REMAINS albums: "Overcome" (2008),"For We Are Many" (2010),"A War You Cannot Win" (2012),"The Order Of Things" (2015),"Madness" (2017) and "Victim Of The New Disease" (2018). He is notable for being one of the few heavy metal drummers to play solely with the "traditional grip."

Back in March 2022, Costa left ALL THAT REMAINS' U.S. tour in order to "deal with some personal matters." He was temporarily replaced by Anthony Barone, who had previously played with BENEATH THE MASSACRE and SHADOW OF INTENT.

Earlier last year, ALL THAT REMAINS's breakthrough album "The Fall Of Ideals", was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States.

In 2022, ALL THAT REMAINS embarked on "The Fall Of Ideals" 15th-anniversary tour.

"The Fall Of Ideals" was reissued in November 2021. The best-selling title features such fan favorites as "This Calling", "Six" and "The Air That I Breathe".

Oli was found dead on October 16, 2018 at the edge of the pond on his Stafford Springs, Connecticut property. He was reported missing by his wife about 3 p.m., and his body was found by police face down at the edge of the pond where the water was only a few inches deep. The medical examiner's office conducted an autopsy showing that Oli had three prescription drugs in his system — the antipsychotic olanzapine, the antidepressant citalopram, and Ambien. It also said: "Mr. Herbert's past medical history is reportedly significant for marijuana use."
we just finished tracking the record.

— Phil Labonte, Talent Terrorist (@philthatremains) April 15, 2024

Permuted Press has set a September 10, 2024 release date for "The Most Interesting Man In The World", the autobiography of Vinnie Stigma, the founding member and guitarist of the legendary New York hardcore band AGNOSTIC FRONT.

In "The Most Interesting Man In The World", the godfather of New York City hardcore invites you into his lower east side pad to regale you with tales from his extraordinary life among mobsters, punk rockers, and a bevy of iconic artists and personalities — none of whom is as interesting or fascinating as the inimitable Vinnie Stigma.

Born Vincent Capuccio on December 3, 1955, Vinnie Stigma — as his countless friends and fans lovingly refer to him — is the founder and guitarist of New York City's legendary hardcore band AGNOSTIC FRONT. He's also one of the Big Apple's earliest punk rockers, having frequented such eclectic downtown haunts as Max's Kansas City, The Electric Circus, and, of course, CBGB while it was still known as Hilly's on the Bowery during the early 1970s.

With a heartfelt foreword by AGNOSTIC FRONT frontman Roger Miret, "The Most Interesting Man In The World" stretches from Vinnie's upbringing in Little Italy amongst the tight-knit Italian families, as well as some prominent wiseguys, to teaming up with Cuban-born Miret to carry punk's angrier successor across the globe; from no-show jobs in his youth obtained by people who "protected" him, to lighting up some of the world's biggest stages. However, Vinnie Stigma is not your run-of-the-mill rocker of many decades. He has dabbled in cooking, professional wrestling, acting, martial arts, yoga, and other creative disciplines. He is a father and a cancer survivor who helped pioneer skinhead and tattoo culture in America, and has mentored hundreds of fledgling musicians and artists. Vinnie insists he is an entertainer first and foremost, which he learned from his childhood idols Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Lee and Frank Sinatra.

Featuring vintage photos throughout, a handful of signature Italian recipes, even a four-page comic book and crossword puzzle, "The Most Interesting Man In The World" is a journey through a life unlike any other. No one sees or experiences the world quite like Vinnie Stigma.

Vinnie Stigma also performs as a solo artist with STIGMA and is the former guitarist of MADBALL. Vinnie has acted in a number of independent films and has appeared on countless albums as a guest artist.

Alright y’all, the cat’s out of the bag! VINNIE STIGMA’s autobiography THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN THE WORLD will be...

Posted by Agnostic Front on Monday, April 15, 2024

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan spoke about the heavier music direction of the band's latest studio album, "Divisive". Regarding what motivated the band to "return to its roots," Dan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Organically, when we're writing it, it's just gotta happen naturally. We could always talk about, 'Hey, we want this next record to be heavy,' or, 'We wanna do a power ballad,' or whatever. It's really just comes down to picking up the instrument and start playing and seeing what comes out.

"Some of the inspiration, for me, [came from] working with a new producer this time around, with Drew Fulk," he explained. "I really liked a lot of the work he's had with the band WAGE WAR and MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and some of the production ideas he had. And just getting in a room with somebody new, it's almost like having a fifth member of the band. And sometimes it's hard to give up a little bit of freedom to allow somebody in to your personal space and hear them, because there's so many great, gifted musicians and producers out there. I hold this stuff so close to my heart, it's hard to just have somebody else have an opinion. And we've learned to open up and let somebody just kind of throw some ideas at you and kind of push you in a different way. And with Drew being this kind of new, hot producer and all these new elements, it was just really exciting to get in the room with him and just kind of bounce ideas off each other and really get what we needed from each other. So, it's been a great experience."

When the interviewer noted that having an outside perspective is sometimes a necessity to get him and his bandmates out of their "attachment" that they might have to what they are creating, Dan concurred. "Absolutely," he said. "I think, historically, in the past we would call it 'demoitis,' 'cause we would record these things. You get so attached to the demo, and then we would go in the studio. All we would do is just re-record them with better takes, but basically almost exactly the way the demo was. And then we realized sometimes we've gotta maybe don't get too attached to it and let those moments happen in the studio as we're improvising ideas and putting each other on the spot and just feeding off of each other. And a lot of that happened with this album, with 'Divisive'. I ended up writing probably half of it in the studio as we were going. And I would just come up with a new riff, kind of put David [Draiman, DISTURBED singer] on the spot. That's where we shine the most, when I can throw a riff at him and just make him, in that moment, improvise that melody on top of it, and magic happens."

After the interviewer commended the DISTURBED bandmembers for still working on music in a room together when so many other groups choose to piece their material together remotely, Dan clarified: "We've done that in the past, and, yeah, the technology is there to do it, and you can still get good results. But I think we've come back around to trying to go back to those garage band days of capturing that moment together.

"We all live in different states back in the U.S., and if I share a file, I'm, like, sitting there waiting for the phone call, getting feedback. 'Hey, what do you think of it? Let's hear your melody,'" he explained. "You don't share that excitement together [like you do] when you're improvising, and I play the riff and we feed off each other and then you see, 'Okay, this is working,' 'cause you're reading the body language of the other bandmembers. You know you're on to something. And if you're not feeling it, you start changing the riff around, changing the beat around, that whole improvising stage. In our case, we realized, we feel that we get better results out of it that way."

Earlier this month, DISTURBED garnered its 19th No. 1 on the Active Rock radio chart with "Don't Tell Me", the band's latest single, which features a guest appearance by Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and HEART co-founder Ann Wilson. The song is DISTURBED's fourth No. 1 off "Divisive".

This is the second time DISTURBED has earned four No. 1s on a single record, having previously accomplished the same feat on 2015's "Immortalized". Only nine rock albums since 1992 have been able to secure four No. 1 songs on the Mediabase Rock charts and two of them have been DISTURBED's.

Released in November 2022, "Divisive" was recorded earlier that year with Fulk in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.

In a new interview with TotalRock's "Hobo On The Radio" show, vocalist Neil Fallon of Maryland rock veterans CLUTCH was asked if he and his bandmates are working on new music at the moment. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are writing new material. I am definitely the slowest out of the bunch as far as writing lyrics, 'cause I try the same lyrics on different songs and try to find out where they can live."

He continued: "We probably — we won't be recording until next year. And I'm gonna say hopefully the album will come out in the third quarter or fourth quarter of 2025. Which sounds like it's far away, and I guess it is, to a degree, but that's gonna come around pretty quick for us. We're gonna do it with [Grammy-nominated producer] Tom Dalgety [GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD, PIXIES] again. He was awesome. But that never stops us from playing these [new songs] live, which they'll inevitably will be everyone's favorite version and they'll hate the record's version, but that's just the way it goes."

This past January, CLUTCH announced the "New World Samurai Tour 2024". The trek, which will feature support from BLACKTOP MOJO and THE NATIVE HOWL, will kick off on April 26 in Richmond, Virginia and conclude on May 18 in Belvidere, Illinois.

In an interview with AndrewHaug.com, CLUTCH drummer Jean-Paul Gaster was asked if there is a "retirement plan" in place for him and his bandmates. Gaster replied: "No, there is no retirement plan in the future. We're gonna do this for as long as we can possibly do it. We still enjoy it. We just wrapped up a very extensive European tour, probably the longest we've done over there. And it was certainly difficult to do, and it was tiring, but it was also probably one of the most exciting things I'll ever do for my entire life. It was amazing. It was an experience of a lifetime. And I think we all feel like that. This opportunity to play music is such a special thing. And I think we all appreciate it more. And so we're just gonna keep doing this thing for as long as we can. We really enjoy it. I enjoy making music with these guys. It's a very special thing."

Fallon previously discussed the group's longevity in an interview with RVA magazine in 2022. He said: "The way I calculate success is like, you got to do something that you love, and that's all you have to do. Most of our friends that are in bands or are musicians have to relegate that to weekends, maybe. I've known plenty of musicians that bang their head against the wall for years, to no avail. And sometimes things are looking good and then fate just deals them in, all four hands. But you know, we've stayed committed, through feast and famine as well. Sometimes you can generate more quote-unquote 'luck' the harder you work. But I also understand it's a rare thing, to have the same lineup and to be able to do this. And as every tour passes, every year passes, I think we get more and more defensive and protective about it, because we realize that we dodged a lot of bullets along the way. We don't, and we shouldn't, take any of it for granted. I mean, the last two years [of the pandemic] was sort of a preview of what retirement might feel like. And it's a drag. We don't want to do that."

CLUTCH's thirteenth studio album, "Sunrise On Slaughter Beach", was released in September 2022. The LP, which was recorded at the The Magpie Cage Recording Studio in Baltimore, Maryland, was produced and mixed by Dalgety, with additional engineering by J Robbins (JAWBREAKER, AGAINST ME!, THE SWORD).

Ted Nugent played the first of his recently announced "Speakezy Rockouts" live shows on Saturday, April 13 at Buck's Backyard in Buda, Texas. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

In 2023, the 75-year-old outspoken conservative rocker completed his "Adios Mofo '23" farewell tour. The trek saw him backed by his most recent solo band consisting of drummer Jason Hartless and bassist Johnny Schoen.

In an interview with "THAT Rocks!", Ted spoke about his decision to embark on what was billed as his last-ever tour. Regarding why he doesn't want to spend time on the road anymore, Ted said in part: "Hotels are jail. I hate jail… I will always play music. The music still has fire. I still crave it. I've got new songs. I'm gonna go in the studio with these killer musicians that are always at my side. But traveling, I tell you… A hotel room is jail… The travel and the hotels… And I don't even have to go to TSA [Transportation Security Administration]; I mean, I gave the finger to them in 2009. If somebody doesn't send a jet, I don't go anywhere. My friends are better than your friends, 'cause my friends have jets. So, I'm not TSA and I'm not gonna let somebody fondle my Glock [gun] and ask me questions about gun laws. And hotels are so painful for me."

Ted went on to clarify that he is not retiring from playing live. "The fire, the music, it will always go on," he said. "I play my guitar every day… And I get to collaborate with the best musicians in the world. So it's always a challenge, it's always intriguing, it's always stimulating. I'm an old man — I'm 75 this year — but the stimuli factor… I hope that somebody else in this world is as stimulated by the music as I am, because it's still very much alive and well."

Asked if he will miss the audience and the live interaction on stage, Ted said: "Yes. Of course I will. But again, I won't miss it because I'll still do it… I'm not going out for months or even weeks. I'll do the occasional special events. I do a lot of corporate stuff… Yeah, I'm an energized son of a bitch, but I am 75, and I'm not swinging from ropes and I'm not wearing a loincloth and I'm not jumping off the amplifiers with my new knees. So I will miss it, but, again, I've got 12 grandkids and I don't wanna go away someday and not make an imprint on them, teach them about the important things in life. In a world that's really gone really stupid, I think my grandparenting responsibilities are more important now than ever."

Nugent's self-titled debut album in 1975 was certified double platinum in the United States, while "Free-for-All", "Cat Scratch Fever", "Weekend Warriors" and "State Of Shock" all reached the Top 30 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Nugent has reportedly sold over 40 million albums and was named Detroit's greatest guitar player of all time by readers of MLive.

The conservative rocker, who been eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist since 2000, has enjoyed a remarkably successful and eventful musical career over the past five decades, but his music is increasingly overshadowed by his political outbursts.

Nugent's latest album, "Detroit Muscle", was released in April 2022 via Pavement Music. The follow-up to 2018's "The Music Made Me Do It" was recorded with Ted's previous touring band, which included bassist Greg Smith and Hartless.

In May 2023, Smith, who had played bass for Ted for 16 years, announced his departure from the legendary rocker's touring band. He explained in a statement: "It was a difficult decision but one that I really had no choice in. With Ted no longer touring I had to accept an offer from a tour that will continue for the next several years. I tried to get someone to cover for me for the 2nd half, so I'd be able to do Ted's tour, but I was unfortunately unable to."



Posted by Michael J Sugden on Saturday, April 13, 2024

Opening for Ted Nugent tomorrow night in Buda, TX at Buck's Backyard

Posted by Cody Jasper on Friday, April 12, 2024

In a new interview with Robert Edwards of Talkin' Bout Rock, guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett of legendary Canadian rockers TRIUMPH was asked if he thinks the band will ever perform again. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I doubt it. I'm sorry to take out a sharp little pen and prick the balloon of hope. But, honestly, I think when we [played a short set at a fan event which was filmed for] the TRIUMPH documentary ['Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine'], and Gil [Moore, drums/vocals] rehearsed for a long time to sort of get himself [in playing shape]… We only played three songs, but he was gonna sing and play 'When The Lights Go Down', and he hadn't played ever since we did the Sweden reunion; he hadn't sat down and played any music, touched his drums. And then, when we did that, at the end of it, I think he went, 'Okay. I'm done.' A show of hands."

He continued: "It's a lot to ask of him, the whole idea of singing half the show, but you're sitting there and you're trying to drum an extremely aggressive kind of a set of music for anybody that has to play drums, and I would say in a TRIUMPH situation in a trio situation, but even more — Rik Emmett writes these tunes where, you know, it's, like, 'I wanna get busy and that's why I'm gonna need a drummer to play a lot of fills.' And Gil was game for a long run, and now he goes, 'Yeah, I think I've had enough. My back doesn't like this — my shoulders, my wrists, my elbows."

Emmett added: "There was a time — I don't know if folks know this — but when we did the live album 'Stages' [1985], we'd played a long tour, and when we came off it and we were doing that, the record company wanted a couple of tracks, and there was one where Gil, his elbow was so sore — now, I think it was maybe from playing too much golf, as well as playing too much drums — but we had to have another guy sit in and play a drum part on one of the tracks because he couldn't do it; he was in sort of rehab for his elbow. Gil was always very avid golfer, and I think, over time, I think that kind of cost him a little bit too. He goes now and he gets physio so that he can still go golfing. But the idea of touring and playing drums, I think it's a non-starter."

The aforementioned invite-only event was held in November 2019 in front of 300 "superfans" at MetalWorks studio in Mississauga (a suburb of Toronto),Ontario, Canada. Emmett, Moore and bassist/keyboardist Mike Levine played a three-song set that marked TRIUMPH's first performance in 11 years, as well as its first as a pure three-piece power trio in 31 years. The tracks played were "When The Lights Go Down", "Lay It On The Line" and "Magic Power".

Moore, Levine and Emmett formed TRIUMPH in 1975, and their blend of heavy riff-rockers with progressive odysseys, peppered with thoughtful, inspiring lyrics and virtuosic guitar playing quickly made them a household name in Canada. Anthems like "Lay It On The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" broke them in the USA, and they amassed a legion of fiercely passionate fans. But, as a band that suddenly split at the zenith of their popularity, TRIUMPH missed out on an opportunity to say thank you to those loyal and devoted fans, a base that is still active today, more than three decades later.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

Back in 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the "RES 9" album from Emmett's band RESOLUTION9.

On February 5, Rik revealed that he had just completed radiation treatment for prostate cancer. He added in a social media post: "For you gentlemen out there north of age 45-50, please do yourself a favor and get checked. If you catch it early, there's an excellent chance it can be treated; and treatment doesn't always have to mean surgery or chemotherapy either. Consider this a PSA to get your PSA checked!"

Emmett went public with his prostate cancer battle last November.

Rik, who quit TRIUMPH — acrimoniously, in 1988 — over music and business disputes, went on to pursue a solo career, while TRIUMPH carried on with future BON JOVI guitarist Phil X for one more album, 1992's "Edge Of Excess", before calling it a day the following year.

Emmett was estranged, both personally and professionally, from the two other members of the legendary Canadian classic rock power trio for 18 years before they repaired their relationship.

Emmett's autobiography, "Lay It On The Line - A Backstage Pass To Rock Star Adventure, Conflict And Triumph", came out last October via ECW Press.

On Monday, April 15, which is Tax Day in the United States for most Americans, PRONG has shared a video for the band's version of the RUSH classic "Working Man (Regular Version)". The track appears as a shorter version on PRONG's latest album, "State Of Emergency", which was released last October via Steamhammer/SPV.

PRONG mainman Tommy Victor commented: "RUSH had the big riffs and that’s something PRONG always wants as well. Especially in the song 'Working Man' with that all-time classic opening riff. We have a new lyric video for the regular version of 'Working Man'. It's a bit industrial and trippy at the same time. Check it out!"

Produced by the skillful hands of legendary producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN),, "State Of Emergency" surprises on the post-punk track "Disconnected" and then grooves on the title track. Originally released as a standalone single in early 2023, "Breaking Point" takes no prisoners with honest lyrics and cutting attitude, while hard-hitting "The Descent" is a lightning quick, classic ripper.

Victor told Decibel magazine about the decision to cover RUSH: "The thing is, when I was a kid, I didn't play guitar, so I was a bass player in bands when I was in high school and shit. So, of course, Geddy Lee was the guy. He was one of the top dudes, right? I saw RUSH so many times. There was no way of not having them influence you. It was impossible because they were so popular. They weren't on the big scale, but guys that were playing in garage bands, we were doing [LED] ZEPPELIN covers and BAD COMPANY and then RUSH songs, and that's the way it was back in the day. And 'Working Man' was the standard one. I know it's not with Neil [Peart], but the riff is so easy and it's so basic that it's a killer track. I mean, I love the lyric and everything. So that's one of the reasons why that one stood out to me. The lyrics fit into the whole 'State Of Emergency' [theme] too. It fit in for some reason, so I really wanted to do it."

Regarding why he chose to write all of "State Of Emergency" himself, Tommy told New Noise Magazine: "Honestly, anything collaborative is because of necessity, [being] pressed for time. I hate to go back and criticize records I've done recently, where I've warmly praised them, but yeah, I had to do [a couple of things on previous records] in order to get it done that I didn't really want to do. I sound like the biggest snob in the world, but in general, I'm very critical of other guitar players' riffs and ideas. Very few times I'm impressed."

Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA kicked off the Latin American leg of their farewell tour last Friday night (April 12) at Centro De Convenciones Vasco Nuñez De Balboa in Panama City, Panama. The show marked the band's first appearance in the country with new touring drummer Greyson Nekrutman (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES),who officially replaced SEPULTURA's longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande in February.

SEPULTURA's setlist for the Panama City concert was as follows:

01. Refuse/Resist
02. Territory
03. Kairos
04. Dusted
05. Attitude
06. Means To An End
07. Guardians Of Earth
08. Mind War
09. False
10. Choke
11. Escape To The Void
12. Kaiowas
13. Biotech Is Godzilla
14. Agony Of Defeat
15. Troops Of Doom
16. Inner Self
17. Arise

Encore:

18. Ratamahatta
19. Roots Bloody Roots

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 SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, 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.

Thank you for the raging sell out, Panama City🇵🇦! What a way to start our Latin American “Celebrating Life Through...

Posted by Sepultura on Saturday, April 13, 2024

SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker has once again responded to criticism from his brother Michael after the former UFO axeman accused him of being a "dangerous bully" who "takes advantage" his younger sibling.

Michael Schenker gave a number of interviews in recent years in which he questioned his brother's integrity, going so far as to call Rudolf "a con artist" who "completely adopted" Michael's image as his own. He also denounced the SCORPIONS for "distorting" the story of his brief tenure with the band and lamented the fact that he gave Rudolf his "portion" of the songwriting credit for the classic SCORPIONS song "Coast To Coast". It all came to light, Michael said, when he was approached to help with the recent 50th-anniversary SCORPIONS reissues.

During an appearance on the April 12 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Rudolf — who is seven years older than Michael — said about his brother: "I love him. He's a great person. I watched him since he was a baby, and I love him, and I brought him in into all the bands he had in the earlier times and to care that he's not going downhill. It's up to him. He's a very extreme person. He can't be in a band. He's not a band person. He is an extreme, great guitar player. And that's a different situation."

Asked if he and Michael are in contact at the moment, Rudolf said: "[At] the moment, no. From my side, I would talk [to him] immediately. [Laughs] I even can't be bad with him because I know what the situation is, where he talks from."

Underlining the different philosophies he and his brother have when it comes to creating music, Rudolf said: "My brother wants to be one of the best guitar players in the world. And I said, 'I want to play in one of the 30 biggest rock and roll bands in the world.'"

Host Eddie Trunk also asked Rudolf if Michael copied him when he first picked up a Gibson Flying V guitar or if it was the other way around. Rudolf responded: "This guitar has something to play it this way. I was playing before Michael, this guitar. The point was that Michael, when we had to play a big festival… he came to me and said, 'We can't play. I have no guitar.' I said, 'Oh, you have no guitar?' I was going around, hurrying up and got the [Gibson] Melody Maker and said, 'Okay, here's the guitar.' Then he said, 'I can't play with this guitar.' I said, 'Give me the guitar. You take the Flying V that we can do the concert.' And then he came back from the concert in this festival and said, 'Rudolf, I can't give you back the guitar because it's so good. It sounds so good.' I said, 'All right, you're looking much better with the guitar as a lead guitar player than me playing rhythm and play this guitar.' So in this case, he was playing this Flying V. The first [SCORPIONS album] 'Lonesome Crow', I think, was made with a Les Paul."

This is not the first time Rudolf has publicly addressed Michael's scathing comments about him. In an April 2022 interview with Guitar Player magazine, Rudolf said: "I tell you one thing: I love my brother. He can say whatever he wants to say. He's an amazing guitar player, an amazing person — whatever he wants to say, why not say it? [Laughs] If that is what makes him happy, then okay. I wish him all the best.

"I think, sooner or later, we will all be friends again and we will play together again. My life is too happy to put myself into a dustbin over it. I want to live in the sky. I am so happy for my life."

Five years ago, Rudolf dismissed his brother's criticism, telling Classic Rock magazine: "Look, I love my brother. He's a fantastic guitar player but he knows nothing about business. When we made 'Lovedrive', the band was under contract to Dieter Dierks [producer and manager]. When I asked Michael to play a solo to my composition 'Coast To Coast', we agreed a half-and-half credit, but Dieter wouldn't allow it — this related to publishing and studio costs. Michael had a signed contract with Dieter that gave him one point on the song. And we agreed to pay Michael… he had the money."

He continued: "But in 1985, when [Michael] was completely smashed and had a new MSG with Robin McAuley, Michael lived with me in my house. We flew in musicians, I did all of that for nothing on the understanding that Michael would pay me when a record label came in. But he didn't pay me anything. So I took his half to cover the bills he hadn't paid. Everything is clear. All Michael has to do is ask: 'What's happening here?' But he doesn't; instead, he gives these stupid interviews."

Rudolf added: "I still love my brother but he has always hated business matters and the only person that's to blame here is himself."

Michael has repeatedly said that he has no intention of reconnecting with his older brother, telling Spain's Metal Journal in a 2021 interview: "I love Rudolf as a brother, but social distance is needed, so I don't get tricked into any further inconvenient situation. Rudolf is a bully, and I don't connect with bullies. It creates turbulence, and it's inconvenient… I don't wanna be controlled by them. I have established myself in a way that I don't wanna be tricked into more inconvenient situations. The moment I connect with Rudolf — you have to understand — it will carry on just the way it did when I was 15, and it will never stop. He's a trickster.

"Rudolf and I, we have been separated for 50 years," Michael continued. "We have never actually spent any time together except for the tour dates in the [SCORPIONS] 'Lonesome Crow' period, but that's it. So we're used to that anyway.

"I hope for Rudolf to find his way back to understanding what true life is about. [He's] chasing something that gives you something that in the end is not gonna make you happy, which is fame and money, et cetera, et cetera. It rarely makes anybody happy. I mean, sometimes it kills people — too much fame, it kills people; they just die. And so I don't wanna be involved in that world."

Michael Schenker first appeared on SCORPIONS' 1972 album "Lonesome Crow", earned acclaim in the 1970s on classic UFO albums such as "Phenomenon" and "Lights Out" before rejoining SCORPIONS for 1979's "Lovedrive". He departed soon thereafter to launch MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. And while his sometimes-erratic behavior have derailed parts of his career, Schenker remains one of hard rock and metal's most influential axemen.

The RichG LIVE YouTube channel has uploaded video of this year's Coopstock, the annual charity music festival at Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona that featured appearances by Cooper and legendary musicians. The 2024 installment of Coopstock was held on Saturday, April 13 and included performances by REO SPEEDWAGON frontman Kevin Cronin, KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, Micky Dolenz of THE MONKEES and Australian-born guitarist and singer-songwriter Orianthi.

Coopstock 2024, which benefits Alice's Solid Rock Teen Centers, also featured an appearance by actor Patrick Warburton, food trucks and auctions.

Before the 2023 edition of Coopstock, Cooper told The Mesa Tribune: "We are fulfilling a vision we've had for several years…to provide teens with a central place to learn, have fun, and explore their creativity in a supportive and safe environment. The Rock is the first of many teen centers in Arizona and, ultimately, around the country."

For more than a quarter-century, Coopstock has drawn thousands and every year organizers expect more than 2,500 people to attend the event.

Thayer praised Cooper for the invaluable service his teen centers provide for the community.

"I'm very familiar and I love what they do," Thayer told The Mesa Tribune. "They know exactly what they're doing, and they're very good at it. It's kind of groundbreaking, and I hope that more people do these kinds of things using this as an example."

Regarding the prospect of performing with other legendary musicians, Tommy said: "A lot of them I grew up admiring myself, and so get to get the get on stage and play their music with them is something that is interesting to me. I get to play other people's music and enjoy that, and again, it's all for a great cause and to raise money for this foundation."

The countdown begins! The Coopstock Fundraising Bash is just two weeks away! Tickets are selling fast so don't wait! ...

Posted by Alice Cooper's Solid Rock on Monday, April 1, 2024

In a brand new interview with Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone, ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush spoke about the band's cover version of "One Chain Don't Make No Prison". "One Chain Don't Make No Prison" was written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first released by PEOPLE in 1970. It was also covered by FOUR TOPS, as well as SANTANA and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It came out] really cool. It's kind of a throwback. I love that sound from — especially [FOUR TOPS] in the '70s was really cool. That's when they got a little bit more edgy. The '60s stuff was, of course, great, but Levi Stubbs, the main singer, was awesome. He had a cool, just soulful, powerful voice. So Joey [Vera, ARMORED SAINT bassist] had this idea of doing it. We did the song. I don't know when for sure it's coming out. We did a video for it that we're all wearing suits. So it's pretty funny. It's a little different for us. It was really aesthetically looking pretty cool. We filmed it at somebody's house somewhere here in Hollywood. The guy had all these crazy decorations inside of his house that he lived in. So, the director found it. And so we shot it kind of in a circle, which is really cool. It was fun."

Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for ARMORED SAINT's next LP, Bush said: "We've already written a few songs — we've got probably about five or six, and we need to write a handful more. ARMORED SAINT notoriously doesn't move too fast. It would be cool if we had a little urgency. Not that we're lazy about it. We kind of work at our own pace. And when ideas come, they do. And then the ball starts kind of getting momentum and then we're going. But in the end, I always say it's better to make an awesome record. We're never gonna be a band that had, like, 30 records — that just wasn't our kind of path — but we can still have every record be great, and that should be the objective. Not that all bands with 30 records are just saying, 'Let's put out some crap,' but sometimes I think a lot of people do things so they could just tour and that just isn't really our M.O. So, if we could try to get it less than every five years, especially [considering] our age, would be something that would be good. But in the end, it will come when it does. But 2025, I think, is fairly realistic."

Asked if ARMORED SAINT would consider making an EP instead of a full-length album, as a lot of other artist have done in recent years, John said: "I wanna make a [full] record because metal people still love records, metal fans still want to buy vinyl and CDs. It's probably the one genre that people still wanna… I mean, of course people get it through different means — downloading or MP3s or whatever; if that's your method to listen to music, do whatever it is that makes you happy — but I think that people still love the aesthetics of vinyl and record and CDs. Some people still have cassettes; I don't know if they're listening to them or if it sounded good in the first place. But people like having the product, and that's really great. And we've always released vinyl from the beginning, even in our latter years on Metal Blade when vinyl was taking a big dip. It's had a little resurgence now, but, yeah, I think it's great that fans still want that. And I wanna make a full-length record."

Bush previously told The Chill Dude On A Couch about the ARMORED SAINT songwriting process: "We write something and then we'll try to make this really good-sounding demo. I'll go and sing. I actually try to sing it like I'm singing a record, and we've kept a lot of the original vocals. This goes back to the way we wrote songs back to [2000's] 'Revelation' even. 'Cause sometimes I think you sing something that maybe you'll never sing exactly the same, and so that nuance in your voice or who knows what, your inflection, you can try to mimic it, but maybe you never will mimic it exactly that way. Same with a guitar lead — a certain bend, it may not be exactly how you play it again. So I think those are key things that you try to keep when you're making demos, and that's what we do. So I've gotta get back to doing some work. And we've got more work to do, that's for sure. We certainly don't work at a fast pace; everyone knows that about SAINT. We could try to put a little urgency into this and try to kind of move on it a little quicker without sacrificing quality. I think that's a good idea."

ARMORED SAINT was inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame last July at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Ten months ago, ARMORED SAINT's long-awaited documentary, Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers", had its world premiere in the band's hometown at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood, California.

ARMORED SAINT's eighth full-length album, "Punching The Sky", came out in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

ARMORED SAINT released the "Symbol Of Salvation Live" CD/DVD in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. The release came in celebration of the seminal album's 30th anniversary. "Symbol Of Salvation Live" was a combination live album and video of the band playing the album in its entirety at New York City's famed Gramercy Theatre during its 2018 tour.

In a new interview with Ultimate Guitar, Zakk Wylde spoke about the decision to tour with a reformed version of PANTERA, also featuring surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),alongside Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) on drums. The lineup has reportedly been given a green light by the estates of PANTERA's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Zakk said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I feel [Dimebag] all the time. Even when we were getting ready to do the [PANTERA tour in 2022], [the early] rehearsals, and they were just figuring out how we were gonna do this, there'd be signs all over the place, whether [it was] a license plate that would be, like, '333' [three being Dimebag's favorite number], or I'd run into like a Dimebag license plate in the middle of nowhere. It was just, like, him just pushing this thing along, willing it to happen. So he's just always around. When we were in New York, just like signs, when we just did [a headlining show at] the [Madison Square] Garden [in February 2024], my wife Barbaranne was, like, Check this out.' Something came up and it just reminded us of Dime, and I was like, 'Wow, that's crazy.' Or we would look on our phone and it would be '333'. It's just these signs everywhere. And I could see Dime just doing it, going, 'I hope these idiots realize it's me sending these signs.' [Laughs]"

The reformed PANTERA is headlining a number of major festivals across North America, South America and Europe and staging some of its own headline concerts. They are also supporting METALLICA on a massive stadium tour in 2024.

It was first reported in July 2022 that Anselmo and Brown would unite with Wylde and Benante for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

During a recent appearance on "Drinks With Johnny", the Internet TV show hosted by AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ, Zakk was asked how he, Philip, Rex and Charlie all "came together to decide that this was the right time, the right group to pay homage to the mighty PANTERA". The guitarist said: "Well, BLACK LABEL [SOCIETY] and DOWN, we did some shows together in 2014, we did a tour, and it was great. 'Cause I've known Phil [who also sings for DOWN] and Pepper [Keenan, DOWN guitarist] and all the guys, and Jimmy Bower [DOWN drummer], Father Bower Power, over there for a while. It was just a bunch of friends going out doing shows together. And we did some PANTERA stuff then, and then Father Rex came out and we jammed 'I'm Broken' and stuff like that, and it was a lot of fun. And it's always been rumored for years. I just said that's always on the fellas. Me and Charlie are buds, and we'll be here to support our friends, whatever they wanna do. So when Phil called me up one day, he was, like, 'Zakk, you wanna get together and do this? We're thinking about me, Rex and Charlie and yourself, and we'll go out and pay tribute to Dime and Vinnie.' I was, like, 'Of course. I always said I would be there for you guys when you felt the time was right to do it.'"

He continued: "But, yeah, we just got together and did the rehearsals down in New Orleans and then we've been rolling ever since. We just did the [Madison Square] Garden and everything like that, with LAMB OF GOD and the guys and everything like that. So it was great. So just looking out every night and seeing people taking a trip down memory lane, the people that have seen the original PANTERA… When Phil says every night, he's just, like, 'How many people, this is their first time ever seeing PANTERA?' And all the younger people that never got a chance to see 'em [raise their hands]. It just really is a beautiful thing.

"I always say it every night, when we were playing the Garden, it's just like if Dime and Vinnie were right there on the side of the stage, I'd go, 'Look at what you guys created.' So it's really special. I think it's just a beautiful thing every night paying honor and tribute to Dime and Vinnie every night, Phil and Rex and Dime and Vinnie, this thing that they created that brings so many people joy. So, I just think it's a beautiful thing every night."

Zakk previously discussed his involvement with PANTERA in a February 2024 interview with Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights. At the time, he said: "Everybody in the whole camp, it's all great people. And it's crazy, because we've known each other for years, but you end up knowing, even with the crew and everything like that, all these people you've known for years — I mean, people that I've been with when I started with Ozzy [Osbourne] and everything like that. So, it's just a great time out there, man, for sure. And then, obviously, celebrating Vinnie and Dime every night, it's just awesome.

"The beautiful thing about music is, all the bands that we love, whether it's ZEPPELIN or [BLACK] SABBATH, THE ALLMAN BROTHERS or Elton John or PANTERA or whatever, everybody has their connection to that music," he continued. "That's the most powerful thing about music. I mean, you hear stuff, it just transports you back to when you were 13 years old, 14 years old, where you were and what you were doing when that music was going on. So, for so many people — it's amazing 'cause Phil always does it at like almost every night, he's just, like, 'How many people saw PANTERA back in the day?' And everybody, obviously, you have all the PANTERA faithful. And then he goes, 'How many people, this is their first time seeing PANTERA?' It's mind-blowing. I mean, I'd say it's almost like 60-40, 70-30 sometimes, where it's, like, 'Wow. That is amazing.'

"I never got a chance to see ZEPPELIN back in the day, so to see… When I went and saw the [Jimmy] Page and [Robert] Plant thing with the orchestra and everything, that was just amazing, because I never got a chance to see them back in the day. So, just the power of the music, to see it live was just… I saw 'em at Brendan Byrne Arena [in East Rutherford, New Jersey in April 1995] when we were working on [Ozzy Osbourne's 1995 album] 'Ozzmosis'. I got tickets and we went down to the gig that night, and it was amazing — 'cause I never I never got a chance to see it back in the day. So, it's pretty much the same, 'cause I know I was getting chills when I was watching it. So, yeah, it's a beautiful thing, man."

Zakk was also asked if he would be open to working on new material with PANTERA. He said: "Nah, I don't think so. Whenever Phil says that and all the younger kids are screaming and yelling, when they put the house lights on and everyone's got their fists up in the air 'cause that's the first time [they're seeing PANTERA live], I just look at like Vinnie and Dime, if they were on the side of the stage, and go, 'See what you guys created.' So it's just, like, yeah, it's awesome. It truly is, man. But, no, I don't think [the plan is] to record [as PANTERA]. I mean, it'd be like if [Eric] Clapton was playing with [drummer] Mitch [Mitchell] and [bassist] Noel [Redding], honoring Jimi [Hendrix], they're not gonna go in and record [and call it] THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE with Eric Clapton. [Laughs] I don't think anything like that. Obviously, if we were ever to do anything, it would be under a different name. Like Jimmy Page, if he was playing with Paul Rodgers and everything, it's THE FIRM; they're not going out as LED ZEPPELIN."

Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie, who was Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Three-time Grammy Award-nominated band NOTHING MORE will release its fifth album, "Carnal", on June 28 via Beter Noise Music. The LP features 15 songs with the San Antonio, Texas-born quartet's most focused, adventurous, and intense music to date, including their current radio single "If It Doesn't Hurt" which is currently in the Top 10 at No. 9 on the Active Rock radio charts and rising. Recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Drew "WZRD BLD" Fulk (DISTURBED, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, A DAY TO REMEMBER) with mixing and mastering by Zakk Cervini (LIMP BIZKIT, MGK, BRING ME THE HORIZON),"Carnal" unites NOTHING MORE's trademark introspective philosophical lyrics and unapologetically massive anthems with in-your-face rockers designed for an all-encompassing audience.

"'Carnal' feels like a perfect encapsulation of what NOTHING MORE has always been," says guitarist Mark Vollelunga. "From progressive introspection to steady-state rock 'n roll, we felt like we've achieved the exact balance wanted for this next installment."

"It's a beautiful blend of memorable guitar riffs, illustrious chord progressions and heart wrenching lyrical performances all to the beat of a drum that palpitates with syncopated obsession," states bassist Daniel Oliver. "There's truly something for everyone on this record."

NOTHING MORE have today unveiled their new compelling and defiant track "House On Sand" featuring I PREVAIL vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe. Check it out below.

"Sometimes you lose sight of your purpose in life and wander off of the path you were on," says frontman Jonny Hawkins on "House On Sand". "Years later you find yourself in a life that does not match the vision you once had for yourself. Trapped, you are left with a choice…betray your inner voice, or trust it; continue on and play it safe, or turn back and start again… I'm starting again."

In regard to working with Vanlerberghe, Hawkins states: "I'm so honored and excited to have Eric screaming his heart out with me on this song!"

"Almost a year ago, the boys in NOTHING MORE sent me this demo and asked if I'd consider hopping on it," shares Vanlerberghe. "I checked it out and for the next few weeks, I had the chorus engrained in my brain. The song really resonated with me. I think this track, as well as the rest of their record, is NOTHING MORE's best work and I'm honored to be a part of it."

Since their emergence in 2003, NOTHING MORE have continuously topped the active rock radio charts, including nine No. 1 singles and over a half dozen Top 10 singles, among them "Tired Of Winning" from their 2022 album "Spirits". To date, the band — Jonny Hawkins (vocals),Mark Vollelunga (guitar),Daniel Oliver (bass) and Ben Anderson (drums) — have amassed a total of 788 million streams and 150 million video views.

NOTHING MORE have won over audiences across the globe with their commanding performances, of which Loudwire proclaimed: "it's their famously vivacious live shows that truly enthrall, especially when they pull out some of bassist Daniel Oliver's self-made gadgets. For instance, there's the 'Scorpion Tale', an extremely heavy beast made of metal scraps whose Ableton software permits singer Jonny Hawkins to alter multiple timbres (such as guitar, bass and vocals) while riding it. Then, you have the 'Drumtron/Bassinator,' a rotating bass stand connected to drums that allows for three-man bass solos."

NOTHING MORE will head out on a co-headlining tour across North America this spring with WAGE WAR and special guests VEIL OF MAYA and SLEEP THEORY followed by a set of direct support shows with rock icons GODSMACK. They'll also appear this fall at festivals, including Louder Than Life, Aftershock and MMR*B*Q.

"Carnal" track listing:

01. Carnal
02. House On Sand (feat. Eric V Of I Prevail)
03. If It Doesn't Hurt
04. Angel Song (feat. David Draiman)
05. Freefall
06. Blame It On The Drugs
07. Head
08. Existential Dread
09. Heart
10. Down The River
11. Give It Time
12. Sight
13. Stuck (feat. Sinizter)
14. Run For Your Life
15. Sound

Photo credit: Dante Dellamore

In a new interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach spoke about the inspiration for the title of his upcoming solo album, "Child Within The Man", set for release on May 10 via Reigning Phoenix Music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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" 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.

"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.

Photo credit: Jim Louvau

In a new interview with The Metal Podcast, David Ellefson spoke about the recent announcement that New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL have recruited him to play bass for the band on their "Scorching Latin America 2024" tour. The former MEGADETH member is filling in for original OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni, who is unable to make the shows as he is recovering from shoulder surgery.

Expressing the excitement about being asked to fill in for Verni, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "They're dear friends of mine. I haven't played with Derek [Tailer], the other guitar player, but it's funny, me and Dave Linsk [OVERKILL guitarist] actually wrote some songs together after a NAMM show 15 years ago maybe; it was a while ago. And he and Joe Comeau, who was the singer in ANNIHILATOR for a while, me, Dave Linsk, Joe Comeau and Jimmy DeGrasso [ex-MEGADETH drummer], they all came out here to Phoenix and we wrote a bunch of songs under a band name called ATOMIC 66. And they're great songs. Dave's been reluctant to put 'em out. I've gotta beat on him a little bit here this next month when we're together to put these songs out, if we just put them up digitally. They're fricking cool, man — super good. And then, of course, me and Blitz [OVERKILL singer Bobby Ellsworth], we've jammed METAL ALLEGIANCE all the time and me and [Jason] Bittner [OVERKILL drummer] have done clinics and stuff and jammed together. So, I'm excited about it."

Elaborating on his long personal friendship with the members of OVERKILL, Ellefson said: "It's funny, [MEGADETH] had OVERKILL on the 'Peace Sells' tour — OVERKILL was out with us in 1987 — so, yeah, we're all brothers from the same neighborhood. And I always said, look, if there's the 'Big Four', if you added EXODUS on the West Coast and OVERKILL on the East Coast, there's your 'Big Six' right there."

As for the challenge of learning the OVERKILL material over the course of several weeks, Ellefson said: "Look, I've gotta say, digging into these songs — they've got, what, 20 records out — consistently they have probably made the best, most consistently great albums out of all of us. And I mean, all of us. There's not a dud in the bunch, you know what I mean? They don't have a 'Risk' or a 'St. Anger' anywhere in their catalog. And EXODUS has got good stuff too, but I think OVERKILL, now that I'm really digging into it and really understanding it, it's just that. And D.D.'s amazing, man. Look, I may be David Ellefson, but I ain't no D.D. Verni, man. I mean, that guy, he's a masterful songwriter. His arrangements are killer and his parts are very clever and cool. And so, yeah, it's got my thrash chops up and it's an honor to just step in and help them out… Again, we're all buddies, we're brothers, and, look, I'm in a position and schedule allows for me to go do it. So, that's what it is."

Ellefson made his live debut with New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL on Thursday, April 11 at C3 Stage in Guadalajara, Mexico.

OVERKILL's setlist was as follows:

01. Scorched
02. Bring Me The Night
03. Electric Rattlesnake
04. Hello From The Gutter
05. Wicked Place
06. Coma
07. Horrorscope
08. Long Time Dyin'
09. The Surgeon
10. Mean, Green, Killing Machine
11. Ironbound
12. Elimination

Encore:

13. Hammerhead
14. Rotten To The Core
15. Fuck You (THE SUBHUMANS cover)

Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

In a separate interview with Metal & Rock Zone, Ellefson stated about how he ended up being asked to fill in for Verni: "I got approached before the end of the year. It was just brought to my attention that D.D. was going to go through this surgery. They didn't know if he was gonna be better or not. So I was kind of put on alert that, 'Hey, we may need some help.' And we grew up together, OVERKILL and MEGADETH. I remember the 'Peace Sells' tour, OVERKILL was our direct support. So we've been good friends, all of us. And I always said, look, if there were gonna be two more added to the 'Big Four' [of 1980s thrash metal], it would be EXODUS in California and OVERKILL on the East Coast. So, to me, these are brothers in arms. So, when they hit me a few weeks ago about it, I said, 'Sure. Count me in if you need me to do it.'"

OVERKILL's 10-date "Scorching Latin America 2024" tour will include additional stops in Costa Rica, Chile and Peru before closing on April 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

When Ellefson's addition to OVERKILL's touring lineup was first announced, OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth said in a statement: "South, Central America and Mexico, with D.D. on the mend from surgery and the opportunity in front of us, where to go but back to the roots of THRASH! Please welcome Mr. David Ellefson to the OVERKILL, touring ranks this April 2024! 'David, can you help?' The answer: 'Yes, let's go!' We can't wait to see you guys! Horns up!"

Verni commented: "Bummed to not be able to thrash it up with our Latin America fans, but gotta get this wing workin!!....but who better than one of the great original thrash bass players, and old friend, David Ellefson to fill in."

Ellefson said: "It's an honor to fill in for my friend, the mighty D.D. Verni, as he takes time to heal up right now. OVERKILL always brings the fury and I'm looking forward to scorching Latin America with them!"

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH nearly three years ago. MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine ended up hiring TESTAMENT's Steve DiGiorgio to re-record Ellefson's bass parts on MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!"

In May 2022, MEGADETH announced bass player James LoMenzo as a permanent member of the band. LoMenzo was MEGADETH's bass player in the mid-2000s and initially stepped back in as a touring member for "The Metal Tour Of The Year".

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

Thank you, Guadalajara Mexico, it was so great to make my debut performance with Overkill with all of your beautiful...

Posted by David Ellefson on Friday, April 12, 2024

Overkill
C3 stage
Cacique Entertainment
11/04/2020
Canon eos RP

Posted by Rojo WR on Friday, April 12, 2024

Rehearsals begin today for Overkill 's Scorching Latin America Tour!! It's an honor to fill in for my friend, the mighty...

Posted by David Ellefson on Monday, April 8, 2024

VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth has released a new song called "Scotch And Sofa". You can now listen to the track below.

Roth originally left VAN HALEN to pursue a solo career following the success of the band's album "1984", but he returned for a stint in 1996 and then took over as VAN HALEN's frontman again from 2007 until 2020, although the band had not toured since 2015.

In recent months, Roth has been releasing songs from his 2007 sessions with guitarist John 5.

In 2020, Roth included five previously unreleased songs in The Roth Project, an online comic narrated by the legendary VAN HALEN singer, with music from John 5 on guitar and bass, Gregg Bissonette on drums, Brett Tuggle on keyboards, and Luis Conte on percussion.

In October 2021, Roth announced his retirement, saying he was "throwing in the shoes." His announcement came a year after the death of his VAN HALEN bandmate Eddie Van Halen. In his statement announcing the retirement, Roth added that he had been thinking about his late guitarist and had been "encouraged and compelled to really come to grips with how short time is, and my time is probably even shorter."

VAN HALEN's original lineup was Roth, Eddie and Alex Van Halen, along with bassist Michael Anthony. Sammy Hagar replaced Roth as vocalist, touring and recording with the band from 1985 to 1996. Gary Cherone was enlisted as VAN HALEN's singer from 1996 to 2000. Hagar rejoined the group in 2003 and lasted only a couple of years before Roth stepped back out front in 2007.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007. The band has sold more than 80 million albums internationally.