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.

DEEP PURPLE, one of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time, will release a new album, "=1", on July 19 via earMUSIC. The first single will be unveiled on April 30 at midnight, a taster for the full 13 tracks of pioneering and rip-roaring rock and roll.

DEEP PURPLE continue their charge of recent years, releasing hit albums and filling arenas around the world, adding yet more layers to their 100 million album selling legacy. The band are credited as one of the key originators of heavy rock and have constantly progressed their boundaries of music. They are fronted by the legendary Ian Gillan, whose vocals have defined generations, accompanied by the masterful bassist Roger Glover, the powerhouse drummer Ian Paice, and the maestro on keyboards Don Airey.

"=1" is the band's first album with sensational guitarist Simon McBride, who seamlessly slotted in when longtime member Steve Morse left due to personal circumstances. Since 2022, Simon has already played to DEEP PURPLE audiences totalling more than half a million people.

But DEEP PURPLE is more than just their members and "=1" embodies the essence and attitude of their 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory. With the legendary Bob Ezrin once again producing, the record evokes the pioneering band's classic sound, without relying on nostalgia.

The enigmatic title "=1" symbolizes the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one. Its full meaning will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the artwork also playing its part. Fans have already been speculating after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris and Berlin in recent days.

With three consecutive No. 1 albums in their back pocket and a resurgent new energy powering them forward, this is DEEP PURPLE at their pinnacle. "Now WHAT?!" (2013),"inFinite" (2017) and "Whoosh!" (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making DEEP PURPLE one of the most successful rock bands currently active. The latest studio album, "Whoosh!", reached No. 1 on the album charts in seven countries and charted in the top 10 in another 12.

"=1" will be released as a limited CD+DVD (digipak),CD (jewel case),2LP gatefold (black, 180g),limited purple 2LP gatefold (180g),limited crystal clear 2LP (180g) and limited box set (CD+DVD digipak, 2lp black gatefold, 3x exclusive 10" vinyl editions feat. live recordings from DEEP PURPLE's 2022 tour, exclusive collector's T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to all shows on the DEEP PURPLE "=1 More Time" tour). All LPs include a rich 12-page vinyl sized booklet. The bonus DVD features the approximately 60-minute documentary "Access All Areas" joining DEEP PURPLE backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.

"=1" track listing:

01. Show Me
02. A Bit On The Side
03. Sharp Shooter
04. Portable Door
05. Old-Fangled Thing
06. If I Were You
07. Pictures Of You
08. I'm Saying Nothin'
09. Lazy Sod
10. Now You're Talkin'
11. No Money To Burn
12. I'll Catch You
13. Bleeding Obvious

There simply aren't enough superlatives to properly acknowledge the contribution DEEP PURPLE has made to rock music. Having sold more than 100 million albums and filled global arenas for decades, there's little wonder that the respected British radio station Planet Rock named the group the "Fifth Most Influential Band Ever". The band were also presented the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016. DEEP PURPLE truly are "rock royalty".

With a body of work spanning seven decades, DEEP PURPLE has helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre while progressively moving into new areas, both keeping their sound fresh and attracting new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band's inception. The celebrated MKII line up of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore were responsible for creating many of the defining rock albums of the early 1970s, including "Made In Japan", universally accepted as one of the most important and influential live albums of all time.

Known as one of the hardest working bands ever, DEEP PURPLE has continued to release No. 1 albums and tour globally since forming in 1968, with little rest. In 2007 (almost 40 years after being formed),the band performed 40 dates in France to an award-winning audience, and they continue to spend much of their year on the road selling out arenas across the globe.

DEEP PURPLE has stayed true to its musical roots taking from an eclectic mix of styles to create a distinctive sound that defines the band today, but which in turn, has created a legacy that very few bands could ever hope to replicate. The band has written and produced so many "classic", well-known songs, that its audience range widely in age and background — something the band has readily embraced.

DEEP PURPLE's recent studio album "Whoosh!" (2020) followed their worldwide chart-topping albums "inFinite" (2017) and "Now WHAT?!" (2013). 2024 sees the release of their brand-new album "=1". On all albums, DEEP PURPLE joined forces with producer Bob Ezrin, who has worked with the likes of KISS, PINK FLOYD, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper.

Furthering their collaboration with Ezrin, in 2021 and during the pandemic the band recorded a collection of cover songs from their own homes (normal for most bands nowadays, revolutionary for a band that records everything together in the studio),creating an eclectic and celebratory history of their roots in music, in the shape of "Turning To Crime".

In 2022 came the sad news of Steve Morse's departure due to personal circumstances, but DEEP PURPLE, never a band to let a set back throw them off course, sought out the masterful skills of guitarist Simon McBride and played the year out in style, exciting crowds with a new energy and excitement.

Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Don Airey and Simon McBride continue with renewed vitality, pushing the boundaries of hard rock to audiences around the globe, proving that DEEP PURPLE are very much here to stay.

Photo credit: Jim Rakete (courtesy of The Outside Organisation

Legendary German/American heavy metal titans ACCEPT have shared the official lyric video for "Frankenstein", the third single from their upcoming album "Humanoid".

Due on April 26 via Napalm Records, "Humanoid" was once again produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by critically acclaimed heavy metal producer Andy Sneap.

ACCEPT states about "Frankenstein": "The story of Frankenstein is old and yet still relevant. The monster is created without being asked. Frankenstein is a human being and yet he is hated and feared by everyone."

Fans can immerse themselves in the upcoming album on an interactive web site, where they can reprogram the robot that is featured on the album cover, and discover different parts of the album in the process. Pre-save "Humanoid" now to gain access to the web site here.

ACCEPT has 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, "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" is a ferociously electrifying, dynamic and subtly nuanced platter with tongue in cheek humor, as heard in biblical references on "The Reckoning" — an ode to concert audiences — a thrilling new spin on the "Frankenstein" story and "Straight Up Jack", a track that surely would have been a Bon Scott-approved drinking song.

The opening track "Diving Into Sin" gives listeners a hair-raising energetic jolt with its Middle Eastern-influenced intro, and an almost aggressive, screaming vocal from Tornillo setting the rest of the album up for a most bountiful feast. "Unbreakable" is as much about the band as it is the bond between ACCEPT and their fans, in the concert arena — an easy going "Hey, let's do this" kind of rock song. "Mind Games", on the other hand, has a vintage feel, circa "Metal Heart". "No One Gets Out Alive" seems tailor made for live shows. It says that regardless of life's circumstances, rich, famous, or not, death is the great equalizer. Upbeat and aggressive with guitar interplay, "Southside Of Hell" ends the disc with a wonderful bit of wordplay, courtesy of Tornillo.

"Humanoid" track listing:

01. Diving Into Sin
02. Humanoid
03. Frankenstein
04. Man Up
05. The Reckoning
06. Nobody Gets Out Alive
07. Ravages Of Time
08. Unbreakable
09. Mind Games
10. Straight Up Jack
11. Southside Of Hell

Last month, ACCEPT released the official music video for the "Humanoid" title track. At the time, Wolf stated about the song: "The song plays with the omnipresent topic of artificial intelligence (AI). In a strange way, we have entered exciting times now… This digital revolution has a huge impact, probably bigger than anything humankind has ever gone through. The Industrial Revolution was huge, but this might be even bigger, and we're just at the beginning of it. However, I'm also a little afraid that humanity gets lost and pushed aside in all this stuff. The song is pretty impactful and provoking!”

ACCEPT recently announced a massive European headline tour, with more than 20 shows across the continent for autumn 2024. This summer, ACCEPT will also return to some of the world’s most important rock and metal festivals, like Wacken Open Air, Hellfest and more, following their South American spring tour.

Hoffmann commented: "I am extremely pleased with 'Humanoid'. The album has great energy throughout! Working with the best metal producer Andy Sneap was once again a lot of fun! We are a great team. We all love the new album and look forward to playing it live! Hope our fans will like it as much as we do.”

ACCEPT is:

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

This past January, it was announced that ACCEPT will perform at all European festivals in 2024 and the South American tour in May with Joel Hoekstra.

Hoekstra will be standing in for Phil Shouse, who will remain with the band as their permanent live guitarist for all other gigs.

New York-based Joel Hoekstra is best known to fans as a current member of the legendary band WHITESNAKE and is part of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. He has also played with Cher, NIGHT RANGER and FOREIGNER, to name just a few of his numerous collaborations.

Hoffmann commented: "It is a great honor for us to be on stage with Joel Hoekstra. Joel is an exceptional guitarist and I have huge respect for him. The whole band is really looking forward to playing with this string magician."

Hoekstra added: "I'm super honored and excited to riff out and rock out with Wolf and the guys! I'm really looking forward to meeting all the ACCEPT fans in South America and Europe! Let's rock!!"

In the fall of 2022, ACCEPT completed a North American tour with support from NARCOTIC WASTELAND. The band played a career-spanning set of new and classic tracks, including mega-hits "Balls To The Wall", "Princess Of The Dawn", "Fast As A Shark" and many more.

In February 2022, it was announced that ACCEPT had inked a worldwide deal with Napalm Records.

ACCEPT's latest album, "Too Mean To Die", came out in January 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was the group's first without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, the aforementioned Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during 2019's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

"Too Mean To Die" was recorded in Nashville with Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH),who has been responsible for the studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.

Mark Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original lead singer, Udo Dirkscheider. He can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums, "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017),2021's "Too Mean To Die" and 2024's "Humanoid".

Photo credit: Christoph Vohler

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson spoke to Mirror about how he was able to save his long-running Caerdav business (formerly Cardiff Aviation Ltd.),which provides maintenance, repair and and training services for various airlines.

"I won't go into the gory details, but it was a money pit for a long time," he said. "One of the reasons for that is that I was so busy working, trying to put money into it, that I wasn't there long enough to make sure that people weren't ripping me off. Anyway, I finally got much more focused on it, because it was costing a small fortune, and we turned it around. We're making £400,000 net profit every month now, and we're busy until the end of 2026."

Founded in 2012, Caerdav provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO),consultancy and pilot training services to large carriers, aircraft leasing companies and private clients.

Back in July 2022, the business, which is based at the St Athan – Cardiff Airport Aerospace Enterprise Zone in South Wales, United Kingdom, received a £4 million investment from independent asset manager BOOST&Co, which has supported Caerdav's growth ambitions as the aviation sector continues its post-COVID recovery.

BOOST&Co chose to work with Caerdav due to its strong and highly experienced executive management team who, since their appointment in early 2019, have been responsible for an acceleration in the company's growth and development. The lender also cited Caerdav's excellent industry reputation as a long-established business in the aviation sector, as well as its continued commitment and support for local communities across South Wales.

Caerdav specializes in the Boeing 737, 757, 767 and Airbus A320 families of planes and holds all necessary approvals, including EASA, FAA, UK CAA and TCCA licenses, enabling the business to provide services to all relevant major target economies. The business is based in a 134,000-square-foot hangar complex in Wales, including a 6,000 ft runway, which is one of the highest specification maintenance facilities of its kind in civilian use.

Operating from a former RAF maintenance base equipped with 6,000ft ILS runway and parking for up to 20 narrow-bodied airliners, Caerdav specializes in MRO work for Airbus 320s and Boeing 737s, and provides complete training for airline pilots and cabin crew.

This past January, the 65-year-old Bruce, who flew IRON MAIDEN around the world in their customized jumbo jet dubbed Ed Force One, confirmed that the Federal Aviation Administration retirement age for pilots is one of the reasons he is no longer in the pilot's seat when he and his bandmates are on the road.

Dickinson gained a commercial pilot's license after learning to fly in the 1990s. The singer, who spent a few years flying planes for Astraeus Airlines, told CNN in a 2007 interview: "Aviation's been kicking around my family for as long as I can remember; my uncle was in the RAF. But I always thought I was too stupid. I was useless at maths and majored in history at university, so I thought history majors don't become pilots, let alone rock stars. And then our drummer learned to fly, so I said, 'If a drummer can learn to fly, then anyone can.'"

Dickinson told Wales Online that he still gets a thrill out of flying, but that it's a totally different sensation to playing live.

"The satisfaction flying airplanes is getting the job done, but the satisfaction with playing live is external, looking out at all the people looking at you," he said. "With an airliner, it's all internal. If you've got passengers, nobody goes, 'Wow! Wasn't that great?' They're thinking about the rest of their day. Your job as an airline pilot is to deliver them safely and be invisible. That's quite nice for me because it's completely the opposite to what I do when I sing."

Image courtesy of Caerdav

In a new interview with Brandon Toews of Drumeo, Charlie Benante spoke about the February 2024 U.S. leg of PANTERA's tour, including the band's headlining appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The drummer said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "So this run that we've been doing started down in Florida, and I think this run. For some reason, things just feel a little different, feel closer. And we introduced a new song to the set called 'Floods', which is off their '[The Great Southern] Trendkill' record. It was [Dimebag] Darrell's [Abbott, late PANTERA guitarist] favorite guitar solo that he did in the history of PANTERA albums. We really enjoy playing that, and we pay tribute to [Darrell and late PANTERA drummer Vincent 'Vinnie Paul' Abbott] in that song."

Joining the ANTHRAX drummer in PANTERA's reformed lineup are surviving members Rex Brown (bass) and Philip Anselmo (vocals),along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY).

According to Billboard, the lineup was given a green light by Vinnie Paul and Dimebag's estates.

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.

Benante previously opened up about his participation in PANTERA's return during a recent interview with Australia's Heavy. He said: "We get people coming, we see them after the show, we see them during the VIP meet-and-greet things, and some of them are crying because it's a part of their youth. And they never thought they would hear these songs in this environment again. And it's the same thing for me. When I'm playing, I'm looking down at the setlist. I get excited about the next song coming up. It's good."

Charlie also addressed the negative comments he has received for his participation in PANTERA's comeback without Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. He said: "It's more important to — again, like I said a little while ago about hearing these songs again… Some of these people who were negative at the at the start of this whole thing, my whole thing was just, please shut up for a minute and just wait. If you don't wanna come, don't come. But if you do wanna come, and just come and then witness it, and then afterwards you can say, 'Fuck this. This was horrible.' But that hasn't happened. A lot of people are so positive about it and they enjoy it.

"There's no way I was gonna make this a bad, bad decision or a bad kind of vibe," Benante explained. "It had to be meeting my standards. It's gotta be killer. It's gotta sound like PANTERA. And that was it. There was a lot of homework that went into it. So for people to insult and say this, that, and the other thing, It's, like, well, that's not true. That's not true right there."

After one of the interviewers noted that most of the complaints center around the fact that the new PANTERA lineup is not "the real thing", Benante fired back: "What band is the real thing? What band is the real thing right now? Give me one band.

"Things happen. Life happens sometimes," he continued. "I went to see U2 about a month and a half, two months ago, and the drummer wasn't there. But I enjoyed the shit out of it anyway. It was just great.

"People online, they got those Internet balls and they have to talk shit. They can't exactly show any restraint. 'No, I have to push that 'enter' [key],' you know what I mean? It's, like, fuck you. Let me come to where you are. Let me just fuck with you all day."

During a February 2024 interview with "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, Benante spoke about some of the criticism he has received for his involvement with PANTERA. He said: "People had their preconceived notions of what they were gonna think: 'Oh, I don't dig this without Vinnie and Dime.' And of course… What do you think? We don't know that Vinnie and Dime are not with us anymore? But when we start playing the songs and you just see the faces in the crowd, all that shit goes out the window, the negative stuff that has been said.

"Man, that's all I ever wanted to do, is just come and do this and make people hear these songs again," he explained. "And that's what it's all about, really. It's about the music."

Asked who was in charge of making the decision to use the name PANTERA for the new lineup instead of calling it a tribute or naming it something else, Charlie said: "It wasn't me. [Laughs] For us it was about the celebration of the music and Dime and Vinnie; that's what it was about since day one. No one called it a tribute; no one called it a reunion. It can't be a reunion. This is a celebration of the music of PANTERA. Come and enjoy It. And that's it. That's all could do."

Benante also talked about his personal connection to Dimebag and Vinnie, saying: "Yeah. I loved those two guys, man. You never think that certain things would ever, ever happen, and then when it does, you sit back and think, like, 'How did this happen so fast? How did this time just slip by?' And Darrell's been gone for a while now. But it doesn't change how we all miss him and feel him.

"Every show that we play… [Longtime PANTERA engineer, bass tech and friend] Sterling [Winfield], who used to work for PANTERA — still does, in a sense. The first show, he came to Mexico City and he brought me one of Darrell's wristbands and a pair of Vinnie's gloves that they used. And every show that I've played so far, I wear the wristband and Vinnie's glove is in my pocket because I feel like they're with me. And I do that for every show, and I'll continue to do that for every other show we play. It just has significance."

During an interview with Consequence, Benante addressed the negative comments he has received for his participation in PANTERA's comeback, saying: "I don't go [online] looking for [people's negative comments about it]. There's people that send me, 'Hey, did you see this?' And I'm, like, 'Why did you send me this? Why ruin my day?'

"I think the people who do these things, these comments, I don't even think they realize how much of an effect that they could have on people," he continued. "And whether or not you hate the situation, or whatever it is, why can't you find some sort of restraint? Why do you need to say this thought that you have? Can't you just hold it in and maybe be, like, 'I'll keep my thoughts to myself.' No, they've gotta tell you. I've never seen more of it in my life than I [did] in these past couple of months about just people judging."

Regarding his personal approach to playing the parts originally written and recorded by Vinnie Paul, Charlie said: "I just spent a lot of time on Vinnie's parts and more importantly the tone that Vinnie had because I wanted it to sound like PANTERA. That was my thing. And my drum configuration is different from the ANTHRAX one because I wanted to challenge myself to play those parts like he played them in that configuration, which, to me, was more important than anything. But yet people still have to find some problem in that."

According to Benante, the initial rehearsals for the PANTERA comeback tour were "an emotional thing" for Philip and Rex "too, because they hadn't played as a group, those two hadn't played together in a long time, playing PANTERA songs. Yeah, they played [together] in DOWN, but this was an emotional thing for them," Charlie said. "And I remember after the week of rehearsals that we did, saying goodbye was weird, because it was an emotional thing; we really kind of bonded, the three of us. Zakk wasn't there at the time. But for me, I knew I had done something right."

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

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. 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 passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

Front-row fan-filmed video of JUDAS PRIEST's entire April 21 concert at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania during the 2024 "Invincible Shield" U.S. tour can be seen below.

PRIEST's 18-song setlist included three songs from the band's latest album, "Invincible Shield": the title track, "Panic Attack" and "Crown Of Horns".

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Panic Attack
02. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
03. Rapid Fire
04. Breaking The Law
05. Lightning Strike
06. Love Bites
07. Devil's Child
08. Saints In Hell
09. Crown Of Horns
10. Sinner
11. Turbo Lover
12. Invincible Shield
13. Victim Of Changes
14. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
15. Painkiller

Encore:

16. The Hellion / Electric Eye
17. Hell Bent For Leather
18. Living After Midnight

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the U.S. leg of the "Invincible Shield" world tour on April 18 at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

In a recent appearance on The Break Down With Nath & Johnny podcast, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked who in the band has the final say when it comes to picking a setlist for the PRIEST live shows. He responded: "Well, it is probably Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer], really. But then again, we've got a whole spectrum now. You've got the younger element with Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist]. He's the same age as my eldest son. And then comes Scott [Travis, PRIEST drummer] and you've got Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist], of course. He can't do it anymore [due to his battle with Parkinson's disease]. [But] he's still sharp as a pin between his ears. Then Andy [Sneap, PRIEST touring guitarist] and Rob and myself. So you've got a full spectrum there of ages. So everybody has their own favorites and their own types of JUDAS PRIEST song. We all sort of [go], 'Yeah, like that. No, don't like that one.' And then we'll go. If someone's adamant that they really don't wanna do something, well, you don't wanna do something, and vice versa — if someone really wants to do a particular track, you do it. Like I say, you've got the ring-fence tracks there that you've gotta do — the 'Breaking The Law's and the 'Living After Midnight's and things like that, that you have to do. It's what brings people to the shows, basically. And then you've got your other sort of classic PRIEST songs, which is a little bit easier because you can swap and change those between — do a month maybe using one song, change it to another one of a similar kind. And then try to get some new stuff in there — three, maybe four maximum is about as much as you can get at any one time. I'm sure there'll be more than that, that we'll go through. And just swap and change as we go."

Asked if there are any songs that he can think of straight off the top of his head, in the PRIEST back catalog that he really loves to play live but never has, Ian said: "Ah, there's one that we have played live that we haven't played for a while and that's 'Dissident Aggressor'. I still say that's probably my all-time favorite song. It's just so raw — it's just pure rock, really. It's one of those songs that, even in the studio, I can remember it being — it's two guitars, bass, drums and vocals. And I think there might be one extra guitar on there through the lead break. Other than that, it's totally raw. It's exactly as it would be on stage. And I love that song, apart from it being a great song. And there's always other things. We've never really done 'Before The Dawn' — from the other point of view, the other end of the spectrum, if there's a quiet part in [the show]. These days people tend to prefer the more upbeat stuff rather than the quieter pieces. But that would be cool to do as well. It's only about two and a half, three minutes long anyway, so it wouldn't take much time. But there's loads in there — there's loads of them. 'Sinner' we haven't done, so it'd be great to do that again. We haven't done that for a while. But we'll see."

In a separate interview with Metal Pilgrim, Halford spoke about the setlist for the European leg of PRIEST's tour with SAXON and URIAH HEEP. He said: "We've had this conversation before as far as trying to put the setlist together. And after 19 studio albums, it's, like, 'Oh my God. Where do we go?' If we didn't play 'Breaking The Law', there'd be a riot. If we didn't play 'Painkiller', there'd be a riot. There are certain songs that you are indebted to your fans to play, because they're part of the fabric of who you are as a band. Without naming names, there are certain bands where you know you wanna hear that song when you go to a show. So there's a portion of the setlist that already writes itself. Having said that, yeah, we are gonna go quite deep, and we found some songs from previous albums that we're gonna work with and we're gonna bring out. So there'll probably be at least two or three deep cuts on this setlist."

Rob continued: "At any given moment, we've got 60 to 70 songs we can play — at any given moment. And then we're gonna add more into the mix. It's fun to see the texts and the e-mails flying through: 'Well, I'll give you this one if you give me that one.' 'Cause you've gotta find a balance. When a band plays on stage, every single bandmember has to agree on the set list. There's no place for, 'Oh, dude, I've gotta play this one.' There's no place for that. You've all gotta be believing in that particular song as you go through the show. And it's gonna be fantastic. And this is gonna be a really eventful tour as we're about to kick off in Europe, with our friends SAXON and URIAH HEEP."

Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Original guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" is JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

When MEGADETH performed the song "À Tout Le Monde" during the band's April 21 concert at Movistar Arena in Bogota, Colombia, the audience lit up the three floors of the arena with their phone flashlights, each floor showing a color of the Colombian flag. (The national flag of Colombia — a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue and red — symbolizes that Colombia gained its independence from Spain on July 20, 1810.) According to local media outlet El Tiempo, this gesture was not part of the show, but was coordinated by the MEGADETH fan club Colombian Fan Club.

MEGADETH's latest concert in Bogota marked the band's sixth appearance in the city in 24 years. The Dave Mustaine-fronted outfit first played the Colombian capital in 2000, when it performed at Simón Bolívar Park, being one of the first international bands to play on that stage. Then they came on November 23, 2011, at the Palacio De Los Deportes; September 2, 2012, at the Royal Center theatre; October 19, 2013 back at Simón Bolívar Park; May 6, 2014, again at the Royal Center, and then finally at Movistar Arena in 2024, 10 years later.

Since its inception in 1983, MEGADETH has ascended from its raw thrash metal roots to become an unstoppable force in the heavy metal world. With Mustaine at the helm, MEGADETH's journey has been marked by a penchant for pushing the boundaries of speed, technicality, and complexity in their music. Their groundbreaking album "Rust In Peace", released in 1990, is frequently cited as a seminal work in the thrash metal genre. Along with the critically acclaimed "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", it cemented MEGADETH's place in the annals of metal history.

Over four decades, the band's discography has earned numerous certifications, including platinum and multi-platinum awards, with albums like "Countdown To Extinction" and "Youthanasia" achieving widespread critical acclaim. 2016's "Dystopia" not only marked a high point with their first Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" after twelve nominations but also set the stage for their latest triumph, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" in 2022. MEGADETH's status as part of the "Big Four" of thrash metal underscores their trailblazing role in the genre, laying the groundwork for countless bands and musicians who have followed in their wake.

Bogota! We play for a SOLD OUT CROWD tonight at Movistar Arena on our #CrushTheWorldTour! We’re ready…are you? 🤘🏻VIP upgrades are still available! www.megadeth.com/tour

Posted by Megadeth on Sunday, April 21, 2024

Selfmadegod Records will release Ascension, the desolate fifth album from Polish death / doom metal outfit Wingless, on April 26th.


Krakow-based Wingless was formed at the beginning of 2012 by a lineup of well-experienced musicians who have performed or are still performing with some other groups being part of the local metal scene. Having been led by guitarist / bassist Grzegorz Luzar since its formation, drummer Piotr Wójcik joined in 2018, and in 2021, longstanding vocalist Olaf Różański was replaced by Michał “Xaay” Loranc (Redemptor). The lineup also expands to include bassist Pascal for live performances.


Wingless has created five full-length releases over the past decade, including three independent albums: Hatred Is Purity (2014), The Blaze Within (2016), and Triada (2018) – before releasing their 2021 album Nonconform on Selfmadegod Records, who also now delivers Ascension.




While at an early stage of development, the band’s music oscillated more around the cutting edge of modern metal, with the passage of time, their compositional style has gradually shifted towards classic death and doom metal, which is boldly apparent within the first moments of their new album, Ascension. Wingless is an ensemble perfectly aware of what and how they want to play, by consistently following their idea of creating death/doom metal,  without even avoiding inspirations from metal artists of the 1980s and ’90s. Ascension delivers a conglomerate of heaviness, darkness, and an unique atmosphere particularly clearly reflected in the lyrics.


Ascension was recorded between June and November 2023 at Studio67 produced by Grzegorz Luzar, mixed and mastered by Dominik Burzym at Studio67, and completed with cover artwork by Rafał Wechterowicz and layout by Michał “Xaay" Loranc.


Wingless’ Ascension will be released on CD and digital platforms via Selfmadegod Records on April 26th. Find pre-orders at the Selfmadegod webshop.





Tracklisting:


"The Ascension (After The Light)"
"Majesty"
"The Soul Raiser"
"From There It’s Always Dark"
"Stronger Than Death"
"As Long As Others Die"
"Only The Graves Will Remain"
"Empty Eyes, There Is No Soul"
"Into The Unknown" (Instrumental) 








For further details, visit Wingless on Facebook.


 

Finnish melodic death metal band Armada North has announced the release of their latest single "Rituals". This release marks an important milestone in the band's career, showcasing their unique blend of intense riffs, atmospheric keyboards, and dual vocal assault. Fans of Hypocrisy, In Flames, and Children Of Bodom will find "Rituals" a compelling addition to the melodic death metal genre.


Formed in 2020, Armada North is a collective of seasoned musicians from Oulu and Helsinki, who have previously made their marks in notable bands such as Catamenia, Charon, and Kalmah. This seven-piece ensemble merges the talents of Mika Tönning on harsh vocals, Lauri Tuohimaa handling clean vocals and rhythm guitar, Ari Nissilä on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Harri Hytönen leading with his guitar and backing vocals, Timo Lehtinen on bass and backing vocals, Janne Kusmin behind the drums and backing vocals, and Jussi Sauvola enriching the sound with keyboards and backing vocals.







The release of "Rituals" comes after the successful debut of their first EP/demo at the end of 2022, which received accolades for its robust energy and intricate musical craftsmanship. The single encapsulates the band’s evolution and their deeper exploration into the thematic and sonic complexities of melodic death metal.


The single is available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Armada North is also planning a series of live performances across Finland and Europe to bring "Rituals" and other tracks to life on stage.





For further details, visit Armada North on Facebook.


 

In a brand new interview with Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone, former ANTHRAX and current ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush was once again asked whether he is still open to the idea of embarking on a special tour — either with the current ANTHRAX band or with a specially chosen set of musician friends — during which he would perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's funny. I'll do an interview and somebody will say something about it and I'll just answer honestly and candidly. And the next thing you know, it's on Blabbermouth, and it's, like, okay. I'm just talking over here, but I get it. I'm doing interviews too.

"I love the idea of one day going out and doing… It wouldn't be some long tour; it would probably be like a handful of shows of doing my era in ANTHRAX," he explained. "'Cause they don't play too many of the songs — they play 'Only', and they just don't play too many. And I get it, because there's a large catalog that ANTHRAX has, not only from the beginning, but now they've made — they're about ready to make their third record, I believe, after that. So, I understand. I really do. I totally get it. But there are some songs that would be fun to hear, I think, for fans and for myself. It just has to kind of work with time, really; that's the key component. But it would be fun, for sure. I just don't know at this point when that would happen. And I don't know — they've kind of got their own thing going on, too. They're busy, they're making a new record. One day maybe something. Maybe it'll be me with various musicians doing it. Probably not with the band, actually. Or if they ever wanted to say, 'Hey, you wanna come out and sing a couple songs?' Yeah, I'd be into that. But I always say it's something that [current ANTHRAX singer] Joey Belladonna should be wanting to do. If this is something that he's not into and he's uncomfortable, then it shouldn't be done, because there's no point. But who knows? '

After Blakk suggested the possibility of ARMORED SAINT opening for ANTHRAX and Bush jumping up on stage and doing a couple of songs with the headliners, John said: "I would love ARMORED SAINT to go out and play some shows or do a tour with ANTHRAX. I think that would be killer. I've said it. It'd be really fun…

"Who knows?" he continued. "Like I said, I have other things that I'm thinking about, and ARMORED SAINT is, too. I'm just saying I would be open to doing something really fun and cool and not some long, extended thing, but it has to jell for everybody, including the SAINT guys. It has to be something that everybody wants to do and feels comfortable doing, and then if it does, then great. If it doesn't, maybe — I don't know — then it just doesn't. And then people will be, 'Damn, that never happened.'"

ANTHRAX has had a number of vocalists — including Bush, Belladonna, Neil Turbin and Dan Nelson — over the last 42 years, with guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante remaining the sole bandmembers who have appeared on every one of the group's studio albums.

Turbin sang on ANTHRAX's debut LP, 1984's "Fistful Of Metal", before getting booted and being replaced by Belladonna. Belladonna performed on four ANTHRAX albums, including the fan favorite "Among The Living" (1987) before he himself was fired over creative and stylistic differences. Bush fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

Bush previously talked about a hypothetical tour during which he would perform ANTHRAX material in a June 2023 interview with Rock On The Rise Radio. At the time, he said: "It's something I've talked about for a long time. I haven't really put it into motion. I've talked to my booking agent about it. He kind of comes in and out of being behind it with me. Because he goes, 'Okay, let's do it.' And I'm, like, 'Ehhh.' And then I'll come to him and go, 'Well, what do you think? Do you think there'll be interest?' And he's, like, 'You wanna do it now?' And I'm, like, 'Well, I don't know.' And he's, like, 'Get outta here.'

"I like the idea of doing it," he continued. "I don't know if I'm ready to tackle going out for three to four weeks and doing a run because I just don't know, quite honestly, what the interest would be. So I was kind of trying to do a handful of shows, maybe, in some different territories. But, unfortunately, when you do things like that, you sometimes can't make money. Not that I need to make a lot of money, but you certainly don't wanna lose money. So that was one of my ideas and that was where one of the conflicts came, and so we stopped talking about it again.

"Again, right now it's on the backburner," Bush added. "But it's something I would like to do before I die. And I'm not getting any younger, 'cause we know that [ANTHRAX's first album with Bush] 'Sound Of White Noise' is 30 years [old in 2023], so everybody can do the math. The bottom line is I'm turning 60 this year, which is insane; I can't even believe it. But still I feel like I'm still singing better than ever. But at the end of the day, tackling 'Room For One More', 'What Doesn't Die' and 'Reign Of Fire' when you're 70, that sounds pretty daunting; I'm not gonna lie. They're demanding. It's like you are a hockey player. It's a real physical thing, and I think most metal singers can attest to that and relate. You've gotta take care of yourself and you've gotta be in shape, in vocal shape, and rest and all that crap.

"It might be one of those things where all of a sudden where it's, like, 'Oh, he's doing that.' Not to give people false hope, but maybe that would be the case. And it's also about timing, really."

In October 2022, John told The Metal Voice that a special tour during which he would perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX "would be great. I don't really wanna go out and do like a 30-date tour with it, but it would be cool to do a handful of shows in some key markets," he said. "We can certainly play those songs for a support slot or even a headlining slot, let's face it. I think there's enough songs of the four records [I recorded with ANTHRAX] that would make for a great show. Who [would be] in the band, I'm not exactly sure. I talked to [former ANTHRAX guitarist] Paul Crook about it, 'cause I love Paul; he's a great guy. He was actually there when I made a couple of those records, as far as engineered and played guitar on it. And I have done some stuff with the METAL ALLEGIANCE guys; we've done 'Only' and 'Room For One More' at various shows. Rock In Rio would be one, [which] we just played… I'm open to it. It's just a matter of… the timing, I think. Really, that's what it comes down to."

Regarding the fact that ANTHRAX played "Only" live on its recent U.S. tour, with Joey Belladonna on vocals, Bush said: "I always support Joey singing those songs. I wish they would do more, to be honest… I have no qualms with that. I support that. And Joey, we're not the best of friends, because we just aren't. It's funny, 'cause my wife and his wife have become pretty good text friends, so they're closer than him and I. But I always endorse it and tell him he did a great job and support whatever he does. He has his own backlog of stuff, and he also has the new songs and the new records that he's done. So I understand, and I'm not offended by it. But if they wanna play some songs from the John Bush-era albums, I'm great with that as well."

In September 2020, Bush told The Metal Voice that he first talked to his booking agent about the ANTHRAX tour idea "several years ago." He said: "We talked about it, and I think he sniffed around for some feelers to see what people would think. And I don't think we got the response that we really wanted to. It wasn't like we were looking for millions of dollars or anything, but we wanted to make it worthwhile to do it, and do the proper shows. It's not like something I wanna go out and do six months of touring with. It'd be fun to do some sporadic shows. I'd have to put a band together to do it. I'm probably a little lazy about that, quite honestly. But that's what would be involved in doing it. And I don't think we were pleased enough with the response that we tried to push it ahead and make it happen."

Bush went on to say that he was "caught by surprise" by ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian's comment that was not opposed to taking part in a special concert featuring most of the singers that have fronted the band over the course of its nearly four-decade existence. "I was, like, 'Wow. Okay.' And I thought that's a great idea. That would be really cool," Bush said. "I think that would be an amazing thing for the fanbase. But what I keep saying is that Joey Belladonna is the singer of ANTHRAX, and Joey should be the singer of ANTHRAX, as far as I'm concerned. And if this happens, it needs to have his approval, really, quite honestly. Because I wouldn't want him to feel like, 'Well, this is not my idea, and I don't wanna do this,' because he is the singer who'd be sharing the stage [with the rest of us], quite honestly. So I think it would be something that Joey would have to give endorsement to, for that to happen, if that's an idea. And again, I think it would be a fun thing to do a couple of handful of shows, sporadic stuff."

Saxon have released a lyric video for "Witches Of Salem", the fourth single from the band’s 24th studio album, Hell, Fire And Damnation, out now via Silver Lining Music. Watch below.


Hell, Fire And Damnation is an album which sees Saxon investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs yet. In “Witches Of Salem”, lead singer and founding member Biff Byford, explores the unjust condemnation of the women victimized at the Salem witch trials and the sheer bigotry and mass hysteria prevalent at the time.


“This is an American story, but the witch trials started in Scotland, spread into England and across the sea to the colonies in America. Those poor women in Salem,” explains Byford “they weren’t ‘witches’ more than just unfortunate women really, blamed for everybody’s ailments... whether your horse died, or the milk went sour, they blamed women. Maybe because they were jealous of them, or maybe it was because some guy had made some advances and she’d told him to piss-off, so he’d declare that she was a witch. And once a person was declared a witch, I don’t think there was any way back from that; very few of them were found innocent.”







Hell, Fire And Damnation is a superlative British heavy metal classic. Biff delivers his richest vocals in years, Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter on drums and bass respectively lay down the rhythmic law with bombastic power, and the guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are fresh and fiery, a perfect complement to each other, carrying an overall energy and fury which will have fans salivating. Musically, Saxon bring it all to the table. There's a furious tribute to actual heavy metal in the denim & leather coated super-sprint “Fire And Steel”, a wonderful nod to the NWOBHM's birth in the electric mid-pace “Pirates Of The Airwaves” and the glorious frenetic assault of the title track “Hell, Fire And Damnation”.


Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) and Biff Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, Hell, Fire And Damnation strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal muscle which Saxon co-created.


Hell, Fire And Damnation is available in a variety of formats and orders can be placed here.





Hell, Fire And Damnation tracklisting:


"The Prophecy"
"Hell, Fire And Damnation"
"Madame Guillotine"
"Fire And Steel"
"There’s Something In Roswell"
"Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice"
"Pirates Of The Airwaves"
"1066"
"Witches Of Salem"
"Super Charger"


"Madame Guillotine" video:





"There’s Something In Roswell" video:





"Hell, Fire And Damnation" video:





Following the release of Hell, Fire And Damnation, a successful European tour alongside Judas Priest and Uriah Heep, Saxon show no sign of slowing down with the co-headline US tour with Uriah Heep named Hell, Fire & Chaos - The Best Of British Rock & Metal, which starts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida tonight, April 23.


All Saxon tour dates and tickets can be found here. Check out a message from Biff Byford below:

Finnish metal masters, Battle Beast, are happy to release their new live single, "Master Of Illusion" (Live in Helsinki 2023), including the live video.





After releasing their latest studio album, Circus Of Doom, in 2022, Battle Beast have proved what a force they are live and thus underpinned the success of the album even further. This version of "Master Of Illusion" was recorded on January 27, 2023 at their sold-out headline show in front of over 3,000 people at the Helsinki Ice Hall, and clearly shows why the band is captivating more and more people.




Vocalist Noora Louhimo: ”We are beyond excited to share with you this live single, celebrating Circus of Doom and our fans around the world. Our tour this year is the last chance to witness this spectacle live before we close this chapter and move on to the next. Hope to see you all on the road!”


Stream the single on all platforms here, and watch the video below:





After completing a very successful tour through Europe in the beginning of the year, Battle Beast have just announced new dates in Europe for September-October 2024 together with supports Serenity and Brymir.  


The band are now heading to South America for some shows, and in May the band sets off for their first headline tour ever thorugh USA and Canada together with label mates Blackbriar.


North American dates:


May
9 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
10 - Ottawa, ON - The Brass Monkey
11 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
12 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
14 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
15 - Minneapolis, MN - The Varsity Theater
16 - Lawrence, KS - Grenada Theater
17 - Denver, CO - The Gothic Theatre
18 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
20 - Seattle, WA The Neptune Theater
21 - Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw
22 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
24 - Roseville, CA - Goldfield Trading Post
25 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
26 - Phoenix, AZ - The Nile Theater
28 - Dallas, TX - Echo
30 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
31 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground


June
1 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Sound Stage
2 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza


European dates:


September
20 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
21 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7 Konzertfabrik
22 - Obertraubling, Germany - Airport-Eventhall
23 - Berlin, Germany - Hole 44
24 - Harleem, Netherlands - Patronaat
25 - Antwerp, Belgium - Zappa Club
27 - Southampton, UK - The 1865
28 - London, UK - Electric Brixton
29 - Birmingham, UK - XOYO
30 - Glasgow, UK - Garage


October
1 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
3 - Bristol, UK - Marble Factory
4 - Uden, Netherlands - De Pul
5 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
6 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol


Battle Beast is:


Noora Louhimo - vocals
Eero Sipilä - bass
Joona Björkroth - guitars
Juuso Soinio - guitars
Janne Björkroth - keyboards
Pyry Vikki - drums

In a new interview with Robert Walton of The Metal Meltdown, former MORBID ANGEL bassist/vocalist David Vincent was asked if there are any plans for him to record new music with I AM MORBID, the band which has spent the last few years exclusively performing material that Vincent recorded with MORBID ANGEL. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, there's been some discussion about it. I'm still on the fence. I'm on the fence about that because, with that, there are expectations. And goodness, when you have the catalog that I do and the formula that was part of that catalog, that may or may not be a difficult thing. I mean, there's some days where I feel very inspired to do so, [and] there's other days where I'm, like, 'This is like an old wine. And a young wine doesn't…' Some of the beauty of it is the age of it. So, I don't know. It's an ongoing discussion, but I don't have anything to announce right now."

When Walton noted that EMPEROR's Ihsahn has been reluctant to make a new album with the legendary Norwegian black metal outfit because he feels that it could never live up to fans' expectations, David seemingly concurred. "Well, Ihsahn is a good friend of mine," he said. "I respect him quite a bit as an artist, and I actually agree with him. There is something to that.

"There have been offers [for I AM MORBID to make new music] — substantial offers — but not everything is about money with me. I mean, sure, everybody has bills to pay. We're all humans, we all have needs, but my artistic needs outweigh any greed that may get in the way. I don't allow my needs to push me into doing anything. When it comes to art, it's as pure and organic as possible. And I don't want to let those considerations in."

In addition to Vincent, I AM MORBID includes another former MORBID ANGEL member Pedro "Pete" Sandoval (drums),along with guitarists Richie Brown (EXMORTUS, THE ABSENCE, TRIVIUM) and Bill Hudson (NORTHTALE, DORO).

In October 2022, I AM MORBID parted ways with guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (POSSESSED, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST) and replaced him with Brown.

Brown made his live debut with I AM MORBID at the Grita Fest in Colombia.

I AM MORBID's spring 2022 European tour marked the first time Sandoval and Vincent played together in 12 years.

Sandoval, who now lives his life as a born-again Christian, was forced to leave MORBID ANGEL in 2010 after undergoing surgery for a prolapsed disc.

Vincent told Invisible Oranges in a December 2013 interview that Pete had "found Jesus," which meant that Sandoval and MORBID ANGEL were no longer "compatible."

Sandoval spent much of the last decade recording and touring with TERRORIZER, whose latest studio album, "Caustic Attack", was released in October 2018 via The End Records.

Three years ago, Sandoval released an Instagram video in which he addressed some of the most commonly asked questions regarding his time with MORBID ANGEL. He said: "I've been asked about who's my favorite singer or which era is my favorite one — the era with David Vincent or with Steve Tucker. Well, I wanna tell you that I love both eras. I had fun. I had a great time working with David Vincent, and I had a great time working with Steve Tucker as well. So, from 'Altars Of Madness' [1989] to 'Heretic' [2003], they're all masterpieces for me. We worked hard [on] those albums. So I'm telling you my answer that I don't have a favorite album, I don't have a favorite era, I don't have a favorite singer — I love 'em all. I had a great time in both eras with every album."

Sandoval added: "And as far as the album released in 2011" — referring to MORBID ANGEL's controversial "Illud Divinum Insanus" LP — "please don't ask me any questions about it, because I have no comments about it — no comments at all, man. I stay what I am, I did what I did, and I am so happy and grateful that I did what I did with these guys."

In a 2011 e-mail chat with Brazil's Som Extremo, Sandoval was asked for his opinion of "Illud Divinum Insanus", which incorporated industrial and electronic elements into MORBID ANGEL traditional death metal sound. "No comment! I don't play on that album," he wrote. He was then questioned about what he thought he would have done different on "Illud Divinum Insanus" had he played on the record. "More exreme deathgrind metal and less DJ, boring awful typical I care less industrial experimental same as everybody boring bull!" he said. "This is not what MORBID has been all about! ...Hmmmmmm, and I really care less...!"

Vincent left MORBID ANGEL in 2015. He has since been replaced by a returning Steve Tucker, who previously handled bass and vocals on MORBID ANGEL's "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh", "Gateways To Annihilation" and "Heretic" LPs.

In a May 2019 interview with Jorge Botas of the "Metal Global" radio show, which airs on the Portuguese public TV and radio broadcaster RTP, Vincent said that he had every right to perform MORBID ANGEL's classic songs with I AM MORBID. "Times come and life works the way that it does," Vincent said. "And there are times when… It's like a marriage — sometimes they don't always work forever. But that doesn't mean that the children that we've had together, that I don't still love my children. Although Trey [Azagthoth, MORBID ANGEL guitarist and sole remaining original member] and I have some irreconcilable differences, that doesn't in any way preclude me from still having the love and the passion for all of my children."

Asked what he has to say to people who insist that he should not play MORBID ANGEL's early material without the other members of the group's classic lineup, David said: "There's examples of this very situation… I mean, when Ozzy [Osbourne] left BLACK SABBATH, that didn't stop him from playing 'Paranoid' every night, even though he didn't write the song. All of the songs that I'm singing I wrote. So I don't really understand that. But different people become attached to different things. And they have their opinion and I have mine. And I don't really consider this kind of negativity. I don't have it in my life."

In 2019, Vincent released "Something Wicked Marches In", the debut album from his supergroup VLTIMAS, also featuring guitarist Rune Eriksen (formerly of MAYHEM) and CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier. A follow-up effort, "Epic", arrived earlier this month.

In 2017, Vincent issued his debut country single, "Drinkin' With The Devil".

Lÿnx - Calgary, Alberta’s ferocious force in hard rock / hair metal, is gearing up to drench crowds with their new album, slated for release on May 9, 2024.


Emerging from the ashes of the pandemic in 2020, Lÿnx is fueled by a shared love for the iconic sounds of '80s rock. The forthcoming album, Claws Out, is a sonic journey that encapsulates the band's dedication to the glory days of rock, blending it seamlessly with the contemporary polish and gritty authenticity of their modern influences. The first look at what’s to come is the sultry video / single “Shake It Up”, which they comment on:


“Every band needs that one fast-paced shake your ass kind of song, something to get the ladies moving and the men groovin’. 'Shake It Up' has all the feels from the catchy riffs to the furious guitar solo. Strong bass to keep the beat, banging drums you’ll feel in your chest, and a screeching vocal tune that may just have you coming back for more!”







Lÿnx’s first two records, Long Live Rock N Roll (2020) and S/T (2020) were six-track EPs, however this time they're going all the way with a full ten-song album.





Tracklisting:


"Hell In High Heels"
"Rock Machine" 
"Claws Out" 
"Can’t Get Enough" 
"Shake It Up" (Remastered) 
"Band Of Brothers"
"Nothing But Love" 
"Hard As Life" 
"Pull The Trigger" 
"Lights Out" 


For further details, visit Lÿnx on Facebook.


 

Styx have shared the video below, in which Michael Geier - better known as his Pagliacci-inspired clown alter ego, Puddles Pity Party - covers the band's classic, "Come Sail Away".


Says Styx: "Blown away by Puddles Pity Party's rendition of "Come Sail Away". 🎤🛳️ His incredible voice adds a whole new layer of emotion to this Styx classic. Your turn - tag us in your Styx covers. Which song will you take on?"







Styx bassist Ricky Phillips recently announced his departure after 21 years being in the band.


He said in a statement: "Dear Friends, after touring for 50 years with The Babys, Bad English, opening for Tina Turner (on the Private Dancer tour with John Parr), Belinda Carlisle's first solo tour, rehearsing in Tahoe and recording at Little Mountain in Canada with Jimmy Page and David Coverdale and writing, touring, and co-producing 10/10 with Ronnie Montrose, to name a chosen few...I'm taking a breather.


"My last 20+ years of touring and recording with my friends in Styx has come to an end. I am taking a break from the road. I'm not retiring, just taking a break. Presently, I have accepted an offer to co-produce a project in a studio close to home. I've known since I was a kid that live performance is in my blood so, in time I will post any future engagements or commitments. But for right now, Melissa and I will share coffee talk and meals from home...with our critters close by.


"Of course, I will always cherish the adventurous days recording and touring with Styx. And, I will truly miss the wonderfully-crazy and faithful Styx fans...whose smiling faces I often saw more than my own family.


"Peace be with you all... and Happy Trails, Ricky".


Styx said in a statement: "It was a joy to spend two decades with Ricky Phillips in Styx and we wish him all the best in his next adventure. He'll always be a part of the Styx family and we'll miss his presence on our stage and in our touring lives. With all our love, The Styx Family."


Ten years is a long enough wait for two powerhouse and legendary classic rockers to hit the road together again. Styx and Foreigner (who continue with the next leg of their two-year Farewell Tour) team up this summer for the Renegades & Juke Box Heroes co-headlining trek, produced by Live Nation. Legendary British rocker, John Waite, will bring his #1 songs, “Missing You” and “When I See You Smile” to the party, rounding out a great night of hits.


Foreigner and Styx are ready to rocket across North America starting June 11, 2024 in Grand Rapids, MI at the Van Andel Arena. Nothing sounds more like summer than collective feel-good anthems such as “Come Sail Away,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Renegade,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Mr. Roboto,” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.”


Styx founding guitarist James “JY” Young exclaims, “We’re very excited to be sharing the concert stage with Foreigner and John Waite in the summer of 2024. We have previously toured with Foreigner and the result was both bands kicked ass and had a great time doing it. Looking forward to seeing everybody this summer!”


Says Foreigner founding member and lead guitarist, Mick Jones, “I am very much looking forward to the band being back on the road with our old friends, Styx.  Our ‘Soundtrack Of Summer’ tour ten years ago was a blockbuster, and our tour album was a Billboard chart success. It’ll be a great time had by all.  As an added bonus, John Waite will accompany us on the journey, adding his #1 hits to a special night of Classic Rock.”


"As we continue on with our farewell tour, I have been very moved by the support and reaction of all of our fans. To perform these next shows with our friends Styx and John Waite makes it even better. I am so looking forward to spending many beautiful summer nights all around the country, full of great Classic Rock, music, and great friends,” added Foreigner lead singer, Kelly Hansen.


And as John Waite declares, “Looking forward to blazing across the USA with my band this summer. All the hits in all the cities. It will be major. A great night. Don’t miss it - be there!”





Renegades & Juke Box Heroes tour dates (closing act in brackets):


June
11 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena (Styx)
12 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center (Foreigner)
14 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage (Styx)
15 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre (Foreigner)
18 - Maryland Heights, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – STL (Styx)
19 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP (Foreigner)
21 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion (Foreigner)
22 - Woodlands, TX - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (Styx)
25 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena (Foreigner)
26 - West Valley City, UT - USANA Amphitheatre (Styx)
28 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center (Foreigner)
29 - Concord, CA - Toyota Pavilion at Concord (Styx)
30 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater (Foreigner)


July
12 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater (Styx)
13 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion (Foreigner)
15 - Charleston, SC - Credit One Stadium (Foreigner)
17 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre (Styx)
19 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre (Foreigner)
20 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre (Styx)
23 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center (Foreigner)
24 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live (Styx)
26 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center (Styx)
28 - Camden, NJ - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Foreigner)
30 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Broadview Stage at SPAC (Foreigner)
31 - Burgettstown, PA - The Pavilion at Star Lake (Styx)


August
2 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center (Styx)
3 - Bangor, ME - Maine Savings Amphitheater (Foreigner)
4 - Gilford, NH - BankNH Pavilion (Styx)
16 - Orange Beach, AL - The Wharf Amphitheater (Foreigner)
17 - Huntsville, AL - Orion Amphitheater (Styx)
20 - Virginia Beach, VA - Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at VB (Foreigner)
21 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek (Styx)
23 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center (Foreigner)
24 - Tinley Park, IL - Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre (Styx)
26 - Omaha, NE - CHI Health Center Omaha (Foreigner)
28 - Sioux Falls, SD - Denny Sanford PREMIER Center (Styx)

Canada’s Unleash The Archers recently announced the upcoming release of their sixth studio album, Phantoma, out May 10 via Napalm Records.


Following the album's first two singles "Green & Glass" and “Ghosts In The Mist”, today, the Vancouver based five-piece has revealed their soaring third single, “Seeking Vengeance”, along with a new music video. Beginning with a fast paced guitar lead and modernized power metal attacks, the song entrances with a powerful chorus and intricate dual solo.


On the new concept album, listeners join protagonist Phantoma, a Phase 4 / Network Tier 0 unit - model A, on an inspiring yet harrowing journey as she discovers the brutal truths behind the manufactured sheen of social media posturing on a dystopian, near-future planet earth. With the band’s one-of-a-kind blend of power metal, traditional heavy metal, modern prog and pop sensibilities, Phantoma spins a web of sharp musicality, high sci-fi concept and important social commentary.




Brittney Slayes of Unleash The Archers says about “Seeking Vengeance”: "This is the moment in the story when Phantoma comes to terms with what she must do and who she must become in order to do it. We worked really hard to make sure the music reflects the energy of the moment, and I think the video does a great job of portraying the inner struggle as well. This was filmed and edited by the boys at RuneGate Studio and they focused on using lighting and different lenses to create a dynamic visual experience. The song is the darkest moment of the album but it is juxtaposed with an uplifting chorus melody that was actually inspired by classic Disney 'hero anthems'. This one was a unanimous single choice for us and we can't wait to play it live for you all at our upcoming shows! Hope you enjoy."





Intertwining reality with imagination, Unleash The Archers were inspired to utilize elements of AI during the creation of Phantoma, in keeping with its innovative theme. Frontwoman and lyricist Brittney Slayes conjured the album's concept in 2021; before the swarm of pressing commentary surrounding AI began to reach an all-time high.


The band weaved electronic and synthwave elements throughout the album’s 10 colossal anthems, which - in line with its theme - prove much darker and heavier in comparison to the bright positivity of Abyss. Album opener “Human Era” sets the tone with imagery of a bleak, windswept futurescape that crescendos headlong into the breakneck pace of power metal bastion “Ph4/NT0mA” - a masterwork of dueling guitar solos and vocal acrobatics. Trad-metal influenced “Buried In Code” lights the way with pummeling rhythms before the album’s path turns dark on heavy metal hardened “The Collective”, with Brittney Slayes’ warm tones inviting the listener to ‘join or stand aside’! Hair-raising first single “Green & Glass” unveils the truth before the upbeat 80s flavored “Gods In Decay” and the extraordinary balladic anthem “Give It Up Or Give It All” showcase the varied song writing prowess of Unleash The Archers’ modern era. A trifecta of concept closers begins with the moody “Ghosts In The Mist”, leading into the soaring yet menacing “Seeking Vengeance” before closing with the bittersweet tale of “Blood Empress”.


Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and with lead guitarist Andrew Kingsley at the helm as both principal songwriter and producer, Phantoma is an exciting advancement in Unleash The Archers’ songwriting and storytelling mastery, and a giant leap forward in their towering musical trajectory.





Phantoma will be available in the following formats:      


- Earbook Edition with 2CD (2 Bonus Tracks and instrumental version of the album), 7" Single (2 bonus tracks on Black vinyl), 60 pp booklet (Napalm Mail Order only - limited to 1000)
- -2LP Gatefold in Phantoma Cristallo Multicolored Splatter (Napalm Mail Order only - limited to 300) - NEW!
- 2LP Gatefold in Marbled Orange Red with 24 page vinyl booklet and artprint (Napalm Mail Order only - limited to 300) - SOLD OUT!
- 2LP Gatefold in Glow In the Dark (Napalm Mail Order only - limited to 300)
- 2LP Gatefold in Splatter Aquamarine Orange (Napalm International Mail Order only - limited to 300)
- 2LP Gatefold in Transparent Lime Green (Napalm North American Mail Order only - limited to 300)
- 2LP Gatefold in Silver (North American indie retail only - limited to 700)
- 2LP Gatefold in Black      
- Cassette Tape Edition in Fluorescent Green with White Print (Napalm Mail Order only - limited to 200)
- Jewel Case CD Edition
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Phantoma tracklisting:


"Human Era"
"Ph4/NT0mA"
"Buried In Code"
"The Collective"
"Green & Glass"
"Gods In Decay"
"Give It Up Or Give It All"
"Ghosts In The Mist"
"Seeking Vengeance"
"Blood Empress"


“Ghosts In The Mist” video:





"Green & Glass" video:





Unleash The Archers will tour across the globe in 2024, with dates already announced in North America, Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. See below for all currently booked tour dates.


European Festivals:


July
5 - Ballenstedt, Germany - Rock Harz
6 - Knislinge, Sweden - Time To Rock
12 - Visovice, Czech Republic - Masters Of Rock
19 - Laukaa, Finland - John Smith Fest
21 - Baile Figa, RO @ Celtic Transylvania


August
2 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
9 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock
10 - Walton-On-Trent, UK - Bloodstock


Supporting Powerwolf in North America:


August
29 - Los Angeles, CA - The Hollywood Palladium
31 - Denver, CO - The Ogden Theatre


September
3 - Chicago, IL - The Riviera Theatre
4 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Theatre
5 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
7 - Tampa, FL - Jannus Landing
8 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
9 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore
12 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore
13 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
14 - New York City, NY - Brooklyn Paramount
15 - Laval, QC - Place Bell





Unleash The Archers lineup:


Brittney Slayes - Vocals
Scott Buchanan - Drums
Grant Truesdell - Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley - Guitar, Vocals
Nick Miller - Bass


(Photo - Shimon Karmel)