Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen is back with another acoustic performance, this time of the Scorpions’ Crazy World classic “Send Me An Angel” with violin. Zwijsen has previously covered other Scorpions tracks “Wind Of Change” and “Still Loving You”.





Find the tabs and Thomas’ acoustic guitar arrangements at kingofthestrings.com.




Zwijsen previously shared acoustic guitar covers of of Metallica's "Enter Sandman", Bruce Dickinson's new solo song, "Rain On The Graves", and Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine". Check them out below:

“Pathway To Charon” is the new video by New York City-based death metal quintet Hypoxia, taken from the band’s new album Defiance, which saw release in February on Selfmadegod Records.


2024 sees Hypoxia returning with several lineup changes since the prior record, now prepared to deploy their most merciless material to date with Defiance. The apocalyptic riffage and divebombing solos by guitarists Carlos Acboleda (Non Eternal, ex-Secrecy, ex-Aether) and new guitarist Ryan Moll (Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, Azure Emote, Total Fucking Destruction) are constructed atop the earthmoving rhythm section of Carolina Perez (Castrator, ex-Aether) and new bassist Mike Poggione (Omnipotence, ex-Monstrosity, ex-Capharnaum), the relentless roars of Mike Hrubovcak (Azure Emote, Imperial Crystalline Entombment, ex-Monstrosity, ex-Vile) ripping their way through the savagery.


Recorded by Hypoxia, Defiance was mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Mercinary Studios (Midnight, Embalmer, Nunslaughter) and completed with cover art by Daemorph (The Black Dahlia Murder, Pyrexia, Avulsed).




The new video for “Pathway To Charon” was conceptualized by vocalist Mike Hrubovcak and filmed/directed by Bob Vigna of death metal legends Immolation.





Founding drummer Carolina Perez states, “It was so much fun to do the video and get together with the crew, we want to thank Jeff Blanchard from Lucky 13 for the accommodations as well as Jeremy Farfan for helping with lights and sound. Bob Vigna was able to capture Mike’s vision and concept; He delivered a powerful video with the aggression and darkness we were looking for.”


Vocalist Mike Hrubovcak reveals, "Crossing over the River Styx on your way to hell would make for a killer video we thought, plus it's one of the better stand out tracks on the album, so choosing ‘Pathway To Charon’ was an easy decision. I also had a lot of fun dressing up as the Charon character and stumbling around blind in the dark surrounded by smoke and fog. It was a fun shoot for sure, and great to work with Bob from Immolation; he knew exactly what to do to bring everything together."


Immolation’s Bob Vigna delcares, “It was a pleasure to work with Hypoxia on this project, helping them bring their vision of Charon to life! ‘Pathway To Charon’ is a great tune with a powerful production, so with the clip I wanted to do my best to capture the energy of the band’s performance as well as creating a murky, cold and haunting atmosphere that fit the theme of the song. I appreciate Hypoxia for giving me the opportunity and hope everyone enjoys it!”


Order Defiance on Indiemerch.com.





Tracklisting:


“Overture”
“Bleed For Blasphemy”
“Pathway To Charon”
“Correlated Embolism”
“Agonized Asphyxia”
“Drowning In Darkness”
“Too Far Gone”
“Black Omens”
“Serpents Of Gaia”
“Scorched And Skinned”
“Finale”


“Bleed For Blasphemy”:





Hypoxia:
Carlos “Dirty” Arboleda – guitars
Carolina Perez – drums
Mike Hrubovcak – vocals
Ryan Moll – guitars
Mike Poggione – bass

Speaking in an upcoming interview with Guitar World, rock legend Lita Ford discusses the long-held rumour that she almost replaced Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, revealing that the offer was made after Jimmy Page Page and Robert Plant came to watch her band, The Runaways, perform at The Starwood Nightclub in Los Angeles.


After five albums and years of rigorous touring, Jones was poised to take a step back from Led Zeppelin with the intention of spending more time with his family. Ford was 17 years-old at the time.


Ford: "Robert Plant said, 'We’re looking to replace our bass player, John Paul Jones,' and I thought, 'I’m not hearing this. I refuse to believe that this is really coming out of his mouth.' And I thought, 'He’s got to be joking,' because John Paul Jones is God on bass, as far as I’m concerned. But that’s what he said. And I walked away just thinking, 'Oh, that was nice. That was nice of him to look at me like that,' because, in those days, a lot of people didn’t look at us as musicians because we were female, and we were young." 




Read more via Guitar World here.





Catch Lita Ford live at the following shows:


March 
28 - Motor City Casino - Detroit, MI (with Warrant)


April 
5 - Ground Zero Festival - Bandera, TX
6 - The Vanguard - Tulsa, OK (with Last In Line)
13 - Agave Caliente Terraza Casino - Cathedral City, CA


June 
12 - Kick Up Kountry Music Festival - Karlstad, MN
22 - Westgate Casino - Las Vegas, NV (with Warrant)


Lita Ford's touring band consists of: guitarist Patrick Kennison, bassist Marten Andersson, and drummer Bobby Rock. 


Fan-filmed video of Lita Ford performing "Kiss Me Deadly" live in Sugar Land, Texas at the Smart Financial Centre on December 16, 2023 can be seen below.

PEARL JAM's twelfth studio album, "Dark Matter", will be released on April 19, 2024 via Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records. The LP's second single, "Running", can be streamed below.

"[Bassist] Jeff [Ament] had the main parts for that one, and we worked it over as a band," guitarist Stone Gossard told SPIN. "I love the bridge. I don't know what the hell those chords are that [guitarist] Mike's [McCready] playing, but it sounds original."

"Running" was one of the last songs recorded with producer Andrew Watt at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California. "It was fun to come up with one more uptempo song," Gossard said, adding that frontman Eddie Vedder's "vocal dexterity here and on a few other spots on the album is just stunning."

In 2023, PEARL JAM retreated to Shangri-La Studios where they simply plugged in and played under Watt's watch. Writing and recording in a burst of inspiration, "Dark Matter" was born in just three weeks. As a result, "Dark Matter" channels the shared spirit of a group of lifelong creative confidants and brothers in one room playing as if their very lives depended on it.

The album's packaging features light painting art by Alexandr Gnezdilov. The album cover art was crafted using a large self-made kaleidoscope. Each letter visible on the cover was individually captured and handwritten midair with a specially designed flashlight to create the pearlescent effect.

To celebrate the release of the new album, PEARL JAM will present an exclusive cinematic engagement, "Pearl Jam - Dark Matter - Global Theatrical Experience - One Night Only", on April 16. Distributed by Abramorama, "Dark Matter" will come to life in over 225 locations nationwide, including AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Landmark, Marcus, Studio Movie Grill, Cinepolis, Harkins, Alamo Drafthouse, Chinese Cineplex, IFC, and more. Additionally, AMC and other cinemas will feature Dolby Atmos showings. Worldwide, it graces theaters in over 30 countries, appearing in more than 300 locations across Mexico, the U.K., Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, and Poland, to name a few. Tickets go on sale today.

PEARL JAM will also celebrate indie record stores with the release of a special edition of "Dark Matter" on April 20, only at participating stores as part of Record Store Day. Get more information and find stores at www.recordstoreday.com.

PEARL JAM reportedly held a listening party for "Dark Matter" in late January at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, during which Vedder told those in attendance that he considered the LP to be "our best work."

"Dark Matter" track listing:

01. Scared Of Fear
02. React, Respond
03. Wreckage
04. Dark Matter
05. Won't Tell
06. Upper Hand
07. Waiting For Stevie
08. Running
09. Something Special
10. Got To Give
11. Setting Sun

In a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine, McCready stated about collaborating with Watt, the multi-Grammy-winning producer who has also worked with Dua Lipa, Post Malone and Justin Bieber, as well as Ozzy Osbourne and THE ROLLING STONES: "When we were in the studio with him this past year, he really kicked our asses, got us focused and playing, song after song. It took a long time to make 'Gigaton', but this new one didn't take long. Andrew was, like, 'You guys take forever to make records. Let's do this, right now.'"

Regarding the musical direction of PEARL JAM's new material, Mike said: "It's a lot heavier than you'd expect. There's the melody and energy of the first couple of records. Andrew pushed us to play as hard and melodic and thoughtful as we've done in a long time. I feel like Matt Cameron's drumming has elements of what he did in SOUNDGARDEN."

He added: "For better or worse, you're gonna hear a lot more lead guitar from me — stuff I haven't done in a long time. I went crazy, like with Chris Cornell and TEMPLE OF THE DOG on 'Reach Down' [1991] all those years ago. I got to do it again. Usually the first or second takes are best. After that I start thinking about it and it doesn't have the feel. But Andrew caught the lightning in a bottle, as they say."

McCready also discussed how the current situation in America has affected Vedder who has had a career full of activism and advocacy for political causes.

"I think Ed has always been very aware of everything that's going on and always fighting for the underdog," the guitarist said. "Certainly America has got so many fucked-up issues. Guns. Racism. That idiot Trump. All that stuff has always been there, but you have to be aware of it and consciously fight it, because you want this to be a better world, if you're a good human. And I see Ed as that, and hopefully we are. We try to be proactive and solution-oriented, and not sit back and do nothing."

Asked what he thinks are the best and worst things that could happen in 2024, Mike said: "Oh god. Well, if Trump got elected, that'd be the worst thing in the world to me. I'd rather think about the best things that can happen. We have to come together. We have to be compassionate. We have to take care of the environment. We have to not be racist. We have to not be idiots. There's all these things we can do. But we have to choose to think that way."

Last September, McCready was also full of praise for Watt, telling Guitar World magazine: "Andrew Watt brought an energy and a youthfulness and a great ear to us that I think we needed. He kind of kicked us in our asses a little bit. Like, 'Okay, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go go go!' He's the most hyper guy I've ever met besides myself. But he's a giant fan of our band, and he's a really smoking guitar player in his own right. He got us into a room and just pushed us as hard as we could be pushed."

He continued: "You know, it's hard for a quote-unquote outsider to come into our world because we've done things a certain way. We're open to new things, but we are also in our own world. We've done things for 30 years. So we know the dynamics of our band very well. But sometimes we need to get pushed and questioned, and Andrew did a great job of that."

In June 2023, PEARL JAM bassist Jeff Ament told Kyle Meredith about the inspiration for the band's new material: "Well, we've talked a lot about, in the last three or four years, how we've sort of earned the right to do whatever the fuck we want to right now. And so why wouldn't we go all the way with that? Saying, like, 'Everybody, make a list of the 10 things that you wanna do in this band before we're done. Where is the city that you've never played? Or where is the venue you wanna go back to? Or what's the kind of song you wanna write? Or what's the cause you wanna get behind within the context of the band?' Those are sort of the things I talk about.

"It feels like we're sort of at this point where we should be able to turn a big corner," he continued. "We've earned the right to sort of, like… And that's tough, because there's five of us that are pulling the cart. And so sometimes you end up pulling the cart in opposite directions. It's, like, just embracing all of that — embracing everybody's ideas and everybody's hopes and dreams and wishes and styles.

"We have this amazing community as a band and the families within the band, and the people that we work with and the people that have worked with us for, like, 32 years in some cases. It's taken us this long for it to work this efficiently. We should be killing it right now in every way. I think that's what we hope for musically. I think we wanna turn the corner and I think we wanna access all the best parts of each other and we wanna flourish within that. We just wanna support the best parts of each other so we consequently make the best music.

"Sometimes there's a lot of ego involved, and if somebody feels like they're working harder than the other person, or whatever the stuff is, but if you can just leave that stuff behind and focus on how do we support each other so each person brings the best to the song we're working on right now," Ament added. "And I think that's what we're trying to do. The stuff we've been doing the last couple of years, it sort of feels like we've hit on that in a few instances."

2020 officially marked 30 years of PEARL JAM performing live. Eleven studio albums, hundreds of unique live performances and official live concert bootleg releases later, the band continues to be critically acclaimed and commercially successful — with over 85 million albums sold worldwide. PEARL JAM was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017.

"Gigaton" was released in March 2020. Featuring fan favorites "Dance Of The Clairvoyants", "Superblood Wolfmoon" and "Quick Escape", the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums, Top Alternative Albums, and Billboard Vinyl Albums Chart. In addition, it hit Top 5 on Billboard 200 chart, No. 2 on Billboard Top Album Sales chart and to date has reached over 200 million global streams. The album was critically acclaimed, with Entertainment Weekly raving, "It's a sturdy rock album from five guys who know what they're doing, took time till they had something to say, are interpolating new influences and sound stoked to be back together in a room."

Photo credit: Danny Clinch

In a new interview with The Break Down With Nath & Johnny, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo was asked which he prefers playing: big stadium shows or smaller intimate gigs. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I don't know. I mean, I love them both. I don't know how long I can hold up doing huge stadium shows. I think when you have them and you're able to do them and celebrate that kind of energy, you take it. But it's not normal. It happens to be something that we're able to do now, but who knows? Maybe in a few years we're playing a club or whatever, and that's okay too.

"I don't have a preference," he continued. "But I think as long as I can, I'll be trying to play anywhere and it probably will end up probably being a club. Sharing my music in a smaller venue, that's rewarding for me, and I'll take that. And a lot of times that's where people like me end up, and that's totally fine.

"I believe in [METALLICA], and I also know that, for me, as a musician, as a creative type, I do the best I can for those type of [stadium] performances, but at the same time I still feel connected to the other side of it and smaller venues, and having that outlet is really, really rewarding as well," Trujillo added. "So, really, ideally, you wanna have both. You don't wanna put one against the other. But, again, playing a stadium is a blessing. It doesn't happen to a lot of great musicians. So for us to still have that is an honor and a blessing. We don't take that for granted, man."

Trujillo, who was born on October 23, 1964 in Santa Monica, California, tasted success as the bassist in punk-funk pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and Ozzy Osbourne's band. But in 2003, he successfully auditioned to replace Jason Newsted in METALLICA, a process chronicled in the warts-and-all documentary "Some Kind of Monster".

METALLICA's much-loved former bassist Cliff Burton died in 1986 when the band's tour bus crashed travelling through Sweden on the "Damage Inc. Tour" in support of "Master Of Puppets".

Trujillo told Exclaim! in a 2016 interview that he feels no pressure when compared to his low-end predecessors.

"Whether it's Jason or myself or Cliff, we're all different types of players coming from a different place, but delivering what is best for the band," he said. "That's all I ever do, just try and do the best I can and cater to the song, cater to the music."

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield praised Trujillo during a 2017 interview with the 94.5 The Buzz radio station, saying: "Who else could [have come in and done the job]? I mean, there were a few people we auditioned, I know. It might have worked out with other people, but it's hard to find people that are, say, your age; kind of your upbringing, musically, obviously; ability-wise; they've been on the road. It's not like you're bringing some kid out for his first time, and it's, 'Oh my God!' He's going through all the stuff that you did twenty-five years ago. He's got kids. He's married. It just jelled, and it's still jelling. And his personality is probably one of the best contributions, I think, to the band, 'cause he's so chill, he's so up for anything, he's always in there rehearsing. So he does fit in."

New Zealand's rock powerhouse Black Smoke Trigger have released their anthemic new single “K.M.T.L.”, complete with a dynamic music video that perfectly captures the song's raw intensity.


“K.M.T.L.” speaks to the relentless drive and sometimes dizzying pursuit of making dreams a reality. Partly written at Nashville's historic Sienna Studio and recorded by producer Nick Raskulinecz at his Rock Falcon Studio, the band channelled the grit and determination required to achieve success against the odds into their latest offering. The track sprang to life in the jam room, the initial riff playing out almost as if by instinct.


Guitarist and band leader Charlie Wallace recounts, "‘K.M.T.L.’ began in the jam room, I was talking to the band I noticed my hands were playing the beginning motif of the song, I just kept playing it and we started jamming. It felt like it was building to something so we wanted to write a chorus with tons of energy and I think we got just that by the end of the jam session."




The music video for “K.M.T.L.” is an adrenaline-fueled, visual spectacle. "The opening line 'It all keeps spinning' was the inspiration for what was a highly energetic shoot on a circular camera dolly track," explains Wallace. Filmed on a massive theatre stage next to the Auckland SkyTower, the video features continuous rotation, mirroring the song's theme of pushing through the spin of life's challenges to come out victorious on the other side. "It's lit up like a big stage because we just wanted to show what people can expect when they see us play this track live."





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


"K.M.T.L" follows the success of their previous singles "Proof Of Life", "Perfect Torture" and “The Way Down”, the video for which saw the band perform atop the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere whilst Wallace jumped off the edge, shredding a guitar solo whilst plummeting 630ft, clocking up over 1.3 million views on YouTube. The release sees Black Smoke Trigger continue to deliver on their promise of high-energy rock music that's both entertaining and deeply relatable.


Prior to this new string of singles, the band put out track “Caught In The Undertow”, the video for which was also a feat of extreme conditions. Filmed at Muriwai beach in Auckland, New Zealand and at a helicopter crash testing facility in a 3.6M deep pool, the whole band performed much of the song underwater creating a stunning visual that has clocked up 3.2 million YouTube views and highlighting the band’s dedication to creating unforgettable visual accompaniments for their hard-hitting rock anthems.


Black Smoke Trigger support Filter on the Australia and New Zealand leg of their Algorithm World Tour this April, and hit the road to support Bruce Dickinson in the UK, France, and the Netherlands this May. For full dates and tickets head to blacksmoketrigger.com.








With their debut full-length album set for release this May, the horizon shines bright for these Kiwi rock trailblazers. For additional info, visit Black Smoke Trigger on Facebook.


(Photo - Christine Solomon)

FLAT BLACK, the band formed by ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook, has released a new single, "Nothing To Some". The track, which features a guest appearance by SLIPKNOT vocalist Corey Taylor, will appear on FLAT BLACK's upcoming debut album, due later this year via Fearless Records. The LP, produced by Hook, was recorded at both Jason's home studio and The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas.

"Nothing To Some" is a rager that is destined to land on year-end "best of" lists and in repeat rotation in your preferred music listening service. Bolstered by anthemic riffs, battering ram percussion, and full-on rhythmic thrust, Taylor's vicious vocals sound as though he gargled with razor blades and battery acid before spewing his parts, and it's a beautiful thing. All of that, combined with a classic metallic influence that is threaded through the song, makes "Nothing To Some" a seriously definitive moment for FLAT BLACK.

"'Nothing To Some' features the brutal and unapologetic Corey Taylor," Hook says. "This guy is a bottomless pit of creativity and delivered a vocal that perfectly matched what I wanted for this track. The guitar solo is unique on the album in the way that I let it rip with no rhythm guitars underneath. Now that I'm in a one-guitar band, I could strip it down and let it be as raw as Corey is on the vocal track. I remember hammering out live takes with Rob [Pierce, drums] pounding away next to me. It was inspiring."

Last August, Hook told "Loudwire Nights" about the collaboration with Taylor: "I developed a friendship with Corey Taylor back in 2020. He and I wrote five songs together. When it came time to put the FLAT BLACK record together, I asked Corey, 'Would you be okay if I used one of the songs?' So, Corey is on the record. He's the only guest on the record."

Hook is joined in FLAT BLACK by singer Wes Horton, bassist Nick Diltz and drummer Rob Pierce.

In an interview with Jake Daniels of the Rock 100.5 The KATT radio station, Hook stated about how FLAT BLACK came together: "Well, I was pretty hell-bent on starting a new band. Music's in my blood. It's a part of my DNA, and I just knew that… I didn't really care how long it took. It just had to be potent. And so, one [musician] at a time… I found Rob first, and he's awesome. And then, of course, Nick; he's from Los Angeles. All my guys are just stellar players. And I wanted to have a good pack of songs. And so here we are."

Regarding the importance of getting along with his bandmates on a personal level, Hook said: "Well, it was a bit of a prerequisite to find guys that were mentally stable and free of drama and that we could hang. It's all about the hang. When you're on tour, you're stuck in this submarine, this rolling submarine, for 18 months. It's important that everyone is compatible. The personalities, I wanted to be very specific about that this time around… We're getting along great."

Having left his prior band in February 2020, which was right before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, Hook wanted to assume creative control and let his musical free spirit soar in a project that was truly his. He opted to gamble on himself. With great risk comes great reward and the decision to form FLAT BLACK clearly worked out in his favor.

"As a musician, I crave freedom and I wasn't ready to stop creating," Hook shared.

"Life is short," he continued. "We all want to feel satisfied and happy with what we are trying to accomplish in life."

The pandemic shutdown allowed him the opportunity to assemble the right musicians and carefully craft their debut album. FLAT BLACK is armed with an arsenal of riffs that'll rattle your teeth loose from your gums, stadium-sized hooks, arena-ready anthems, and choruses that are guaranteed to touch a nerve. All of those factors combined make FLAT BLACK poised for success.

The origin stories of the rest of the players are indicative of a lifelong love of music and plenty of road-worn experience. The desire to play courses through their veins and propels them forward, which is why they all meshed so well with Hook.

Horton was introduced to music at age 13, thanks to his sister and Guitar Hero. He honed his vocal chops by playing in local bands and making online videos. Various music industry friends and acquaintances would become the connective tissue between himself and Hook. Horton knew he wanted to be a frontman, and FLAT BLACK afforded him that opportunity. Wes loves the fact that his bandmates prioritize songcraft — and that allows him to be the singer he has always wanted to be.

Diltz, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the son of a legendary rock music photographer who brought him to concerts during his formative years. He recalls being inspired by watching a VHS video of U2 performing at legendary venue Red Rocks. Seeing fans clamoring for a piece of Bono in the footage is a vision that never left his head. This first exposure to the power of a true rock icon solidified Nick's destiny as a live performer.

Pierce hails from Nashville, a.k.a. Music City. His dad was a race car driver and his grandfather was a pastor. He grew up racing go karts and at first, wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps until he joined the fourth-grade band and was bitten by the music bug. He chose the snare drum over the saxophone and from that moment on, music was the only thing that mattered. Rob got his first drum kit at age 11, which he set up in his dad's car shop. He learned to play his instrument next to 1,000 horsepower engines, which influences his highly energetic style to this day.

FLAT BLACK made its live debut on August 24, 2023 at the FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California as the support act for GODSMACK.

FLAT BLACK is:

Jason Hook - Guitar
Wes Horton - Vocals
Rob Pierce - Drums
Nicholas Diltz - Bass

In October 2020, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH confirmed that it had officially parted ways with Hook eight months earlier during the band's sold-out European arena tour. He has since been replaced by renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who made his recording debut with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on "Broken World", a song that was included on the second installment of the group's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2".

After his recovery from emergency gallbladder surgery at the end of 2019, Hook had to leave midway from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's tour of Europe to address further complications.

Jason, who joined FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in 2009, said about his exit from the band: "As for the reason I'm leaving… well, there really isn't just one. I've been in bands my entire life and I feel like I've done all the good that I can here. It's time to pass the baton and move on to new challenges."

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A post shared by Jason Hook (@jasonhook)

MR. BIG has recruited Michele Luppi (WHITESNAKE) to assist with the lead vocals during the band's ongoing U.K. tour while singer Eric Martin is dealing with an unspecified voice issue.

Earlier today (Friday, March 22),Eric took to his social media to write: "Hey fine folks, Eric here .. So after these last couple shows with my voice going in and out and struggling to keep it together (I'm not gonna get into it ..wear and tear, work overload, voodoo doll curses etc.) I had a crazy idea that could work. I'm bringing out my dear friend and singer Michele Luppi (WHITESNAKE) to join me on stage on these next two shows so I can get my strength back. We'll duet on most of the tunes including the album.

"I don't know how this is going to work but it's better than the alternatives and it sure would make me feel a whole hell of a lot better.

"I met Michele when he was the lead singer in a famous MR. BIG tribute band in the 90's (way before he joined WHITESNAKE as their keyboardist and background vocalist). We've shared the stage a few times in Italy. Michele is a great singer and one of the coolest dudes in this business. If you don't know him already, you're gonna love him.

"We pulled all this together yesterday …the band is all on board … Once in awhile my crazy ideas shine....let's get rocked!"

MR. BIG's ongoing last worldwide tour is aptly titled "The BIG Finish". Since the band's original drummer and co-founder Pat Torpey lost his battle with Parkinson's disease in 2018, the band now feels it's time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy. The first leg kicked off in Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August 2023, where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows including Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Joining MR. BIG on drums for this special final world tour is longtime friend of the band Nick D'Virgilio (SPOCK'S BEARD, BIG BIG TRAIN),stepping in for Torpey.

MR. BIG's final tour sees the band performing the entirety of its breakthrough platinum-selling 1991 album "Lean Into It" from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist.

MR. BIG recently entered the studio to record a new studio album to coincide with the last shows of the band's farewell tour.

As a session musician and touring artist, Nick has worked with many different kinds of artists and bands, from TEARS FOR FEARS, Sheryl Crow and Kevin Gilbert to Peter Gabriel and Eric Burdon and the ANIMALS. In 1996, Nick took Phil Collins's place in GENESIS and played on their "Calling All Stations" album. He has also carved out a major presence in the progressive rock world with his bands, SPOCK'S BEARD and BIG BIG TRAIN.

Before joining the Sweetwater team, Nick spent almost five years touring with Cirque Du Soleil's "Totem" as drummer, vocalist, and assistant bandleader.

Hey fine folks, Eric here ..so after these last couple shows with my voice going in and out
And struggling to keep it...

Posted by Eric Martin on Friday, March 22, 2024

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Ozzy Osbourne spoke about his first-ever Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination as a solo artist. The 75-eyar-old singer, who was inducted as a member of BLACK SABBATH back in 2006, said: "It's been driving me mad. It's an honor that I'm nominated, but I'm not expecting to get in. There's Mariah Carey, there's Cher, Lenny Kravitz. I'm up against some serious people. If I get in, I get in. If I don't, I don't."

Ozzy, who released two albums in the last four years — 2020's "Ordinary Man" and 2022's "Patient Number 9", both produced by Andrew Watt — also confirmed that he is planning to make a new record.

"I'm waiting for Andrew Watt to give me a call," he said. "He's been working with Lady Gaga. I'm dying to make more music."

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman, who has struggled with a number of health issues in recent years, was also asked when he thinks he might be physically capable of returning to the live stage. He said: "I would love to, but I can't stand up right. Maybe I'll do something one day. I miss it terribly." Pressed about whether he would do a short set if inducted into the Rock Hall, he says, "Maybe. We'll see."

Last November, Ozzy spoke to Rolling Stone UK about the possibility of returning to the live stage. He said: "I'm taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will. But it's been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life. At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I've just gone, 'Well, maybe I've just got to accept that fact.

"I'm not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What's the fucking point in that? I'm not going up there in a fucking wheelchair. I've seen Phil Collins perform recently, and he's got virtually the same problems as me. He gets up there in a wheelchair. But I couldn't do that."

Ozzy went on to pay tribute to his fans who made it possible for him to have a five-plus-decade career, first with SABBATH and then as a solo artist.

"That's one of the things I've been the most fucking pissed off at: I never got the chance to say goodbye or thank you," he said. "Because my fans are what it's all about. If I can just do a few gigs… They've been loyal to me for fucking years. They write to me, they know all about my dogs. It's my extended family really, and they give us the lifestyle we have. For whatever reason, that's my goal to work to. To do those shows. If it's at Ozzfest or somewhere, or even a fucking gig at the Roundhouse [in London]

"If I can't continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, 'Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.' That's what I'm working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I'll die a happy man."

Four years ago, Osbourne revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that progresses slowly in most people, and has no cure. Ozzy also previously suffered a nasty fall and dislodged metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003.

Earlier in November, Ozzy and Sharon's son Jack told The Messenger that his father's days of hitting the road are likely behind him. "I don't think he'll tour again," Jack said. "But he's gunning to do one-off shows — like festivals, gigs, things like that."

"He's not done yet," he added.

In September, Ozzy opened up about his series of operations in an interview with Metal Hammer as he shared his hopes of making "one more album" and a return to touring.

"I've had all the surgery now, thank God," the 75-year-old said. "I'm feeling okay. It was just dragging on. I thought I'd be back on my feet months ago. I just couldn't get used to this mode of living, constantly having something wrong. I can't walk properly yet, but I'm not in any pain anymore and the surgery on my spine went great."

Osbourne also discussed his plans for 2024, saying: "I'm getting myself fit. I've done two albums fairly recently, but I want to do one more album and then go back on the road."

Last July, the BLACK SABBATH singer canceled his appearance at the Power Trip festival due to his ongoing physical ailments.

Ozzy's health issues, including catching COVID-19 two years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February 2023.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last two years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

According to the Danish music store iMusic, BMG has set a May 31 release date for the "Anno Domini 1989-1995" box set of the Tony Martin-era BLACK SABBATH albums.

The set contains newly remastered versions of "Headless Cross" (1989),"Tyr" (1990) and "Cross Purposes" (1994),plus a new version of "Forbidden" (1995) that guitarist Tony Iommi remixed specially for the collection.

Several albums make their vinyl debut in the LP version of "Anno Domini", while the CD version contains three exclusive bonus tracks: the B-side "Cloak & Dagger" and the Japan-only releases "What's The Use" and "Loser Gets It All". A booklet comes with the set featuring photos, artwork, and liner notes by Hugh Gilmour. The collection also contains a "Headless Cross" poster and a replica concert book from the "Headless Cross" tour.

"Anno Domini" picks up BLACK SABBATH's story in 1989, two decades and multiple lineup changes into the band's groundbreaking career as metal originators. At the time, membership had solidified around riffmaster and founding member Tony Iommi, legendary drummer Cozy Powell (JEFF BECK, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE),singer Tony Martin and longtime BLACK SABBATH collaborator and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls (QUARTZ, BANDY LEGS).

Included in the set:

* "Headless Cross", "Tyr" and "Cross Purposes" newly remastered
* "Forbidden" newly remixed by Tony Iommi
* 1989 "Headless Cross" tour replica concert book
* 40-page book with photos, artwork and new liner notes
* Replica color tour poster

Disc 1 - "Headless Cross"

01. The Gates Of Hell (2024 Remaster)
02. Headless Cross (2024 Remaster)
03. Devil & Daughter (2024 Remaster)
04. When Death Calls (2024 Remaster)
05. Kill In The Spirit World (2024 Remaster)
06. Call Of The Wild (2024 Remaster)
07. Black Moon (2024 Remaster)
08. Nightwing (2024 Remaster)
09. Cloak & Dagger (2024 Remaster)

Disc 2 - "Tyr"

01. Anno Mundi (2024 Remaster)
02. The Law Maker (2024 Remaster)
03. Jerusalem (2024 Remaster)
04. The Sabbath Stones (2024 Remaster)
05. The Battle Of Tyr (2024 Remaster)
06. Odin's Court (2024 Remaster)
07. Valhalla (2024 Remaster)
08. Feels Good To Me (2024 Remaster)
09. Heaven In Black (2024 Remaster)

Disc 3 - "Cross Purposes"

01. I Witness (2024 Remaster)
02. Cross Of Thorns (2024 Remaster)
03. Psychophobia (2024 Remaster)
04. Virtual Death (2024 Remaster)
05. Immaculate Deception (2024 Remaster)
06. Dying For Love (2024 Remaster)
07. Back To Eden (2024 Remaster)
08. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (2024 Remaster)
09. Cardinal Sin (2024 Remaster)
10. Evil Eye (2024 Remaster)
11. What's The Use (2024 Remaster)

Disc 4 – "Forbidden" remix

01. Illusion Of Power
02. Get A Grip
03. Can't Get Close Enough
04. Shaking Off The Chains
05. I Won't Cry For You
06. Guilty As Hell
07. Sick And Tired
08. Rusty Angels
09. Forbidden
10. Kiss Of Death
11. Loser Gets It All

Vinyl:

LP 1 - Side A

01. The Gates Of Hell (2024 Remaster)
02. Headless Cross (2024 Remaster)
03. Devil & Daughter (2024 Remaster)
04. When Death Calls (2024 Remaster)

LP 1 - Side B

01. Kill In The Spirit World (2024 Remaster)
02. Call Of The Wild (2024 Remaster)
03. Black Moon (2024 Remaster)
04. Nightwing (2024 Remaster)

LP 2 - Side A

01. Anno Mundi (2024 Remaster)
02. The Law Maker (2024 Remaster)
03. Jerusalem (2024 Remaster)
04. The Sabbath Stones (2024 Remaster)

LP 2 - Side B

01. The Battle Of Tyr (2024 Remaster)
02. Odin's Court (2024 Remaster)
03. Valhalla (2024 Remaster)
04. Feels Good To Me (2024 Remaster)
05. Heaven In Black (2024 Remaster)

LP 3 - Side A

01. I Witness (2024 Remaster)
02. Cross Of Thorns (2024 Remaster)
03. Psychophobia (2024 Remaster)
04. Virtual Death (2024 Remaster)
05. Immaculate Deception (2024 Remaster)

LP 3 - Side B

01. Dying For Love (2024 Remaster)
02. Back To Eden (2024 Remaster)
03. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (2024 Remaster)
04. Cardinal Sin (2024 Remaster)
05. Evil Eye (2024 Remaster)

LP 4 - Side A

01. Illusion Of Power
02. Get A Grip
03. Can't Get Close Enough
04. Shaking Off The Chains
05. I Won't Cry For You

LP 4 - Side B

01. Guilty As Hell
02. Sick And Tired
03. Rusty Angels
04. Forbidden
05. Kiss Of Death

In the summer of 2022, Martin told "The Rock And Metal Profs: The History And Philosophy Of Rock And Metal" podcast that "two record labels" were going to re-release the albums he recorded with SABBATH. "I don't know when, and I don't know what it's gonna look like," he said. "There was some suggestion a while back that we might be able to put extra tracks and stuff on it. I did offer, and I went to see Tony Iommi and offered some things. And then he said we can't use anything new 'cause nothing new can be released under the BLACK SABBATH name. It can only be stuff that's got the original four members on it.

"I'm expecting it to be a remixed version of whatever the original was; that's what I'm expecting," Tony added. "So I await as you do to find out. Let me know if you hear it first."

When the interviewer expressed hope that the box set will include some live recordings from the Martin era of SABBATH, either in audio or video format, Tony said: "I recorded the writing session with… Eddie Van Halen came over and helped us write one of the tracks [for 1994's 'Cross Purposes' album]. And I had an eight-track recorder at the time in the 1980s, and I used to take it everywhere, this thing. I've got all of the writing sessions and rehearsals recorded. So I sent [Iommi] this, and he went, 'Wow! That's fucking great.' And I said, 'Well, you're welcome to use it, if you wanna put that on.' So, I don't know… Maybe you'll get that on there."

Martin added: "It's great to hear Eddie play."

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Martin on vocals: "The Eternal Idol" (1987),"Headless Cross" (1989),"Tyr" (1990),"Cross Purposes" (1994),"Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden" (1995). Eventually, Martin and his "Forbidden"-era bandmates were ousted when Iommi reunited with SABBATH's fellow original members.

In January 2022, Martin reflected on his time with SABBATH during an appearance on "The Ron Keel Podcast", saying: "It doesn't haunt me. It's not a bad thing. I've got a lot to be grateful for. SABBATH is the reason why you, and the world, knows about my voice. So there are things to be grateful for. It was hard work for me. I'm 12 years younger than the rest of the guys, so even just circle of friends was different — they're hanging out with Ian Gillan and Brian May, and my best friend is Dave down the road. So that was a gap. And also the experience — they were way ahead of me in experience, at least 12 years further up the road from me, and I never could quite catch them up; they will always have that much more experience than me. So that was hard work."

He continued: "When I first got the gig, it was actually 1986 that I was put on standby when they were with Glenn Hughes on the 'Seventh Star' album. And I don't know what the issues were, but something went wrong with Glenn and they put me on standby. That scared me to death, 'cause it's Glenn Hughes. I can't sing like Glenn Hughes; nobody can sing like Glenn Hughes. Only Glenn Hughes can sing like Glenn Hughes. So that was really scary. Then they got Ray Gillen in. Then he left — he left to join BLUE MURDER with John Sykes, so they called me again and said, 'You'd better come down to the studio and try this out.' And they gave me one song, which was 'The Shining' off 'Eternal Idol', and then two days later said, 'Okay. You've got the job. You've got a week to finish the album.' So right from the start it was scary — it was huge; suddenly being the frontman of BLACK SABBATH was just ridiculous. And yeah, the whole association with me and my voice lasted 11 years."

Seven years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that "it's a shame" that "it took a lot for people to accept" Martin as SABBATH's vocalist. "It's taken all these years later for people to say, 'Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.' So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was."

In 2018, Iommi spent time in the studio remixing "Forbidden" for a future release. The LP, which features Martin, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, is often regarded as SABBATH's worst studio recording.

In a 2012 interview with Über Röck, Martin said that he was "surprised" to see Iommi criticizing him in the guitarist's "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath" book (referring to the Martin period, especially the touring phase following the release of "Cross Purposes" in 1994, Iommi lambasted his former singer as "unprofessional" and having "no stage presence"). Martin said: "I mean, they never said anything to me. Surely, if you've got a problem, the first person you should say something to is the person that's in the band with you... It sounds like a really stupid thing to say, as they didn't say anything to my face — and, if that's the case, then more fool them for not saying anything, because, you know, we could have fixed it. I said to them, endlessly, that if there was anything they wanted changed, done differently, just to say and we could fix it, but clearly, they didn't, they hadn't got the guts to, obviously, and to write about it in a book afterwards seems a bit daft to me. I'm not bitter about it, but it is surprising... It seems a bit stupid to say that after the event."

Photo credit: I.R.S. Metal (promotional photo)

In a new interview with The Jesea Lee Show, DISTURBED singer David Draiman weighed in on a debate about people using an AI (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and machine learning (ML) models. Draiman said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think AI is gonna be a lot more successful at coming up with pop- and EDM-style stuff than it will with coming up with even adult contemporary kind of things — I mean, in extension to rock. Because there is some science to song structure, there's some science in terms of what notes resonate within the human mind more than others, but there is no science to determining that mystical combination of notes that, for whatever reason, this melodic pattern hits you here. You can't teach an artificial intelligence that; it can't learn that… You either have it or you don't. And so for that reason, I do believe that I still have a lot of faith in the future. But, yeah, the less organic things become, the more wary I become."

In recent months, a few other high-profile musicians have shared their views on the use of AI in music, including former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, who told Australian Musician: "There's gotta be something positive in it. And regardless of whether we're fearful of technology or not, it's gonna be a reality — period. So I think we can fight it all the way and there's been guys in the music business fighting analog and digital forever."

He continued: "It's kind of nostalgic to think of the days when everything was analog and you sat down and you listened to a whole album from beginning to end and it's wonderful and people can still enjoy that, but technology has allowed you and I to talk like this, technology has allowed Pro Tools to happen, which has created some of the best ideas for recording in history."

Friedman added: "We just can't fight it all the way because it's like spitting against heaven; it's not gonna mean anything. So AI, I think its best years are yet to come. It hasn't really done anything that's kicked my ass yet. Of what I've seen, it's just been kind of cute little funny little mashups and stuff, nothing I'd want to sit down and listen to an album of, but technology and AI and all that stuff is a reality. It's not going away, for better or for worse. So the sooner we accept it and accept how we can not only live with it, but benefit by it, the healthier we can all enjoy our lives rather than being some old guy just saying, 'I hate this stuff.' It's really easy to fall into that, especially from people of a previous generation, because we know how good it was back then. There's a lot of crap now because of technology, and it's easy to hate on all that stuff, but it's not going away. So what's the benefit in being negative about it?"

Last September, QUEEN's Brian May spoke about the dangers of artificial intelligence as it relates to creating music, telling Guitar Player magazine: "My major concern with it now is in the artistic area. I think by this time next year the landscape will be completely different. We won't know which way is up. We won't know what's been created by AI and what's been created by humans. Everything is going to get very blurred and very confusing, and I think we might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene. I really think it could be that serious, and that doesn't fill me with joy. It makes me feel apprehensive, and I'm preparing to feel sad about this.

"I think a lot of great stuff will come from AI, because it is going to increase the powers of humans to solve problems," he continued. "But the potential for AI to cause evil is, obviously, incredibly huge — not just in music, 'cause nobody dies in music, but people can die if AI gets involved in politics and world domination for various nations. I think the whole thing is massively scary. It's much more far-reaching than anybody realized — well, certainly than I realized."

May is not the only rock musician who has expressed his concern and/or excitement about the potential risks, challenges and benefits associated with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. During an appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored", KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked if he is "excited or worried about artificial intelligence, particularly [as it relates to] the music business." He responded: "Music business aside, I am concerned about the lack of legislation. When you enter a new, let's say a new planet, you're about to land on a new [planet], well, clearly there's opportunity there, there are minerals and things — all kinds of opportunities. Without rules of the game… It's like playing sports without rules. Who's gonna do what? You need some rules that are kind and beneficial to mankind, womankind, transkind, all kinds of kinds. Okay, does that cover everybody?"

He continued: "The problem with AI is not… AI is here, whether you like it or not. So let's look at it smartly and let's pass legislation. AI creates a song using my voice, or what sounds like my voice, with a new song, and it sounds just like me and it definitely sounds like that kind of a thing. So when you buy it, who owns the copyright and the publishing, if AI did that? So, is it me, because it sounds like me? You could swear it was me. So these are uncharted [territories]."

Asked if he cares if AI uses his voice to create a new song, Gene said: "We can make a deal."

In an interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin said: "Technology, I will always try to use it as much as I can, [including] for my visuals and all that. AI videos, I'm jealous because it would take me three thousand years to do it frame by frame. But what I'm most afraid of, really, is AI controlling high-tech weaponry; that's my main fear. And it's funny because in the '70s, as a kid, I saw a movie called 'Colossus[: The Forbin Project]' about that — about a giant super computer in the USA teaming up with a giant super computer in Russia. They take control of the nuclear weapons and enslave humanity."

Last April, Universal Music had a song called "Heart On My Sleeve", which used deep-faked vocals from their artists Drake and The Weeknd, removed from the streaming services, claiming in a statement that "the training of generative AI using our artists' music" was "a violation of copyright law".

Pop singer Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, said she would "split 50% royalties on any successful AI-generated song that uses my voice". "Same deal as I would with any artist I collab[orate] with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty," she wrote on social media.

This past July, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows spoke about artificial intelligence during an appearance on an episode of Doc Coyle's (GOD FORBID, BAD WOLVES) "The Ex Man" podcast. He said in part: "I think when you look back at all the things of the past. If I had to be a 41-year-old singer right now thinking about the things of the past, of music, so many of my favorite artists slapped me in the face and challenged me with records. I had expectations, and then something came out that I was heartbroken; I couldn't believe it. And when I look back, I needed that, and I needed to be taught that. And I have so much respect for these artists that did that to me. There was a lot that gave me the same thing — the names escape me right now — but there was so many things that challenged me that broke my heart at the time. Like going from the first MR. BUNGLE record, and then going to 'Disco Volante', Mike Patton's not even singing; he's murmuring the whole time. And then they do 'California'… I remember Brian [Haner, Jr., a.k.a. AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Synyster Gates] was literally in a depression when that record came out because of how grand that first record was. And then it becomes your favorite thing 'cause you're, like, 'These motherfuckers are crazy. They don't care.'"

The singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, continued: "But what I think is interesting about AI. 'Cause if you think of what AI is at this point, AI is an accumulation of everything it's known before. So if you were to say, 'Make an AVENGED SEVENFOLD song,' AI doesn't know how to go outside of the box and actually create what [we] would do. But it knows how to take what we've already done and mix and match it in a different way. So what I think is awesome is imagine you're, like, 'This new AVENGED record is trash. I fucking don't get it. I'm so over this crap they're trying to do. Give me a record like…' And then let AI make it. Then there you go — you've got your new AVENGED record. You have a mix and match of everything that we've done, but different choruses, different cool stuff. I think it could be really fucking interesting. And then the real guys like us, we kind of push forward on what we're doing. I think it's a fucking really weird future that we're in for, where people can just be, like, 'Eh, give me more of that.' So, who knows?"

In a May 2023 discussion on Decrypt's "gm" podcast about the music industry's reaction to a spate of AI songs trained on artists' voices, M. Shadows said that he was enthused about the possibilities, saying that "AI can be incredibly useful" for songwriters.

"If you're looking at purely this data brick of taking information and regurgitating it to us in some way, whether it's through music or art or novels, literature — whatever it is — you're basically taking everything humans have ever done or discovered and you're giving it to this thing that can distribute it to you quicker and in a different way, can mix it up and do it in a different way," he explained.

"I think if you actually look at music, most fans aren't mad that all the drums are already being resampled and replaced," he continued. "Pro Tools already will quantize your albums and make it perfect. You can Auto-Tune your voice to do all these other things. But for some reason, they have a problem… And by the way, if you think about it, how you write music, it's like you're going into your own database of 'I've listened to Bach, I've listened to The Weeknd, I've listened to Kanye, I've listened to all these things, and now I'm gonna regurgitate it in this way and spew out my own version of that.' AI can be incredibly useful if you have AI doing some of that work for you. 'Give me 20 versions of this chord change,' or, 'I wanna hear a different top line there,' and you take a little thing that interests you and you go somewhere with it. So now you're using AI to not only spark ideas but you're using it in a much quicker way to kind of get to some of these cool little nuggets of gold that you kind of are, like, 'Oh, that's cool. Let me see where I can take that.' So that's not really AI writing a song for you; it's kind of giving you this kind of jumping-off point of, 'Now where can I be creative with it?' And I think that will be the next step."

M. Shadows went on to say that AI also opens up the possibility of fans using the work of their favorite acts as a machine learning library to create their own songs.

"What I think is cool is that… Listen, there's a lot of fans that don't wanna hear new AVENGED SEVENFOLD," he said. "We're 40 years old now and we're going places that are much more eccentric than they want — some of 'em. They might want another version of 'Waking The Fallen' or 'City Of Evil', which are our old records. Now, what's wrong with someone throwing in a prompt and saying, 'Listen to these two records and send me a new record with 11 songs.' And if I was to give up my voice and say, 'Take my voice,' and AI create an album that kind of sounds like that. I think that's incredibly cool. I think it would be really cool if people can prompt their own versions of what AVENGED SEVENFOLD sounds like. You get the sounds you want, you get all these things, but now you're getting different versions of albums that you like. So I think there's something really cool there and nothing that crazy or wrong about it. I back it. I think it'd be cool. As a human, I'm gonna be going my own way and making my own stuff that I feel is kind of breaking the mold or pushing things forward. I'm giving the AI more data for the future, wherever I'm gonna take it. But I think it's kind of cool. And I would love to give up my voice to where people can create their own versions of our songs or whatever they feel would be cool."

Blackbriar has released their brand new song “Moonflower” featuring Marjana Seminka. After the album release of A Dark Euphony in September last year the band shows once again, that they are always working on new songs and their creativity seems to know no bounds. 


Zora Cock comments: “‘Moonflower’ tells a love story between a female vampire and a mortal girl and transports you to a bygone era where darkness and desire intertwine. It's inspired by the 19th-century gothic novel 'Carmilla', a timeless story that predates even the infamous Dracula. The song features a guest songstress Marjana Semkina, who I think is the most perfect fit for making this Moonflower an ethereal, haunting, and dark duet.”







Order A Dark Euphony here.





“Forever And A Day” lyric video:





“Cicada” video:





"My Soul's Demise" video:





After their successful co-headliner tour together with Ad Infinitum, Blackbriar announced more European tourdates for October/November this year. Blackbriar will join Kamelot´s Awaken The World Tour as a special gusts. Together with Ad Infinitum and Frozen Crown they will share the stage with Kamelot all over Europe and the UK.


The US tour together with Battle Beast starts in May this year.





Tour dates:


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


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





October
12 – Utrecht, Netherlands
13 – Munich, Germany
15 – Berlin, Germany
17 – Bratislava, Slovakia
18 – Zlin, Czech Republic 
19 – Ljubljana, Slovenia
20 – Milan, Italy
22 – Bilbao, Spain
23 – Madrid, Spain
25 – Lyon, France
26 – Pratteln, Switzerland 
27 – Oberhausen, Germany
29 – Hamburg, Germany
30 – Antwerpen, Belgium


November
1 – Wolverhampton, UK 

Super7 has released new figures based on Slayer’s debut album Show No Mercy with the hellish Minotaur beast featured on the album cover. Preorder at super7.com.


A description reads:


“In 1983, Slayer burst onto the LA heavy metal scene like an angry Minotaur hell-bent on destruction! This 7” scale, highly articulated Slayer ULTIMATES! Minotaur is inspired by the Baphomet Minotaur on the Show No Mercy cover art and is rendered in a dark grayscale as an homage to the album’s track ‘Black Magic.’




“Featuring intricate sculpt and premium paint detailing, this figure also comes with an interchangeable head and multiple interchangeable hands, a removable soft goods cape, and sword accessory.”





Founded in 2001, Super7 is the premier pop-culture design house and producer of lifestyle-oriented collectibles, toys and apparel based in San Francisco.


Led by designer Brian Flynn, Super7 has harnessed the graphics, aesthetics and energy of his youthful obsession with science fiction, giant monsters, comic books, punk rock, skateboarding, robots and rebellion to build a unique and innovative business that crosses all categories and is not bound by traditional manufacturing boundaries.

German heavy metal/power metal unit Hammer King, led by ex-Ross The Boss vocalist Titan Fox, strikes with their brand-new hammering anthem, “König und Kaiser”, featuring The Tribune of mighty label mates, Warkings. The vigorous title track comes alongside an adventurous music video and is cut from the band’s upcoming studio album, out this Friday, March 22 via Napalm Records.


With “König und Kaiser", featuring The Tribune, Hammer King unleash their full potential to massively heat up the vibe of worshipping the mighty Hammer King. The fruitful collaboration with Warkings’ The Tribune marks the perfect fit shortly before Hammer King join them on a massive tour, conquering European cities in March and April 2024.


Watch the official music video for “König und Kaiser", featuring the Tribune, below:







On König und Kaiser, Hammer King continue their collaboration with Charles Greywolf (of genre giants Powerwolf), who recorded the new album at Studio Greywolf and produced it together with singer Titan Fox. König und Kaiser was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, infamous for his work with bands such as Amaranthe, Arch Enemy and Volbeat, to name a few. Fast lightening double kick drums meet speed riffing on 10 new metal hits, crowned by memorable sing-along choruses that are meant to be sung with a fist raised in the air, which shall be delivered on their grand conquering tour too.


Hammer King on König und Kaiser: "Welcome to the era of König und Kaiser! 2024 will be a busy year for Hammer King as we are blessed to release our new album, König und Kaiser, at the very beginning of our first big tour. We will join the mighty Warkings for 14 shows through central European countries and will make sure we Hail as many new fans as possible with the King's mighty Hammer!"





König und Kaiser will be available in the following formats:


- 1 CD Digipak
- 1 LP Gatefold Vinyl
- Digipak + Shirt
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





König und Kaiser tracklisting:


"Hailed By The Hammer"
"The Devil Will I Do"
"König und Kaiser" (feat. The Tribune)
"Future King"
"Kingdom Of Hammers And Kings"
"War Hammer"
"Divided We Shall Fall"
"Kings Of Arabia"
"I Want Chaos"
"Gates Of Atlantia"


Bonus tracks:


"The Last Of The 7 Wars"
"König und Kaiser – Titan"
"König und Kaiser – The Tribune" (feat. The Tribune)


"The Devil Will I Do" video:





"Hailed By The Hammer" video:





Studio Report videos:


Part 1:





Part 2:





Part 3:





Part 4:





Hammer King are:


Titan Fox V - vocals/guitar
Gino Wilde - guitar
Günt von Schratenau - bass
Dolph Aidan Macallan - drums


(Photo - Anne Swallow)

METALLICA honored Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin by performing at a tribute concert at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday (March 20).

Elton and Bernie collected the Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize for their contribution to music at the invitation-only event, which included appearances by John and Taupin, was hosted by Billy Porter.

METALLICA opened the show with a rendition of "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" from John's 1973 double album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

Also appearing at last night's concert were singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, country singer Garth Brooks, folk singer Brandi Carlile, and Scottish musician and EURYTHMICS star Annie Lennox.

Ahead of the event, METALLICA said in a statement: "We are beyond excited and proud to have been invited to perform at a very special event honoring the legendary songwriting team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin as they are presented with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

"We are traveling to Washington, DC, next month to join Garth Brooks, Annie Lennox, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and others for the tribute concert and award presentation on March 20. PBS stations nationwide will premiere the concert on Monday, April 8, at 8 PM ET (check local listings),available via broadcast and streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app.

"Elton and Bernie have been collaborating for 56 years and counting, and together, they have penned some of our lifetime's most memorable and influential songs. We are thrilled to celebrate this honor with them, and we look forward to an incredible evening of unique performances from their remarkable collection of songs."

The 90-minute program "Elton John & Bernie Taupin: The Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song" honors the longtime singer-songwriter duo as the two iconic artists receive this year's distinguished recognition from the Library Of Congress.

Recording artist Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin joined creative forces in 1967 and went on to pen timeless standards such as "Your Song", "Tiny Dancer", "Rocket Man", "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". In addition to ballads, the duo created sensational rock hits, including "Bennie And The Jets" and "Crocodile Rock", which became their first No. 1 single in the U.S. in 1973.

Today, John is among the top-selling solo artists of all time, with over 70 Top 40 hits over six decades, including nine No. 1s and 28 Top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100. He has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. John holds the record for the biggest-selling physical single of all time with Taupin's rewritten lyrics for "Candle In The Wind 1997", which sold more than 33 million copies after the sudden death of Princess Diana. In 2018, he was named the most successful male solo artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history. In America, John holds the record for the longest span between Billboard Top 40 hits at 50 years.

In 1992, John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which continues to lead the global fight against HIV/AIDS. The foundation has raised more than $565 million for HIV/AIDS grants that have funded more than 3,000 projects in more than 90 countries to care for patients and provide education for AIDS prevention. His music and charitable service have been honored with a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II; the Légion d'honneur, France's highest award; and the National Humanities Medal awarded by President Joe Biden at the White House in 2022.

Since launching his first tour in 1970, John has delivered more than 4,000 performances in more than 80 countries. His work has spanned recording studios, stadiums, stages, and screens — always with music that resonates with new generations of audiences. Disney's "The Lion King", carried by John's tunes, continues to be one of Broadway's longest-running shows.

In January 2024, John won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special for his show "Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium", making him just the 19th performer to achieve rare EGOT status, having also won five Grammy awards, two Oscars for his work on "The Lion King" and with Taupin on the movie "Rocketman", and a Tony Award for the score to the Broadway musical "Aida".
One of those things you thought you’d never see in Washington — Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson head-bopping along to @Metallica at the @librarycongress#GershwinPrize for Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

See it April 8 on @PBS. pic.twitter.com/lCJB27SjFx

— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) March 21, 2024





Metallica Inc. at DAR Daughters of the American Revolution for Elton John award event in Washington DC

Posted by Bobby Dreher on Wednesday, March 20, 2024



Posted by Chaeli Cantwell on Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Metallica doing “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” got the crowd going, but the biggest surprise so far is Jacob Lusk singing “Bennie” like a gospel Sydney Greenstreet pic.twitter.com/IkwWzwMgFt

— Pat Padua (@PatPadua) March 21, 2024



Had a blast on the red carpet tonight! Celebrating Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin! The two were...

Posted by Simone De Alba on Wednesday, March 20, 2024

California-based pop punks THE STORY SO FAR will release their fifth studio album, "I Want To Disappear", on June 21 via Pure Noise Records. Produced by Jon Markson (DRUG CHURCH, KOYO),the LP features previously released single "Big Blind" alongside nine brand new THE STORY SO FAR tracks. "I Want To Disappear" comes nearly six years after the band's previous album "Proper Dose", which debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Alongside the announcement, THE STORY SO FAR has unveiled a new single and music video for "Letterman". The track finds the band doing what they do best — unapologetic vulnerability and defiance that draws the listener in. The music video for "Letterman" is available below.

"I Want To Disappear" track listing:

01. All This Time
02. Watch You Go
03. Letterman
04. Jump The Gun
05. Big Blind
06. Nothing To Say
07. Keep You Around
08. You're Still In My Way
09. White Shores
10. I Want To Disappear

THE STORY SO FAR will join A DAY TO REMEMBER on their summer tour with FOUR YEAR STRONG, MILITARIE GUN, PAIN OF TRUTH and SCOWL. The band will be visiting cities throughout the United States and Canada, kicking off on June 6 in Waite Park, Minnesota and making stops in Cleveland, Atlantic City, Raleigh, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago and more before wrapping up in Nashville, Tennessee on July 28. Tickets will go on sale on March 22 at 10 a.m. local time.

"Proper Dose" showed THE STORY SO FAR taking bold creative leaps, finally making the record that they had always wanted to. With praise from outlets like Highsnobiety, Billboard, NME, Kerrang!, New Noise Magazine and more, "Proper Dose" was one of the band's most successful records to date, landing No. 1 spots on both the Billboard's Top Rock Albums and Alternative Albums charts.

THE STORY SO FAR is Parker Cannon (vocals),Kevin Geyer (guitar/vocals),William Levy (guitar) and Ryan Torf (drums).

Photo credit: Eric Soucy