Veonity has welcomed Isak Stenvall into their mighty realm. The change comes after Anders Sköld, who's been carrying the flame for years, has decided to focus on his guitar playing only.


After recently celebrated 10 years as band, Veonity now reworks the line-up to reach new levels of power metal:


“Bringing Isak into the band gives us a new direction and makes us even stronger. Isak is a fantastic singer, frontman and songwriter and his addition will secure Veonity's fast and melodic power metal another dimension.”




In 2018, Isak Stenvall left fellow Swedish power metal merchants Lancer as their frontman:


"I have always had an eternal passion for power metal and when Veonity called me, I knew this would be a perfect fit and I heeded their call. It feels great to be back on the metal scene: writing, singing and forging pure power metal again!”


Anders Sköld, who has been the singer of Veonity since the release of Into The Void (2016), has decided to hand over the vocals duties to Isak.


“Guitar has always been my main instrument and I realized over the years that I have to follow that calling more strongly.”


Veonity is ready to enter the studio to record their sixth album, the follow up to the acclaimed 2022 effort Elements Of Power, planned for a fall 2024 release through Scarlet Records.


Veonity:
Isak Stenvall - vocals
Samuel Lundström - guitar
Anders Sköld - guitar
Kristoffer Lidre - bass
Joel Kollberg - drums


(Photo – Mathias Flink / Edit – Thomas Holmstrand)

The US melodic power metal band Millennial Reign will release their new album World On Fire via Ulterium Records on June 14. The album will be available on CD, limited vinyl editions and digital.


After completing their previous album The Great Divide, plus all show and festival commitments, Travis Wills (Crimson Glory, Infidel Rising) stepped down as fill in vocalist for the band. The band found their new full time vocalist in Tiffany Galchutt, a fantastic female vocalist with an impressive range and tons of experience from performing with bands around the Dallas, TX area. Pedro Cortes also stepped in as the band's new drummer alongside current members Neil Bertrand (bass) and Dave Harvey (guitars, band founder).


Millennial Reign have over the years shared stage with bands like Accept, Stryper, Delain, Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Petra, Y&T, Theocracy and many others, and also played at Exodo Fest in Mexico twice. Last year they played their debut show in Europe at Elements of Rock in Switzerland together with Majestica, Wytch Hazel and others.




World On Fire was recorded, mixed and mastered by Dave Harvey at The Upper Room Studio and the artwork was created by Jan Yrlund (Battle Beast, Apocalyptica, Delain).


The new album has everything you expect from Millennial Reign, and more! Powerful vocals, impressive musicianship, a solid production, epic symphonic elements, memorable melodies and uplifting lyrics! The album should be perfect for fans of power metal, melodic metal and female fronted metal bands. Led by vocalist Tiffany Galchutt and with a really strong new album behind them Millennial Reign are ready to hit the stage and show the metal scene that they are a force to be reckoned with.





Tracklisting:


“Exousia”
“Bring Me To Life”
“Wandering”
“Trust”
“We Follow On”
“Eternity”
“Parousia”
“Crack The Eastern Sky”
“Tongues Of Fire”
“World On Fire”
“Onward To Victory”
“Allied Forces”

JUDAS PRIEST, SAXON and URIAH HEEP drew 15,000 fans to their March 29 "Metal Masters" tour stop at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. Fan-filmed video of PRIEST's performance can be seen below.

PRIEST's 17-song setlist included three songs from the band's latest album, "Invincible Shield": the title track, "Panic Attack" and "Crown Of Horns".

PRIEST's setlist for the Prague concert 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. Saints In Hell
08. Crown Of Horns
09. Turbo Lover
10. Invincible Shield
11. Victim Of Changes
12. You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise
13. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
14. Painkiller

Encore:

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

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.

15,000 strong🤘tonight in Prague 🇨🇿 Thank you!! 🙏 @judaspriest #invincibleshieldtour2024 #judaspriest2024 #goodfriday #czechrepublic

Posted by Scott Travis on Friday, March 29, 2024

In a recent interview with Mexico's Sopitas, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was asked why he chose to release "Afterglow Of Ragnarok", the opening track from his new solo album, "The Mandrake Project", as the first single from the LP. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We had a variety of choices that we could have gone with for the first track. And I liked 'Ragnarok' because — we could have gone with a song which was sounded a bit more — how can I put it? —a bit more conventional, a bit more classic rock-type stuff. And I didn't want to give people the impression that that was the album, because first impressions are, unfortunately, really important. So I wanted people to be aware that this album was dark and growly and heavy and also more than that. So, as we go through towards the actual release of the album, I think people are gonna figure out that, 'Wow, there's a lot more going on in this record than just after 'Afterglow Of Ragnarok'.' But you've gotta put something — something's gotta be first. And that was the track that I felt that it was maybe not the catchiest song on the record — probably the second or third, maybe — but that's why we put it out first, because people are still blown away, going, 'Oh my god. This is great.' I'm, like, 'Okay, well, wait until you get the second one. And wait until there's a third one,' because this is an album that has a lot of depth to it."

"The Mandrake Project" was released on March 1. Bruce and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy "Z" Ramirez recorded the LP largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's previous solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

"The Mandrake Project" is not just an album. The comic book of the same name is a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius. Created by Bruce, it is a collectable series of graphic novels scripted by Tony Lee ("Dr. Who"),stunningly illustrated by Staz Johnson ("2000AD") and with covers by industry heavyweight Bill Sienkiewicz for Z2 Comics, which will be released as 12 quarterly issues that will be collated into three annual graphic novels, with the first coming at the end of 2024.

"The Mandrake Project" has become a global smash hit, with huge chart success already announced across Europe and further major worldwide chart positions to follow.

In Germany and Sweden, Bruce has topped the album charts, while in the U.K. the album has entered the official album chart at No. 3, just behind Liam Gallagher and John Squire at No. 1, and narrowly pipped to the No. 2 spot by Rod Stewart and Jools Holland with a last-minute Mother's Day surge of sales.

Elsewhere, the album is already a Top 10 success in many European countries' national charts, including Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and France. And in Latin America's iTunes charts, "The Mandrake Project" is Top 10 in both Brazil and Mexico.

#1 In Germany and Sweden
#2 In Finland and Switzerland
#3 In U.K.
#4 In Brazil
#5 In Belgium and Italy
#6 In Netherlands
#10 In France and Mexico

"The Mandrake Project" is Dickinson's seventh solo album and is released via BMG worldwide on multiple formats.

Prior to the new LP's release, Bruce's highest-charting album in the U.K. was his 1990 debut, "Tattooed Millionaire", which landed at No. 14.

Last month, Bruce revealed the addition of two new guitarists to his solo touring band. Swedish-born guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who incidentally played on Dickinson's current single, "Rain On The Graves") will accompany previously announced members Moreno, Mistheria and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass). Roy Z will not be part of the touring lineup.

The first chance to see the six-piece live will now be at The Observatory in Orange County, California on April 15.

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

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

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

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

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

Seven Spires has shared "Architect Of Creation," the second single from their upcoming studio album A Fortress Called Home to be released 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:


“'Architect Of Creation' is a bombastic romp through many of our favorite genres. On the spectrum from ‘mania to nothing’, this falls heavily on the mania side. But the true joy for me was in the arrangements — painting that world as the scenery of my soul! — and frolicking through them with Devin Townsend-inspired clean vocal stacks and Shagrath-y storytelling harsh vocals.”




Guitarist Jack Kosto follows up with:


“Those of you who have been with us since 'Solveig' will recognize the horned mask from the cover of that album in this video! Funny enough, during the multi-day shooting process, our rental car was broken into and the mask (along with the rest of all of our stuff) was stolen! We managed to recover it with only a few hours left on the last day of the shoot, and it’s crazy that this important visual piece of Spires history was almost lost to time over a freaking car. If you’re interested in the full story, it’s posted on our Patreon.”


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!”





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":





"Almosttown":





Pre-order A Fortress Called Home now at this location.


Seven Spires’ 2024 touring schedule includes a European tour with Skálmöld and Atavistia in March, four North American shows as direct support for Kamelot with Ad Infinitum in April, a headline set at Mile High Power Fest in Denver, CO, in August, and their first-ever headlining Japanese tour with Lords Of The Trident in December. Further details can be found here.

Ulcerate, who recently announced the June 14 release of their new album Cutting The Throat Of God (Debemur Morti Productions), have shared a second single from the new album, with today’s arrival of “To Flow Through Ashen Hearts”.


The song was released in conjunction with a Dehn Sora-directed video for the seven-minute track.


Last month the New Zealand-based trio shared news of the album’s forthcoming arrival, and with it was the first taste of music from the seven-song album: “The Dawn Is Hollow”.




Cutting The Throat Of God was recorded in the fall of 2023, under the watchful eye of drummer Jamie Saint Merat, who also oversaw production and provided artist direction for the collection. Renowned mastering engineer Magnus Lindberg (known for his work with Cult Of Luna, Russian Circles and Tribulation) put the finishing touches on the release. Cutting The Throat Of God explores a cohesive lyrical theme centered on the rupture of morality, the delicate boundary between depravity and extremity, and the irreversible descent into darkness.


Preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“To Flow Through Ashen Hearts”
“The Dawn Is Hollow”
“Further Opening The Wounds”
“Transfiguration In And Out Of Worlds”
“To See Death Just Once”
“Undying As An Apparition”
“Cutting The Throat Of God”


“To Flow Through Ashen Hearts” video:





“The Dawn Is Hollow” video:





(Photo courtesy of Ulcerate)

7D Media is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Tu-Ner For Lovers, a new CD from the ensemble of Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn (best known for their work with King Crimson) and Markus Reuter. Scheduled for release on May 3, this album is a prelude to the much-anticipated US Tu-Ner tour in May.





Tu-Ner For Lovers is taken from their live shows in 2023. It weaves together an immersive audioscape that blends the churning rhythms of Mastelotto, the dripping touch guitar layers of Reuter, and the seductive Warr Guitar of Gunn.




“Tu-Ner For Lovers is not just music; it’s an invitation to experience love and intimacy through a progressive rock prism and a wonderful precursor to their live performances.”


Pre-order the album here.


Upcoming tour dates:


May
9 - Phoenix, AZ - The Rhythm Room
10 - San Marcos, CA - The Bornemann Theater
11 - Los Angeles, CA - The Baked Potato
12 - Los Angeles, CA - The Baked Potato
14 - Mill Valley, CA - Sweetwater Hall
16 - Stockton, CA - Haggin Museum
18 - Arcata, CA - Arcata Playhouse
20 - Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
22 - Portland, OR - Alberta Abbey
23 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
25 - Vashon Island, WA - Open Space Arts Center
26 - Vancouver, BC - - BlueShore Financial Centre for Performing Arts
30 - Redding, CA - The Dip


Pat Mastelotto - Very rarely does a drummer go on to forge the most successful career on the demise of their former hit band. Phil Collins and Dave Grohl have managed it, and so too has Pat Mastelotto, a self-taught drummer from Northern California, who has also been involved with pushing the envelope of electronic drumming. Pat has spent a lifetime jumping genres from pop, to prog, to electronica to world music with – among others – Mr. Mister, XTC, David Sylvian, The Rembrandts, Kimmo Pohjonen, and for the last 25 years with King Crimson and Stick Men.


Markus Reuter is a composer, guitarist, and producer. He began his musical journey as a composer before delving into Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft, mastering the Chapman Stick, and eventually transitioning to the U8 Touch Guitar. Reuter has released numerous solo albums and has collaborated extensively with various musicians. He holds a prominent position in the experimental band Anchor and Burden and forms the duo Tuner with Pat. Additionally, he was a member of Europa String Choir and has worked alongside notable artists such as Gary Husband, Robert Rich, J. Peter Schwalm, Mark Wingfield, and
many others. Reuter's versatility is evident through his involvement in Devin Townsend’s touring band. Notably, he also performs in power trios including Stick Men with Pat and Tony Levin, Truce with Asaf Sirkis and Fabio Trentini, and Markus Reuter/Tim Motzer/Kenny Grohowski.


Trey Gunn, the extraordinary Warr guitarist and musician, has left an indelible mark on the world of progressive and experimental music. Renowned for his virtuosic talent, he has graced the stages and recording studios with legendary acts such as King Crimson, David Sylvian, Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, Happy Rhodes, Puscifer, Tool and John Paul Jones, contributing his unique blend of mesmerizing and innovative playing. As the founder of the esteemed 7D Media record label, Gunn continues to be a guiding force in curating exceptional musical experiences. Trey Gunn’s visionary artistry and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound make him a true luminary in the realm of progressive music.


(Photo - Julia Hensley)

Billy Idol Rewind: A Twitch Livestream Event was held in July 2023, and today, Idol shares the official video for "Rebel Yell" from the session. Watch below:





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


Billy Idol is set to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his landmark album, Rebel Yell, with a deluxe expanded edition due April 26 via Capitol/UMe.


Available for pre-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.


Idol has debuted the demo version of his 1984 hit single “Flesh For Fantasy” from the original Rebel Yell recording sessions. Listen to/share the track here and below:





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.


Idol recently released the concert film Billy Idol: State Line, a Vertigo Live concert film documenting his April 2023 show at the famed Hoover Dam the first-ever concert performed at the location on DVD and Blu-ray following a successful limited theatrical run. The film highlights the history and significance of Hoover Dam and includes performances from two unique sets of Billy Idols iconic hits: a full band concert at sunset with special guests that electrified and illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon, and an acoustic duo set on the roof of the powerhouse at the foot of Hoover Dam straddling the Colorado River, directly on the Nevada/Arizona state line. For both sets, Idol is joined by his longtime collaborator and guitar player Steve Stevens, as well as special guests Alison Mosshart (The Kills, The Dead Weather), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols, Generation Sex) and Tony Kanal (No Doubt).


For 46 years, Billy Idol has been one of the definitive faces and voices of rocknroll. Between 1977 and 1981, Idol released three albums with Generation X as their camera-ready frontman. In 1982, he embarked on a transatlantic/trans-genre solo career that integrated the bold and simple lines of punk and rock 'n' roll decadence. Touring consistently around the world for the last ten years and showing no signs of slowing down, Idol released both The Roadside EP in 2021 and The Cage EP in 2022 on Dark Horse Records, earning praise from fans and critics alike. In January, Idol cemented his name among Hollywood legends with the first Walk of Fame Star of 2023.


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)


"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" visualizer:

Charlie Benante has once again said that PANTERA fans who have attended the band's recent shows have embraced the opportunity to see the songs performed live more than 20 years since the classic PANTERA lineup was last together.

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 the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

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 opened up about his participation in PANTERA's return during a new interview with Australia's Heavy, conducted at this month's Knotfest Australia festival. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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."

Benante previously opened up about his participation in PANTERA's return during a February 2024 interview with "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson. Speaking about some of the criticism he has received for his involvement with PANTERA, Charlie 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."

Benante previously discussed his involvement in PANTERA's comeback during an interview with Consequence. Addressing the negative comments he has received for his participation, Charlie said: "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.

Greek heavy/power metallers Subfire have announced the release of the first official lyric video for the track “Samurai” taken off from the upcoming album Blood Omen, which is set to be released on May 17, 2024 by Symmetric Records. Preorder on Bandcamp.


The lyric video has been created by Manthos Stergiou of ManSter Design, who previously worked with artists such as Sakis Tolis, Tardive Dyskinesia, On Thorns I Lay, Jinjer, Powerwolf among others.


Guitarist George D. Larentzakis Comments:  “The song ‘Samurai’ marks the glorious days of Hatori Hanzo who lived by the samurai code (Bushido). Before taking on the dirty work as the Shogun's right-hand and getting lost in his dark plans to rule Japan by force.”




Subfire have also announced the launch of their own festival, Sinister World Festival, which will be held at the Temple Club, Athens, Greece, on Saturday, May 18, 2024 presenting live the new album. Featuring bands would be Spanish thrash/heavy metallers Apotropaico as special guests, folk metallers Kosmogonia, heavy/speed metallers XenoVenous & melodic heavy metallers Nightkill.


The concept of the Blood Omen deals with the Sinner finding himself in the 16th century in the land of the rising sun always looking for the existence of a higher power, the one they call God.


The album production and mixing has been once again handled by Bob Katsionis (Stray Gods, Warrior Path, ex-Firewind) while the mastering has been made by Nasos Nomikos at VU Productions. Blood Omen also features the guest appearance of the charismatic Ralf Scheepers of Primal Fear.


The cover artwork, which you can check out below, has been created by Alexis Alifragis aka Perverend SlumberSlut (Obduction, For A Dozen Matters, Goateatgod).





Tracklisting:


“Tides Of Alibis”
“Rage Of Emotions”
“Samurai”
“Path Of The Assassin”
“Iga Land”
“Rise”
“Unbreakable”
“Black Edged Meitu”
“Hunter Of Dreams”


“Samurai” lyric video:

Indiana’s thrash/power/prog metal band Idol Throne will drop its new full-length, entitled A Clarion Call, on May 31 via Stormspell Records. The new album, follower of the 2022’s debut LP The Sibylline Age, is composed of eight tracks for almost 50 minutes of playing time and will delight the fans of Symphony X, Heathen, Angra, and Fates Warning.


Through the band’s inception in 2018 to the release of debut LP The Sibylline Age in 2022, Idol Throne has sought to blend Bay-Area thrash, US power, and progressive metal into a unique sound to call its own. With the new album A Clarion Call, the quintet simultaneously hone and expand everything that made the debut work special, while evolving the boundaries of what the band is and can be.


Idol Throne takes the listener on a sonic journey across 8 diverse tracks, from aggressive, pummeling thrashers and haunting neoclassical excursions to grandiose and powerful multi-part epics and progressive-rock inflected soundscapes. A Clarion Call is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders and ready to truly break out onto the scene.




“To me, A Clarion Call is Idol Throne taking the sound we developed on The Sibylline Age and expanding upon it in a way that showcases the growth of this band over the past few years. Not every band makes it to a second album, and not only did we get there, but we created something that I feel truly makes a statement. That’s an accomplishment I couldn’t be happier with,” says co-lead guitarist and keyboardist Martin Bowman.


A Clarion Call was produced by Martin Bowman and Jason Schultz. Mixed and mastered by Pete Grossmann at Bricktop Recording. Artwork by Mark Erskine/Erskine Designs. Photo by Kyle Bergfors/KB Imaging Co. Band logo by ModBlackMoon Logos, Marble effect by Daniel “Pitforge” Porta.





Tracklisting:


“Ecliptykon”
“Covenant Of The Immortal”
“King Among Jackals”
“Petrified”
“The Last Voyage”
“A Clarion Call”
“System Simulacrum”
“Falconer’s Cry”


“The Last Voyage” lyric video:





Idol Throne is:
Jake Quintanilla - Vocals
Martin Bowman - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Jason Schultz - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Background Vocals
Trevor Kuta - Bass
Aaron Grove - Drums and Percussion


(Photo – Kyle Bergfors)

MEGADETH played the second concert of its 2024 South American tour on Tuesday, April 9 at at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!
02. Skin O' My Teeth (first time since 2018)
03. Dystopia
04. Hangar 18
05. Sweating Bullets
06. This Was My Life
07. Angry Again
08. She-Wolf
09. Trust
10. À Tout Le Monde
11. Tornado Of Souls
12. Symphony Of Destruction
13. We'll Be Back

Encore:

14. Peace Sells
15. Mechanix

Encore 2:

16. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

4K fan-filmed video of the Santiago concert can be seen below.

Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH last September after the band's longtime axeman Kiko Loureiro, announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that Mäntysaari would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

The 37-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

MEGADETH played its first concert with Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick's exit from the group.

MEGADETH's sold-out shows at Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, 2024 will be broadcast live on Veeps. Fans will also have the exclusive opportunity to snag MEGADETH merch, including a poster and a limited-edition tee, that will only be available for purchase on Veeps during the livestream. Veeps All Access subscribers can access the shows for free as part of their subscription. Otherwise tickets are on sale for $14.99 for each show or $24.99 for both shows on veeps.com/megadeth.

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 founder Dave 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.

"Megadeth: Live From Buenos Aires" will be available for free for Veeps All Access subscribers, or fans can buy an individual show ticket for $14.99 or a ticket to view both shows for $24.99 at veeps.com/megadeth. The shows will air live on Veeps on April 13 and April 14 at approximately 9 p.m. Argentina Time (ART). The shows will be available on Veeps for two years after the original air dates, with a seven-day rewatch period for individual ticket purchasers.

Video of New Jersey thrashers OVERKILL rehearsing with their stand-in bassist David Ellefson (ex-MEGADETH) on April 9 can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Metal & Rock Zone, Ellefson spoke about the announcement that he was recruited by OVERKILL to play bass for the band on their "Scorching Latin America 2024" tour. The former MEGADETH member will be filling in for original OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni, who is unable to make the shows as he is recovering from shoulder surgery.

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

OVERKILL's 10-date "Scorching Latin America 2024" tour will kick off on April 11 in Guadalajara, Mexico and will include stops in Costa Rica, Chile and Peru before closing on April 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

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

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

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

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH nearly three years ago, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine ended up hiring TESTAMENT's Steve DiGiorgio to re-record Ellefson's bass parts on MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!"

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

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

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

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

Posted by David Ellefson on Monday, April 8, 2024

Ross Valory, regarded as one of rock's best bass guitarists and an original member of the multi-platinum band JOURNEY until his 2020 departure, has released the official Michael Cotton-directed music video for "Windmill". It's the latest single from the bassist and songwriter's debut solo album, "All Of The Above", due out on April 12 via OID Music.

Says Ross: "'Windmill' is another Latin-inspired tune that takes us to Brazil. It was written on guitar and as a result this is the first time I've recorded guitar."

Valory always had pieces of music tucked away that he had written, although songwriting contributions to JOURNEY slipped away after the first three "experimental" albums. As a member of JOURNEY, Valory concentrated on shaping the rhythm section and contributing his baritone vocals to the background blend.

During the band's second coming following the 1995 reunion album "Trial By Fire", Valory began sorting through his files and polishing up some of his old notes. In between tour dates, he pulled together a tight-knit group of collaborators and slowly began to finish what he started. After a lifetime in music, Valory scrupulously etched "All Of The Above". The album was produced by Valory and co-produced by Jacob Stowe and Eric Levy.

Valory developed a repertory company of musicians over the years that came together at his studio. He cultivated individual numbers like sprawling projects, experimenting with different arrangements played by an assortment of musicians. Sometimes spending years jamming on these ideas, the pieces took shape slowly. Different ideas were tried and discarded, remodeled and refurbished. The basic concept was to find the heart of the material and expand upon it until Valory could refine and shape the music's path to his supreme satisfaction. He cast specific musicians to specific parts. The studio became his laboratory and the compositions his experiments.

From the Latin-fired intensity of "Wild Kingdom" to the ethereal dirge of "No One Wins A War", the raucous party on "Low Rider" or the brilliant reprise of SANTANA's "Incident Of Neshabur", the album presents an evolved artist fully in command of his vision, a lifetime of experience behind the project, augmenting his core associates with guest musicians such as Gregg Errico of SLY & THE FAMILY STONE, drummer Steve Smith, and saxophonist Marc Russo. The nine tracks on the album represent the full maturity of Valory's musical gifts, cutting a broad swath through the instrumental territory the music travels. He plays keyboards, guitar, and, of course, many basses in a display of cultivated virtuosity across a palette far broader than could be found in his work with JOURNEY. He is stepping out from behind his bass and, for the first time in his more than half-century as a professional musician, representing his vision and his compositions.

Ross says: "I have been revisiting material that has been accumulating, and I am sharing some of my favorite songs for the first time!"

Valory left JOURNEY in 2020 and the bandmembers worked out their issues in a peaceful mediated settlement. Valory, who spent most of his life as a member of JOURNEY, has no regrets. He counts his blessings at having spent an amazing career with a remarkable group of musicians who succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

"All Of The Above" track listing:

01. Wild Kingdom
02. Nightflower
03. Tomland
04. Touched, Part II
05. Windmill
06. Incident At Neshabur
07. Low Rider
08. No One Wins A War

Photo credit: Jérôme Brunet (courtesy of SRO PR)

In a new interview with Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks, founding DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce discussed the progress of the songwriting sessions for the new music that he and his longtime bandmates — drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton — have been working on with singer Ryan McCombs. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have three new songs that we're working out right now. One of 'em is pretty much ready to go there. There's two we're still touching on. So I was hoping to get that going for this [upcoming] run [of shows]. We'll definitely have that ready to go by May, 'cause we're doing two weeks now and then when we get back home for the other two weeks, we're gonna be in the studio finishing that up. I'm hoping to have new music out for everybody by June, but I definitely wanna pop in and play it at shows and give people a taste. So that's gonna be a sporadic thing too."

Regarding the musical direction of the new DROWNING POOL material, Pierce said: "Oh, man, it's been so great, dude. It's intense as ever, man. It's awesome having Ryan McCombs back in the band. It's been a good 13 years since we had the chance to write music together again. And when he came back in last year — the whole thing is Ryan was gonna come back, [we were] gonna do some reunion shows with him, and he walked in the door and we just started writing together. So we have a lot of music on the plate. We just got it down to the first three here. But, dude, it's just intense. A lot has gone on in everyone's lives in the last 13-plus years, and all of us, we worked together as a band. It was awesome doing this. We're sitting down, doing the final touches on some of the new songs, all four of us at a table, spitballing lyrics and ideas, bouncing off each other as a full band. So I love that about our band. It's fun to work with my other brothers and all of us have a say-so in the song, and that's what makes it a DROWNING POOL song."

Pierce also talked about how the new DROWNING POOL music compares to "Strike A Nerve", the band's first record in seven years, which came out in September 2022 via T-Boy/UMe. It marked the band's third album with singer Jasen Moreno, who joined DROWNING POOL in 2012. Asked if the material is "more balanced" than "Strike A Nerve", C.J. said: "I wouldn't say more balanced. With Jasen Moreno on the last couple of records, we just started going up a heavy thing. Plus our career, just things that were going on at that time — I write what's going on in my life at the time; it's art, it's music — and just things were getting more intense with Jasen. Not just Jasen, but the music business, everything. So the music got intense as well, as you hear. And then with Ryan back in here, we still have that same intention, but Ryan brings a different kind of aspect and the delivery to the songs. There's definitely the style that we had on the two records we did with Ryan that's there, but we still have that heaviness going on as well. So it's definitely the heaviest stuff we've done with Ryan, for sure. So it's all heavy, brother. There's definitely a few songs that may be… We had '37 Stitches' and songs like that with Ryan. We have one or two songs that are kind of more in that mellow zone with him as well that we're working on. But, yeah, the last few records, we were pretty much just slamming, just full-on super-heavy stuff, man, which I enjoy as well. So you're gonna get a mix of it. I feel like with Ryan, we can get more of a mix of styles in there as well… It's intense, man. It's intense music. That's what we write."

McCombs played his first shows back with DROWNING POOL in March 2023 at Club L.A. in Destin, Florida and at the inaugural Throwdown At The Campground festival in Fruitland Park, Florida.

The longtime SOIL frontman, who has lived in Swindon, England since 2018, originally joined DROWNING POOL in 2005 and appeared on two of the band's studio albums, "Full Circle" (2007) and "Drowning Pool" (2010),as well as a live album, 2009's "Loudest Common Denominator". He rejoined SOIL after exiting DROWNING POOL in 2011.

McCombs is continuing to front SOIL and will carry on recording and performing with both bands.

DROWNING POOL's debut album, "Sinner", was certified platinum within six weeks of its release in 2001, while the CD's first single, "Bodies", was one of the most frequently aired videos on MTV by a new band. DROWNING POOL reached out to an ever-greater audience with dynamic performances at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest during the summers of 2001 and 2002. Unfortunately, their streak of success was not to last. Shortly after rousing the crowd at Ozzfest in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3, 2002, vocalist Dave "Stage" Williams was found dead of natural causes on the tour bus.

The Jordan's Rock Vault YouTube channel has uploaded video of LYNCH MOB's entire April 6 concert at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan. You can now watch the footage below.

Featured songs:

00:00 Lightnin' Strikes Again
03:50 River Of Love
09:28 For A Million Years
17:00 Just Got Lucky
22:20 No Good
27:34 Band Jam/Fire Master
38:00 All I Want
44:30 Paris Is Burning
49:30 Time After Time
55:40 Sweet Sister Mercy
01:00:50 Dance Of The Dogs
01:04:45 Mr. Scary
01:09:30 It's Not Love
01:19:20 Wicked Sensation

LYNCH MOB recently announced "The Final Ride", a farewell tour celebrating the band's 35-year legacy. The tour will conclude in March of 2025 on the Monsters Of Rock cruise.

George Lynch stated: "After 35 years since the inception of LYNCH MOB, I feel the time is right to let this chapter of my musical life fade off into the sunset. I feel the timing is right because of the solidarity and camaraderie of our current lineup. It ensures that we're leaving a powerful legacy with no regrets.

"Jimmy D'Anda has been my partner and brother for many decades. Jaron Gulino feels like he was designed in a laboratory to be the perfect bassist for this band. Gabriel Colón defies every lead singer stereotype by being one of the sweetest, kindest and most humble lead singer I've ever worked with, yet goes out every night and morphs into a stage stalking, golden-throated lord. We laugh hard, work hard, and know we can step on to any stage at any time and own it. With our latest record. I feel at peace knowing that we've documented the final chapter in the 35-year legacy of the MOB."

"There's been so many iterations of LYNCH MOB since the first lineup in 1989 of Oni Logan, Mick Brown, Anthony Esposito and myself. Putting LYNCH MOB together was just an extension of what I'd always strived for in a band: the best possible musicians, chemistry, and brotherhood. My bands have not only been my best friends, but also family. When we come up together and work hard and struggle together, we create a bond that lasts a lifetime. I think that's the thing I love the most about my musical journey... creating music in the studio, stepping on stage, and sharing that bond with my friends through music. Thank you to everyone who has been in my band. I really feel it's ours."

LYNCH MOB was formed in 1989 after Lynch parted ways with his former band DOKKEN. Their debut release, "Wicked Sensation", was met with critical and fan acclaim and went on to be certified gold in sales by the RIAA. The band would continue on through the years with a cast of talented players joining Lynch throughout their musical journey over the course of six more studio albums.

Released on October 20, 2023, "Babylon" is LYNCH MOB's eighth studio album overall and the first since 2017's "The Brotherhood".

LYNCH MOB is:

Gabriel Colón: Vocals
George Lynch: Guitars
Jimmy D'Anda: Drums
Jaron Gulino: Bass

New Jersey's own Jaron Gulino brings the East Coast attitude and energy to LYNCH MOB. He has prospered in a long career as the bassist in a variety of bands, most notably post-grunge rock band TANTRIC. Gulino achieved chart topping success with multiple releases from TANTRIC, as well as performing on many high-profile tours and events with numerous other acts. He is also currently the bassist for Philadelphia hard rockers HEAVENS EDGE.

His bandmate and partner in crime in the rhythm section is none other than original BULLETBOYS drummer Jimmy D'Anda, who is known for his ability to bring a fantastic element of groove while maintaining the powerful hard rock vibe of LYNCH MOB.

Gabriel Colón is a Puerto Rican singer who started his career with a band called FAST TAKER. Since then, he has showcased his wide range of vocal talent with many rock acts including GOTHIC KNIGHTS, CULPRIT, WHITE WIZZARD and Rowan Robertson. Gabriel is a true talent and a great fit to fill the shoes of his extremely talented predecessors in LYNCH MOB.

For much of 2021 and 2022, George had played dates around the U.S. under the name ELECTRIC FREEDOM, which he previously said was the new name of his "touring entity" after deciding to retire the LYNCH MOB band name in 2020. However, a year ago, it was reported that Lynch was once again playing shows under the LYNCH MOB moniker.

In August 2020, Lynch announced that he was ending LYNCH MOB due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker, saying he would no longer record or perform under that name.

THIS SATURDAY!!! at The Machine Shop... I will be doing merch for Lynch Mob....stop by...grab a drink..and listen to some music🤘

Posted by Brian Sarazin on Monday, April 1, 2024

U.S. rockers HIGH ON FIRE have released the official music video for the title track of their upcoming album, "Cometh The Storm". The clip was directed by Phil Mucci of Diabolik Films and can be seen below.

"Cometh The Storm" will be released on April 19 via MNRK Heavy. The Grammy Award-winning group, celebrating its 25th anniversary, recorded the LP at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou. The 11-song effort — the band's ninth studio album — marks the release of the first new HIGH ON FIRE music since 2018's "Electric Messiah" and the first to feature drummer Coady Willis (BIG BUSINESS, MURDER CITY DEVILS),alongside bassist Jeff Matz and guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike.

"'Cometh the Storm' was built from a riff I started playing on bass at practice," Matz commented. "I was noodling around with this melancholic harmonic minor line, just hammering the notes with my left hand, when Matt yelled out, 'Are we recording this!?'

"The chorus riff was something Coady and I came up with when we were jamming in L.A.," he continued. "Matt then came in and worked up some rough lyrics and came up with the vocal line. For the chorus, I used this fretless bass I'd acquired. The weight of the low frequencies this thing produced was insane — how it blended with the guitars and drums, it was like being hit with a sledgehammer."

"Cometh The Storm" track listing:

01. Lambsbread
02. Burning Down
03. Trismegistus
04. Cometh The Storm
05. Karanlık Yol
06. Sol's Golden Curse
07. The Beating
08. Tough Guy
09. Lightning Beard
10. Hunting Shadows
11. Darker Fleece

"I think this band's always had a really good drive," stated Pike. "It's a different entity. It's its own thing. Which, I think, makes all of us very proud to be a part of it. It's not an average band."

"Being a fan of each other's bands for a long time, it feels like all bets are off and anything goes which is a liberating feeling," shared Willis. "That feeling of making something out of all of these imperfect parts and it becomes this magical, weird, new idea that none of us ever anticipated. Against all odds. That's the joy of it."

"It's interesting, whenever there's a lineup change in a band," offered Ballou. "It can take a little while to rebuild. But it's also an opportunity to reinvigorate the band and I think that's what's happened here."

Universally recognized as one of the most potent acts in music today, HIGH ON FIRE creates dynamic metal that merges primal fury and aggression, hesher bombast and hall of fame heaviness. Described as "a supersonic exercise in conquest by volume," HIGH ON FIRE has rewritten the hard rock rule book since its formation in 1998, forging a style and sound that is both critically celebrated and unique. The group features vocalist and cult guitar hero Matt Pike (also a founding member of the famed underground band SLEEP) singular bassist Jeff Matz and powerhouse drummer Coady Willis.

HIGH ON FIRE's most recent studio album, "Electric Messiah", was released on October 9, 2018, and won a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance", placing HIGH ON FIRE among the ranks of groups such as BLACK SABBATH, MOTÖRHEAD and METALLICA as winners of the prestigious award, presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry.

Photo credit: James Rexroad

A day after announcing that his original G&L guitar had gone missing, Jerry Cantrell says that it turns out that the instrument was actually just misplaced.

Late Wednesday (April 10),Cantrell shared a video update on his Instagram, with the ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist speaking while standing next to the newly recovered legendary electric guitar.

Jerry said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We found the damn thing. There it is. God, what a relief. It was misplaced over the weekend during transit between photo shoots and the studio. I'm working on a record right now, and I really thought this thing had gone missing. So, thankfully it was just misplaced.

"It's so amazing to me, everybody's outreach and support and a willingness to get the word out," he continued. "I've been through a stolen guitar thing before with an EVH and it took me 18 years to get it back. So many of my brothers like Zakk [Wylde] and [Tom] Morello and [Billy] Corgan and et cetera have similar stories, and I was worried to death that this thing was gone over the weekend. So, I think the headline here is how important this guitar is not only to me, but to everybody else. And it just makes me feel fucking very fucking special to have so many great people in my life and so many people care.

"So happy to cry wolf," he added. "It was misplaced. I hope you understand my concern. The thing is okay. There it is. And we will be rocking together very shortly for you. And, thanks again. Bye."

Cantrell's aforementioned EVH guitar, which had been gifted to him by Eddie Van Halen, went missing around 2002 and wasn’t returned to him until nearly two decades later.

"A couple of AIC fans and collectors tracked it down and tried to do a sting on this kid who had it and was trying to sell it," Cantrell later told Guitar World. "He went dark on the first guy, who was from Florida. The second guy was a separate collector from San Diego. Between the two of them, it took about two weeks for me to get that guitar back… after 19 years!"

While the G&L guitar was recently on display at Seattle's MoPOP Museum, Cantrell discussed the importance of his Blue Dress Rampage, saying: "I bought that in 1985. That guitar has been on everything I've ever recorded, pretty much — 98.9% of every song, that guitar's on there somewhere. I tried for decades to wreck it and it still exists. I've surfed it across the stage, jumped in the audience with it, fans running up and getting their hair caught in the keys, and then trying to jump back in the audience pulling me with them…"

"It's nothing fancy. There's plenty of fancier, cooler guitars, but it’s just a meat and potatoes guitar," Cantrell told Total Guitar in 2014, "and that's always felt comfortable for me to play from the get-go."

Beyond the instantly identifiable riffs and equally recognizable vocals, Cantrell will always be known as a songwriter, first and foremost. Those songs comprise his influential catalog as co-founder, vocalist, and lead guitarist of the iconic ALICE IN CHAINS and as a solo artist whose music resounds across culture. He penned three acclaimed solo albums — "Boggy Depot" (1998),"Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2" (2002) and "Brighten" (2021) — and appeared on chart-topping records by everyone from METALLICA and DEFTONES to Ozzy Osbourne.

His music can be heard in the films of Academy Award winner Cameron Crowe and Judd Apatow in addition to blockbuster franchises such as "John Wick" and "Spider-Man". Throughout his career, he’s garnered eleven Grammy Award nominations, logged multiple No. 1 hits at radio, sold north of 30 million records, and received the 2020 Museum of Pop Culture Founders Award as part of ALICE IN CHAINS. Not to mention, Guitar World cited him as one of the "100 Greatest Guitar Players Of All Time." He has also received the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award from MusiCares in addition to supporting numerous charities over the years.

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During an appearance on the "Rig Biz Podcast", NICKELBACK rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger were asked about past feuds with other famous rock bands and whether any of it ever came to blows. Ryan responded, "Oh, nothing that you haven't already read that we don't wanna replicate." Mike chimed in, "There's personalities", before Ryan continued: "Have you seen two lead singers get together? It's like a cockfight." Mike added, "Regrettable things get said on all sides and everybody kind of looks stupid. I wouldn't go on about it. But it is a game of egos, guys — it just really is. And sometimes those egos are fragile, and they get messy sometimes."

Back in May 2017, Chad Kroeger slammed STONE SOUR as "NICKELBACK Lite" and challenged Corey Taylor to "write a hit song." The NICKELBACK frontman, who is Mike's brother, made his comments while being interviewed by Sweden's Metal Covenant in Stockholm. As he was discussing NICKELBACK's musical versatility, Kroeger told the site: "I can't think of another band that's as diverse as we are. I can't. And I don't think that's me talking from pride or ego. I mean, you're sitting across the table. You know what you're talking about." He then asked the journalist to name another band that covers such a wide musical palette as NICKELBACK.

After the writer mentioned STONE SOUR as an example of a band that is also "very diverse," Chad shot back: "Yeah, 'cause they're trying to be NICKELBACK." He then took a swig from his beer and directed his comments at the STONE SOUR singer: "Corey Taylor has said some really nasty things about me before in the press. He talks about how easy it is to write a hit song. Well, show me. Show me. Write one. I have yet to hear one. They're okay. But they're not as good as NICKELBACK. They sound like 'NICKELBACK Lite.'"

Kroeger went on to point out that NICKELBACK and Taylor's other band, SLIPKNOT, launched their respective careers while signed to the same label (Roadrunner). He added: "They had to put on masks and jump around. How good can your music be if you've gotta beat each other up on stage, throw up in your own masks every night…? I mean, music shouldn't come with a gimmick; music should just be music. None of my favorite music comes with a gimmick. And he got tired of sitting behind a mask — he wanted people to know what he looks like — so he started STONE SOUR."

A short time later, Corey told the 93.3 WMMR radio station that Chad's NICKELBACK bandmates "called and apologized" after Chad's comments made the news. "They were, like, 'It's not us. We promise. It's this guy. We don't…' And I had hung out with the band before, and they're super-cool dudes," he said. "So I was, like… Well, I figured it wasn't them. So I don't want people holding it against the band, because it's not them. It's Captain Ego from Planet Douche."

Asked if there was any sort of "beef" between him and Chad prior to Kroeger's comments to Metal Covenant, Corey told the station: "No, not really. I mean, I said something maybe, like, fifteen years ago, but I was drinking then; nobody was listening to me then. And I hadn't said anything since; I don't even think about him. For real. This came so far out of left field that I woke up to everyone, like, blowing me up. And I was, like, 'Really?'"

In a 2002 interview with Rock Sound magazine, Taylor seemed to suggest that Roadrunner was spending more time and resources promoting NICKELBACK than they were getting behind SLIPKNOT. "I'm glad they could use our money to make fucking NICKELBACK happy," he said. "That's a very, very bitter subject for me, and if I ever see any of those fuckers, it's going to be brutal." He continued: "I'm happy for them, but at the same [time], we went out and bust our asses to make what we did. If they're still here in a couple years then, hey, good for them, but this band isn't going anywhere, and when the record label basically fucks your loyalty in the ass, it's really bitter — especially when we went out and fucking bled, sweat and earned every fucking album that we sold. MTV won't fucking touch us, radio barely fucking touches us and here comes those fucking pretty boys... and the lead singer looks like Shaggy from 'Scooby Doo'... and what the fuck am I supposed to do? Am I not supposed to feel bitter when I have broken bones and fucking torn corneas? It's bullshit, and the record label just smiles at you and goes 'Yeah, yeah whatever...' It's fucking not right, dude."

Taylor added: "It's just the fact we could have used the help. We have fucking fought for everything we have fucking made, when is someone going to help us, and when is someone going to step up and fight for us? The record label doesn't do that for us. It'll go to bat for fucking NICKELBACK, but when it comes to us, it's fucking shutdown. It's, like, what the fuck? I'm fucking proud of what we've done, but goddamn it, when are we going to get given a hand? I'm so fucking tired of it."

CATEGORY 7, the new band featuring former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, ARMORED SAINT/ex-ANTHRAX singer John Bush, OVERKILL/SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson, has inked a deal with Metal Blade Records.

The origins of CATEGORY 7 began with discussions between Demmel and Orlando of their mutual desire to form a twin lead guitar hard rock unit harkening back to bands of the 1970s such as THIN LIZZY. Bittner was next to join the conversation followed by Gibson. After composing some early music, it was obvious that the only vocalist that would fit the concept would be Bush.

Notes Bush: "Mike Orlando's and Phil Demmel's awesome riffs made writing lyrics over the music a piece of cake. The rhythm tandem of Bittner and Gibson rounded out the sound and the connection felt like it was put together in the stars. Obviously, everyone being a veteran of the metal scene made it that much easier."

Based on Demmel's and Bush's long-term relationships with Metal Blade Records, it seemed to be the perfect home for the band. The label agreed and a union was quickly forged.

Comments Metal Blade Records founder Brian Slagel: "Happy to welcome CATEGORY 7 into the Metal Blade family. Of course, some of them are already in! Seriously love working with this crew and it's great stuff!"

As crushing and confrontational as an armed rebellion and as fiercely melodic as infectious riffs and aggressive vocals can be, CATEGORY 7 is a new breed of hard rock that lives up to the storied histories of its members. CATEGORY 7's debut will see release this summer with their first single to be unveiled on May 2.

Demmel spoke about CATEGORY 7 in an August 2023 interview with former EXHORDER and PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS guitarist Marzi Montazeri. Regarding how the musicians first came together, Demmel said: "I [was] doing a one-off [show], [filling in as the guitar player for] OVERKILL, and this is just right after things are opening up. It's in Jersey, so we go up to Dingbatz, or what's… there's the bar and then there's the venue. So whatever the bar is, we go to the bar. And Orlando comes and meets us, and it's Corey Pierce from GOD FORBID. And so we're there all getting loaded. And at a certain point, it was just, like, 'Man, we got the band right here, man. Why don't we do something? Why don't we write music together?' And we're all, 'Yeah, let's do.' And then the next day, we're kind of hung over, going, 'Hey, man, did we mean it? Did we mean that? Yeah, let's see can happen.' And I came back [to the East Coast]. I forget what I was doing when I came back. And me and Orlando got together and we just got in the room and started throwing riffs at each other and came up with, like, a dozen or so riffs that he took back. And you know Mikey O — he's got his own studio, and he gets behind something. And he's got such a great ear. He's a phenomenal guitar player. And he's got a great ear for music and melody. So he starts putting the shit together. And we're, like, Damn, this is fucking cool.' … And then so we're thinking, it's, like, all right, well, bass player and vocalists. Vocalists, who would you guys want? Let's make our list. Start at the top.' And then bang, bang, bang. All at the top was 'John Bush', 'John Bush', 'John Bush'. We're, like, 'Hmm.' I said I know him from [playing together in] METAL ALLEGIANCE. We broed down a little bit — we talked sports and stuff — so I said, I know him enough to call him up and ask him. So I did. And he was super… We were in the friend zone for a while — you know, non-committal. And it's been bit by bit by bit."

Phil went on to describe the new band's musical direction as "heavier than the early VAN HALEN and the early PANTERA stuff that's on the — you know, the shuffle beat. It's on the upbeat; a lot of it's on the upbeat, not on the down. So it's the head-bobbing type of type of BPMs, you know? So it's different. Nobody's really doing that now."

Orlando was the guitarist/founding member of the hard rock group ADRENALINE MOB. As owner of his own recording studio, Sonic Stomp Studios, he handles everything from engineering, producing, mixing and mastering.

Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour. He was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).

Widely known as the drummer from American metal band SHADOWS FALL, Bittner has won numerous awards, including Modern Drummer magazine's No. 1 Metal Drummer in 2005 and 2006, No. 1 Up-And-Coming Drummer in 2004 and 2005, and No. 2 Clinician for DRUM! magazine in 2011. In 2014, Bittner hooked up with the thrash metal band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and has since joined OVERKILL.

Bush continues to record and tour with ARMORED SAINT, which he co-founded in 1982.

John fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the group reunited with Joey Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Dan Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

In 1996, eight albums into EXODUS's career, Gibson joined the band and has remained with the group ever since. In addition to his work EXODUS, he has fathered a bluegrass brainchild, COFFIN HUNTER, a band that combines Gibson's love for Nashville music and for playing banjo, giving off a vibe of true Americana like a mix of C.W. McCall, Jerry Reed and Sergio Leone.

Photo by Rob Shotwell

During an appearance on "The Greg Hill Show", DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen was asked if he thought he was done playing drums when he famously lost his left arm to amputation after a near-fatal auto accident in England in 1984. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did. I honestly thought that was it. When I finally realized that I'd actually lost my arm when I came around in hospital, I really didn't wanna be here and I didn't want to see anybody. I think the only person I wanted to see was my brother and my parents, but I just wanted to disappear. I felt so self-conscious. And then a friend of mine, [Robert John] 'Mutt' Lange, our producer, he came in to see me, and he just lifted me up, and he turned my attention to what I could do, whereas I was sort of obsessing on everything that I couldn't do, and he really helped me really dig in and find the power of the human spirit and that's what kind of lifted me out of it."

Regarding the fact that he was able to return to drumming at world-class level with DEF LEPPARD, Rick said: "When I look back now, I realize what that must look like from the outside. But I was very fortunate that all that information of having two arms was in my head, and it was almost like this natural thing. All the information that used to go to my left arm kind of went to the rest of my limbs, so I was able to express myself, even though it was in a in a different way, but I was still able to emulate a lot of the things that I did prior to losing my arm."

Allen also talked about what it has been like to serve as an inspiration to people with disabilities or facing challenges in life in the four decades since he has had to re-learn his drumming skills.

"Well, I have to go back to the early days of feeling defeated and hopefully leading through example and doing what I do, people catch that and hopefully they can dig in and find that part of themselves that is inspired," he said. "And I think any of us as human beings, that's all we need is just the spark of inspiration and just take that to the next level. And I think one of the most important things for me at that time was I stopped comparing myself to how I used to be, and I tried to stop comparing myself to others and embrace the idea of what I was doing or what I was doing is really unique and kind of grabbing a hold of that. Nobody can play the way that I play, so kind of reframing it, and that was a really big help and that helped me get through it."

Allen lost his arm after he was thrown through the sunroof of his car, and his left arm got caught in the seatbelt when it came undone during the crash. As a result, the arm was severed from his body. Initially, doctors reattached the arm but they would eventually have to amputate because of an infection.

After Rick's life-altering accident, he had to relearn how to play drums and drum manufacturer Simmons worked with him to build a kit. His DEF LEPPARD bandmates stuck with Allen through the difficult time and the drummer persevered through an accident that would have ended most people's careers.

Allen spoke about his accident during an interview with Modern Drummer. He said: "I remember coming around in the hospital and then realizing what had happened to me after the accident, and honestly, I wanted to disappear. I didn't wanna do this anymore. And then I started getting these letters from all over the world… I got encouragement from everywhere — from my family, from the guys [in the band], from people all over the world. And I don't know what happened, but I discovered the power of the human spirit and just said, 'You know what? I can do this.' It was really a collective thing. It was all this encouragement I was getting from other people, and then it just manifested in wanting to succeed. And that's exactly where it came from."

Rick also talked about the support he received from his bandmates in DEF LEPPARD who stuck by him through his recovery and waited patiently for his return.

"They left the decision to me, whether I wanted to go on or not, and they gave me time to grow and develop, really, a whole new style [of playing]," Allen said. "And that's all I needed — I just needed the time. I needed the time to build my confidence and realize that I could do it. Nobody ever said, 'Well, you have to make a decision now.' I think that was the most important thing — just that time that they gave me just to find myself."

After visiting the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2006, Allen dedicated himself to helping war veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of sustaining injuries similar to his own.

Allen told ABC News in 2012: "I didn't know what my life would be like after that terrible day. It was the darkest time in my life… My desire is to encourage a support system for warriors, de-stigmatize PTSD, share their stories and offers alternative ways to pave the road to resiliency and health."

In a new interview with LA Lloyd, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix spoke about how his band and other groups like DISTURBED are still waving the rock flag as bright as ever. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've done our best through the years, and, and it's just dope 'cause at this point now we're seeing this resurgence happen in rock music, and it's exciting. I almost feel like it's like early 2000s in a way, just 'cause it's, like, the guitars are pumped way back up. You mentioned DISTURBED. I was chatting with Dave [DISTURBED singer David Draiman] the other day and talking about [their] tour, and it's just, like, they're packed to the rafters every night. And then you've got this new artist FALLING IN REVERSE that's coming up, and there's a lot of younger [bands] — BEARTOOTH, BRING ME THE HORIZON, and a lot of very inspired younger bands — BAD OMENS — coming up. And I think the future of rock is exciting — rock and punk rock music. It's just bubbling, man. And so, it's a good time to be in rock and roll."

This past January, PAPA ROACH shared a brand new live version of their hit single "Scars" featuring a guest appearance by Chris Daughtry.

"Scars Featuring Chris Daughtry (Live)" is not only a fresh take on one of the band's biggest hits, but it also serves as the latest release on the band's "Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)" EP.

In February, PAPA ROACH's "Leave A Light On" became the band's 10th career No. 1, and its fourth from PAPA ROACH's latest album, "Ego Trip", on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

"Ego Trip" debuted at No. 6 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart in April 2022.

Previous PAPA ROACH radio hits include "Between Angels And Insects", "Gravity", "Getting Away With Murder", "She Loves Me Not", "Falling Apart", "Help" and "Last Resort".