October Noir collaborated with American gothic rock singer Myke Hideous (frontman of the gothic rock band The Empire Hideous, and previous member of the Misfits), alongside mixing engineer Kfir Gov, and mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum to create their new single “The Ages”, a brooding, dark, and gothic song that transcends traditional rock and metal to create an entirely new sound. Tom and Myke had been planning on creating music together since their side project Momento Morti several years back, and finally found their iconic sound together with this single. 


Watch the music video below, and pre-order the compact disc release of the single here.


The music video footage for "The Ages" was taken at the Dark Force Festival in New Jersey earlier this year. It is a collection of footage from the crowd's cell phones. It's the first time Myke Hideous has taken the stage since 2019.







With the help of mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Yes, Meatloaf, Sepultura, Sabaton), whom October Noir had met through working on their third album Fate, Wine, And Wisteria, the song was taken to a whole new level. Maor eventually introduced the team to mixing engineer Kfir Gov, owner of Evil Snail Studios and lead singer of Seek Irony, who helped the team tune into their rock and metal influences to achieve the sound they desired.


The group teamed up to create a sultry gothic, slow-burning romantic anthem, filled with feelings of yearning and what could have been. Lyrics like “Within this box remains a key, to unlock my distant memories. For just one moment I held your hand, and the ages passed between us,” showcase the talented writing from Myke Hideous, while slow, brooding guitar exemplifies the classic goth/doom-rock influence of October Noir. The music video showcases a live performance from October Noir, and slow-motion head-banging and guitar strumming entrances the crowd, and the listener.


“Tom and I talked on the phone and discussed our joint musical influences, and as someone who grew up on the likes of Type O Negative and Paradise Lost, I immediately connected with his vision and fell in love with 'The Ages' and October Noir's musical style. It was my pleasure working in close touch with Tom and Maor while paying close attention and responding to the band's and Myke's feedback, as we collectively brought their artistic and sonic vision to life in this song.” - Kfir Gov, mixing engineer for “The Ages” and owner of Evil Snail Studios.





"As the creator of the lyrical content for the song 'The Ages', I find it to be a passionate love story like no other. I've written many of broken heart songs before with my bands, The Empire Hideous & SpySociety99, but this song was kind of different. It will have different meanings for other people than it does for me. But that's just the way I've always written song lyrics. I allow the listener to define the song’s lyrics into their own personal meaning" - Myke Hideous, writer of “The Ages”.


“I was approached by the band to work with them on mastering this song. I heard it and dug into it so much that I wanted to help them out by recommending a mix engineer who can really take it to the next level. So I recommended Kfir from Evil Snail Studios to mix the track. Kfir did a great job that I was very happy with, and I just sprinkled sugar on it by doing the Mastering.” - Maor Appelbaum, mixing engineer for “The Ages”


“The inspiration, for me, was everything happening sonically and lyrically. There is just something about it and I didn’t want it to go to waste. My interpretation of it was from the main wording 'and the ages pass between us.' It just hits home and is very heavy. Like sitting in the clouds of lament and watching life escape you. You try to grip for control, but you find that nature, ultimately, controls all things; human or otherwise. Fate has a funny way of removing the things that you find are the most important.” - Tom Noir, founder, bassist, and lead vocalist of October Noir


For further details, visit October Noir on Facebook.


 

West Virginia progressive sludge metallers Horseburner release an explosive second track taken from their forthcoming new album Voice Of Storms, due out June 21st on Blues Funeral Recordings. Check out "Hidden Bridges" below.


Horseburner's new album, Voice Of Storms, is an allegorical commentary on the mistreatment of women across history. It’s the story of a girl being sold into child marriage who is imbued with the spirit of ancient Greek hunt goddess Diana, unleashed and wreaking havoc on a society that regards females as objects or currency. Drummer Adam Nohe reflects on their new single "Hidden Bridges": “It turned into a song that everyone in the band loves, I think it’s a universal favorite. Story-wise, we’re looking at our protagonist being led through an interdimensional crossroads where she can see all universes and timelines happening simultaneously. Here she learns of how she came to exist and it sets her on her mission through the rest of the story.”







Voice Of Storms is a sludge-prog triumph, ready to immerse listeners in a fluid amalgam of blistering tempos, fearless hooks, outstanding vocal harmonies and burly crush. This is Horseburner blazing into sonic territory that few bands ever reach, with a mind-boggling skill for displaying epic songcraft, technicity and lyrical brilliance in equal measure — a must-have for fans of Baroness, Howling Giant and Mastodon.


Voice Of Storms will be released on June 21st in vinyl, CD and digital formats, with pre-orders available now through Blues Funeral Recordings. The band recently announced a series of US shows in support of the release, including four dates with Nashville psych-metal giants Howling Giant:


May
17 - Cleveland, OH - 5 O’ Clock Lounge


June
20 - Columbus, OH - Spacebar *
21 - Parkersburg, WV - Tracey’s Pub *
22 - Johnson City, TN - Capone’s *
23 - Raleigh, NC - The Pour House *
28 - Buffalo, NY - Area 54/Amy’s Place
29 - Youngstown, OH - Westside Bowl


* release weekend with Howling Giant





Tracklisting:


"Summer’s Bride"
"The Gift" 
"Heaven’s Eye"
"The Fawn"
"Hidden Bridges"
"Palisades"
"Diana"
"Silver Arrows"
"Widow (The Hunt & The Prize)"





For further details, visit Horseburner on Facebook.


 

Season Of Mist welcomes Oak, Ash & Thorn.


Out of Denver, Colorado, from along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Oak, Ash & Thorn arose with a collective passion for heavy metal and a shared pagan worldview.


Inspired by the likes of Týr, In Flames and Immortal, the band released their first album in 2018. May Every Altar Linger established a patented blend of anthemic riffs, athletic drumming, dueling clean vocals and death growls. In 2021, their EP To Gaze On Stars Of Frost refined their sound further. Fabian Jiru of Trollfest handled production duties so masterfully that he was brought back for their next EP Eternal, which was released by Lost Future Records.




Last month, Lost Future released Oak, Ash & Thorn's second album. Our Grief Is Thus is tighter while also pushing beyond the band's pagan roots and blackened death metal foundation. Songs like "Dying Culture" and "Auras" pulls from the galloping energy of crust punk, power metal's soaring triumph and the unconventional melodies of progressive rock. The end result is a powerful, unique sound that is fully their own, as melodic and memorable as it is heavy and crushing.


Now, Oak, Ash & Thorn are taking the next step in their journey by signing with Season Of Mist. As they continue to tour in support of their latest album, the band will begin writing what's bound to be a highly-anticipated follow-up.


"We are thrilled to sign with Season Of Mist," says Oak, Ash & Thorn. "It's long been the home of some of our biggest influences, and it is a tremendous honor to now stand alongside them at one of the most reputable metal labels in the world. To say that we're living out our dream is an understatement."





Tracklisting:


"Dying Culture"
"Like The Sea, I Raged"
"Ten Years On The Tundra"
"Bury Deep My Tired Bones"
"Light My Pyre"
"Auras"
"Distant Mountains, Distant Gods"
"Unchain The Wolf"








While only loosely constructed as a concept album, with Our Grief Is Thus, Oak, Ash & Thorn have built a monumental record. Every song deals with grief in some fashion. "Dying Culture" is about the decay of tradition by way of urbanization and generational decline. "Light My Pyre" tackles betrayal and the dissolution of friendship. "Auras" deals with the erosion (and rejuvenation) of honor and identity in the face of withering familial ties.  


Oak, Ash & Thorn recorded their latest album in Ft. Collins, Colorado, at the Blasting Room, which was founded by Black Flag and Descendents drummer Bill Stevenson. Our Grief Is Thus marks the first time in the band's history that they have walked out of a studio with an album fully representing their vision.


Having now signed to Season Of Mist, they're ready to take their spirited brand of blackened pagan power metal to even greater heights. 


(Photo by Tony Gomez at Shoot & Destroy Photography)


 

Nova Sons, the Kentucky based dynamic blues rock duo hailed for their electrifying performances and soul-stirring compositions, has released the latest single and music video off of their upcoming, debut EP, Take A Chance. The title track is embodied with the essence of raw energy and heartfelt lyricism.


"Take A Chance" marks a significant milestone in Nova Sons' musical journey, encapsulating their signature blend of blues-infused rock with a modern twist. With pulsating rhythms, searing guitar riffs, and soulful vocals, the song takes listeners on an inspiring sonic journey.


"We hope this track encourages you to never give up on your dreams," says Nova Sons.







In conjunction with the single release, Nova Sons has unveiled a music video that complements the song's intensity and emotion. Shot against a backdrop of urban landscapes and dimly lit alleyways, the video captures the essence of the band's raw and unbridled performance style, offering viewers a front-row seat to their electrifying stage presence.


"Take A Chance" was written by guitarist and frontman Vincent Langdon, with Jon Lawhon (former founding member of Black Stone Cherry) producing; the track was recorded at Monocle Studios in Edmonton, KY, with mixing and mastering courtesy of Edison Video (Mind2Mass Studios).


Two bluegrass boys hailing from the backwoods of Kentucky and a heap of rock 'n' roll — that’s what Kentucky-bred duo, Nova Sons, is all about. Armed with passion, a gritty take on modern rock, and enough swagger to rival the legends, they're not just here to shake up the music scene; they're here to remodel it. Comprising Vincent Langdon on guitar and vocals, and Austin Bruce on drums, Nova Sons is a powerful fusion of raw talent, relentless ambition, and a distinct musical prowess that stands out even in a saturated genre. 





For further details, visit Nova Sons on Facebook.


 

Jarmo Puolakanaho, guitarist for Finnish melodic death metallers Eterrnal Tears Of Sorrow, has shared a new post here marking the band's 30th Anniversary. Read the message in full below.


Jarmo: "It’s been some time since I last wrote about Eternal Tears of Sorrow, whether individually or on behalf of the entire band. Our seeming inactivity over the past decade plays a part in this silence.


Today, I bring you a mix of news.




First, the cheery part: 'Good news, everyone!' (Those who have watched Futurama know that unfortunately, this phrase is often followed by bad news.)


This month marks three decades since the inception of EToS—certainly a cause for celebration! Or it is actually 32 years if you count from the early days of our forerunner, Andromeda, which began its journey in early 1992.


However, this is tempered by the less cheerful revelation that we have been on hiatus for about a year—a decision that we hadn’t publicly disclosed until now. Hence, there are no official celebrations for this milestone.


Each band member has their reasons for this break. Personally, I feel we might have reached our creative zenith; continuing as before might merely mean repeating ourselves in every conceivable way—songwriting, performing, recording, and the like.


Despite our efforts over the past few years to produce new songs, perhaps aiming for a single or an EP, these did not yield the hoped-for results. The new material seemed either too derivative of our past work or lacked the necessary collective enthusiasm, suggesting we might have exhausted our potential as EToS.


Yet, this period was far from fruitless for me. I’ve significantly honed my songwriting skills and learned to inject new life into our music. These lessons are invaluable as I embark on new projects. Each of us is now exploring different musical avenues through various bands and projects.


As for myself, I’ve been developing a new project since the onset of the pandemic, envisaging something that might echo EToS but with a heavier, more progressive, or even experimental twist. The project will certainly have stuff that hasn’t been possible with EToS, or stuff that I couldn’t even imagine during our active years. So, I’m filled with fresh ideas and enthusiasm for this new direction, exploring where these paths might lead. And this may not be the only project on the horizon for me—I have numerous new ideas that could take many different forms. Only time will tell.


So, I hope to release information of this band/project – or even more projects or bands – next year, as I turn 50 years then.


As to when the EToS hiatus might end, that remains uncertain. We will resume when we all feel the moment is right, perhaps with a reimagined sound and approach to ensure everything feels fresh and invigorating.


In the meantime, I invite our fans to stay connected through our official social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.


Thank you for your steadfast support over these three decades. It has been a profound honour to share this journey with you. Expect us when you see us."


Best regards,
Jarmo Puolakanaho & Eternal Tears of Sorrow


Eternal Tears of Sorrow released seven albums between 1997 and 2013. Work on the follow-up to 2013's Saivon Lapsi began in 2018 but, as mentioned above, the new music was put on hold.

Rockshots Records presents Auro Control, a new prog / power metal band from Brazil. With its fast, precise, melodic, virtuous, and energetic sound, Auro Control delivers an amazing auditory experience that leaves a lasting impression.


Scheduled for release on May 31st, The Harp is an ambitious album, uniting the greatness of power metal with the depth of prog metal and the richness of percussion from Bahia-Brazil, resulting in a unique and surprising sound. The album produced by Thiago Bianchi, will feature the participation of Bianchi himself (Noturnall, Shaman), Aquiles Priester (W.A.S.P., Angra), Felipe Andreoli (Angra), and Jeff Scott Soto (Art Of Anarchy, Soto, Sons Of Apollo). The new single and video, “Not Alone” featuring Jeff Scott Soto, is available below.







The Harp artwork and tracklisting:





"Aurum Regium"
"Feel The Fire"
"Not Alone" (feat. Jeff Scott Soto)
"Rise Of The Phoenix" (feat. Aquiles Priester)
"The Harp" (feat. Aiace & Felipe Andreoli)
"Afterglow"
"Head Up High"
"Conception"
"Runner"
"Breaking Silence" (feat. Thiago Bianchi)


Pre-orders can be placed here.


 

Lawrence Mackrory, singer for Swedish metal band Darkane, has announced his departure from the group. He posted the following statement to social media earlier today, May 16th:


"The time has come to announce my departure from Darkane. I’ve struggled to find the passion and dedication these last few years and that’s why I have decided that the best thing to do is to hand in my resignation. If I can’t do it 100% why do it at all? That’s always been my motto and continues to be."


"It’s been so much fun making music, touring, and hanging out with some of my best friends since I rejoined the band in 2011. And they are the ones I will miss the most. But meeting all the dedicated Darkane fans has been the highlight. There are so many of you out there who are passionate about the band and to you I give a big heartfelt THANK YOU!”




The remaining members of Darkane commented:


"Lawrence handled the vocal duties for Darkane on the debut album Rusted Angel (1999), The Sinister Supremacy (2013), and Inhuman Spirits (2022). He’s been a huge part of the Darkane history and the rest of the members would like to say a huge thank you! We wish him all the best with everything. He is a very talented vocalist, song writer, producer, engineer, mastering wizard and a very good friend. Much love from Peter, Christofer, Jörgen and Klas."








(Photo - Mathias Blom)

Guitarist Lars Eric Mattsson has released his new single and music video, "Burn". Watch the clip below.


Says Lars: "2 minutes and 59 seconds of classic hard rock with just guitar, bass, drums and vocals."







As a tribute to Russian Opposition leader and hero Alexej Navalnyi, Mattsson felt he had to write a song which can also be seen as a tribute to fallen heroes everywhere who have died defending our freedom.


Sonically, "Freedom" is built around a string arrangement with cellos in the forefront but also enhanced by brass and woodwinds so it is a bit of a different soundscape compared to most of Lars' other music. But as you know, he has never been afraid of broadening his horizons.

RivetSkull have released the new single, "The King is Dead". This is the third single from their upcoming album, Absence Of Time, due for release on June 14.


Commenting on the new single, RivetSkull had this to say: "The metal gallop returns with a vengeance in 'The King Is Dead.' The song’s relentless drive mirrors its theme: the unquenchable thirst for power that’s plagued humanity throughout history. There are two instruments you probably wouldn’t expect in a metal song: an electric sitar guitar and an old B-3 Hammond. Both were in the studio just begging to be included!"







RivetSkull on the new album: "Absence Of Time feels like a culmination of everything we've been building towards. It's not just a collection of songs, it's a unified statement of who we are. Heavy metal has always been a lifeline for us, a way to channel our struggles and find strength in a community of like-minded souls. With this record, we want to extend that lifeline to our listeners. We want them to hear the experiences they share, the battles they've fought, and know that they're not alone. This is heavy metal as catharsis, as connection, and as a celebration of the power of shared experience."


Absence Of Time was recorded by Jonathan Plum at London Bridge Studio (Queensryche, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) and produced by the Matt Hyde (Deftones, Slayer, Hatebreed, Seether), with album artwork by Josh Graham at Suspended in Light (Soundgarden, Eagles of Death Metal).


Pre-order at this location.





Tracklisting:


“Hellbound”
“Isolation”
“Not Gonna Run”
“My Darkest Hour”
“Eyes Of A Fallen Angel”
“The King Is Dead”
“Swimming In Mortality”
“Time Will Tell”
“The Unwinnable War”


“Eyes Of A Fallen Angel” lyric video:





"Hellbound" lyric video:





The band spends the month of June on tour with Artillery as part of their 40th anniversary tour. They will be opening the dates alongside fellow support Vapor and War Curse.





(Photo – Mike Savoia)

Whom Gods Destroy, the formidable progressive metal group formed by keyboardist Derek Sherinian, guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, and vocalist Dino Jelusick, along with the potent rhythm section of bassist Yas Nomura and drummer Bruno Valverde, recently released their debut album, Insanium, worldwide via InsideOutMusic.


Today, the band share a bass playthrough video for album track, "Hypernova 158". Watch below:







Insanium is available on Standard CD Jewelcase, Digital Album, Ltd. 2CD Mediabook (with the bonus track “Requiem”, as well as the entire album as bonus instrumental disc) and as Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet on 180g. vinyl in the following variants:


- Black 2LP
- Dark Green 2LP (Ltd. 500x copies from www.insideoutshop.de & various other retailers)
- Custard Colored 2LP (Ltd. 1000x copies at all US outlets)


Order here.





Insanium tracklisting:


"In The Name Of War"
"Over Again"
"The Decision"
"Crawl"
"Find My Way Back"
"Crucifier"
"Keeper Of The Gate"
"Hypernova 158"
"Insanium"


“The Decision” lyric video:





"Crawl" video:





"Over Again" video:





"In The Name Of War" video:





Whom Gods Destroy lineup:


Bruno Valverde - Drums
Yas Nomura - Bass
Dino Jelusick - Vocals
Derek Sherinian - Keyboards
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal - Guitars

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Alex Lifeson confirmed that he has been "playing a lot of RUSH songs" with his longtime bandmate Geddy Lee at the bassist/vocalist's house in Toronto in recent weeks. "We're together in a room like we've always been," the guitarist said. "That's been really good, but there's no chance that we're going to get a drummer and go back on the road as the rebirth of RUSH or something like that. And if we wanted to write new material, nobody cares about new material anymore. They just want to hear the old stuff from guys like us."

When the interviewer noted that RUSH fans "would care", Lifeson clarified: "Maybe the feeling is that it's just really about taking people back to an earlier time in their lives that they have very fond and vivid memories of, and I get it and that's great. And then you do it for the money. And that's not what we were ever about or what we would want to do. Offers come in all the time, but I don't know. I don't think that's something that we're really interested in."

Elaborating on why he is opposed to the idea of performing RUSH music with a new drummer, Lifeson said: "I just don't know if doing something like that would wreck it. Or wreck the legacy that RUSH has left. When it happened, it was disappointing for us. And then Neil [Peart, late RUSH drummer] got sick and all of that stuff, but our legacy is intact that we went out on a high note. That tour was great. It looked great. We played really well. We bonded even more so with our audience. I'd rather have that and the sadness of not doing it again, than doing it again and sitting on a chair on stage because I can't stand. [Laughs] I'd rather be remembered for that than something that's more current."

Alex went on to say that he and Geddy are continuing to have conversations about the possibility of performing together again. "We talk about it, but at the same time, he's my best friend and he loves me and he cares for me," he said. "He knows that I do have issues both physical and emotional with this whole idea. And he respects that we have so much respect and love for each other. I would do something like that, that he wanted to do, because I love him and I want to make him happy. But he knows that I wouldn't be happy. It's the bond that we have."

He added: "I don't think I would be happy in my heart if we were to do something like that. I really would feel like we were doing an injustice to our fans and that would be just a money grab.

"We get offers all the time, and they're pretty substantial, but I don't know. It's not enough for me. How much do you need? I'm trying to get rid of stuff. I sold the bulk of my guitars. I had some cars. I sold those. I had a house in the country that I sold. I want to be slimmer and a little tighter in, in my life with fewer anchors around my neck."

This past January, Lifeson didn't rule out the possibility of playing with Lee again, telling Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar: "There's certainly a lot of interest in us doing something. I think for a lot of RUSH fans, they've been hoping for… Geddy had his book tour. I went out on a few of those dates with him. I think that's kind of sparked more interest in us working together.

"Ged's a very busy guy," Alex continued. "He's written a couple of books over the years. He has a lot of stuff that he's into. This is my studio in my apartment. I've been working on the ENVY OF NONE stuff as well as a few other projects. So I've been playing and recording for all these years.

"When he's ready, he always says, 'Come over for a coffee and we'll go down to the studio and bash around a few notes.' Yeah, call me. And so far he's been so busy, but I think maybe in the new year — or this is the new year — maybe soon we'll find the time to sit down and see what happens," Lifeson added. "Maybe nothing happens. Maybe it's not there anymore. Maybe it's gonna be amazing. I don't know. We'll see. Honestly, it's not a priority for us. We're happy in our lives. So, it's not like we need to go back to something. And that's my fear. That if we — that would be the expectation, this is like RUSH 2. But by necessity it has to be something different. And it can never be RUSH. Without Neil [Peart, late RUSH drummer], it can never be RUSH. That's it. It's over. But you never know what can happen. So we'll see."

For the past couple of decades, Lifeson has been suffering from psoriatic arthritis, a chronic, autoimmune form of arthritis that causes joint inflammation and occurs with the skin condition psoriasis. During an appearance on the January 10 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", the now-70-year-old Canadian musician opened up about the severity of longtime physical ailments, saying: "I would say that's slowly getting worse, as to be expected. I have psoriatic arthritis, and I've been dealing with it for quite a while — for almost 20 years. I'm on two biologics [biologic drugs for the treatment of arthritis], so sort of like a double whammy in dealing with it. And it's been very, very effective. Despite the side effects and all of that, it's been a really effective regimen for me, and it's really helped my hands. I have times where the inflammation has its own mind, and that's when you'll see me shaking my hands [while I am playing]. But it is what it is, and I can still get by, and I'm so used to it, I don't really even think about it that much anymore. "

Lifeson also talked about the possibility of him returning to the road, either with Lee or with another project. He said: "[After] 40 years of touring, I'm not interested in touring anymore. I enjoyed it when we did it. There were lots of ups and downs. The gig is great, the show is great, and for the other 21 hours in a day, you're just waiting for those three hours. And it gets tiring, especially when you have a family and you have loved ones at home that you're estranged from for months and months and months at a time. I don't miss that aspect of it. Do I like playing in front of people? Yeah. I still like that — maybe not to the point where I have to do it. But when [Geddy and I] did the Taylor Hawkins benefits and we did the 'South Park' thing in Denver, and I do these Christmas shows with Andy Kim and lots of great musicians that I get to play with, then it's fun. I really enjoy that, and it's controlled, and it's great. To make a big deal and do a tour and get back into that thing, I don't really have an interest in that. I know Ged would like to play again and he would like to spend some time writing. But beyond that, honestly, we haven't talked about anything beyond just getting together and having a coffee and just bashing out a few notes."

Alex continued: "[Geddy] has a lot of stuff in his life. He's a very busy person. He's really enjoying this phase of being [a book] author. He's on the go, go, go, go all the time. And I'm here, and I'm playing on all these different projects. So, in a way, I've continued being that musician, and he's gone off to do other things. So, whenever he's ready, like usual, I only live five minutes away from him, like we have all our lives. I go over and hang out and we'll turn the recorder on and do some stuff, but there's no plan for a tour. There's no plan for anything. And I know rumors get started and people have their desires and lots of people would love to see us get back and play again. Well, I don't know. I don't know. Who knows? Maybe if we're together, we're messing around and we get excited… Certainly after we did those gigs, it was quite heady and very exciting. But I really love my life right now, and I don't know if I'm gonna disrupt it by being away from the things that I'm really enjoying, for any reason."

Lifeson also reflected on RUSH's final tour, which concluded in August 2015 in Los Angeles. According to Rolling Stone, the trek took the novel approach of presenting the band's music in reverse chronological order, meaning Alex and his bandmates — Lee and drummer Neil Peart — began the show with songs from their most recent albums and slowly worked back to their earliest material. As time went backwards, stagehands would swap out the backdrop to match the period they were visiting. That meant by the time they reached the encores, it looked like they were playing in the high school gyms of their youth.

"The last tour I thought was a terrific tour for RUSH," Alex said. "I thought we played really well. I thought the show was really fun. Going back in time to the beginning was a great way to celebrate the end of the band. I don't know if, at 70 years old, 10 years later, if I can play like I played back then. I haven't played that material in nine years. And if I can't play it like I played it nine years ago, then I really have no interest in doing it. I think RUSH has a strong legacy because of the way things ended. We ended on a high note, and that's the way people remember us. And I think that that also is partly the reason why so many people would love to see us back out, because that's the memory they have of us. We were dedicated to what we were doing. We practiced a lot. We were passionate. We played our hearts out. Physically, ten years later, at this stage, [after] these ten years, I don't know if we can do that. I don't know, can Ged sing like he did? Can I play guitar? Can he play bass like he did? I don't know. Unless we did a big rehearsal and tried to do all that stuff, we'll never know. But just thinking intellectually how this would work, I'm not keen on doing it, really."

Peart died on January 7, 2020, after quietly battling brain cancer for three and a half years. RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

In 2022, Geddy revealed that Neil wanted to keep his cancer diagnosis a secret prior to his death.

Lee went on to say that he and Lifeson had to be "dishonest" to fans in order to protect Peart's privacy.

Fan-filmed video of SLIPKNOT's entire May 12 headlining performance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:00 - People = Shit
05:32 - Eyeless
10:03 - Disasterpiece
17:15 - Before I Forget
22:03 - Custer
27:54 - Psychosocial
33:15 - The Devil In I
39:15 - The Heretic Anthem
45:19 - Unsainted
49:45 - Wait And Bleed
53:53 - Vermilion

Encore:

1:01:31 - Duality
1:06:04 - Spit It Out
1:09:40 - Surfacing

Welcome To Rockville marked SLIPKNOT's third show with the band's new drummer, former SEPULTURA sticksman Eloy Casagrande.

Prior to Welcome To Rockville, SLIPKNOT played on April 25 at Pappy + Harriet's in Pioneertown, California and on April 27 at theSick New World in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For all three gigs, SLIPKNOT adopted a classic look, bringing back the 1999 red jumpsuits and elements of their early masks into their modern versions, tying into the fact that SLIPKNOT is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

After parting ways with Jay Weinberg last November, SLIPKNOT teased fans with a hint about a new drummer two months ago, posting a photo of a single broken drumstick online with the caption "Rehearsal."

The band explained in a statement that the split with Weinberg was a creative decision. Jay followed up with a statement of his own, saying that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by his dismissal.

Weinberg has since joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.

Casagrande abruptly quit SEPULTURA three months ago, shortly before he was supposed to begin rehearsals for the band's recently launched 40th-anniversary farewell 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," the band said in a statement.

Casagrande joined SEPULTURA nearly 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.

SLIPKNOT's latest album "The End, So Far", arrived in August 2022. It marked the band's the last full-length LP before the departure of both keyboardist Craig Jones, who left the group in June 2023, and Weinberg.

Fan-filmed video of Sebastian Bach's May 12 performance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida can be seen below.

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

01. What Do I Got To Lose?
02. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW song)
03. 18 And Life (SKID ROW song)
04. Here I Am (SKID ROW song)
05. Monkey Business (SKID ROW song)
06. I Remember You (SKID ROW song)
07. Youth Gone Wild (SKID ROW song)

Bach kicked off his "What Do I Got To Lose?" spring 2024 North American tour on May 10 at Southport Music Hall in Jefferson, Louisiana.

Bach's 14-song set in Jefferson included two tracks from his new solo album, "Child Within The Man" — "What Do I Got to Lose?" and "Everybody Bleeds" — along with 12 SKID ROW classics.

"Child Within The Man" was released on May 10 via Reigning Phoenix Music. The LP 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 is available on jewelcase CD, cassette, and double LP in a variety of color options.

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."

Bach's "What Do I Got To Lose?" tour is a mix of solo gigs and festival appearances. The stateside tour will wrap 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.

Prior to the arrival of "Child Within The Man", Bach hadn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014. Like its predecessor, 2011's "Kicking & Screaming", the LP 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.

ATREYU will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's 2004 sophomore album "The Curse" by performing the gold-certified LP in its entirety at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California on October 18. Support at the gig will come from EIGHTEEN VISIONS, which will play the group's "Obsession" album in its entirety to celebrate the LP's 20th anniversary, and DEATH BY STEREO, which will kick things off with a 25th-anniversary performance of that band's 1999 debut, "If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die".

Pre-sale tickets will be available tomorrow (Wednesday, May 15) using the code "CURSE20". The general on-sale will follow this Friday, May 17.

Back in December 2014, ATREYU celebrated "The Curse"'s tenth anniversary by performing the album in its entirety at the Observatory in Santa Ana, California.

2002's "Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses" established ATREYU as an influential force, while "The Curse" sold more than half a million copies as the group rose to global renown. 2006's "A Death-Grip On Yesterday" and 2007's "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" both bowed in the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200, with the latter garnering a gold certification from the RIAA — a highly rare accomplishment for a 21st century rock band.

Following a hiatus post-"Congregation Of The Damned" in 2009, the musicians returned, firing on all cylinders with "Long Live" in 2015. It crashed the Top 30 of the Billboard Top 200 and earned widespread acclaim from Revolver, Loudwire, AXS and Kerrang!, who dubbed it "a hell of a return." Along the way, the boys sold out countless headline shows in addition to sharing the stage with everyone from SLIPKNOT and LINKIN PARK to Chris Cornell and AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

ATREYU's latest album, "The Beautiful Dark Of Life", came out last December via Spinefarm.

"The Beautiful Dark Of Life" is an emotional journey through three distinct phases accompanying ATREYU's previously released three-part EP series — capturing the essence of despair on "The Hope Of A Spark", the pursuit of hope on "The Moment You Find Your Flame" and the triumphant self-discovery and purpose on "A Torch In The Dark".

The album features sonic numbers that touch every corner of the heavy music sphere — from metal to punk and alternative, via '80s classic rock and with shades of industrial, hip-hop, and unashamed pop — speaking more than ever to a generation of music fans who care little for the traditional constraints of genre.

Through the expression of deeply personal feelings and emotions, the album is soul-baring and empathetic and offers escapism, and empowerment through songs that speak openly about anxiety, depression, self-belief, love, and identity that includes three new songs, "Dancing With My Demons", "Insomnia" and the title track.

Photo credit: Micala Austin

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of The Curse with a special hometown show, where we'll be performing the album in its...

Posted by Atreyu on Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Billy Idol did an exclusive performance of his classic hit, "Rebel Yell", exclusively for Vevo. You can watch the clip below:





Billy Idol is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his landmark album, Rebel Yell, with a deluxe expanded edition, out now via Capitol/UMe.




Billy Idol is a perfectionist… and that sometimes gets him into trouble. Hear why he stole the tapes to Rebel Yell from his record label in this edition of the uDiscover - Beyond The Bus series.





Available to order here, the reissue includes a selection of previously unreleased songs and demos, the Poolside remix of Idols smash hit "Eyes Without A Face", and the never-before-heard Billy Idol/Steve Stevens original "Best Way Out Of Here" from the original sessions.


Originally released in November 1983, Rebel Yell is the twice-platinum follow-up to Idols self-titled debut. The album features the iconic singles "Eyes Without A Face", "Flesh For Fantasy", "Rebel Yell", and "Catch My Fall". The reissue is available in 2xLP, 2xCD, and digital formats. See below for complete tracklistings.





Rebel Yell (Expanded Edition) tracklistings:


2xLP:


Disc 1, Side A
"Rebel Yell"
"Daytime Drama"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Blue Highway"


Disc 1, Side B
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"Crank Call"
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows"
"The Dead Next Door"


Disc 2, Side A
"Best Way Out Of Here"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Daytime Drama" (Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Demo)


Disc 2, Side B
"Catch My Fall" (Early Version)
"Crank Call" (Demo)
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" (Demo)
"Eyes Without A Face" (Poolside remix)





2xCD/Digital Album:


Disc 1
"Rebel Yell"
"Daytime Drama"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Blue Highway"
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"Crank Call"
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows"
"The Dead Next Door"


Disc 2
"Best Way Out Of Here"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Daytime Drama" (Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Demo)
"Catch My Fall" (Early Version)
"Crank Call" (Demo)
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" (Demo)
"Rebel Yell" (Session Take)
"Blue Highway" (Original Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Session Take)
"Catch My Fall" (Original Demo)
"Motorbikin" (Session Take)
"Eyes Without A Face" (Poolside remix)


"Best Way Out Of Here" visualizer:





Flesh For Fantasy” demo:





"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" visualizer:





Billy Idol will embark on his transcontinental Rebel Yell Canada 2024 arena tour this summer, beginning July 30 in Vancouver and running through August 25 in St. John’s, Newfoundland.


Produced by Live Nation Canada, Idol’s show will include a myriad of hits from across his career with a focus on the landmark Rebel Yell album, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Joining Idol is his longtime backing band, including his lead guitarist and collaborator of over 40 years, Steve Stevens. Canadian Walk Of Fame inductees Platinum Blonde will appear as special guest across all stops.





Dates:


July
30 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena


August
1 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place
2 - Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
5 - Saskatoon, SK - SaskTel Centre
6 - Winnipeg, MB - Canada Life Centre
9 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena
10 - Ottawa, ON - Canadian Tire Centre
14 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
16 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
19 - Quebec City, QC - Videotron Centre
21 - Moncton, NB - Avenir Centre
23 - Halifax, NS - Scotiabank Centre
25 - St. John’s, NL - Mary Brown’s Centre

During an appearance on the May 13 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", SLAYER guitarist Kerry King spoke about the rumors which circulated for a while that PANTERA's Philip Anselmo would sing on the debut album from King's solo project. Asked how far those conversations with Philip got, Kerry said: "It didn't get real far. And everything you saw online, that was just all rumors, because it never got past me and Phil talking about it.

"I've known Phil decades — I've known Phil before [PANTERA's] 'Cowboy From Hell' [album] came out," King continued. "He's been a friend of mine throughout the years. And all the business suits wanted me to go that way — my manager, my record company, my promoter, everybody — because it's it's gonna put massive butts in seats, so to speak. But talking to [Phil] about it, I know this is too thrashy a project for him. I'm not saying he can't do it; I'm saying I don't think he wanted to do it. But we did a little bit of legwork on it, and especially once [the] PANTERA [reunion] came up, that just blew it out of the water."

Kerry previously discussed the possibility of Philip singing on his solo album back in February during an interview with Rolling Stone. At the time, King acknowledged that a collaboration with Anselmo "was considered. My management, my promoter, my record label all wanted Phil," he explained. "Phil's a good friend of mine, but I always thought he's not the right guy. That has nothing to do with his ability; I just knew he wasn't the right guy. When you hear Mark [Osegueda, DEATH ANGEL singer] on this record, you know that's the guy.

"I had to do due diligence, because at the end of the day, had Philip been the guy, we'd be in arenas immediately because we could play new stuff, we could play PANTERA, we could play SLAYER, and fans would've been happy. It ended when the PANTERA thing came up."

Pressed about the rumors that Kerry was at one point going to be part of the PANTERA reunion, the guitarist replied: "I won't confirm or deny that."

King went on to say that Mark "was on board early on" for Kerry's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise". "I just didn't pull that trigger," Kerry said. "I was, like, 'Let's see what happens.' Say for instance, [JUDAS PRIEST's] Rob Halford calls me and says, 'Hey, I would love to be your singer,' I'd have to go that way.

"Mark knew how I expected the songs to be performed. On my demos, I sing with very good conviction, but I don’t have pipes; that's why I don't sing. With 'Residue', he sounded so good I had to ask him, 'Is this sustainable? I don't want you to blow your load on this record and then blow your voice out every third show.' And he swore up and down he could do it. He went on to some of the harder ones and did the same thing on those, so I went, 'Okay.'

When the interviewer said that Mark's vocals make King's music album like SLAYER, Kerry said: "Well, that's me putting the vocals together. Tom [Araya, SLAYER frontman] could scream his ass off. I'll never take that away from Tom. His conviction might come and go — and I'm not looking to jab at Tom, that's not the point — but Mark just showed up every fucking day and is on point every fucking second of every song."

"From Hell I Rise" will be released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by the 59-year-old SLAYER guitarist alongside the rest of his solo band, consisting of Osegueda, drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),guitarist Phil Demmel (MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE) and bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH).

Kerry's new band played its second show ever on May 9 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida.

King's first-ever festival solo appearance came just two days after his solo group made its live debut at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois.

As was the case with Reggies, King's setlist for Welcome To Rockville included SLAYER tracks as well as several of the 13 songs that appear on "From Hell I Rise".

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.

KERRY KING will next play at the Sonic Temple festival on May 16.

Kerry King photo credit: Andrew Stuart

New Zealand hard rock powerhouse, Black Smoke Trigger, have shared their new single "Learn To Crawl", accompanied by an evocative music video. Stream the new track here, and watch the video below.


Speaking on the new single, Black Smoke Trigger guitarist and band leader Charlie Wallace shares, “'Learn To Crawl' is about somebody who has pretended to be an angel in your life, but as time goes on, you learn who they really are. The inspiration came from a situation I found myself in a few years ago but it seems that everybody who hears the song, makes up their own meaning with an experience they’ve had in their own life. So this is really one of those songs where the listener gets to decide what and who it’s about. Musically it’s very different from everything else we have done so far, lots of layered vocal harmonies really add a haunting quality to the track. The music video was filmed in my house, the setting just seemed to fit the song so well, and really focuses on the performance of the track.”







Black Smoke Trigger continue to ride the high of their dynamic rock, anchored by the distinctive guitar work of Wallace and the commanding vocals of Baldrick combined with their pummelling rhythm section courtesy of bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro. Fast becoming known for not only smashing out certified 10/10, arena-ready rock bangers, Black Smoke Trigger are also quickly garnering a reputation for creating incendiary and often death defying music videos and for being a must-see act thanks to their high-octane live shows.


Black Smoke Trigger start their invasion of the UK and Europe this week. Kicking off proceedings will be the band's debut UK headline show at The Corn Exchange in Hertford tonight, followed by a run of support dates with Bruce Dickinson that begin tomorrow in Wolverhampton.





(Photo - Andhe Chandler)

Chicago’s Harm's Way is pleased to unleash a video for “Terrorizer”. The track comes by way of the band’s Common Suffering full-length, released last fall via Metal Blade Records. Watch the clip below, and order the album at metalblade.com.





Tracklisting:




“Silent Wolf”
“Denial”
“Hollow Cry”
“Devour”
“Undertow”
“Heaven’s Call”
“Cyanide”
“Terrorizer”
“Sadist Guilt”
“Wanderer”


"Terrorizer" video:





"Undertow" video:





"Devour" video:





“Silent Wolf” video:





Harm's Way s currently in the midst of a US tour supporting Kublai Khan TX. The journey, which began on May 11 in Charlotte, North Carolina, will run through May 26 in Dallas, Texas. Additional support is being provided by Pain Of Truth and Justice For The Damned. In July, the band will play this year’s edition of Sound And Fury Fest before joining Hatebreed and Carcass on a month-long North American Fall tour with additional support provided by Crypta.





(Photo - E. Aaron Ross)

Las Vegas-based heavy rock outfit, Swaggermouth, are ready to share their unique brand of “controlled chaos” on their debut album, Never Shut Up, due in late July via Rock Avenue Records USA. The album was produced, mixed, and mastered by frontman Jason Ebs (who’s previously toured as a vocalist and guitarist with Peter Criss on the “Bad Boys of KISS” tour with Ace Frehley) at his newly acquired studio he named, Dragon Castle Studio, which was the former studio of platinum-selling rockers Imagine Dragons.


It features Chris Slade (AC/DC) on drums, who also co-wrote the album with Jason and frontwoman Janea Chadwick Ebs. The band have today, May 15, shared its lead track “Let It Roll,” showcasing Jason and Janea’s intertwined vocals and melodic upbeat sound which Jason describes as “Slammin’ Pop.”


Stream it now here at your preferred digital platform. Watch the video below.




Speaking about Never Shut Up, Jason shares: “Musically it covers the gamut of human emotions, from super heavy to tender to angry and maybe even a little happy, just like real life. We called it Never Shut Up because lyrically we like to address topics of today's society, and as Americans we've painted ourselves into a corner and find ourselves afraid to speak and having to watch everything that we say. We must always maintain our ability to use our voices and to stand up for what we believe but as I like to say, must also ‘Examine Society and Question Authority.’ ‘Enough with the Normalization of Madness.’”


Swaggermouth have also shared the captivating music video for “Let It Roll,” seen streaming below. The video was filmed at Vegas locations including Ebs’ studio, the abandoned mining site Wheel of Misfortune in Las Vegas, the youth music school Rockstars of Tomorrow, and features Vegas’ iconic showgirls from Vintage Vegas Entertainment. The video highlights Swaggermouth’s live lineup consisting of Jason (vocals/guitars), Janea (vocals), Borgi (keyboards), Joseph Nile (bass), and Billy Kessner (drums).





Below, Jason Ebs talks about the new music, working with Chris Slade, and filming the video.


Q: Tell us what inspired you to write “Let It Roll” and how you chose it to be the first new music from Never Shut Up?


Jason Ebs: “‘Let It Roll’ is one of my older riffs and one of the last ones I wrote in our LA studio before moving to Vegas. Once I set up my first studio here in Vegas, I would record a batch of songs by laying guitars and bass to a click and Chris Slade would lay drums to them when he came to town. This session happened to be the last one before he was called back into AC/DC for the tour in 2015.


"I had loved the music to it and I always had the title ‘Let It Roll’ but the lyrics never came to me or Janea. It sat unfinished for years as we adjusted to life in Las Vegas and went through the pandemic, locked away in the studio while finishing the other songs on the record. After listing to all the other songs, I felt like the record was unfinished. I happened to pull up the music to ‘Let It Roll’ and it hit me like a steam roller! Suddenly after all these years, the words flowed out of me with a new melody. I felt like we had officially landed here in Vegas, and I wanted to capture that in the song. Janea and I played it for the rest of the band and everyone said, ‘this is the one!’  It became the song that we feel properly represented us out of the gate as a brand-new band out of Vegas. ‘The Vegas Knights are showing anything can happen, you make your wishes with a role of the dice…’”


Q: How did you pick the locations to shoot the "Let It Roll" music video and was there something special that drew you to them?


Ebs: “We wanted to capture our version of Las Vegas in our debut single and video, so for our first location I wanted to film an after-hours party scene here at our newly acquired studio that I named Dragon Castle Studios since it was formerly a studio band house owned by Imagine Dragons. Having it be the hallowed ground where they recorded and produced several of their hit records, we wanted to establish it as the new home base of Swaggermouth by christening it with a party of select friends, industry peeps, and Vegas staples like Showgirls, who raced from a Golden Knights playoff game directly to our video shoot set. Imagine Dragons had left two huge bottles of champagne in the fridge for us when we moved in, and you can see us opening one of them in the video in the party scene.


“For Location #2, our bass player Joseph Nile mentioned this kick ass place called the ‘Wheel of Misfortune’ and sent me a link to preview. I LOVED it immediately, as it's graffiti ridden ruins matched the heaviness & grittiness of ‘Let It Roll.’ Vegas is a place that you come to roll the dice either for money or success, but pitfalls or bad luck can take you down, so it was a perfect match in its Mad Max ‘end of the world’ way. It matched where I feel that we are in society now… livin' on the edge.


"I believe in keeping music and creativity in the minds of our youth, as music is what got me through my childhood and entire life for that matter. So, when my friend Marissa invited me to do a walkthrough of RockStars of Tomorrow here in Las Vegas, I thought that it would be another perfect location to shoot some concert footage and help spread the word by featuring some of the Rock Stars of tomorrow! The kids were all really excited about it and have been telling all their friends about the experience...so mission accomplished!”


Q: Can you share how you met Chris Slade and what it was like co-writing the album and having him perform on drums?


Ebs: “I've actually known Slade longer than Janea, believe it or not! I used to play weekly at the Burbank Bar and Grille and Slade would come in with Geoff Downs & John Payne, as he was playing drums in ASIA at the time. Meanwhile, Janea and I had formed a new band Ecotonic and we’d just finished our debut record. The band imploded just as the record was completed. I was at NAMM with Janea when Slade sat down across from us. I happened to have an Ecotonic CD with me, so I went over and said hello, told him about the band and that we were looking for a drummer and gave him the music. He called me the next day saying he loved it and two days later he brought his kit over and we started recording the CD with him on it.


“Slade is very other worldly and of a higher consciousness, which always leads us to deep conversations that turn into new songs. He is super easy to write with, as there's no ego or bullshit, only creativity and flow with everyone going for the best result. He used to drive to our studio house in the hills of Glendale all the way from Orange County, and he'd arrive at the door humming new song ideas saying, ‘quick, get something to record this"...and 10 minutes later we'd have a new song.


“I am always humbled thinking of the people that Slade has played drums for whose spot I was standing in--Jimmy Page, David Gilmore, Angus Young--and it’s always a bit of a thrill every time we jam together. Janea and I are so grateful for him as a human and for his talents, and I'm honored to be playing drums on the same record as him. He's a forever friend and an extended family member.”


(Top photo layout by Karen Fishof, photo by Laura McKenzie)

New Zealand's global metal frontrunners, Alien Weaponry, recently released their sophomore full-length album, Tangaroa. This important album - which continues the band's preservation and amplification of the history and culture of their home country's indigenous Māori people - followed the trio's breakout 2018 album, Tū. Its debut led to #1 chart entries and massive critical acclaim, in addition to award nominations and wins. But how did they get there, what has life been like behind the scenes for this fast-rising phenomenon up until now, and where are they headed next?


Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara, a new documentary film from director Kent Belcher and producer Nigel McCulloch, provides an intimate deep dive beneath the surface of Alien Weaponry's past, present and fast-approaching future. The film features appearances from metal elite like Lamb Of God's Randy Blythe, Testament's Chuck Billy and Gojira's Joe and Mario Duplantier.


Befitting a culturally vital band like Alien Weaponry, the 97-minute documentary will see its global premiere at the world-renowned Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on June 6 at the Village East Cinema (8:45 PM, 181-189 2nd Avenue). The premiere will include a special Q&A with the film's director, writer/producer, and editor. The film will also be shown at various additional local theaters throughout the festival's duration.




For more information on how to catch a showing or the premiere itself, click here.


Alien Weaponry says: "We are so excited to finally share this documentary we have been working on for years with you. The film captures our journey of navigating the world of music, showing the highlights, the hardships, and everything in between."


Director Kent Belcher adds: “After six years of traveling with, living with and filming the Alien Weaponry family, to finally be able to share that with audiences and showcase Māori culture in a vibrant and heartfelt way is just so rewarding. To have my first film as director premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival is an absolute dream come true. What makes our film is the family aspect. The ups and downs, the strains of being on the road with your family and then pulling through because you’ve all got a common goal. They’re an amazing, powerful group of people and they’ve taught me a hell of a lot. I’m so privileged to be part of this. I can’t put it into words how lucky I am to have met these people, be able to film these people and then being able to learn stuff about myself. It has honestly been the best experience of my life.”


Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara is an intimate portrait of the most important six years in the life of this band and, in particular, the two brothers at the band’s core — from the release of their debut album, Tū, as they take their music to the world, touring through Australasia, Europe and America. It is an insight into what impact constant touring, teenage angst and creating music has had on the boys and their family around them.


From the privileged position of being embedded with the band on the road, the film has unique access to the family, their shows and their touring. This is an exclusive view from the inside, showing a band on the rise. More importantly, this is a portrait of a normal, down-to-earth kiwi family who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. On the one hand, they are living a life that may see Henry and Lewis realize all of their dreams, but on the other, this could be a path that could ultimately end up changing who they are entirely.


Alien Weaponry are:


Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong - Drums, Backing vocals  
Lewis Raharuhi de Jong - Guitars, Lead vocals          
Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds - Backing vocals & guitar


(Photo - Piotr Kwasnik)

Back in the mid-1980s, the PMRC (Parents' Music Resource Center) published a list called "The Filthy Fifteen" which consisted of the top fifteen songs they wanted banned due to objectionable lyrics suggesting violence, sex, drugs, alcohol or the occult. They petitioned for lyrics to be printed on the album jackets and no one was safe — heavy metal acts were right there alongside the pop stars. AC/DC, Madonna, MÖTLEY CRÜE, JUDAS PRIEST, Prince, W.A.S.P., MERCYFUL FATE, Vanity, DEF LEPPARD, Cyndi Lauper and TWISTED SISTER all made "The Filthy Fifteen" list. In November 1985, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) agreed to put "Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics" labels on selected releases at their own discretion.

Speaking to "That Fuzzing Rock Show" on the 93.9 WABY radio station, PRIEST singer Rob Halford reflected on the PMRC and the parallels between what was going on 40 years ago and today's so-called "cancel culture", particularly as it relates to younger people getting harassed online to an extreme over a mistake they've made. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know where to begin on this. You've gotta let young people be who they are. You've gotta let young people find their own way in life. It's a weird thing because this cancellation thing, it's not as big as it is. A lot of it is just blown out of proportion. It's clickbait. It's news, it's not news, it's news, it's not news. Most young people are beautiful, kind, living their lives, trying to get ahead. And then there's this other social media, TMZ bubble that's just raging off in the corner, and you can tune in or tune out to that type of thing.

"But, yeah, when we went through that experience with the PMRC, it was tough because it was backed by very powerful political figures in Washington, D.C.," he explained. "Straight off, this was just a political hack job. These people had no clue about heavy metal. They had no clue about the joy and the pleasure and the good times that heavy metal music gives to people and the goodness that it makes and the positivity. They just went at it with a hatchet. And I love my friend Dee Snider [from TWISTED SISTER, who, along with Frank Zappa and John Denver, was called before Congress to testify in defense of music], 'cause he went in there and did a great job. So, yeah, it's not new on us. As you get older, you get wiser, don't you? And you figure out what's important and what's not important. What I do think is unfair, particularly for younger people, is that younger people are so inexperienced, to a great extent, on how to deal with their feelings and how to deal with being bullied and attacked on social media. And it can be very damaging."

In 2015, Halford was asked by Canada's C103 radio station what it was like to have the JUDAS PRIEST track "Eat Me Alive" included in "The Filthy Fifteen". He responded: "It was kind of tough, because we got attacked for something that was completely out of order. None of us that are on that list should have been there, because when you come see a band like PRIEST or my mate Dee from TWISTED SISTER, we wanna give you a good time, we wanna help you forget all the troubles and the worries in the world. We want you to come and enjoy yourself, have a few drinks, meet your mates, have a great metal experience, rock and roll experience. So, to be accused of that was pretty low, but we got through it and we battled on, and I think we had a win for everybody in that respect."

Halford also talked about the way society had become, in his view, too politically correct. He said: "Well, again, I could talk forever on that subject. You know, yeah, I think we need to kind of give each other a break and kind of take a long, deep breath and let it out very slowly, because it seems the only way people can get attention in these times is to scream as loud as they possibly can and to say the most outrageous things they possibly can. So it's a pity, really. It's a different world from when I was growing up as a kid. But, hey, that's the way humanity is evolving, unfortunately. And it's not just in the States; it's everywhere. There's this crazy cacophony going on. But leave all that stuff to the politicians and to all the… The kind of noise that we make in metal is the best noise you can get — plain and simple."

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

JUDAS PRIEST's latest album, "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.

Otherworldly alt. duo, Zetra, have released a video for "The Mirror" the new single from their self-titled debut album, out September 13 via Nuclear Blast Records. Watch below.


The wanderers whispers echo: "The sky illuminates as the meteors begin their cataclysmic descent through the firmament. Starfall. The second chapter of our realization emerges. The unveiling of our Opus 1, 'Zetra' continues. Starfall. We are united on this journey with the supernatural force that is Serena Cherry of Svalbard. Begin to know."


Pre-order and pre-save Zetra here.







Tracklisting:


"Suffer Eternally"
"Sacrifice"
"Starfall ft. Serena Cherry"
"The Mirror"
"Shatter The Mountain" ft. Sólveig Matthildur
"Holy Malice"
"Inseparable"
"Gaia"
"Moonfall" ft. Gabriel Franco
"Miracle"


"The Mirror" video:





"Starfall" video:





(Photo - Rebecca Need-Menear)

Japanese rockers, Crossfaith, have shared the video for their futuristic and post-apocalyptic new single "God Speed" (Feat. Wargasm). Both the audio and visual are frenetic so strap yourself in and sit sidecar for this metal x industrial musical thrill ride.


"This song is based on the concept of simply living in obedience to one's desires," the band states. "It expresses the attitude we should not lose in this restricted and monitored society. This song features Wargasm, a duo with distinctive and iconic voices, and their contribution adds an erotic and dirty vibes to this track."


Indeed, the addition of Wargasm lends more vocal layers and a wild, almost frantic intensity. The song will leave your clutching your chest and breathless, trying to recover. But once the final note fades out, you will smash the replay button and do it all over again! It's that exhilarating.







The song appears on Crossfaith's recently announced album AЯK, which arrives on June 26 via UNFD and Warner Music Japan, and marks the band's first album in six years. Pre-order the record here.


It is a welcome return for the band - after adjusting the global pandemic and a band hiatus, as well a membership change — and serves as quite a milestone. The album's title AЯK is a message of saying goodbye to the past and hello to a new beginning, and their fresh sound and perspective is reflected in the new material.





Crossfaith previously shared the visualizer for the brand new single "L.A.M.N" (Feat. Bobby Wolfgang). Watch below. Fans can also check out the video for "ZERO".

Seven Spires has shared "The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind", the third single from their upcoming studio album, A Fortress Called Home, to be released on June 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The track is accompanied by a new music video, available below.


Frontwoman Adrienne Cowan had this to share about the track: “This was the first song we wrote for 'A Fortress Called Home.' It grew from a poignant piano piece from my idea vault, and was rooted in the music and story of Edward Elgar’s 'Sospiri, op. 70.' It’s a piece that I often felt sounded like the pain of falling in love. And — I find there is something so fragile and quietly beautiful in the wrenching agony of truly baring one’s soul to another. Inspired by that juxtaposition, Jack and I brought our best to capture hope in pain, melody in chaos, and that softness in brutality. Basically, I think the title says it all.”







A Fortress Called Home, Seven Spires' fourth studio album is the follow-up to Gods Of Debauchery (2021), and takes their signature blend of symphonic power and extreme metal to new heights, dragging the listener to the deepest abysses in the process


Adrienne Cowan comments: “I visited the void twice while writing this album. I don’t know which begat the other. It’s ugly. I love it and I hate it, and I think it’s our best work yet.”


A Fortress Called Home was produced, mixed, and mastered by Jack Kosto who had this to say about it: “If our previous albums have intended to take you on an emotional journey of our design, this album forces you to confront the one of your own making. Good luck and enjoy!”


Pre-order A Fortress Called Home at this location.





Tracklisting:


"A Fortress Called Home"
"Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues"
"Almosttown"
"Impossible Tower"
"Love’s Souvenir"
"Architect Of Creation"
"Portrait Of Us"
"Emerald Necklace"
"Where Sorrows Bear My Name"
"No Place For Us"
"House Of Lies"
"The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind"


"Architect Of Creation" video:





"Almosttown" video:





Seven Spires’ 2024 touring schedule can be found here

Billy Idol recently did an exclusive performance for Vevo. "Eyes Without A Face" from the session joins the previously posted "Rebel Yell". Watch both videos below:










Billy Idol is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his landmark album, Rebel Yell, with a deluxe expanded edition, out now via Capitol/UMe.


Billy Idol is a perfectionist… and that sometimes gets him into trouble. Hear why he stole the tapes to Rebel Yell from his record label in this edition of the uDiscover - Beyond The Bus series.





Available to order here, the reissue includes a selection of previously unreleased songs and demos, the Poolside remix of Idols smash hit "Eyes Without A Face", and the never-before-heard Billy Idol/Steve Stevens original "Best Way Out Of Here" from the original sessions.


Originally released in November 1983, Rebel Yell is the twice-platinum follow-up to Idols self-titled debut. The album features the iconic singles "Eyes Without A Face", "Flesh For Fantasy", "Rebel Yell", and "Catch My Fall". The reissue is available in 2xLP, 2xCD, and digital formats. See below for complete tracklistings.





Rebel Yell (Expanded Edition) tracklistings:


2xLP:


Disc 1, Side A
"Rebel Yell"
"Daytime Drama"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Blue Highway"


Disc 1, Side B
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"Crank Call"
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows"
"The Dead Next Door"


Disc 2, Side A
"Best Way Out Of Here"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Daytime Drama" (Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Demo)


Disc 2, Side B
"Catch My Fall" (Early Version)
"Crank Call" (Demo)
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" (Demo)
"Eyes Without A Face" (Poolside remix)





2xCD/Digital Album:


Disc 1
"Rebel Yell"
"Daytime Drama"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Blue Highway"
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"Crank Call"
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows"
"The Dead Next Door"


Disc 2
"Best Way Out Of Here"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Daytime Drama" (Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Demo)
"Catch My Fall" (Early Version)
"Crank Call" (Demo)
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" (Demo)
"Rebel Yell" (Session Take)
"Blue Highway" (Original Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Session Take)
"Catch My Fall" (Original Demo)
"Motorbikin" (Session Take)
"Eyes Without A Face" (Poolside remix)


"Best Way Out Of Here" visualizer:





Flesh For Fantasy” demo:





"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" visualizer:





Billy Idol will embark on his transcontinental Rebel Yell Canada 2024 arena tour this summer, beginning July 30 in Vancouver and running through August 25 in St. John’s, Newfoundland.


Produced by Live Nation Canada, Idol’s show will include a myriad of hits from across his career with a focus on the landmark Rebel Yell album, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Joining Idol is his longtime backing band, including his lead guitarist and collaborator of over 40 years, Steve Stevens. Canadian Walk Of Fame inductees Platinum Blonde will appear as special guest across all stops.





Dates:


July
30 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena


August
1 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place
2 - Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
5 - Saskatoon, SK - SaskTel Centre
6 - Winnipeg, MB - Canada Life Centre
9 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena
10 - Ottawa, ON - Canadian Tire Centre
14 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
16 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
19 - Quebec City, QC - Videotron Centre
21 - Moncton, NB - Avenir Centre
23 - Halifax, NS - Scotiabank Centre
25 - St. John’s, NL - Mary Brown’s Centre

Enuff Z'nuff, the revered melodic rock band hailing from the heart of Chicago, is set to unveil a treasure trove of their musical origins with the release of a captivating collection of demo recordings. These recordings, crafted prior to the band's iconic self-titled debut album, offer a raw and impassioned glimpse into the genesis of Enuff Z'nuff's illustrious career.


The forthcoming collection, entitled The 1987 Demos, showcases the band's classic lineup of Chip Z’nuff, Donnie Vie, Derek Frigo, and Vikki Foxx, exuding a fervor and authenticity that transcends even their acclaimed major label releases. Fans worldwide have long revered these early compositions, recognizing the embryonic stages of Enuff Z'nuff's signature sound. Now they get to experience these songs as never before!


Among the gems featured in this collection are early renditions of beloved classics such as the chart-topping single "Fly High Michelle," alongside anthems like "New Thing" and "I Could Never Be Without You." These early versions offer a unique perspective, capturing the essence of the band's evolution and the raw talent that propelled them to international acclaim. Check out the demo version of “New Thing,” which has been released as a single to all music platforms today!




Stream/download the single here; listen below.


“Before we got our first record deal,” explains EZ’s founding lead vocalist Donnie Vie, “Chip and I had written and demoed at least 50 pretty good songs. It was hard to choose which ones to shop. We basically put together what we felt would be a great record and shopped it as that. Needless to say, the label loved it, so we went to work re-recording it on a grander scale (and waste $200K. Haha). I personally think we could've just had this mixed, because most of it was recorded and produced exactly the same way. The songs stand on their own, and this was the way it was done - on our own.”


Chip, who oversaw this project and composed liner notes for the album, declares  “ Here are the warts, scars, and tattoos of our labor, when it all started over 3 decades ago!”


The 1987 Demos will be available on both CD and vinyl starting on May 31. The CD version includes two bonus tracks not available anywhere else - a cover of Hendrix’s “Manic Depression” and an original song “Runaway”.


Order the CD/Vinyl here; pre-order/pre-save the digital here.





Tracklisting:


"New Thing"
"She Wants More"
"Fly High Michelle"
"Hot Little Summer Girl"
"In The Groove"
"Little Indian Angel"
"For Now"
"Kiss The Clown"
"I Could Never Be Without You"
"Finger On The Trigger"


Bonus Tracks (CD only):


"Runaway"
"Manic Depression"


"New Thing":





Live dates:


May
16 - Binghamton, NY - Touch Of Texas
18 - Teaneck, NY - Debonair Music Hall
19 - Reading, PA - Reverb
22 - St. Louis, MO - The Golden Record
23 - Beaver Dam, WI - Stormy’s
24 - Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze
25 - Webster, WI - St. Croix Casino Hertel
28 - Parker, CO - Wild Goose Saloon
30 - Grapevine, TX - Glass Cactus
 31 - San Antonio, TX - Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music


June
1 - Eagle Pass, TX - Cooter’s Pub
2 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Midtown
4 - Sarasota, FL - Big Top Brewing Company
12 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre
3 - Duluth, MN - Bayfront Festival Park

In a new interview with Matt Pinfield of 95.5 KLOS's "New & Approved" show, PEARL JAM guitarist Stone Gossard spoke about his appreciation for some of the classic heavy metal records of the early 1980s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Heavy metal changed my life. And then punk rock, on top of that, allowed me a door into heavy metal. 'Cause I sucked and heavy metal was a little bit about being fucking wizardly. If you couldn't compete with Yngwie [Malmsteen], you needed to be gifted, and punk rock allowed me to be gifted in a different way, which was, like, can you just hit a couple of notes that sound good? And maybe that's enough, and then maybe somebody else can do something too. More of THE TALKING HEADS approach."

Asked which heavy metal and hard rock records he loved when he was a kid, Stone said: "MERCYFUL FATE 'The Oath', 'Melissa'. IRON MAIDEN — the first two or three IRON MAIDEN records freaked me out. ALICE COOPER. And then, yeah, going back and then finding ALICE COOPER and T. REX and the '70s glam. And then SEX PISTOLS. How good does THE SEX PISTOLS record sound right now? And there's nothing to it. It's just four points of view just fucking jammed in there."

In a December 2022 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Gossard was asked for his take on the long-running narrative that grunge reinvented the rock and roll genre and killed the career of many hard rock and heavy metal musicians. He replied: "I think we changed the landscape at that time; I just don't think we reinvented anything. We were taking punk rock and the blues and rock and roll and we were just kind of doing it in a different way. I do think we impacted the music industry at that time, and it's only because hair bands were so entrenched and the record business was so entrenched and everybody was just doing the same thing for so long that it lost its flavor.

"I was into hair bands; I wanted guys to dress up and have crazy hair and makeup," he continued. "But I think everything — there's time for a change at some point, and everyone wants something fresh again.

"I love the moment when kids get ahold of something and they break it and they wanna just make it their own. And so anytime that happens, it's kind of fun. It's a good time to listen. Then it makes it more about for anyone to make a band; it's not just stellar musicians. Sometimes it's just gotta be a group of people that just love making racket together."

Gossard previously discussed grunge's impact on the hard rock and heavy metal scene in the summer of 2022 in an interview with VWMusic. At the time, he said: "I think there's always renewal in the world, and with that renewal, comes new perspectives. And I think that hard rock was really stagnating at that point in a way that gave an opportunity to what I'll call 'less musically talented' musicians to say, 'Hey, there's another way to play rock songs. There's another way to have songs that are heavy. And there's another way to create chaos and energy from those songs that would be outside the normal color palette of a heavy metal song.'

"I mean, coming up, I listened to a lot of heavy metal," he continued. "I listened to a lot of MOTÖRHEAD. I listened to a lot of IRON MAIDEN. I listened to a lot of MERCYFUL FATE. I listened to a lot of LED ZEPPELIN. I listened to all those New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands, and I was into it. This said, as a kid, I didn't really know how to play like that, so I was just doing what sounded right to me. And I think that in the late '80s, there was a very free attitude about art and music that was brewing in the wake of hard rock, and a lot of people were experimenting with sounds, and the bands formed from there. There was something about it that was fresh, that really captured people's ears, and that had a huge effect on it all too. But you know, a lot of those heavy metal bands you're talking about are still around, so clearly they all didn't die. Sure, a lot of them had to regroup, and yes, some did die, but that's part of the life cycle, right? There are still a lot of fans out there who love hard rock, and I'm one of them. I love hard rock, and I always have, but renewal and rebirth are a part of art, I think."

PEARL JAM's twelfth studio album, "Dark Matter", was released on April 19 via Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records.