NINE INCH NAILS leader Trent Reznor has blasted Spotify and Apple Music for the paltry payments the music streaming services paysout to music rightsholders. Speaking to GQ magazine, the industrial rock pioneer said: "I think the terrible payout of streaming services has mortally wounded a whole tier of artists that make being an artist unsustainable. And it's great if you're Drake, and it's not great if you're Grizzly Bear. And the reality is: Take a look around. We've had enough time for the whole 'All the boats rise' argument to see they don't all rise. Those boats rise. These boats don't. They can't make money in any means. And I think that's bad for art."

He continued: "I thought maybe at Apple there could be influence to pay in a more fair or significant way, because a lot of these services are just a rounding error compared to what comes in elsewhere, unlike Spotify where their whole business is that. But that's tied to a lot of other political things and label issues, and everyone's trying to hold onto their little piece of the pie and it is what it is. I also realize, I think that people just want to turn the faucet on and have music come in. They're not really concerned about all the romantic shit I thought mattered."

During the GQ interview, Reznor also spoke about the status of NINE INCH NAILS, which hasn't performed live since late 2022. Regarding why he deliberately chose to step back from playing shows, Trent said: "For the first time in a long time, I wasn't sure: What's the tour going to say? What do I have to say right now? We can still play those songs real good. Maybe we can come up with a new production. But it wasn't screaming at me: This is what to do right now."

Reznor went on to say that his soundtrack work with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross "managed to make NINE INCH NAILS feel way more exciting than it had been in the past few years. I'd kind of let it atrophy a bit in my mind for a variety of reasons."

Ross added: "I do feel excited about starting on the next record. I think we're in a place now where we kind of have an idea."

In March 2020, NINE INCH NAILS surprise-released two new albums: "Ghosts V: Together" and "Ghosts VI: Locusts". Consisting of 23 new instrumental tracks, they were described on NIN's web site as "two different records for two different mindsets."

Prior to "Ghosts V: Together" and "Ghosts VI: Locusts", Reznor and Ross last shared new NINE INCH NAILS music in a series of records released over three years: "Not The Actual Events" in 2016, "Add Violence" in 2017 and "Bad Witch" in 2018, with the latter followed by a tour.

The pair have spent much of the past decade composing scores for TV and film projects like "Bird Box", "Waves" and "Watchmen".

Reznor originally joined the streaming service Beats Music as the chief creative officer in 2012 and he became part of the Apple Music executive team when the tech giant bought Beats Electronics in 2014.

In a 2018 interview with Stereogum, Reznor explained why he left his position at Apple Music, saying: "I have a mixed set of feelings about the whole thing. From my own perspective, I got obsessed with trying to crack that code. Being stuck on a record label, watching fans get pissed off — watching myself get pissed off at fans and wondering why am I pissed off? 'Cause they're listening to my fuckin' album! A week before a plastic disc shows up in the store that no one wants to buy. They're not bootlegging t-shirts or something they're listening to shit I did and they're excited about it and I'm doing it too to other bands that I am excited about and I thought, 'This is broken. The whole idea is broken and there's got to be a better way.'

"Apple had been one of those companies that I really looked forward to what they were going to present. It's like Willy Wonka. I thought Steve Jobs was a genius and he brought things to the world that I think made significant changes and I looked forward to what was ahead. Steve wasn't there anymore but this was an opportunity that if I didn't do it, would I feel like I would've wondered what would have happened if I did do it. We were in-between record cycles and after much soul-searching I just thought, 'I'll jump into this and see what I can do.' And it was an eye-opening, incredible amount of work to be dropped into the world of engineers who didn't want you there. You know, the boss dropped you down in there and everyone's, like, 'What the fuck is this guy doing here?' It was an incredibly political situation that was defeating and tiring to have to deal with and most of the work seemed to be on that side than it was doing the actual work.

"I would like my sons to be able to think, 'Hey maybe there's a career I could have as an artist and I don't have to do that on the side while I do something else.' That there's a possible chance of a livelihood being made. I think after two real years of doing that full-time and another two years of doing it part-time some inroads were made that mattered — I think my awareness that most of that job comes down to product design and marketing and thinking about what the consumer wants felt at odds with the artist in me. I'd find myself speaking the language of the marketing guy because I'd been in a room with 40 people that were talking about brand identities and shit like that. I felt like, guilty that I wasn't being an artist and a part of that's my own madness but it made me realize I'm not that interested in that. I've seen it, I've been under the hood, I've sat at the table with these guys, I got to know them, I'm in awe of what they do. It's not what I think I was put on Earth to do. And I know that now.

"There was a part of me that always thought, 'What if I would've gone the computer engineering route? Would I be happier?' I don't know. The grass is greener on the other side. I had a chance to kind of deep-dive into working at a corporation. Seeing the nuts and bolts of how that works, there's a lot of fascinating shit in there that I never would've seen or experienced and I'm appreciative of the opportunity but it also made me cherish what I've made on the other side, as an artist."

The EMIL GUT YouTube channel has uploaded 4K video of JUDAS PRIEST's March 30 concert at Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland. You can now watch the clips 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 Kraków 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. Sinner
12. Metal Gods
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.

POWERWOLF will release a new studio album, "Wake Up The Wicked", on July 26, 2024 via Napalm Records.

"Wake Up The Wicked" — the highly anticipated follow-up to the extremely successful "Call Of The Wild" (2021) — will arrive just in time for the award-winning band's first-ever full North American tour, starting in August 2024, followed by their biggest European headline tour to date, the "Wolfsnächte 2024".

"Wake Up The Wicked" was once again produced by Joost Van Den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities and marks a new benchmark and undisputed career highlight for the band. The new album is hard, surprising and full of variety. While staying true to their established, loved sound, POWERWOLF go one step further and showcase a different facet of their deft musical and technical skills. This is evident, for example, on the outstanding single "1589", which is based on a true story from the 16th century.

20 years after their formation in 2004, POWERWOLF are expanding their repertoire with the highest quality and adding many future live hits to their extraordinary discography. "Wake Up The Wicked" is yet another statement cementing the status of the band as a leading force in the world of heavy metal

"Wake Up The Wicked" track listing:

01. Bless 'Em With The Blade
02. Sinners Of The Seven Seas
03. Kyrie Klitorem
04. Heretic Hunters
05. 1589
06. Viva Vulgata
07. Wake Up The Wicked
08. Joan Of Arc
09. Thunderpriest
10. We Don't Wanna Be No Saints
11. Vargamor

POWERWOLF are undoubtedly one of the most celebrated and successful heavy metal bands of the last decade. Multiple No. 1 album chart entries, gold and platinum records, huge sold-out arena shows, as well as headline slots at the biggest festivals have paved their way. In less than 20 years of band history, POWERWOLF has made it to the very highest league of heavy metal.

POWERWOLF has conquered countless stages at the world's biggest summer festivals, and their last "Wolfsnächte" headline tours (2019, 2022),as well as their aforementioned North American debut in early 2023, were almost completely sold out — resulting in a massive triumph. They have performed headlining sets at Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze, as well as held premium slots at genre festival giants such as Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, Masters Of Rock and many more, captivating enormous audiences. No other German metal band has been able to write a success story even remotely comparable in recent years.

Following their onslaught of North America, POWERWOLF will embark on their most impressive European tour yet in celebration of their highly anticipated 2024 studio album. Amid 16 shows in total, the tour will visit colossal venues in Munich, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Hamburg and Antwerp. POWERWOLF will be accompanied by Swedish heavy metal legends HAMMERFALL as special guests, with support from viral rising stars, dwarven metallers WIND ROSE.

The story of the frontrunners of today's German metal scene, POWERWOLF, began in 2004 and only knows one direction: ever upwards. Their trajectory may seem like something out of a fairytale, but it is the result of the band embodying the highest quality of heavy metal in the universe. Outstanding album production, bombastic live shows and a tireless drive for perfection on and behind the stage are what this exceptional band is known for around the world.

Over the course of their career, the band has not only fascinated metal fans, but has also won over international press and critics. Countless cover stories in the most important magazines, critics' awards such as the Metal Hammer Award, and effusive album and concert reviews underpin POWERWOLF's outstanding international status.

POWERWOLF is:

Attila Dorn - vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel - organ
Charles Greywolf - guitar
Matthew Greywolf - guitar
Roel van Helden - drums

Photo credit: VDPictures

In the video below, MANOWAR frontman Eric Adams looks back on the band's 2023 tour of South America, including first-ever performances in Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador and the long-awaited return to Brazil and Chile, and explains the electrifying energy at any MANOWAR show. Eric talks about the message of MANOWAR and the honor and privilege of hearing Manowarriors share the impact of it on their lives.

Asked if there are any special moments that stand out from the South American tour, Eric said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Every night I'm excited to see the fans' reaction when we first come out on that stage, because they've only seen videos of us. For some of these places we played for the first time, they've only seen videos, so when we finally do come out on this stage, I mean, they go absolutely rabid. It's unbelievable. And they know the words to every song. Arms up in the air all night long. I mean, they really, really are into it and loved every minute that we were on that stage, every minute of it. We try to include the fans as much as we can in every show, every MANOWAR show. [They were] going crazy. It's a great time for us and a great time for them, and that makes it a great time for all."

Asked how it feels to hear fans tell him that MANOWAR is the most important band in their lives, Adams said: "Oh, it's, it's incredible. I mean, when I see 'Sign Of The Hammer' tattoos on their arms, on their legs, on their tits, everywhere, it's, like, these are true, true fans. These are true fans. And it's gratifying for us to know that we bring the love of music and the love of our message to everybody all over the world. To listen to some of the stories, when a fan comes and talks to me, it's almost — they're tearful, of what they had to go through and how they thought… I don't care if it was just them or if it was a family member that they loved and they had to go through whatever pain they had to go through, they were brought back to their fold or back to life, I think, by just listening to some of the MANOWAR songs. And that's our whole idea, is to let people know that this isn't the end. Everyone's a hero. You're your own hero. And what you do in life to create that hero is totally up to you. It's totally up to you. Nobody can tell you what to do, how to dress, how to wear your hair, whatever you wanna do. You're your own person and you've gotta let them know it. And I think that's the message that we send to people and that's the message that they get. And when it's a combination of sending and getting, it's a huge, huge thing. Huge."

When the interviewer noted that Eric and his bandmates had previously described their live shows as electric current that flows back and forth between the stage and the audience, Adams said: "Oh, absolutely. When you play, if the fans are going crazy, which they do every, every night, it's like, it's like a sponge; I like to consider it like a sponge. We soak in their energy and we give it right back to them, and that just makes a great show."

As previously reported, MANOWAR's exclusive U.S. concert, which will take place on November 30 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, is officially sold out. It will mark the band's first live appearance in MANOWAR's home country in a decade.

Last December, MANOWAR bassist/leader Joey DeMaio said in a video message that the band's upcoming concert in New York will coincide with the 40th anniversary of MANOWAR's "Sign Of The Hammer". "It's gonna be the only show in America, unfortunately, because our recording and touring schedule won't allow for more, but it will be the full show," he said. "I know there's been questions about that. This is going to be our full team of 40 people with the kind of show that we've been doing in Europe for many, many years. It's gonna be big, loud, proud, massive, a huge event. So I would encourage everybody that wants to see MANOWAR in America, please come. There's gonna be people flying in from China, Japan, all across the world. So I know there's gonna be a lot of people who don't mind traveling for a few hours across America. Looking forward to seeing everybody there and get ready to get your head blown off. Believe me, we're gonna take the roof off that joint. That's a promise. See you there."

MANOWAR's last U.S. shows are believed to have taken place in February 2014 when the band celebrated the 25th anniversary of its "Kings Of Metal" album on the "Kings Of Metal MMXIV" tour.

Back in September 2014, MANOWAR canceled its previously announced U.S. tour dates which were scheduled to take place in November of that year. At the time, the band claimed it was scrapping the shows "due to scheduling conflicts" as well as to concentrate on work on a new studio album.

The 70-year-old DeMaio and 71-year-old Adams are the sole remaining original members of MANOWAR, which formed in 1980 in upstate New York.

In October 2023, MANOWAR announced "The Blood Of Our Enemies" 2025 tour of Europe. The trek will be the band's first in support of MANOWAR's next studio album, which will arrive in early 2025.

In February 2023, MANOWAR released a new song called "Laut Und Hart Stark Und Schnell" dedicated to the band's loyal German fans.

"Laut Und Hart Stark Und Schnell", which translates into "Loud And Hard Strong And Fast", is an anthemic mid-tempo hymn in the vein of MANOWAR's classic "Warriors Of The World United" that invites fans to sing along and raise their hands in celebration of their favorite genre and band.

"Laut Und Hart Stark Und Schnell" was first released digitally on February 10, 2023 on all major platforms and was made available during MANOWAR's German tour.

Less than two years ago, MANOWAR announced that it had recruited Michael Angelo Batio, a veteran both in the studio and on stage, to play guitar for the band on its 2023 "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal" tour. The news came in the wake of guitarist Evandro "EV" Martel's announcement that he was taking a break from touring for a while for "personal reasons".

Although MANOWAR has released a couple of EPs in recent years — including "The Revenge Of Odysseus (Highlights)", which came out in June — the group hasn't issued a full-length effort since 2012's "The Lord Of Steel".

MANOWAR's two "secret" warm-up shows in June 2022 at Jovel Music Hall in Münster, Germany marked the band's debut live appearances with new drummer Dave Chedrick, who has previously played with RAVEN and KILL RITUAL, among others.

Chedrick joined MANOWAR as the replacement for Anders Johannson who announced that same month that he would be unable to join MANOWAR on the band's "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" due to "family commitments."

One of the early bastions of true US metal, New Jersey’s Attacker, is back to celebrate their 40th anniversary on The God Particle, a triumphant, eight-song classic metal offering.


The new album will be released on CD, vinyl, and digital formats through Cruz Del Sur Music on April 12. Pre-order on Bandcamp, and listen to the second single, "World In Flames", below.


Attacker are celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2024. It’s a milestone marked by their influential 1985 Battle At Helm’s Deep debut and 1988 The Second Coming sophomore effort, as well as post-2001 reformation full-lengths like 2004’s Soul Taker and 2006’s The Unknown that served as reminders of Attacker’s staying power. While it hasn’t always been easy for Attacker, founding member and drummer Mike Sabatini attributes the band’s longevity to their love of heavy metal music. That red thread and never-ending appreciation for what Attacker means to them and so many across the globe helps define the band’s newest studio foray, The God Particle.




The follow-up to 2016’s Sins Of The World LP and 2018’s Armor Of The Gods EP was recorded at Sabatini’s Bandmother Recording Studio in Jersey City, New Jersey, from November 2023 to January 2024. The album was subsequently mixed by Sabatini alongside C.J. Scioscia, with mastering handled by Joe Lambert. As it stands, The God Particle is a tried-and-true dose of pure, unbridled heavy metal with ample broadsides of aggression and melody—both permanent elements of Attacker’s sound. It’s also clear that the band—rounded out by vocalist Bobby Lucas, the guitar tandem of Mike Benetatos and Jon Hasselbrink and bassist Brian Smith—has gelled into a formidable writing unit, offering what is perhaps Attacker’s most varied batch of songs.


The album’s gestation period was longer than normal (see: Covid), but the extended time writing afforded Attacker the opportunity to craft new songs that are primed and ready for European festival sing-along participation. Lucas is responsible not only for the album’s soaring choruses but also its concept, which is based on the Large Hadron Collider Particle Accelerator in Cern, Switzerland, that is used to create energetic collisions of particles like protons, breaking them into subatomic components that can be detected and studied. Adding to the intrigue: There was supposedly a satanic ritual performed at the Collider site to call in evil from another dimension. Whether that actually happened or not, it serves as the perfect tie-in to Marc Sasso’s cover art (Dio, Halford, Marvel Comics).


But back to the 40th anniversary of Attacker. Sabatini has been on record that he was reluctant to reform the band during its 1990s dormancy. Only the passing of original guitarist Jim Mooney and vocalist John Leone (who performed on The Second Coming) reignited the Attacker fire. The band now exists to honor its storied legacy, but also to create new, compelling music to satisfy a worldwide fanbase who remains hungry for Attacker music. Consider the job complete on The God Particle.





Tracklisting:


“Knights Of Terror”
“Curse Of Creation”
“Stigmatized”
“River Of Souls”
“Kingdom Of Iron”
“World In Flames”
“The Mighty Have Fallen”
“The God Particle”


“World In Flames”:





“The Mighty Have Fallen” lyric video:

Richard Black was once known as the “King of the Sunset Strip” and Shark Island was once the house band at the world famous Gazzaris. Signed to Epic Records in 1989 the band released their debut album, Law Of The Order, and also saw the tracks "Dangerous" and "Father Time" featured in the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, as well as the song "My City" from the movie Point Break.


Lead Singer Richard Black would go on to be part of the short-lived supergroup Contraband, which also featured Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO), and members of L.A. Guns, Ratt and Vixen. They released one album in 1991 before disbanding.


Shark Island was resurrected in 2005 and recorded and released the album Gathering Of The Faithful in 2006. In 2018 the band started work on Bloodline, which was recorded in Croatia and Los Angeles and officially released by Deko Entertainment as Bloodline 2.020 in 2020. It was produced by Alex Kane (Life Sex Death, Enuff Z’Nuff) and mixed by the legendary Sylvia Massy (Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers).




Now Shark Island reclaims their spot on the Sunset Strip with Memento Mori - Live On The Strip. Hosted by Sirius XM’s Eddie Trunk and recorded at the world-famous Whisky A-Go-Go on April 22, 2022. Richard and the guys give you more than an hours’ worth of classics like “Paris Calling”, “Read My Lips”, and their cover of the Fleetwood Mac song, “The Chain”.


Watch a video for “Paris Calling” below, and stream the song here.


Memento Mori - Live On The Strip will be available on CD and limited-edition bundles while supplies last. Order here.





Bundle includes:
1x Memento Mori - Live On The Strip CD
1x T-Shirt
1x 10x10 Autographed Flat
1x Bracelet
1x Sticker





Tracklisting:


Eddie’s Intro
"If You Want Me To Stay"
"Make A Move"
"Passion To Ashes"
"You Got That Right"
"Paris Calling"
"All My Friends"
"Fire In The House"
"Stranger"
"Thank You Kindly"
"Why Should I Believe"
"You Shoulda Heard It Two Days Ago Somebody's Fallin"
"Everyone Hangin’?"
"Rocks On The Rocks"
"Y’all A Noisy Bunch"
"My City"
"Not Bad At All"
"Read My Lips"
"I'm Serious"
"The Chain"


"Paris Calling" video:

Former SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg has shared drum-cam video of the "Monster Skank" performance from his April 1 concert with INFECTIOUS GROOVES at Bluesfest in Byron Bay, Australia. You can check out the clip below.

Weinberg made his live debut with INFECTIOUS GROOVES on March 23 at the Garden Grove Amphitheatre in Garden Grove, California.

INFECTIOUS GROOVES is the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by now-METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Mike Muir.

Weinberg was recruited by INFECTIOUS GROOVES for the band's first live appearances since a one-off show in 2019 due to longtime drummer Brooks Wackerman's commitment to AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

INFECTIOUS GROOVES recently entered the studio to record a new song. The track, which was co-written by former INFECTIOUS GROOVES guitarist Adam Siegel, will mark the band's first release with Weinberg, who joined INFECTIOUS GROOVES in January.

In a recent interview with Australia's Metal-Roos, Muir stated about how Weinberg came to join INFECTIOUS GROOVES: "We wanted to get somebody that you know could carry that torch and was there. It's funny 'cause we were kind of saying… well, I told Robert, 'You put a list [of drummers] together, I'll put a list together and then we'll kind of see who's touring and who's available and try to do it.' And my middle son, who's 14, was asking, he goes, 'If Brooks can't do it, who are you gonna get to play drums?' And I'm, like, 'We're not sure. We're putting a list together.' He goes, 'You're gonna ask Jay?' So my son, his two favorite drummers are Lars [Ulrich] and Jay Weinberg and stuff. And I was, like, I hadn't even thought of Jay. And I knew that he had surgery. And I looked [on his social media] and I go, 'It's January 1st.' And he goes [in a social media post], 'I'm walking for the first time [since surgery], and I'm like, 'Ooh.' And my son said, 'You should get Jay. I saw him. He's playing the drums again. You should get him. Talk to him.' And I go, 'I don't have his number.' He goes, 'You could get it. Robert's probably got it.'"

Muir continued: "The first tour that that Jay did in SLIPKNOT, SUICIDAL opened. I, obviously, have been around a lot of drummers, a lot of musicians, and I'd heard the drummer they got is really good. As I always say, I don't judge, I observe. And I was watching him play at soundcheck, going, 'Oh, dude, this guy's actually really good. He mixes it up really well. And he's really versatile.' And it always stuck out to me because, I go, 'He obviously kills it in SLIPKNOT,' but I go, 'He's actually a really versatile drummer and really good.' And it stuck out to me and stuff. So I knew that he could definitely do it, obviously. It's a matter of would he want to do it and then physically could. So I got his number and I texted him. And he goes, 'I'm at my physical therapist's right now. I'm not even supposed to be starting to play until the middle of April.' But he goes, 'I think I'm way ahead of my schedule.' And he goes, 'Let me get back to you. I'm gonna be there on Monday.' And it was the weekend… But he goes, 'Yeah, I think it's gonna be all right,' and this and that. So anyhow, we talked a lot and then were, like, 'Let's fly out and get together.' And when we practiced, I was going, 'You cannot tell that he's just had two major surgeries.' It's funny because my kids went to the practice and they were, like, 'Dude, Robert was smiling ear to ear the whole practice. He looked like a little kid just having a ball.' And it was just so much fun in a good way. Jay on drums, he's driving that sports car, and he's got a really good edge and he's able to actually showcase a lot more on the INFECTIOUS songs, which he was really appreciating. I think people, they're gonna trip. Because everybody knows Robert's great bass player; they know the bass lines in INFECTIOUS. Whether you know the music or not, you hear it, you're, like, 'Oh, dude, that bass player is insane,' especially for the time. But I think, when Jay's up there, they're gonna go, 'Wow, that's really powerful.' So we're super excited, as you can tell."

In addition to Weinberg, Muir and Trujillo, INFECTIOUS GROOVES' 2024 lineup includes guitarists Dean Pleasants (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) and Dave Kushner (ex-VELVET REVOLVER).

INFECTIOUS GROOVES was formed soon after Trujillo joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in 1989. Muir and Trujillo got together with some friends to write song that centered more around the bass, but with the intent of giving everyone else a whole lot of freedom.

"SEX PISTOLS and PARLIAMENT were my two favorite bands when I was young," commented Muir. "People think they're completely different but I saw a lot of similarities, even if musically they were categorized as completely different styles. There's something beautiful about breaking rules that never should have been made."

INFECTIOUS GROOVES remaining 2024 tour dates:

April 04 - Adelaide, Australia @ Hindley Street Music Hall
April 05 - Sydney, Australia @ UNSW Roundhouse

Melancholic heaviness is upon North America - next week, Finland's melodic death masters Insomnium will finally embark on their headline tour through the United States and Canada. To prepare you for the 25 dates with none less than special guests Omnium Gatherum and support from Wilderun, Insomnium have just revealed a mesmerizing live video of their 10-minutes-long, epic "Song Of The Dusk", captured across several different cities on their latest European tour.


The band comments: "We can't contain our excitement as we are about to embark to North America! Get those tickets in time and see you soon!"







Insomnium recently checked in with the following update:








Insomnium are teaming up with their friends from high-speed melodic death virtuosi Omnium Gatherum, for 25 nights of gloom and sinister anthems in North America.


Both bands have been two prime examples of exceptional melodeath originating from Europe’s freezing North and have gained a massive following over the years through their captivating sound that combines blistering guitar riffs, thunderous drumming, and guttural vocals. For years, the American and Canadian fans have been waiting for the combo of “Insomnium Gatherum” to hit the road together again after the pandemic-related cancellation in 2020 and now, with no more virus in sight, it will finally happen in April and May 2024.


Wilderun, hailing from Boston, will join as support with their unique mélange of prog and folk metal.


Dates:


April
11 – Cambridge, MA – The Middle East
12 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Beanfield
13- Ottawa, ON – The Brass Monkey
14 – Toronto, ON – The Opera House
15 – Detroit, MI – The Magic Stick
16 – Chicago, IL – House Of Blues
18 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
19 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
22 – Calgary, AB – Dickens
23 – Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room
25 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
26 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
27 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
29 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
30 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco 


May
1 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theater
3 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live
4 – Dallas, TX – The Factory In Deep Ellum
6 – Winter Park, FL – The Conduit
7 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
8 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
9 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
10 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
11 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre 


Insomnium are:


Markus Hirvonen: Drums
Ville Friman: Guitars
Markus Vanhala: Guitars and clean vocals
Niilo Sevänen: Bass and vocals

In a new interview with Rolling Stone Australia, PANTERA bassist Rex Brown spoke about the decision to tour with a reformed version of the band, also featuring fellow surviving member Philip Anselmo (vocals),alongside Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) on guitar and Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) on drums. The lineup has reportedly been given a green light by the estates of PANTERA's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Rex said: "Two of our beloved brothers that just aren't here anymore man, that's life, you know? They're just not with us man. That's just fate; it's the way the ball rolls, dude."

He added: "This is no tribute band — Philip and I get to play these songs of ours that we haven't played in 23 years. And to be able to do that and connect with the enormity of what's happened is just extraordinarily fucking insane, you know?"

Regarding PANTERA's latest additions, Rex said: "We knew who would fit and who wouldn't. We knew what the obstacles were in front of us, and we knew after… I'll put it this way — Charlie and I came down in September [2022] before we played that [first] show in December [2022], and we have probably one hundred hours of tape of us playing every fucking PANTERA song that I could remember. And so, you know, me and Charlie lockin' in like that… the drummer and the bass player, that's your foundation. So when Zakk came in, there were certain things we had to go over and over and over, to get tight. And today, this band is about as tight and about as badass as I fucking want. You know what I mean, and that's all I'm gonna say on that."

"But, man, this band is on fuckin' fire, and I couldn't be happier, man," he added. "I just can't explain that as much as I need to, I could not be happier."

Rex previously told AndrewHaug.com that he was "absolutely" open to writing new music with the reformed version of PANTERA. "Yeah, I could tell you more but I'm not going to," he teased.

Earlier in the chat, Brown talked about what is has been like to go out and perform as PANTERA to a whole new generation of fans.

"You can't see it on the YouTube. You can't feel that vibe until you actually come to the show," he explained. "And we haven't been doing interviews just for the fact we want people just to come to the show. It's not about anything prior past or present that I wanna talk about today — just the show tonight.

"We're pinching ourselves over these new fans that have never seen this before, and it's a whole another generation that we either didn't know a) that were out there, b) that were still listening to us, and the turnout has just been unbelievable," Rex continued. "Of course, at first you had the naysayers and all that stuff, and as we played gig by gig, it's made us tighter. And I've been trying to rehearse this band as much as I can within schedules, and we'll just go down for no fucking reason and just jam. That's what makes a band tight."

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

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

Asked how it feels playing those "timeless" songs again, Rex told AndrewHaug.com: "You just said it — they're timeless. So getting to play them again is a… These were a big part of Philip and I's songs too. Of course, respect to the brothers. I think that looking down on us and giving us a big — and they're with us. It's just uncanny. That's the glue. Those guys are hanging around with us.

"Look, I'm not some crazy old man, man. I know that we're here for reasons," Rex added. "And this time he gave us a heavy load, and we have come through in spades. And I'm very proud of Charlie and Zakk and Phillip for stepping up… All of us [were very close back in the day]. We were intertwined. There was a close-knit family of friends — Jerry Cantrell and all those guys, ALICE IN CHAINS. We were all brothers and we all had each other's backs — even as fucked up as we got. We're fine now, I'll put it that way. But it's just such a different time and we're older men and can appreciate this more. And I feel 25 years younger, man. It's just insane."

Addressing complaints from some fans that Brown and Anselmo are going out and touring under the PANTERA name even though Dimebag and Vinnie Paul are not involved, Rex said: "I don't call it anything. I call it PANTERA. The show itself is a celebration of the lives of all four of us. Two are sadly not with us, and we cannot bring them back. God, do I want them back. But that's just not possible. So we're doing the best thing that we can to keep our music alive. And I think they're smiling down and saying, 'You guys are doing all right, man.' And they're with us. And I'm not shittin' you."

Asked what his initial thoughts were when he was first approached about relaunching PANTERA as a touring act, Rex said: "Philip and I talked for several months before. He got on the phone and said, 'Hey, man, you wanna do it? I didn't have — maybe a six-second… not a hesitation, but just to wrap my head around the full gravity of the enormity of it. I went, 'Okay, I've got a couple of questions.' And, man, ever since that call we've worked really, really hard to get this thing going. And we've jumped over a lot of mountains."

Last month, Zakk spoke about the possibility of the reformed lineup of PANTERA making new music during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked if he would be open to working on new material with PANTERA, Zakk responded: "No. I think you would have to call it something else. You know what I mean? PANTERA is those four guys. So, yeah, you can't replace that."

Pressed about whether he would want to do it under an altered name rather than calling it PANTERA, Wylde said: "Yeah. If that was ever a bridge we crossed, we'd have to wait until we get there. But right now, it's just the four of us celebrating what the fellas [from the classic lineup] created."

Zakk went on to say that he was open to making new music with Anselmo, Brown and Benante, provided that it was presented differently than just PANTERA. "Yeah, of course," he said. "I mean, how could you call it PANTERA unless it was just pre-existing material and we were gonna record it — stuff that was in demo state or whatever, and it is songs that the guys wrote. But as far as new songs, it would have to be — you'd call it something else."

Back in January 2023, longtime PANTERA producer Sterling Winfield, who is reportedly one of the people who control PANTERA drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott's estate, told Reckless Rock Radio 89.3 KNON FM about the possibility of the reformed PANTERA recording new music: "It's not unheard of, it's not blasphemous. I will say that it is entirely plausible, it is entirely possible, but at this point in time, I don't know that anybody's looking that far down the road. They've got a world tour to tackle, man, for the next two years, and they are gonna be busy doing that. Now, could it happen? Yes."

Asked if he "would be cool" with Brown, Anselmo, Wylde and Benante making new music together, Sterling said: "It depends, man. Again, it has to be done right, like this whole thing; the whole tour that's happening has to be done properly. And I don't really feel comfortable — if it were to happen, I would not feel comfortable calling it PANTERA. I don't think that would be classy. I'll put it that way. And I'll just leave it at that for now. [But] this lineup could make some very badass music. And the music is all that matters."

In 2016, Vinnie Paul said that he would eventually release music that was planned for DAMAGEPLAN's second album.

The drummer formed DAMAGEPLAN with his brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott after PANTERA's split in 2003 and released the debut DAMAGEPLAN album, "New Found Power", a year later.

Vinnie Paul told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "The first [DAMAGEPLAN] record, I think, was pretty diverse. We wanted to do something that didn't sound exactly like PANTERA, and with [the material that was written for] the second record, it was really focused, man. I've got the demos and someday they'll come out. But I really feel like we had turned a corner. We'd been out, the fans had seen us, and they'd accepted the fact that this was our new thing at this point."

Anselmo and Brown spoke about PANTERA's return to the stage during an appearance on the seventeenth episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA. Philip said: "It's empowering. It is incredibly beautiful, and you feel so much love when you're up there. And if you take it in, it's a great feeling, man. These days, man, that's where me and Rex, you know, we get to dig the shows more."

He continued: "When we were younger, we were at war and when we were on stage; we were just angry and at war, man. Now it's — the songs are there. I can concentrate on singing the fricking songs, number one. Geez, that's a relief for me, man. I don't have to break my fricking body in part anymore."

Anselmo and Brown also talked about Charlie and Zakk being part of the PANTERA team. Philip said: "Them two dudes, so enthusiastic. And they got their damn thing and they got their own damn legacy, both of them, without us. It's an honor to play with them. They're the nicest frickin guys in the world, man. I'm just so... [Laughs] Zakk, he's a crack-up, man. He's a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we've known Charlie since '87, man. It's a long time."

Rex chimed in: "The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie's parts is uncanny. I don't think there's any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did. I would close my eyes, because I was trying to get tight, and sometimes if I close my eyes, I can hear a little better; I think I can. And there'd be a tear of joy just coming down, because that was so close to what Vinnie and I used to play. So you have the foundation."

Philip concurred, saying: "The low end sounds so PANTERA, man. It's freaking me out."

When the interviewer suggested that PANTERA in 2023 had Vinnie Paul and Dimebag's "spirit inside it", Philip said: "Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down. They would want the PANTERA brand or the legacy to go on. And I don't know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it."

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

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

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

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

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

In 2024, UK instrumental rock act Maybeshewill celebrate a decade of their Fair Youth album with a brand new 10th anniversary edition. Available on May 3rd, 2024 as a special limited edition opaque hot pink & black marbled LP, as well as digitally, this version has been newly remixed & remastered by the bands own Jamie Ward. 


The band had this to say:


“Looking back on Fair Youth with a decade of hindsight, it holds a particularly special place in Maybeshewill history - not least because it was the first record that, start to finish, was a product of all five of us. It took us very literally around the world to play for so many new audiences, but was also the last record we made before taking an extended break. It was intended as an overwhelmingly positive record, and I think sonically, that remains true. It’s a record we all remain extremely proud of, and are delighted that it’s getting a beautiful new pressing courtesy of our friends at Superball.”




Jamie Ward comments of the new mix & master: “With 10 years more mixing experience under my belt I feel a bit better placed to conquer the wall of sound and get a little more separation between the instruments to really bring out the details of those arrangements. In general I’ve tried to make things hit a little harder and be bit a more vibrant and technicolour.”





Fans can hear the newly remixed version of the track "All Things Transient", as well as pre-order the new edition here.


The band will also head out on tour in the UK in May, joining forces with Bossk for a co-headline run, before playing two European festivals this summer.


Dates:


May
15 – Bristol, UK – The Fleece
16 – Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms
17 – Manchester, UK – Gorilla
18 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
19 – London, UK – The Garage


June
26 – Viveiro, Spain – Resurrection Fest


July
31 – Brasov, Romania – Rockstatdt Extreme Fest


(Photo – Fraser West)

Rising heavy metal outfit, Thredge, have been building a following in Southern California through their high energy live performances and heart pounding songs. Their new single, “Dysfunctional”, showcases the band’s musical growth and sets up a new era for the talented young band.


Based out of Los Angeles, California, Thredge is a creative musical experience that incorporates a blend of many musical influences. While mostly metal, the band merges elements of rock, blues, jazz, folk, and many more genres that will reveal themselves as you listen. The band consists of drummer/founder Ryan Duswalt, guitarist Anthony Laurie, vocalist Hrag “Nero” Meguerditchian, and bassist Johnny Shankel.







Their second studio album, Dreams And Nightmares, is set to release later this year. The new album was written by Thredge and produced by Mikal Blue, a Grammy-award-winning, multi-platinum-selling music producer, songwriter, engineer, and mixer. 


Thredge will perform live at the Whisky-a-Go-Go on Saturday, March 2, 2024 as they debut the entire new album for the first time ever. It's your only chance to hear it in full before its release.


“Consider this concert a glimpse into the future," declares drummer Ryan Duswalt. "We're about to unveil an entirely new body of work. We will be playing every song from the upcoming album on March 2." 


Hrag "Nero" Meguerditchian, Thredge's lead vocalist, adds, "We're ecstatic to extend this exclusive invitation to our fans as we present our latest album. This album is Thredge. No restrictions, no taboos, pure elegant chaos."

Ayreon performed at 013 in Tilburg, Holland on September 15, 16 and 17, 2023, performing the album 01011001 in full. A live Blu-Ray and CD from the show will be released on May 17. Pre-order here, and watch a video for "The Day That The World Breaks Down", below.


Says  Arjen Anthony Lucassen: "Finally... here is the second clip from the Live Beneath The Waves DVD/BluRay! I picked the song 'The Day That The World Breaks Down' because it’s one of my favorites and also it features so many of the talented singers. We never thought we could pull off this complicated song in a live setting, but it seems like we did it! Let me know if you agree… enjoy."







01011001 - Live Beneath The Waves formats:


- Artbook (Webshop only) - 2CD+2DVD + Bluray incl. Behind The Scenes (BTS)
- 3LP - Green vinyl
- 2CD+DVD: Full show on 2CD and DVD
- Blu-ray: Full show + BTS


"The Sixth Extinction" video:





01011001 - Live Beneath The Waves features the following performers:


Original 01011001 cast:


Hansi Kürsch
Tom Englund
Daniel Gildenlow
Jonas Renkse
Anneke van Giersbergen
Simone Simons
Wudstik
Marjan Welman
Liselotte Hegt
Maggy Luyten
Phideaux Xavier
Arjen Lucassen (yeah, sorry for that)


Special guests:


Damian Wilson
Brittney Slayes
Michael Mills
John Jaycee Cuijpers


Backing vocals:


Marcela Bovio
Irene Jansen
Jan Willem Ketelaers


Band:


Marcel Coenen - guitar
Timo Somers - guitar
Johan van Stratum - bass
Joost van den Broek - keys
Ed Warby - drums


Ensemble:


Ben Mathot - violin
Jurriaan Westerveld - cello
Jeroen Goossens - woodwinds

Over the weekend, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes took to his social media to write that he has "finished writing new music" for his upcoming solo album.

The long-awaited follow-up to Hughes's 2016 solo album "Resonate" will be recorded in June in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The 72-year-old Glenn, who just played a couple of shows with his supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, previously discussed his plans to record a new solo album last October 2023 in an interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda. At the time, he said: "I am preparing to go in the studio next year, sometime in the summer. I'm preparing the songs in the next couple of months. I have a few ideas, and when I go in the studio, I'll be ready to go."

Asked how "Resonate" has aged for him musically since its release eight years ago, Glenn said: "I love the album. It's one of my favorite albums. I think a lot of people across the world, the rock fans love that album. I was at home writing that album and I went to Copenhagen and I had a really great time making that album. And the next one hopefully will be as strong."

In September 2023, Glenn told the "Iron City Rocks" podcast about where he draws his lyrical inspiration from nowadays: "I don't write about politics. I write about the human condition. I write about how are we feeling, what are we going through, are we going to get through this — you know, acceptance, staying in the present moment. This is the big thing for me. People call it woke, awakening, if you will… For me, it's all about staying present in this moment right now, and I'm writing about that."

"Resonate" was released in November 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl. It featured Glenn's then-live solo band members, Søren Andersen (guitars and co-producer),Pontus Engborg (drums) and Lachy Doley (keyboards),in addition to longtime friend Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),who joined them in the studio for the opening and closing numbers.

Last year, Hughes launched his solo tour under the banner "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live – Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Album Burn". Glenn performed DEEP PURPLE's legendary rock album "Burn" and also ran through DEEP PURPLE MKIII and MKIV songs.

Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band".

Glenn's current solo band features Søren Andersen (guitar),Ash Sheehan (drums) and Bob Fridzema (keyboards).

Hughes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016 along with fellow DEEP PURPLE members Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Jon Lord, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice, spent more than three years recording and touring as the frontman of the supergroup THE DEAD DAISIES.

Glenn's BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION supergroup with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) will release its fifth album, "V", in June.

Just finished writing new music for my solo album. Gab went to Minneapolis last week , so it gave me the opportunity to...

Posted by Glenn Hughes on Sunday, March 31, 2024

Current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson has once again commented on the news that the band is among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2024.

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

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

According to the Hall Of Fame, the FOREIGNER members that would get inducted include only the classic-era musicians Mick Jones, Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Ed Gagliardi, Al Greenwood, Ian McDonald and Rick Wills.

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

Pilson, who has been a member of FOREIGNER since 2004, discussed the band's nomination for the Rock Hall during an appearance on the March 21 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked how he feels about the fact that he won't be inducted into the Rock Hall along with the classic FOREIGNER lineup and whether he thinks "they should have included everyone", Pilson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, no. I think it is the right call. I mean, it's really the classic band that I think should be inducted and who deserve it. They're the ones that delivered those amazing songs and recorded and performed them. No, I don't have a problem with that at all. I would have a problem if they didn't get in, just 'cause I think these guys deserve it. They're great people. And they were a frigging great band, and they were they were snubbed for a reason for several years. That reason is now gone, so we can we can at least be nominated and hopefully we'll get in. Mark Ronson has been amazing about that. Hey, a little shoutout from Sir Paul [McCartney] — that doesn't hurt. So, hopefully we get in. And yeah, I'm very okay with only the original band getting in."

Asked if there has been discussions about the current FOREIGNER lineup possibly performing at a hypothetical Rock Hall induction, along with some of the classic-era members, Jeff said: "The discussions have started. Mark Ronson is gonna be the musical director for that situation, so I think he'll kind of dictate what happens. But, yeah, I would imagine at least a few of us from the from the new band will be there."

He continued: "Mark and everybody are very aware that the credibility of the band is now hanging on us. So having us be there, I think, is an important aspect. But no decisions have been made — it isMark's call — so we'll see, but my feeling is, yeah, we'll probably be involved, at least on some level."

Pilson also spoke about FOREIGNER's farewell tour, which officially launched last July. Asked if it is bittersweet for him to be playing what will turn out to be some of his final shows with FOREIGNER, he said: "Yeah, actually, what's really happening is that this is the last year that we're gonna do a full-on tour that lasts nine months of the year, one of those kind of deals. This is the last year we're gonna do that. We will still do some dates in '25. They're gonna be select, probably more corporate, maybe some casinos, but much, much lighter schedule — way lighter schedule. So it's not over with yet, and there's also some music that we're gonna try and finish up in 2025, which would be great, some songs that have been kicking around that we need to finish.

"So how do I feel about it? It's a little bit bittersweet because the band is really good right now," he explained. "It's like really a great family and it's a great band that listens to each other and kicks butt. And I really enjoy everything about the band and everybody around us — our crew, everyone. But I'm sure gonna like not being on the road nine months of the year. That's going to be great. and I'm ready for that. So, bittersweet, but mostly good."

Joining Pilson and Jones in the band's current lineup are Kelly Hansen on vocals, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Bruce Watson on guitar, Chris Frazier on drums and Luis Maldonado on guitar.

Jones, the sole remaining original member of FOREIGNER, hasn't played a full show with the band for at least a couple of years.

FOREIGNER's "Renegades & Juke Box Heroes" tour with STYX will visit venues across North America starting June 11 in Michigan.

Transatlantic - the prog supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas - recently announced the release of Live At Morsefest 2022: The Absolute Whirlwind, on April 26. This mammoth Limited 5CD + 2 Blu-ray Artbook set features both sets from Morsefest in their entirety, with nearly four and a half hours of music in total.


Now, the band are pleased to reveal a video of them performing "Lay Down Your Life" from Night 1 of Morsfest. Watch below:







Pre-order the album as a Limited 5CD + Blu-ray artbook, featuring an extensive 36-page booklet including photos and liner notes at this location.


Mike Portnoy comments: "Not to be confused by last years live release of our last show in Paris, THIS release of TA at Morsefest 2022 represents the most epic and mammoth of all TA Live releases!


"2 Nights, 2 completely different sets, 2 TA concept albums done in their entirety…accompanied with Strings, Horns, Percussion, Female Vocals, etc…Transatlantic has always been about ‘More Never Is Enough’, but no live TA release has ever been more EPIC than this one…It’s the ULTIMATE Live TA experience!""


Neal Morse adds: "At long last, a musical dream come true in true epic fashion! To play The Absolute Universe, The Whirlwind, and other great pieces of music with Transatlantic, along with an amazing string section, background singers, etc. What more could any musician ask for? This is the very best of the very best in my view. I hope you all enjoy experiencing this as much as we enjoyed performing it!"


Roine Stolt comments: "Playing Morsefest was quite a task, learning all the different material for the 2 different shows. We even got a chance to play that Procol Harum tune, that is dear to me & takes me back to my teenage years, just getting to know what prog is/was. The addition of the strings and choir at Morsefest, plus Philip adding percussion lent a different and perhaps more of an orchestral side. That worked really well and made these 2 nights very special."


Pete Trewavas comments: "To play Morsefest 2022 was an absolute pleasure for me and gave us a natural break at the end of the North American leg of The Absolute Universe tour, where we regrouped at Neal’s to rehearse for the two shows, back where we had rehearsed for the tour some four or five weeks earlier. We had 3 days I think it was to refresh The Whirlwind full version and learn ‘In Held T’was In I’. The festival was an absolute blast. We were all super relaxed and enjoying ourselves probably due to the little break from touring back to rehearsing. Neal had been wanting to get Transatlantic at MorseFest since we released Whirlwind and it never panned out for various reasons, so it felt fitting that we got it all together for The Absolute Universe tour.""


Morsefest, the festival put on by Neal Morse annually in Nashville, Tennessee has been in existence since 2014. Typically, the weekend-long event celebrated music from Neal’s solo work and other bands from his career.  But with each passing Morsefest, there had been one question lingering among the faithful audience that returned every year…when will Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas perform at Morsefest?  In 2022, at the 9th Morsefest, it finally happened and in epic Transatlantic fashion.


In 2021, Transatlantic released The Absolute Universe, the band’s 5th album since forming in 2000. However, as the band’s motto is "More Is Never Enough," The Absolute Universe was released as two different versions – The Breath of Life (Abridged version), and Forevermore (Extended version).  In addition, the band combined those two versions for an Ultimate Edition of the album. With touring restrictions due to the pandemic finally lifted, the band finally started their tour in April 2022 ending up at Morsefest on the weekend of April 29 and 30.


The weekend at Morsefest provided 2 nights of shows.  For night one, the band performed their classic album The Whirlwind in its entirety, the first time they had done so in 10 years.  The evening also added "Into The Blue" and "Shine" from the band’s 4th album Kaleidoscope as well as the classic ballad "We All Need Some Light." As a surprise, the band played a song they’ve never performed live before - their cover of the Procol Harum classic "In Held ‘Twas In I" from the first Transatlantic album SMPTe.


Night 2 saw the full performance of The Absolute Universe – The Ultimate Edition, combining all of the tracks from the two versions of the album.  The night closed with a medley of tracks from the band’s first two albums including "All Of The Above," "My New World," and "Stranger In Your Soul."


For the first time, the band performed alongside a choir and string section, making these shows truly special for those who were in attendance.


"


Tracklisting:


Night 1:
"Into The Blue"
"In Held (‘Twas) In I"
"Shine"
"We All Need Some Light"
"Overture/Whirlwind"
"The Wind Blew Them All Away"
"On The Prowl"
"A Man Can Feel"
"Out Of The Night"
"Rose Colored Glasses"
"Evermore"
"Set Us Free"
"Lay Down Your Life"
"Pieces Of Heaven"
"Is It Really Happening?"
"Dancing With Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (Reprise)"


Night 2
"Overture"
"Reaching For The Sky"
"Higher Than The Morning"
"The Darkness In The Light
"Take Now My Soul"
"Bully"
"Rainbow Sky"
"Looking For The Light"
"The World We Used To Know"
"The Sun Comes Up Today"
"Love Made A Way (Prelude)"
"Owl Howl"
"Solitude"
"Belong"
"Lonesome Rebel"
"Can You Feel It"
"Looking For The Light (Reprise)"
"The Greatest Story Never Ends"
"Love Made A Way"
"Bridge Across Forever"
"The Final Medley"


"Can You Feel It" video:"

The Australians Envenomed are back 5 years after their album The Walking Shred and they are preparing for a new album.  To remind their fans in advance, they are releasing "Israel's Son", a metal cover version of a true Down Under classic, originally by Silverchair. 


As Envenomed are known for putting a wink in everything they do, this time the poor frog in the cover had to be used: a reminiscence of the original cover from the ‘90s.


Envenomed are a melodic thrash driven heavy metal band that have been a consistent and dominating force on their local scene since forming in the mid-2000s. Influenced by the soaring melody of Iron Maiden & Symphony X and the aggression and groove of Metallica, Testament and Megadeth, Envenomed combine these styles whilst still retaining the hooks of traditional heavy metal with world class musicianship.







Line-up:
Anthony Mavrikis – Vocals & Guitars
Brendan Farrugia – Guitars
Tom Nugara – Bass
Adam Edwards - Drums

Today, legendary guitar player Axel Rudi Pell shares "Guardian Angel", the first single from his forthcoming album, Risen Symbol. The single is accompanied by a lyric video available below.


On his 22nd studio album Risen Symbol, Bochum-based guitarist and songwriter Axel Rudi Pell continues to fly the melodic hard rock flag without watering down his style with pseudo-modern stylistic variations or expendable studio gimmicks. At the same time, he is constantly looking for new influences, exciting inspirations, and catchy hooks.


One of the best things about ARP’s anthems is that they are perfectly tailored to the charismatic voice of frontman Johnny Gioeli. The American vocalist is one of the most eminent rock singers worldwide and, together with Pell, former Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli, and the two longstanding ARP members Ferdy Doernberg (keyboards) and Volker Krawczak (bass), has been an integral part of a perfectly oiled machine for more than ten years, wowing fans and media alike.




Risen Symbol will be available via Steamhammer/SPV June 14. For all those who can’t wait, April 3 will see the arrival of the lead single, "Guardian Angel", followed on May 22 by "Darkest Hour".





Risen Symbol will be available in the following formats:


- CD DigiPak incl. poster
- 2LP Gatefold, 140 g, neon orange vinyl, printed inner sleeves
- Download / Streaming (pre-order here)
- Exclusive CD/LP Bundles with a shirt and exclusive vinyls only at the Steamhammer shop (pre-order here)
- 2LP Gatefold exclusive colored edition only at the Napalm shop (pre-order here)





Risen Symbol tracklisting:


"The Resurrection" (Intro)
"Forever Strong"
"Guardian Angel"
"Immigrant Song"
"Darkest Hour"
"Ankhaia"
"Hell's On Fire"
"Crying In Pain"
"Right On Track"
"Taken By Storm"


"Guardian Angel" lyric video:





Lineup:


Johnny Gioeli - Lead and Backing Vocals
Axel Rudi Pell - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Ferdy Doernberg - Keyboards
Volker Krawczak - Bass
Bobby Rondinelli - Drums