On February 5, it was revealed that SLAYER guitarist Kerry King will release the debut album from his long-awaited solo project, "From Hell I Rise", on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Joining King on the record are drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) on lead guitar, and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL on lead vocals. Working with producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, BAD RELIGION),the vast bulk of King's solo album was recorded at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

In a new interview with Uruguay's The Dark Melody, Mark stated about how he feels about being part of Kerry's band (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I'm thrilled about it. That's how I feel about it. I'm excited as hell. I worked hard to get that gig — very hard to get that gig — and since I did, I worked very hard in the studio. And then the recording experience of the record was incredible. We went to the studio with Josh Wilbur and the recording went great. It went great. And I think Kerry assembled a band of people he knew could pull off the vision and what he heard in his head. And one song has already been released, 'Idle Hands', from the record. The record is called 'From Hell I Rise'. It comes out May 17th on Reigning Phoenix Music. And the album, it's a beast. It's a savage. It is. And people are gonna be wholeheartedly — I can't say 'surprised', as they'll be gratified. You know what I mean? It's gonna surpass their expectations. And I'm very excited about it and every bit of news that comes out. I have a lot of touring ahead of me with that as well. We're gonna start touring for that in May, and that's gonna pretty much go all the way through August for now. And, yeah, we're all very excited about it. It's something we're very much looking forward to and something I'm thrilled to be a part of. I really am."

Earlier in the month, Mark told El Planeta Del Rock about how he landed the gig in Kerry's band: "It wasn't an overnight thing. It was a long process. Me and Kerry are friends, for sure, but that's not the reason I got the gig. By no means did I get the gig because we're friends; it was definitely a lot of hard work.

"He's an institution unto himself as his, as is SLAYER, and when SLAYER announced that they weren't gonna go any longer, he made it known to everyone that he was far from done," Mark continued. "And when that was announced, it was quite a few years ago. It was probably during the pandemic that I just gave him a cold call out of the blue, or a cold text rather, just saying, 'Just so you know, I heard you're doing this, and I'm just throwing my name into the hat, into the ring, or throwing my throat into the ring rather.' And he was, like, 'Hmm.' He's a very to-the-point guy, and he said, 'Okay.' And I know he's very serious about everything he does musically.

"It was a lot of hard work, I'll tell you that — a lot of going back and forth," Mark repeated. "I did quite a bit of demoing with him, and nothing was a sure thing ever. I know he had other people in mind for every for every position in the band. I think Paul was the shoo-in right off the bat, and then after that… Kerry knew his vision. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he heard in his head, and he wanted a lineup that could deliver it. And after a lot of hard work, one day me and him were out together — and it was plain simple as that. But quite some time had gone by and a lot of work was put into it, and he just said, 'If you want the gig, it's yours.' And I, of course, I just looked at him, like, 'Ah.' Pretty much, 'Fuck yeah.' And I gave him a huge hug, and from then on it was just even more hard work. As hard as I worked to get the gig, once I got the gig, it was even more hard work just concentrating on the songs and getting what I was gonna do to deliver in the studio. Once we got in the studio, we went in with Josh Wilbur, who produced it, at Henson Studios in Hollywood, and we didn't mess around. We got in — I think loaded in, two weeks later loaded out. It was work every day, but one of the most amazing studio experiences I've had and very fulfilling."

Regarding the "From Hell I Rise" album, Mark said: "It's a beast. It's a body of work that — from beginning to end, that album is something I'm very proud of, and I know everyone on the record, all of us in the band, are very proud of it. And I think when people hear it, they're gonna be blown away. Yeah, it's a beast."

Kerry told Rolling Stone about Osegueda's addition to the band: "With Mark, he was on board early on. I just didn't pull that trigger. I was like, 'Let's see what happens.' Say for instance, [JUDAS PRIEST's] Rob Halford calls me and says, 'Hey, I would love to be your singer,' I'd have to go that way."

King also confirmed that PANTERA's Philip Anselmo was "considered" as a possible singer for his new project. "My management, my promoter, my record label all wanted Phil," Kerry said. "Phil's a good friend of mine, but I always thought he's not the right guy. That has nothing to do with his ability; I just knew he wasn't the right guy. When you hear Mark on this record, you know that's the guy.

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

"I saw Mark a few years back singing covers of MINOR THREAT and cameo in THE WEDDING BAND with members of METALLICA," King added. "It was different from what he does in DEATH ANGEL, and he sounded great. He's super versatile. He took steps to make this different than DEATH ANGEL. I don't touch on probably 50 percent of what he can do on the album.

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

"From Hell I Rise" track listing:

01. Diablo
02. Where I Reign
03. Residue
04. Idle Hands
05. Trophies Of The Tyrant
06. Crucifixation
07. Tension
08. Everything I Hate About You
09. Toxic
10. Two Fists
11. Rage
12. Shrapnel
13. From Hell I Rise

The LP's first single, "Idle Hands", can be streamed below.

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska. KERRY KING will make the band's 2024 concert debut in May, first at the Welcome To Rockville festival (May 9),followed by Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival (May 16).

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST played at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Friday, March 15 as part of the band's "Invincible Shield" European tour.

PRIEST's 17-song setlist included the live debuts of "Sword Of Damocles", which originally appears on the band's 2014 album "Redeemer Of Souls", and "Crown Of Horns", a track from the group's latest album, "Invincible Shield". PRIEST also brought back "Sinner" for the first time since 2019 and played "You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise" for the first time since 2009.

PRIEST's setlist for the Dublin concert was as follows:

01. Panic Attack
02. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
03. Breaking The Law
04. Rapid Fire
05. Sword Of Damocles (live debut)
06. Love Bites
07. Saints In Hell
08. Crown Of Horns (live debut)
09. Turbo Lover
10. Invincible Shield
11. Sinner (first time since 2019)
12. You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise (first time since 2009)
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 "Invincible Shield" 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.

JUDAS PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield" has 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" has already 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.

Fan-filmed video of QUEENSRŸCHE's March 5 performance on the pool stage aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise can be seen below.

The setlist for the concert was as follows:

01. Screaming In Digital
02. Damaged
03. The Whisper
04. Empire
05. I Don't Believe In Love
06. En Force
07. Behind The Walls
08. Jet City Woman
09. Take Hold Of The Flame
10. My Empty Room
11. Eyes Of A Stranger
12. Queen Of The Reich

Although QUEENSRŸCHE would score multi-platinum albums and hit singles over their career, their fans have developed an undeniable love for the group's early releases, the 1983 EP and 1984's "The Warning" album, when they helped trailblaze a style of rock that combined elements of metal and prog. And for the first time ever, QUEENSRŸCHE will be performing both classic releases in their entirety as part of "The Origins Tour".

Launching on March 22 in Houston, Texas at Hell's Heroes festival and running until May 12 in Ft. Meyers, Florida, "The Origins Tour" will see QUEENSRŸCHE — singer Todd La Torre, guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone, bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Casey Grillo — joined on most dates by another highly respected/influential band that also launched in the '80s, ARMORED SAINT.

"We are thrilled to bring to you 'The Origins Tour'," said La Torre. "This will be the first time in QUEENSRŸCHE's history that the EP and 'The Warning' will be performed live in their entirety. And to make this an even more stellar tour, we are so excited that our great friends and legendary metallers ARMORED SAINT will be joining us as direct support. We are all proud to bring you this touring package and we can't wait to see you on the road."

He added: "Join us for this unique and very special experience, as we celebrate the origins of QUEENSRŸCHE. Take hold!"

Early last year, QUEENSRŸCHE completed its 2023 U.S. headlining tour with support from former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman and TRAUMA. On that tour, QUEENSRŸCHE's 18-song set included no less than five songs from the band's sixteenth studio album, "Digital Noise Alliance", which came out in October 2022 via Century Media. The record was once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.

Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's new studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past seven years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute is scheduled to go to trial in January 2024.

Video of former NIGHTWISH members Marko "Marco" Hietala and Tarja Turunen performing their collaborative new single "Left On Mars" on March 8 at Tokio Marine Hall in São Paulo, Brazil can be seen below.

Inspired by a tale of love and longing, this ethereal ballad combines Marko's emotive lyrics and powerful riffs with Tarja's hauntingly beautiful vocals, creating a symphony that resonates deep within the soul.

Hietala states about "Left On Mars": "A love song to my wife which ends up uniting two old friends. Even if the song itself sucked, I would be pleased about the result."

Marko's guitarist and album producer Tuomas Wäinölä recalls hearing the song for the first time at Marko's place in Kuopio: "It was a strong one immediately. I think Marko had the idea of it being a duet too, straight from the beginning. After that it was just a matter of grinding and demoing it well. The fun part was taking the song to Switzerland on an USB drive, like proper agents. We had this secret meeting when we had a Pratteln outdoor gig with Tarja, both playing our own sets. And yeah, it was great to see them together on stage and finally singing the same tune again."

Earlier this month, Hietala was asked by El Planeta Del Rock if there is any chance of him and Turunen launching a new project together. He responded: "I won't close that option off. We haven't talked about it, putting up a group together or anything like that. But at the moment, it seems that we've got a different kind of connection than it was [in the] past. Because then the camps were really divided already when I stepped into [NIGHTWISH]. And it was hard to find the truth of things, because a lot of it was like a managerial turf war where we got told certain things by one side and told certain things by the other side and lots of confusion — blah, blah, blah — and in the end, yeah, what we already realized a few years back when we were all together there doing the Christmas shows in Finland that after all the hassle has died and the noise has died and everything, you still find out that you lost a friend. And that was the main [reason] why we are basically doing this together again."

In a recent interview with Thiago Rahal Mauro of Brazil's Metal Musikast, Tarja spoke about what it was like to team up with Marko to perform a cover of "The Phantom Of The Opera" during their special open-air concert in July 2023 at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. Tarja and Marko both played individual sets at the event, with their rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical coming during Turunen's portion of the show.

"I got a call from a promoter to take part in one festival in Switzerland last year in a European summertime in July," Tarja said. "And then I got to know, when I had accepted to be the artist of the evening, then I saw that they had also invited Marko and Marko's band to perform in the same festival. So I thought, 'Hmm.' And I was actually sending a message that I wished to reach Marko, because I didn't have his contact any longer, to ask him to perform with me 'The Phantom Of The Opera' in my show. And he responded 'yes.' So, after 18 years [laughs], we were about to sing the song together. And it was super exciting. It was really beautiful. The people got very emotional about this.

"We had met already before — we had been singing on a few occasions in Finland a few years before — so we kind of cleaned the table on that occasion already," she explained. "So we were in good terms, so to say, but now singing 'The Phantom Of The Opera' together after all these years was amazing. So we did it twice, actually — we did it in Switzerland and then in Finland. And now we are going to do it — that and a lot more [laughs] — there in Brazil [during our upcoming joint tour]."

Tarja also elaborated on her friendship with Marko, saying: "It's a new relationship with him, because he's not the same person anymore than he was in the band. He has changed a lot, and many years have passed by. I've changed myself. Life has changed us. So it is a new relationship, let's say. And it had made me very happy to get to know him better after all these years."

Last November, Tarja admitted to Chaoszine that she was "nervous" before performing "The Phantom Of The Opera" with Marko at Z7 Summer Nights. "I believe that he was nervous as well to meet up with me, but we were both very excited to go back to the stage and to sing the song," she said. "We sang 'Phantom Of The Opera' in Switzerland for the first time. Then we went over to Finland to perform it again, did a show together there — he with his band and me with my own. Wow. It was pure emotion. I think it was really beautiful, but it made me kind of… I was, like, 'I'm in peace,' sort of. The feeling was great. I think it was even more for Marko, because I saw him standing there after my concert, when I finished my set, and he came like almost in tears, saying that this was important. We reconnected, and it's great. Now I'm really looking forward to have this tour [with Marko] in South America in March [2024], and I'm sure you will see something else happening also. Yeah, you'll hear."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marko came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Nearly two years ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's latest studio album, 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Tuomas elaborated on NIGHTWISH's reasons for carrying on, saying: "I think we still have something to give, and that's the main point. The music is still there. We felt that there's still so much music that needs to come out from this band that, 'Okay, let's give it one more shot.' And then finding the new bass player was really easy."

He added: "It's not like we do this just because we need to do it and there's nothing else to do. On a personal level, I feel that there's still so many stories and melodies that I want to share with the world with one lineup or another, so that's why you want to continue and keep on going.

"I've said this a million times, that a lineup change is the ultimate energy vampire, and that's how it really felt and still feels."

In June 2021, Jansen spoke about Hietala's exit from the band in an episode of her "Storytime" YouTube video series. She said: "That was a very sudden surprise that, of course, was not fun at all. But we understand — I understand — it was a necessary thing for him to do. And from there, we had to think of how to continue without him, and that also, in preparations towards the virtual show, that was a huge challenge."

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

"Queen Rock Montreal" captures the world's most iconic rock band at the very peak of their live powers. Recorded in 1981 and recently released as a record-breaking digitally restored IMAX concert film, this landmark moment in the band's history is now being released as both double Blu-ray and double 4K Ultra High Definition packages, plus double CD and triple vinyl packages. Both will be released worldwide on May 10, QUEEN has announced.

"Queen Rock Montreal" presents Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon at their most exciting and exhilarating. As Brian May puts it, this is QUEEN "live and dangerous."

QUEEN were on all-conquering form when they returned to Montreal, Canada for the fourth time in November 1981 to play two huge concerts at the 18,000-seat Forum.

This pair of Montreal concerts marked an historic moment for QUEEN. After their massive success in the 1970s, the band entered the 1980s bigger than ever, with the hugely successful "The Game" album producing their two biggest ever U.S. singles in "Another One Bites The Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (both Billboard No. 1s),followed by the U.K. No.1 single "Under Pressure".

QUEEN's return to Montreal came after almost two years of touring, including their very first tours of South and Central America, which saw the band playing two nights at São Paulo's Morumbi Stadium to more than 150,000 devoted fans. As a result, when the band arrived in Canada in November 1981, they were in electrifying form.

"Montreal is one of our favorite cities, it's a great audience there, very full of energy," says Brian May. "We'd played this particular venue, The Forum, several times before, and it was always full of really enthusiastic people giving us a lot of energy back."

The original concerts, which took place on November 24 and 25, 1981, were truly ground-breaking. They were arranged specifically to be filmed for a full-length concert film to document their live show. Director Saul Swimmer planned to shoot them using state-of-the-art Double Anamorphic 35mm footage, which allowed it to be projected on a gigantic, five-story high screen. Backstage tensions between the members of QUEEN and Swimmer could have caused problems, but instead they propelled the band to new heights.

"We were very, very hyped up, some of the tempos are really fast, there's a lot of really incisive, angry playing," says May.

"Queen Rock Montreal" features a rawer version of the band who had released "Bohemian Rhapsody" half a decade earlier, showcasing their unparalleled musicianship, soaring vocal power and unstoppable live energy. "There's no one on the stage apart from us," says May.

Says Taylor: "It's fascinating to now realize how free we were on stage in 1981. It's a four piece, just the four of us in QUEEN, and to see Freddie. It's like being on stage with the band because the cameras are very high quality for the time. I've never seen anything that makes you feel quite so involved with the performance."

From Freddie Mercury's opening cry of "Hello Montreal… long time no see. You wanna get crazy?" through to the thrilling climactic one-two of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions", the energy rarely lets up — and even then only for signature ballad "Love Of My Life".

The powerful vocal acrobatics of Mercury, May's dazzling six-string pyrotechnics, Deacon's rock-solid heartbeat bass, Taylor's unstoppable rhythmic display, and not to mention the unique combination of all four voices — "Queen Rock Montreal" shows the total cohesion and individual strengths of four musicians who were, as Brian May says, "at the top of our game".

The album's 28-track setlist shows the breadth and brilliance of QUEEN's songwriting. It mixes 1970s classics ("Killer Queen", "Now I'm Here", "We Will Rock You", "We Are The Champions", "Bohemian Rhapsody") and recent hits ("Another One Bites The Dust", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Play The Game", "Save Me") with fan-favorite deep cuts and album tracks ("Keep Yourself Alive", "Dragon Attack", "I'm In Love With My Car", "Sheer Heart Attack"),as well as two songs, "Flash" and "The Hero", which are exclusive to the audio-only formats. The audio comes as 2CD/3LP black vinyl and special 3LP Colored Transparent Blue Vinyl (Queen Online Store exclusive).

As never before seen, the package presents this historic performance for the first time in 4K with Dolby Atmos sound to experience rock and roll royalty with Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon as they take to the stage in this historic and exhilarating live concert from 1981.

The 35mm original negative has been scanned to ensure the highest possible resolution, which was then examined frame by frame to remove any dirt, damage or splices to enhance the sharpness and quality of the picture.

"I can't think of any other record of our shows in which you are so intimately in contact with Freddie," says May. "You can almost see everything that's going on in his head, you can see his anger, you can see his insecurity, you can see his consciousness that he can move people right to the back of the auditorium. To me, it's very emotional. Oh my God, he was good."

For the first time ever, the concert will be presented in both full-frame and widescreen formats. The full-screen aspect ratio echoing more closely the way the film was originally shot, and the widescreen being a carefully cropped alternative presentation to fill the 16:9 ratio. In addition, the 4K Ultra High Definition release also has SDR / HDR dynamic range options.

In addition to Montreal, this package includes the most famous 21 minutes in rock and roll history — QUEEN's electric performance at Live Aid, upscaled to high definition for the first time ever and with brand-new stereo, 5.1 and Dolby Atmos sound mixes, along with Freddie Mercury and Brian May performing "Is This The World We Created…?" later that evening.

Now, these double CD/triple vinyl LP and Double Blu-ray or double 4K Ultra High Definition packages bring an entirely new dimension to this iconic slice of QUEEN history.

"You see four young guys, we've already been around the world a lot of times, we've sold a lot of records, we've had a lot of hits, we know how to play with each other," says Brian May of "Queen Rock Montreal". "I feel proud of who we were at the time."

Taylor echoes the sentiment: "It's so satisfying to look at our younger selves in explosive action after all these years!"

The enduring power of "Queen Rock Montreal" was confirmed earlier in 2024, when a digitally remastered version of the film released exclusively in IMAX theatres became the most successful IMAX concert film ever, reaching a record-breaking £5.5M globally and surpassing TALKING HEADS' "Stop Making Sense" and THE BEATLES' "Get Back" documentary.

The new lineup of KINGDOM COME — featuring original guitarists Danny Stag and Rick Steier, and bassist Johnny B. Frank, along with the band's latest additions, vocalist Ezekiel "Zeke" Kaplan and drummer Matt Muckle — played its first two shows on March 15 at The Lamp Theater in Irwin, Pennsylvania and on March 16 at The Mercury Music Lounge in Lakewood, Ohio. Fan-filmed video of the performances can be seen below. (Note: Steier sat out the concerts for reasons that have not been disclosed.)

In a February 2024 interview with "The Pennsylvania Rock Show", Muckle stated about KINGDOM COME's current formation: "We started rehearsing back in August in search of a new frontman. And we auditioned a bunch of guys and we found some great singers and maybe some that weren't so great. So we've been working a little bit to get this up and going, and so we found a new guy. He's amazing. His name is Zeke Kaplan, and he's from L.A. A 29-year-old kid, man. He's like [ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE singer] John Corabi on 'Hooligan's Holiday' meets [CINDERELLA's] Tom Keifer and he plays rhythm guitar. He's just an animal. And no one will ever replace [original KINGDOM COME singer] Lenny [Wolf], 'cause he was the best singer, to me, as a kid. When I had KINGDOM COME posters on my walls, I just knew he was special, man. I knew that dude was no joke. I think he's one of the best rock singers that ever walked on stage, in my opinion. But this new dude is killing it. We're super excited. And, yeah, we're ready to go play some shows do some touring."

Last month, singer Keith St John announced his departure from KINGDOM COME after a five-year run with the band.

St John joined KINGDOM COME in 2018 after Wolf opted not to be involved in the group's reunion alongside drummer James Kottak, Stag, Steier and Frank.

St John's exit from KINGDOM COME came just a month after Kottak died at the age of 61.

Earlier last month, Stag, Steier and Frank launched a new web site at kingdomcomerockband.com where they revealed that they will carry on under the KINGDOM COME banner with the addition of Kaplan and Muckle.

The all-new KINGDOM COME is promising "a new album" and "a brand-new live tour" for later in 2024.

Regarding the split with St John, KINGDOM COME wrote: "KINGDOM COME has decided to part ways with vocalist Keith St John in order to allow him to devote more time to BURNING RAIN, 'Raiding The Rock Vault', and his solo projects. We sincerely wish him only the best, and thank him for his invaluable contributions to getting KINGDOM COME back up and running again in 2018."

Kottak, who was open about his battle with alcoholism, died on January 9. No cause of death has been given.

KINGDOM COME had used a different drummer, SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias, instead of James for most of the band's shows in the last year and a half due to Kottak's deteriorating health.

KINGDOM COME's most recent touring lineup consisted of St John and Elias alongside Stag, Steier and Frank.

Kottak's daughter Tobi told TMZ her father passed away in Louisville, where he lived until 1987, although further details about the exact circumstances weren't immediately available.

In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.

Kottak was married to Athena Lee, the sister of MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee, from 1996 to 2010.



Intro Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



Kingdom Come

Posted by Samantha Steele on Friday, March 15, 2024



I love playing this tune! 🤘🏻😝
Thanks to all the came out for this weeks Kingdom Come shows . And For the rest you who did not come out and support us, i I hope you all choke on green beer today👊🏻😂! Happy St. Patrick’s Day💚✅❤️

Posted by Matt Muckle on Sunday, March 17, 2024

FLAT BLACK, the band formed by ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook, will release a new single, "Nothing To Some", on Friday, March 22. 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.

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."

NOTHING TO SOME Feat. Corey Taylor drops next Friday 3.22.24 🔥 Save the song now to enter to win a signed photo print of...

Posted by FLAT BLACK on Friday, March 15, 2024

Following the success of “Sick To Death”, WildStreet have announced the release of their next single “Come Down”, via Golden Robot Records.


With infectious hooks and electrifying riffs, the track embodies the epitome of contemporary party rock. Featuring the talents of Steeve Estatof (renowned from The Voice, France) and Erik Eldenius (notable for his work with Billy Idol), both the single and its accompanying video promise an unforgettable experience.







Stream / download “Come Down” here.





Releasing six singles since their 2021 album III, WildStreet has made waves, amassing an impressive 6 million Spotify streams and 4 million views on YouTube. Their relentless intercontinental touring since 2021 has cultivated a devoted fan base in 15 countries, spanning the United States, Mexico, and across Europe.


With festival appearances on the horizon for 2024, the eagerly awaited EP release date is on the verge of being unveiled. Stay tuned for the next chapter in WildStreet's electrifying journey.





 


 

Scared of clowns or abandoned houses in the middle of the woods? Well... Finland's As I May is back with a killer video for their new single "The Last Breath" that will give you that much-needed horror fix. Combining modern low riffs with a little taste of deathcore, plus synths that bring horror sweeps and atmosphere, As I May's "horrorcore" sound delivers a catchy sing-along chorus to this chaos.


Vocalist / guitarist Lasse Hiltunen adds: "This video was new territory for us. We shot in 3D and green screens. We thought that we could get that same atmosphere from the video that is in the song with lyrics such as 'Burn down the house.' Basically, the main idea came from that phrase and we needed a reason to burn a house, and have some murderous clowns. Let's try those in there too. This video came out much more scarier than we thought."


"The Last Breath" is the first single and title track off their yet-to-be-released third LP that was mixed and mastered by Christoph Wieczorek at Sawdust Recordings.







As I May's music is all about combining metal / deathcore and vibes from horror movies to create HorrorCore. The band was formed in 2016 in Mikkeli, Finland. The band is known for big melodies, huge choruses, and hard-hitting riffs. As I May is one of the front-running acts in the new wave of Finnish metal bands being exported. Touring all over Europe, they have made a name for themselves with over a million streams for their albums Karu (2022, Uprising Records) and My Own Creations (2019, Rock Shots Records).


As I May is:


Lasse Hiltunen - vocals, guitars
Tipi Nokelainen - vocals, bass
Leevi Räsänen - drums





 

In a new interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson, who is quite the renaissance man — rock singer, pilot, business leader, author, international fencer, motivational speaker, radio host and more — spoke about how he juggles his various activities, especially in light of the fact that he has just released a new solo album, "The Mandrake Project". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, funnily enough, I have been very busy. I've been trying to do less things, but more of them. [Laughs] So, rather than try and do ten things at once, just do two. And so in this case, it's been the album and also a three-year project of a graphic novel, which they don't depend on each other — they're independent of each other — but nevertheless, they share the same title. And there's some links between the one with the other, with the story. So, yeah, it's been a very busy year of mixing things. Also we've been doing the back catalog as well, so we've just done — in fact, this week, [we got done] mixing the Atmos Dolby version of 'Skunkworks', we've remixed it, and we're gonna be doing the same thing for all of my back catalog, so 'Balls To Picasso' and all the other albums. So, yeah, there's a lot of stuff going on. And we're preparing for a tour — I mean, a big solo tour; 50 shows nearly. And, unfortunately, no [shows in] Japan — yet. And then the rest of the year's busy with MAIDEN, and then we will be coming to Japan, which is fantastic."

Earlier in the month, Dickinson was asked by Riff X 's "Metal XS" what he would say to people who are afraid of trying things or getting out of their comfort zone. He responded: "Well, all of us are afraid of failure. And you can choose to let it rule you or you can choose to ignore it and say, 'What's the worst thing that happens if I fail?' You fail. It doesn't change who you are. And people who are not gonna talk to you because you failed, maybe you shouldn't have been talking to them in the first place because they're not interested in who you are; they're interested in what you are or what you do.

"I have some close friends, and although they are interested and they know what I do, they're not friends with me because of what I do," he continued. "I hope they're friends with me because of who I am, and I like them because of who they are and not what they are or what they do.

"I can't spread myself too thin with people, so I don't have millions and millions and millions of friends. So I find social media completely exhausting, and I just don't go there. I just dissipate all my emotional energy on rubbish. So I prefer to just keep it tight and just with people I trust and close friends.

"To people who are afraid of failure, I'd say, look, think of it the other way. Think of it, to not try, to not push and see what happens is not to be alive," Bruce explained. "Life is not just existing. Life is activity and joy. And like I used to say that when I did my one-man show, my spoken-word thing that I did, life is better than all the other options."

Less than six years ago, Dickinson called the concept of multitasking "absolute rubbish," explaining that people who can juggle lots of things at the same time are actually good at rapid task switching. During his September 2018 spoken-word gig at Folketeateret in Oslo, Norway, Bruce was asked by a fan for his advice on optimizing his schedule for motivation and focus. He responded: "Well, I actually try and do things one thing at a time, 'cause it's all I can manage. I've discovered that if I try to do two things at a time, like for example eating with a knife and fork whilst at the same time trying to play chess, one of them has to suffer inevitably. So as simple as it may sound, just do whatever it is you're doing — do that — and then do something else.

"All this stuff about multitasking, it's rubbish — rubbish; absolute rubbish," he continued. "Women cannot multitask. Men cannot multitask. But some people are better at going from one thing to the other thing to the other thing to the other thing and back to the other thing and everything else like that. But if they're gonna be successful at that, they're gonna do one thing at a time and change rapidly from one to the other. That's not multitasking; that's figuring out how to change rapidly from one thing to the other."

Nine years ago, Dickinson, who turned 65 last August, completed a round of chemotherapy for a tumor on the back of his tongue and was given a clean bill of health.

Dickinson's first solo LP in 19 years, "The Mandrake Project", was released on March 1 via BMG. Bruce and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy "Z" Ramirez recorded the LP largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's previous solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Long-running Massachusetts-based metallers SHADOWS FALL, who were at the forefront of the New Wave Of American Metal scene that dominated the '00s, celebrated the 20th anniversary of their "The War Within" album by playing the LP in its entirety last night (Saturday, March 16) at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, the site of the band's many classic shows. It also marked the first time the band has performed in the Garden State in a decade.

When the show was first announced last November, SHADOWS FALL frontman Brian Fair said: "20 years… cannot believe it will 20 years since SHADOWS FALL dropped 'The War Within' on the world. This record changed my entire life and took me around the world. We had been surprised by the success of 'The Art Of Balance' and definitely felt a little pressure to take things to another level, but we did not allow that pressure to change our vision of the band we wanted to be. Our goal was to allow all of our influences shine through while pushing metal into a new direction, creating the music we had always wanted to hear ourselves."

He continued: "'The War Within' may be the closest we have come to achieving these goals and that hard work and vision allowed us to get on our first arena tour, our first Grammy nomination, and countless other firsts along the way. Since this is an important birthday for the album, we wanted to play a special set to celebrate 'The War Within' in its entirety, every track, some of which has rarely been played live."

He finished, nodding to the Garden State's pivotal role in the band's history, saying: "New Jersey has always had some of the craziest crowds we have ever played to so doing this show at The Starland Ballroom seemed like the perfect choice! Dirty Jersey has always felt like a home away from home to us and we have had so many full-on parties on that stage. We cannot wait to party there again! Start stretching now and get ready to come out of mosh retirement so we can give 'The War Within' the birthday rager it deserves. See ya soon!"

In an interview with the WSOU 89.5 FM radio station, Fair discussed the status of new SHADOWS FALL music, two and a half after he and his bandmates reunited for a concert at The Palladium in Worcester in their native Massachusetts. The 48-year-old singer, who now lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife and their two kids, said: "We're working on new music right now that's — you can tell it's SHADOWS FALL, but, man, it's got new vibes, it's got new influences and it's just kind of a very fresh approach.

"When we first started working on it, we were worried," Brian admitted. "We were, like, 'Is this gonna sound like us?' We hadn't written songs together in five to six years, where it's gonna be. And, man, right out of the gate, we were, like, 'This is the SHADS. We're back.'"

Elaborating on the musical direction of the new SHADOWS FALL material, Fair said: "Honestly, it's gonna be everything that we've always done, plus more. And we're probably about — I'd say we've got six or seven songs that are actually songs. They're still gonna get some some tweaks here and there, with a few other ideas still floating around that need to be worked on. But I don't know what time frame — we're not pushing any sort of deadlines on ourselves 'cause it's been, man, since 2014 since we dropped any new music so we're not in a rush. We wanna get it as perfect as we can, we wanna be as happy with it as we can, and [we're] not having label pressure to finish by a certain time. It's also a new day and age where you can release it in such different ways than we were used to back then, and that's really exciting as well. I don't know if we'll drop some songs here and there and then put it all out together on vinyl at the end. I have no idea about that stuff yet. We'll work all that out, but I'm super excited about these songs. I've also been pushing myself as a singer to really expand my range to try new ideas, and having the time to work through that has been really helpful. 'Cause even when SHADOWS FALL was doing downtime, I was doing different projects and trying to really bring some new elements to what I do, and I'm putting all that into this record. So it'll sound like SHADOWS FALL, but there'll definitely be some some new interesting ideas and approaches and stuff. So it's really exciting."

He added: "For us, it's just been great to be back in the room jamming on new material, 'cause when we got together to do these [reunion] shows, when we're rehearsing, we were, like, 'If we're putting this work in, why not see what happens with new music?' And I couldn't be happier with how it's coming out. So, really exciting."

Last December, Fair told RichardMetalFan about SHADOWS FALL's decision to reunite: "We'd wanted to play shows again for a while and we just wanted the time to be right. And once the pandemic kind of hit, we sort of realized, like, 'Why are we waiting around? It's the time.' So we were lucky that we were able to kind of get everyone's schedules together. And it was incredible. As soon as we started jamming together again, it just felt fun, it felt right. So the shows were a blast. We really rehearsed like crazy for it. And we're probably better prepared for that than anything we'd ever been for before that. And we also realized, like, man, we should have been practicing more when we were together. We used to hate practicing. We always were, like, 'Ah, we tour enough. We don't need to.' And then after we practiced a bunch, we were, like, 'All right. Maybe we really should have.' [Laughs] But then also when we started practicing, we figured if we have ideas, why not write new music as well? If we're gonna get together, let's see what we've got. So that started leading to some new stuff. So [I'm] looking forward to seeing where it heads."

Asked if the next SHADOWS FALL release will be stylistically similar to the band's last album, 2012's "Fire From The Sky", or if it will be "a new beginning" for the band, Brian said: "If you heard these songs, you'd be, like, 'Oh, that's SHADOWS FALL.' But no, it doesn't sound like… It's different. It definitely sounds different."

Fair previously discussed SHADOWS FALL's plans for new music during an episode of "Drinks With Johnny", the Internet TV show hosted by AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ. At the time, he said: "We're pretty deep into the process. I'd say I'm kind of a slacker, but I'm really focusing on getting things as good as I can vocally because we have no agenda. We have no time frame. We have no record label pressure. We're just trying to write the best music we can. And it all kind of came about as we started jamming to do the reunion shows. And these guys have — Jon's [Donais, guitar] been playing in ANTHRAX and Jason's [Bittner, drums] been playing in OVERKILL, so their chops are still at top-notch level. But they had riffs, man. And I was, like, 'If we've got riffs and they sound like SHADOWS FALL, if we're gonna get together and jam, let's make some new music.'"

He continued: "It's been a blast, man. It's funny, 'cause the older we've gotten, it's gotten a little more brutal, which was not a surprise, 'cause I just figured that would happen. We're, like, 'If we're gonna do it, we're gonna drop the hammer.' So it's been fun, man. I forgot how much of a riff machine Jon was. And he's just like — ideas are just flying out of him. And also in ANTHRAX, he just gets to solo in the studio. So he's just, like, 'Finally I get to write some riffs.' [Laughs]"

In July 2023, Bittner told the "Nothing Shocking Podcast" about SHADOWS FALL's decision to work with Zeuss again: "[Zeuss] did all of our records except for… Well, he had a hand in all of them except for 'Fire From The Sky'… So he's always been involved with SHADOWS FALL in some way, shape or form. Once this whole reunion thing kind of morphed from being just a one-show thing, we started talking with him, 'cause he still lives two minutes away from Paul [Romanko, bass]. So, it's, like, 'All right. Well, if you guys are getting back together, what's the next step? Are we making another record?' We're, like, 'Well, we don't know.' And he was, like, 'Whatever we're doing, let's get on it.' So kind of, like, we just sort of figured, 'We don't have any money to pay you, because we don't have any money because we don't have a record label or anything.' But he was just, like, 'Well, let's just start doing this and let's do it together.' So that's pretty much where we're at right now. We're just gonna start recording some material that we have and we're gonna keep working at that as the year goes on."

During an appearance on "The Jasta Show" podcast, Fair said that SHADOWS FALL is not currently signed to any record label. "We're free and clear," he explained. "We were luckily free and clear for a while, so even our last couple of records were done kind of on our own terms."

Fair and his SHADOWS FALL bandmates have played a few other reunion concerts, including at Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia, at the Furnace Fest in Birmingham, Alabama, and at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Asked by "The Jasta Show" host Jamey Jasta if SHADOWS FALL would be open to going out on a more extensive tour, possibly as the support act for an arena band, Fair said: "We're not averse to that. It takes a lot of logistics now, with the rest of my guys being in legendary thrash bands, like ANTHRAX and OVERKILL and whatnot. But if we can do it, we would love to. Right now, festivals have been something we can pull off. But I would love to do short tours or even a month-long tour. Or at least some long weekends where we hit each coast or do New England and then Midwest and then a West Coast thing. But we'll see. We're not saying 'no' to anything. We're gonna listen. So we'll see, if things make sense and if we can make it work."

He added: "I've been in dad mode, just working nine to five for a while, so getting back on the pirate ship is pretty enticing at this point."

SHADOWS FALL released a statement in August 2014 in which the bandmembers explained that financial difficulties made it virtually impossible for the group to continue as a full-time concern.

In August 2015, SHADOWS FALL played a few reunion shows on the U.S. East Coast, one year after completing what was being billed at the time as the band's "final" European tour.

"Fire From The Sky" was released in May 2012 via Razor & Tie. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM, the Brazilian band featuring former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo "Tormentor" Guedz, will release its sophomore album, "A Mass To The Grotesque", as a limited LP vinyl edition and CD digipack on May 31 via Alma Mater Records, the Portuguese label run by MOONSPELL singer Fernando Ribeiro.

The LP's single, a brutal banger titled "Chapels Of The Unholy", will be made available on April 12.

"Imagine a death metal world unaltered and pure since the 1990s, a musical style so dear to the fans, that time, business and trend, could never hurt," death metal fan Ribeiro recommends. "Go back to the glorious time where death metal reigned supreme, thanks to some bands, artists, studios and an untameable will of progressing and delivering extreme music to its finest shape, like occult jewellery, filigree, brutal yet elegant in its overwhelming task of splitting your ears. The new TROOPS OF DOOM album, 'A Mass To The Grotesque', which Alma Mater Records is brutally proud to present, rescues this long forgotten death metal class. They are the flag carriers of the authentic Morrisound sound (the legendary Florida studio where this album was mixed and mastered) and they leave no stones unturned on this one. Brace yourself for the best and most authentic death metal album in ages!"

THE TROOPS OF DOOM was formed in 2020, during the pandemic, by Guedz. He recorded the albums "Bestial Devastation" (1985) and "Morbid Visions" (1986). Jairo left the band in 1987, making way for Andreas Kisser, who continues with the band to this day. THE TROOPS OF DOOM's lineup also includes other significant figures from the Brazilian metal scene, such as guitarist Marcelo Vasco (PATRIA, MYSTERIIS),a globally renowned graphic artist known for his work with bands like SLAYER, Dee Snider, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, SOULFLY and many others. The vocalist and bassist Alex Kafer, former live guitarist for MATANZA, and drummer Alexandre Oliveira, a former member of the band TIANASTÁCIA, complete the lineup.

THE TROOPS OF DOOM emerged to revive the classic death metal of the 1980s, inspired by SEPULTURA's early era with Jairo and other influential bands such as SLAYER, CELTIC FROST, KREATOR and POSSESSED. It serves as a time machine for those nostalgic for the golden age of death metal. In just two years since its formation, the band has released three EPs: "The Rise Of Heresy" (2020),"The Absence Of Light" (2021),and "Prelude To Blasphemy" (2023),along with their debut album, "Antichrist Reborn", that was released in 2022 on CD LP, and cassette by Alma Mater Records and lauded by both fans and music press alike.

Now, the band is gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated second album, "A Mass To The Grotesque", produced by André Moraes, a multi-talented musician known for his work on SEPULTURA's "Dante XXI" and the soundtrack of the film "Lisbela E O Prisioneiro" at Audio Porto studio in Porto Alegre/RS. The mixing and mastering of the album were done by Jim Morris at the legendary Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida, known for producing some of the greatest death metal classics of the '80s and '90s.

Guedz comments: "The entire production and recording of the album were done in Brazil, while the mixing and mastering were handled by the great Jim Morris at the legendary Morrisound Recording in Florida. It's a production that completely diverges from today's standard productions. We are very proud of it."

"Every aspect of this album was chosen meticulously," Vasco adds. "What could be more intense than having the record mixed in the studio where the greatest death metal classics of the '80s and '90s were mixed? Our idea was to take the production of this album to another level. The sound breaths, it's organic and lo-fi, old school as hell. It's an experience!"

The cover art was painted by the acclaimed artist Dan Seagrave, responsible for numerous classic death metal album covers. Guedz reveals: "The title 'A Mass To The Grotesque' carries the symbolism of a true ode to the ugly, the evil, the feared. It encompasses everything and everyone that doesn't fit into the molds of a so-called 'evolved' society, choosing to live in the shadows. A dark liturgy to the rejected and their followers, who find shelter and comfort in the absence of light and in the supposed dictatorship of the divine word, whatever it may be. The grotesque is resistance, where nothing is sacred!"

"There wouldn't be a more perfect artist to paint the album cover than the master Dan Seagrave, whose distinctive style is deeply rooted in the genre and has created numerous album covers for death metal that have become iconic and, of course, a great inspiration in THE TROOPS OF DOOM's music. We are huge fans of his work," Vasco admits, "and it is a giant honor to have him as the cover artist of this new album. It's a dream come true."

"A Mass To The Grotesque" track listing:

01. Solve Et Coagula - Introduction
02. Chapels Of The Unholy
03. Dawn Of Mephisto
04. Denied Divinity
05. The Impostor King
06. Faithless Requiem
07. Psalm 78 - God Of Bizarre
08. Terror Inheritance
09. The Grotesque
10. Blood Upon The Throne
11. Venomous Creed

THE TROOPS OF DOOM have been confirmed to headline the Waves stage at the Brazilian edition of the German festival Summer Breeze, taking place at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo this April, followed by THE TROOPS OF DOOM's first-ever European Tour in August.

Photo credit: Cissa Flores

Earlier today (Saturday, March 16),THE OFFSPRING guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman spoke to Chile's Radio Futuro about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2021's "Let The Bad Times Roll" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've been working on a bunch of new stuff. The record's almost done. We're hoping to be done in the next couple of months and have it released at the end of the year."

THE OFFSPRING is once again working with producer Bob Rock (MÖTLEY CRÜE, METALLICA),who previously helmed three THE OFFSPRING LPs, including "Let The Bad Times Roll".

Last October, Noodles was asked by Rock Sound if there was anything he and his THE OFFSPRING bandmates learned from the making "Let The Bad Times Roll" that they wanted to "lean more into" this time around. Noodles said: "What we learned is when we are not able to go out and play live, we really miss it. And we learned to make the most of our time in the studio and just have fun. It was a really, really creative time for us, actually. Right at the end of making 'Let The Bad Times Roll', ideas were just coming, and we've just been having a good time in the studio since then — and on the road too. It's so good to be back playing live music again."

In September 2023, Noodles was asked by "The Jesea Lee Show" if the new OFFSPRING material follows an "old-school" vein or if it represents "a new era of OFFSPRING". He said: "It's a little bit of both — all that. The last song we did definitely sounds like an old-school — sounds kind of like 'Come Out Swinging'. Definitely some old-school stuff and then some rocking stuff and then some kind of poppy punk stuff too, for sure."

In August 2023, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland told The Orange County Register about the overall musical and lyrical direction of the new THE OFFSPRING material: "Sometimes you just start writing songs and you don't realize how an album is coming together until it's almost there. Like on 'Americana'. 'Americana' was one of the last songs I wrote because I didn't realize until then all the other songs like 'Why Don't You Get A Job?' and 'Pretty Fly', they were describing American society. I didn't really realize that's what the album was about until I got almost done and thought well, I'll call it 'Americana' because that's like 'Americana' means American culture. This was my vision of what I thought American culture was doing in the late '90s. We're kind of still in that phase with the songs, but we've always liked the energy of punk music and the rebelliousness. What I'm focusing right now on is just melody. I want the songs to be really good."

"Let The Bad Times Roll" was a huge global success, hitting career-high chart debuts with seven Top 5 and ten Top 10 international debuts and nine Top 10 debuts in the U.S. The album peaked at No. 3 on the U.K. chart and hit No. 1 on the Alternative Albums chart in the U.S.

THE OFFSPRING first achieved worldwide success in the 1990s with the release of their album "Smash", which sold over 11 million copies. Following "Smash", they continued to release hit after hit, popularizing rock at a mainstream level.

Throughout THE OFFSPRING's career, they've sold over a staggering 40 million albums, and toured arenas, and built a global fan base. "Let The Bad Times Roll" marked the band's tenth studio album and third album produced by Rock.

Originally formed under the name MANIC SUBSIDAL, THE OFFSPRING's lineup consists of Holland, Wasserman and bassist Todd Morse.

In a new interview with Audacy Check In to promote BON JOVI's upcoming album "Forever" and the Hulu series "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story", Jon Bon Jovi was asked if there is any possibility of a one-off concert with the band's former guitarist Richie Sambora. He responded: "Hey, the door would always be open. It's not that. But 11 years ago, for reasons that were certainly nothing to do with the band, he walked out. There was no animosity, there's nothing but love. But we had a show that night, and subsequently had one the next night, and for 11 years, I've been making records and doing shows. So everyone knows where the bus stops. You show up at work… But there's nothing but love. And so Richie's gone off on his own and he raised his daughter. So if he wanted to show up and play sometime, he knows the songs. Absolutely no animosity, I can promise you that."

In a separate interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Jon said he didn't speak to Richie about the documentary, despite the fact that the guitarist was interviewed for the series. "Not a word," Jon said in response to whether there was communication between the pair about "Thank You, Goodnight". "That was [director] Gotham Chopra. This wasn't a puff piece and this was no bullshit. This is not us behind the scenes pulling strings. Oh, no, no, no. They interviewed Richie in London. I wasn't there. I had nothing to do with it. No, I still haven't seen the [finished] product."

Bon Jovi went on to tell Ultimate Classic Rock that although he and Sambora are not on bad terms, they no longer keep in touch.

"We're not in contact because he's not in the organization any longer," the singer explained. "Doesn't mean that there's not love forever, but it's 11 years ago that he just didn't show up anymore. And there were emotional issues that he was dealing with as a single dad, and there were substance abuse issues that, you know ... [Current BON JOVI guitarist] Phil X had to show up one time, and then Phil X had to show up another time. And then, again, there's a show that night. What are we gonna do?"

Last November, Richie told People that there was "talking" taking place about his possible return to the band. Speaking to the magazine at the Breeders' Cup, the now-64-year-old musician said: "There's a documentary that's being done about the band and stuff that I've participated in, and people want to come see us play, and it's going to make everybody happy. I mean, essentially, that's why you do it at this point."

Sambora continued: "I think that we wrote a lot of songs that changed a lot of people's lives just by letting them have a good time. I know that's what music did to me … kept me company. And I hope that I can reflect that in what I do.

"So yeah, it definitely could happen," he added of a reunion. "It's just a question of when everybody's ready to go do it. It will be a big, massive kind of undertaking."

As for when the BON JOVI reunion could happen, Richie said: "I'm not sure. It's up to peoples, it's got to be right. That's all.

"It's time to do it, though," he added. "This is our 40th anniversary, but I feel younger than ever. I'm having a ball."

Sambora previously talked about the chances of his return to BON JOVI earlier last year during an appearance on "Shred With Shifty", the podcast hosted by Chris Shiflett of the FOO FIGHTERS. At the time, he said: "We're talking about it." Pressed about what "talking about it" looks like and if it involves him and Jon Bon Jovi speaking to each other "on the phone," Richie said: "Yeah, it's that. It's… There's a demand out there for it, you know — especially outside of the USA."

Last June, Sambora painted a different picture when he was asked about his possible return to BON JOVI at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame's 52nd annual induction and awards gala in New York City. Asked by United Stations Radio Networks if plans were still in place for him to play with his former bandmates again, Richie said: "Naaaah! No, not even close. Nobody asked me yet — but I could do it tomorrow if they asked me."

Richie's comments on "Shred With Shifty" were similar to those he made in February 2023 when he told Absolute Radio that he was planning to join forces with BON JOVI again following his performance with them at their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2018. "We're talking about it," he said at the time. "I don't think there's any reason not to at this point."

He added: "Jon was having a hard time with his voice a little bit there and he needed to take a little bit of a breather.

"I don't know when Jon's going to get his voice together and [when the BON JOVI reunion is] going to happen, but we have to get out there and do it for the fans, really. I feel a second obligation."

Asked if he would write new music with BON JOVI, Richie said: Oh, if he doesn't let me, he's crazy. I'm on a tear.

"Actually, I did write that other [BON JOVI] stuff, too. It's a misnomer when people go just because his name [Jon Bon Jovi] is on [the band] that's the name. We just couldn't think of anything else, really. People think that I just come up with the guitar parts and something like that. But songwriting is conceptual. You have to have a concept. It's a story. And it can sometimes just come from looking out the window and observing and a lot of times it comes from your own life and for the most part of BON JOVI, my life was a lot [more] colorful than everybody else's in the band."

Richie went on to say that he has remained on good terms with Jon in the decade since his departure, explaining: "You know what, there's no malice. I mean, we did something… there's not a lot of bands that did what we did. I mean, obviously, bands like THE ROLLING STONES, PINK FLOYD and U2 [have]."

Four years ago, Sambora opened up about his controversial decision to leave BON JOVI in 2013 in an interview with People magazine, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his daughter Ava, now 26.

"It wasn't a popular decision by any means, obviously, but there was really almost no choice about it. I had a lot of conscious work to do around [my personal life]," the guitarist said.

"We've been through a lot of things together. That was a time of psychological maintenance for the family. You know, I ain't no angel. But I realized, Ava needed me to be around at that point in time. Family had to come first, and that's what happened."

Sambora, who spent time in rehab in 2007 and 2011 for alcohol and prescription drug abuse, added that the rock and roll lifestyle eventually took its toll.

"My lord, when I look back and start to list the tours ... 18-and-a-half months of being on the road, 52 countries," he said. "It's like, Wow. It was really time for a break. We did that 14 times over a 31-year period."

Two months earlier, Sambora told U.K.'s Daily Mail that he wasn't opposed to one day rejoining BON JOVI, provided that the circumstances were right. "It would have to be a special situation for me to go back, but I'm certainly not counting it out," he said. "I have no malice toward that band."

Richie's comments came just a couple of weeks after Jon Bon Jovi told Germany's Rock Antenne that "there's not a day that goes by that I don't wish that Richie had his life together and was still in the band. And yet, in a weird way, it's because of his inability to get it together anymore that we went on and wrote 'This House Is Not For Sale'."

Addressing Jon's remarks directly, Richie told Daily Mail: "When people say I don't have my life together — are you kidding me? I'm the happiest dude on the block."

Sambora, who joined BON JOVI in 1983 and co-wrote most of the group's iconic hits over the following three decades, hasn't performed a full show with the band since he left the "Because We Can" tour 11 years ago. He later said he thought BON JOVI "should have made more strides to become a band" and not turn into "Jon being the front guy and nothing else." Jon, in turn, claimed Sambora's "choices" had "led him astray."

Sambora rejoined BON JOVI on stage in April 2018 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland, marking his first performance with the band in five years. Also appearing with the group was bassist Alec John Such, who hadn't played with BON JOVI since a one-off performance in 2001. They performed several crowd favorites, including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "It's My Life".

Bloodstock, by arrangement with MOTÖRHEAD management, have announced that our legendary, late, great Lemmy Kilmister will be permanently memorialized at the heavy metal festival. Some of Lemmy's ashes will be housed at Bloodstock — one of only a few places globally — in a unique urn, with the festival commissioning a bust of Lemmy to incorporate the ashes. Fans will be able to view the installation and pay tribute to Lemmy and his legacy in the RAM Gallery on site. Once the festival is over, the bust of Lemmy will move to Nottingham's Rock City venue, where fans will have access to the ashes; they will return each and every year to their primary home on the hallowed turf of Bloodstock at Catton Park.

MOTÖRHEAD's manager Todd Singerman comments: "Bloodstock has always been a special place for MOTÖRHEAD and for Lemmy. The people and the energy matched Lemmy's values perfectly. Alan and Vicky were also great friends and basically family of Lemmy, as he was the reason that they originally got together. This is definitely a fitting honor in the continuing series of enshrinements of Lemmy's ashes in his most loved places."

Bloodstock's Vicky Hungerford adds: "We were humbled and honored to be approached by MOTÖRHEAD management to have Lemmy's ashes at Bloodstock. Lemmy holds a very special place in everybody's heart, but to myself and my husband he was the reason we met and fell in love. Nothing will mean more to us and the Bloodstock family than to honor his legacy and have Lemmy forever at Bloodstock."

The memorial will be part of a bigger picture theme for the festival this year to commemorate this special news and celebrate the remarkable legacy of Lemmy and MOTÖRHEAD. The RAM Gallery on site will be extended this year to accommodate an expanded MOTÖRHEAD theme, including a full wall of MOTÖRHEAD artwork, as well as archive memorabilia, plus you can relive a moment in time by visiting a recreation of Lemmy's touring dressing room (attached on to the gallery, accessible from within the gallery marquee). On site this year, Bloodstockers will see the Motörhead Bomber in the arena, witness various bands paying tribute to MOTÖRHEAD in their live sets, and the opening and closing of the festival will be marked with a sounding of the famous MOTÖRHEAD air raid siren. Bloodstock will also welcome MOTÖRHEAD's Phil Campbell to the festival this year and are thrilled to have his participation in these special celebrations. Even more MOTÖRHEAD-themed activations are still in the works, so stay tuned as this exciting development continues coming together.

Standard weekend tickets to Bloodstock, priced at £185 (+ bkg fee) are available now in the 2024 ticket store. Early Bird, VIP and campervan tickets are already sold out.

Bloodstock's 2024 Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners are AMON AMARTH, OPETH, and ARCHITECTS. Across the weekend you can also expect to see CLUTCH, HATEBREED, CARCASS, ENSLAVED, MALEVOLENCE, SATYRICON, ROTTING CHRIST, SYLOSIS, WHITECHAPEL, DEICIDE, GRAND MAGUS, DESERT STORM, THE VINTAGE CARAVAN, SOEN, GREEN LUNG, COMBICHRIST, XENTRIX, EXIST IMMORTAL, ETERNAL CHAMPION, GROVE STREET, MIMI BARKS, CRYPTA, FORBIDDEN, NERVOSA, BEAST IN BLACK, KORPIKLAANI, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, FLOGGING MOLLY, SEPTIC FLESH, IGORRR, RUIJIN, UNPEOPLE, NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, HELLRIPPER, INFECTED RAIN, CULTURA TRES, SADUS, LUDOVICO TECHNIQUE, BURNER, RED RUM, EVERGREY, RAISED BY OWLS, TAILGUNNER, SOUTH OF SALEM and ANKOR, with more still to be announced.

Get full festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com.

Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on August 8-11.

Lemmy died on December 28, 2015 at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.

MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete the aforementioned European tour a couple of weeks before his death.

In June 2020, it was announced that Lemmy would get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film, "Lemmy", will be directed by Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name, "Lemmy".

A custom-made urn containing Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Lemmy’s ashes to live at BLOODSTOCK in 2024

BLOODSTOCK, by arrangement with Motörhead management, have announced that...

Posted by Official Motörhead on Thursday, March 14, 2024

Vocalist Dani Filth of British extreme metal titans CRADLE OF FILTH spoke to Czech Republic's Metalshop about the status of the band's long-awaited collaboration with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Dani said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The thing is [Ed] is obviously one of the biggest artists in the world. [But he is] very humble. When he came to the studio, it was just him — no security; just him with his guitar, [wearing a] CRADLE OF FILTH hoodie. Then we took him to a pub for some lunch, 'cause he was hungry. We had a good day."

He continued: "The song's been done now for about a year and two months. It was done just before Christmas 2022. And the reason for the delay is because we had plans for it, and then his management said, 'Well, he's releasing a record. Can't do it now.' 'He's doing this. Can't do it now.' So we've got a plan for it. It's gonna actually go on our new record, which is due out the end of this year."

Regarding what CRADLE OF FILTH's collaboration with Sheeran sounds like, Dani said: "People will be surprised by it, because it does sound like Ed Sheeran and it does sound like CRADLE OF FILTH. And it's got a blast beat. It's CRADLE OF FILTH with Ed Sheeran. But he plays guitar and he sings like Ed Sheeran as well."

This past January, Dani told Poland's Pełna Kulturka about CRADLE OF FILTH's next studio album: "It's a very heavy record. We just upped the game as a band. We moved one step further toward the future from our previous record. We see everything as an evolution, everything as an evolutionary step, everything as a necessary link in the chain. And this album's gonna be an important record for us — our first for Napalm Records, if you discount, obviously, the live record… But expect the first single probably about September, October time."

Asked if he had heard Sheeran's collaboration with BRING ME THE HORIZON on a new version of the former's "Bad Habits" song, Dani said: "I did hear it, yeah. They decided to do that after we started working [with Ed]. 'Cause we actually did the song with Ed over a year ago now. And before then, the idea happened off the back of 'Bad Habits', the album. So, it's been about two and a half years, and it's probably gonna be three and a half years before anybody actually hears the song. But it is what it is. Obviously, he's one of the biggest artists in the world, and we have to kind of abide by his rules because… He's a lovely guy — don't get me wrong — but his management, obviously, have his vested interest at heart. And I think this year he's taking a complete year off. And obviously we want him in the video, so if that's gonna happen, we have to release that single with him on next year. But that's not gonna affect the rest of the album."

Filth originally broke the news about potentially working with the 33-year-old singer/songwriter, who is one of the most successful musicians on the planet, during an interview with Kerrang! Radio"Breakfast Show" at the 2021 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. At the time, Dani said: "I've actually been e-mailing with [Ed]… He actually touched base with me. I've been invited up to his place. Well, he said he could come down to mine, but I pointed out to him that I don't own my own bar or village, and it'd be better if I went there.

"He said he'd do anything," he added. "Quite literally. He said he's a massive fan. He seems like a genuinely very nice guy actually."

Filth went on to say the prospect of collaborating with someone like Sheeran is not as far fetched as one might think. "We've always been like that," he explained. 'If someone tells us not to do something, then we'll do it. That's been our prerogative the whole time. I did this rap song with this band called TWIZTID in America. It's actually turned out more like RAMMSTEIN and BEASTIE BOYS than full-on rap. So, in that respect, I think it the Ed Sheeran collaboration would be great fun. I think it'd be great if we did it for charity, because at least it would bring a bit of credibility to it. Because obviously to his public, it'd be, like, Oh my god, he's got this weird comical guy,' and to my public it'd be, like, 'Oh my god, this is a bit weird, isn't it? But I think that sort of thing nowadays works."

In July 2021, Sheeran floated the possibility of exploring a more extreme musical path while speaking to The Sun. He said: "I was really into death metal as a kid. I listened to CRADLE OF FILTH and SLIPKNOT and all that stuff. I'm not saying I could ever step into that world. I learnt all those riffs on guitar as a kid. That's something I've never thought about doing — but something I would not be opposed to creating."

Sheeran had previously dabbled in a variety of genres, including rock, dance, rap and reggae.

After The Sun published Sheeran's comments, Filth posted a screenshot of an article headlined "Ed Sheeran is open to recording a death metal album after spending his youth listening to CRADLE OF FILTH" and wrote in an accompanying caption, "I'll believe it when I see it. Fellow Suffolk lad could come good in the end. 'Dracula's Castle On The Hill' anyone?"

Last May, Dani was asked by BLABBERMOUTH.NET if he envisions the next CRADLE OF FILTH studio album staying in the same vein as "Cryptoriana" or "Existence Is Futile". He responded: "It's not going to be a million miles away from that. I've been working on some of the material today. We're putting the finishing touches on the songs we're going to record, whether all of them make the grade or not. It has a 'Dusk… And Her Embrace' vibe to them. Musically, it plays across 'Dusk' and 'Midian', but lyrically, and the vibe of it, it has a 'Dusk… And Her Embrace' feel to it. I don't know why. History repeats itself. Maybe it's because we wrote 'Dusk' around this particular time of year, but it has that vibe. It sounds great, but I would say that, wouldn't I?"

In April 2023, CRADLE OF FILTH released its first live album in over 20 years, "Trouble And Their Double Lives", via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded between 2014 and 2019 at different performances in the USA, Europe, Australia and beyond during the band's "Cryptoriana" world tour and dates following. Produced, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios, with recording captured by Danny B, the effort not only features a slew of fan favorites encompassing the band's discography but also two bonus tracks and two entirely brand new songs, "She Is A Fire" and "Demon Prince Regent".

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On March 7, just before one of their performances in Florida this year, FOREIGNER members Michael Bluestein, Bruce Watson and Luis Maldonado stopped by the 107.3 The Eagle studios in Tampa Bay to perform acoustic versions of two of the band's classic songs, "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice". Watch video of their appearance below.

Last month, FOREIGNER founder Mick Jones revealed that his ongoing absences from the band's farewell tour, which began in 2022, have been due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. The 79-year-old musician added that he is "still very much involved in the background with FOREIGNER" and remains "a presence."

Just a week earlier, FOREIGNER was nominated for the 2024 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The inductees will be announced in late April, with the ceremony returning to Cleveland this fall and again streaming live on Disney+.

To be eligible for a nomination, the artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years before the year of nomination.

FOREIGNER's current incarnation includes Jones on guitar, Bluestein on keyboards, Watson on guitar, Maldonado on guitar, Kelly Hansen on vocals, Jeff Pilson on bass and Chris Frazier on drums.

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, 2024 in Michigan

After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring Hansen and Pilson, among others.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want To Know What Love Is".

In a new interview with Ultimate Guitar, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman was asked if he has had a chance to hear the band with its latest addition, Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who replaced Kiko Loureiro last September. Marty said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I haven't, as a matter of fact, but I'm sure he's doing a great job if he's up there doing it. And I was able to meet him when I played with the band at Wacken [Open Air festival in Germany last August] and he seemed a very, very cool dude. And I wish him tons and tons of success with the band and it's gonna be a big fun ride for him, I'm sure."

Regarding his current relationship with MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine, Marty said: "Yeah, it's great. We played two wonderful shows [last year] in Budokan [in Tokyo, Japan] and at Wacken Open Air. Yeah, he's a bro. I'm the biggest MEGADETH fan out there."

Friedman rejoined MEGADETH twice on stage in six months last year — first in February 2023 at Tokyo, Japan's famed Budokan and then in early August 2023 at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

At the 2023 Wacken Open Air, Marty performed four songs with MEGADETH: "Trust", "Tornado Of Souls", "Symphony Of Destruction" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due".

At Budokan, Friedman came up on stage for three songs toward the end of MEGADETH's main set: "Countdown To Extinction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Symphony Of Destruction".

Last September, Friedman told Metalhead Marv of This Day In Metal about the experience of playing with MEGADETH again:  "It was wonderful. We have a wonderful history together, so when something special like that came up, it was kind of a definite thing that I wanted to do. And we both enjoyed it immensely. And I just hope the fans enjoyed it as much as we did. For us, it was just a really nice, nice thing to do to kind of just put an exclamation point on the thing that we did in the history of the band. And, of course, I'm the biggest fan of whatever they do in my absence and just rooting them on the whole way."

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

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

Mäntysaari stepped into MEGADETH as the replacement for Loureiro, who announced in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

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

In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH's current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan will release the expanded digital edition of his latest solo album, "Lighthouse", on March 22. The set will feature 19 songs, including previously unreleased studio and live tracks.

Earlier today, Duff premiered professionally filmed video of his first live band performance of "Lighthouse" material, which took place on December 8, 2023 at Easy Street Records in Seattle, Washington.

"Lighthouse" sees McKagan baring more of his artistic spirit than ever before, fusing acoustic elements with hard-edged rock 'n' roll to land at the sweet spot between soul-searching reflection and pure energy. The album was first announced last summer alongside its title track, "Lighthouse", joined by an official visualizer streaming now at the official Duff McKagan YouTube channel.

"Lighthouse" was soon followed by "I Saw God On 10th Street", also joined by an official visualizer. "I Saw God On 10th Street" received immediate praise from such outlets as Kerrang!, Revolver and American Songwriter. "Longfeather" arrived next, hailed by Revolver as "folky, elegiac" and joined by an official music video directed by longtime visual collaborators Connor Ellmann, Kuj Durollari and Arben Durollari. A video for the song "I Just Don't Know (Feat. Jerry Cantrell)" is also available.

Regarding how Jerry Cantrell ended up on the album, Duff told SPIN: "He and I have been playing on each other's demos for years and have known each other since around 1989 or 1990. We watch football together on Sundays and I played a lot of bass on his last solo album. I sent him 'I Just Don't Know' and he was, like, 'Man, this is great. Do you want me to do anything on it?' I said, 'Yeah. A solo.' He brought that beautiful solo and then asked if I needed him to sing, and I said, 'Sure.'"

On the topic of the lyrical inspiration for the "Lighthouse" title track, Duff told Paste: "I try to be somewhat reserved with my lyric writing and, sometimes, have a few meanings — none are wrong. But 'Lighthouse' I wrote as my wife being the lighthouse, my life. Our kids are grown, and she and I have been through so much stuff together. And then we got a worldwide pandemic that we were going through together. The way she really supported me — I had just got my own studio right before COVID started, and I had recorded two songs. I was supposed to be off on a GUNS N' ROSES tour and, of course, that all came crumbling down. I really realized, with her, in our time when you're not in contact with other people, it was just her and I thought, 'Fuck, man, we're solid.' We'd heard about people splitting up during COVID; we got drawn closer to each other during that [time]. I'm a fortunate guy to have met her, that girl Susan Holmes, when I was 32, two years into sobriety — because there was something that clicked and, hopefully, for both of us, that really has made my life make sense. Even in the darkest times, even when I'm suffering a panic attack or some other malady, I still know I have her."

Starting at just 15, McKagan has been a part of such diverse and influential bands as THE VAINS (1979),THE FASTBACKS (1980),THE LIVING (1982),THE FARTZ (1982),10 MINUTE WARNING (1983) and LOADED (1998),along, of course, with his historic role as founding member of both GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER. Produced by three-time Grammy Award winner Shooter Jennings, McKagan's 2019 second solo album, "Tenderness", marked a powerful new chapter for the ever-evolving artist, taking on societal ills and his own personal transgressions against a rich sonic backdrop of Americana-fueled arrangements. Named by Loudwire as one of that year's "50 Best Rock Albums" and hailed by Rolling Stone in a three-and-a-half (out of four)-starred rave as "an album full of beauty and heart…It's music of conscience, heavy songs with a light touch," the album includes the volatile rocker "Chip Away", which earned extraordinary praise from the maestro himself, Bob Dylan, who declared the song a personal favorite.

Along with his prolific musical efforts, McKagan is The New York Times best-selling author of 2011's "It's So Easy: And Other Lies" and 2015's "How To Be A Man: (And Other Illusions)", and the co-host (with Susan Holmes McKagan) of SiriusXM's popular "Three Chords & The Truth" radio show on Ozzy's Boneyard (Ch. 38). McKagan currently serves as a core member of a modern-day "Wrecking Crew" alongside Grammy Award-winning musician/producer Andrew Watt and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith, recording and co-writing on such recent albums as Ozzy Osbourne's "Ordinary Man" (2020) and two-time Grammy Award-winning "Patient No. 9" (2022) and Iggy Pop's acclaimed "Every Loser" (2023).

Ahead of the release of Aaron Lewis's next country album "The Hill" (out March 29 via The Valory Music Co.),the STAIND singer today drops "Over The Hill", the third single from the upcoming project.

On "Over The Hill" — written by Lewis, Matt McGinn and Bobby Pinson — Lewis takes the big-picture view, looking back on his 50-plus years with a self-aware sense of pride. Owning both his missteps and moments of clarity, a true everyday American deciding to make his final stand, figuring the climb was ultimately worth the effort.

"'Over The Hill' is the realization that we all make mistakes, take different paths and learn as we go," explains Lewis. "I've embraced it with no regrets."

"The Hill" track listing:

01. Let's Go Fishing (written by: Aaron Lewis, Bobby Pinson)
02. Over The Hill (written by: Aaron Lewis, Matt McGinn, Bobby Pinson)
03. Made In China (written by: Aaron Lewis, Bobby Pinson)
04. Spinnin' (written by: Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Jeffrey Steele)
05. Over Me (written by: Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Jeffrey Steele)
06. Outlaw (written by: Aaron Lewis, Matt McGinn, Bobby Pinson)
07. Up To Me (written by: Aaron Lewis, Bobby Pinson)
08. That's My Life (written by: Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Jeffrey Steele)
09. Only In My Mind (written by: Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Jeffrey Steele)
10. Little More Mine (written by: Aaron Lewis, Matt McGinn, Bobby Pinson)

"Made In China" — written by Lewis and Bobby Pinson — offers the loud-and-proud declaration that some things (like Lewis) are still made in the USA. With a dusky dose of down-tuned acoustic balladry, Lewis tributes a brash sense of patriotic pride, built to last and not ashamed to say so.

"I Ain't Made In China" features such lyrics as "I ain't made in China / From all the cheapest parts / I ain't one for driving them imported foreign cars / I'm more like American muscle from 1966 / I ain't made in China / I'm American as it gets / I ain't made by Uyghur kids for pennies on the dollar / I'm made in the USA / It says so on my collar / Tried and true, red, white and blue / My roots run way too thick / yeah, I ain't made in China / 'Cause I'm American as it gets."

"The best songs come from a place of authenticity," explains Lewis. "This one started as a conversation with friends as we picked up items around the room with 'Made In China' stamped on the bottom. And we put pen to paper."

The "Let's Go Fishing" lyrics find the 51-year-old Lewis — an outspoken conservative rocker who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade — singing about "making America great again", "turning off CNN" and using the "Let's Go, Brandon!" catchphrase, which was coined by American conservatives to criticize President Joe Biden.

According to Fox 26 Houston, the "Let's Go, Brandon!" phrase, which originally stemmed from a NASCAR interview, is a G-rated substitute for "Fuck Joe Biden" chants that were popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. The explicit saying was recited at sporting events across the country in defiance of the president's coronavirus mandates.

After Brandon Brown's victory at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on October 2, 2021, a crowd unleashed "Fuck Joe Biden" chants during the young racer's TV interview. NBC reporter Kelli Stavast appeared to misunderstand what the fans were shouting, claiming instead they were saying "Let's Go, Brandon!" — unintentionally coining the phrase.

In November 2021, Lewis claimed that he beat COVID-19 by taking ivermectin, a drug with no evidence of being a safe or effective treatment for the novel coronavirus. He said he also used Z-Pak, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections by inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the body.

Lewis made headlines in September 2021 when he urged his fans to chant "Fuck Joe Biden" during a STAIND concert in Pennsylvania.

In March 2022, Lewis told the Los Angeles Times that he doesn't blindly listen to information that is delivered by the mainstream media.

"I'm not uneducated; I'm actually really smart, and I look for myself. I seek other options of information," he said. "I refuse to believe that a huge, gigantic corporation has our best interest in mind."

Asked where he gets his news, Lewis said: "I have news feeds and people that I follow on Telegram. Dan Ball. Andrew Wilkow. Mark Levin. If I'm gonna watch any sort of news source on television, it's Tucker Carlson."

At some of his solo concerts, Lewis has been taking the stage while wearing a black hat with white mesh and white lettering on the front clearly stating "FUJOE," an expletive directed toward Biden.

Photo credit: Jim Wright

Former Hydrogyn guitarist / founder JeffWestlake - who put the band to rest in November 2022 - has checked in with the following update:


"There are always things going through ones mind when you have been stricken by the creative bug. I am a musician that loves many different types of music and I never want to lock myself just into one style, so I don't.


Through the years I have been blessed with some amazing voices to help me get my passion across to you in many different styles. Now is no different than it has ever been.




I am proud to be able to bring this new phase to you. This phase will be different than any of the rest, as I have someone who wants to tell stories and be as edgy as possible in the process of telling them. I have wanted to take this avenue for years but just never had that accomplice to truly get the idea across. Now, not only did I get one, but I have blessed with two. We have used a couple different drummers in this process, but the band nucleus has been myself, Sammi DeVille, Alyx St.Clair and Ryan Stepp. This entire story will come out at some point no doubt but we just do not have the time here for it.


Over the next year there will be many videos and a lot of music coming from what will now be known as Big F'N Deal (BFD), fronted by the amazing Sammi DeVille. This track entitled 'I've Seen The Devil' is release one off of the product out this year called Fire. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have. 


All of this comes to you courtesy of Rapid Fire Global Music and Dangerous Doug Music."

Former Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his weekly cover, this time taking on Loreen's "Euphoria", the winner of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest.





Johansson recentla announced his departure from Sabaton and issued the following statement:




"My dear friends! After seven glorious years of heavy metal, I have decided to step down as the guitarist of Sabaton. This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my entire life.


As many of you may know, I do a lot of things outside of Sabaton. I play with another band, perform with various artists, and have a career as a singer that I’ve put aside for years to focus on Sabaton. After doing this for seven years, I feel it’s time to start following my heart. This means I will no longer tour with my brothers in Sabaton and will not meet all you lovely Sabaton supporters on the upcoming tours with the band.


I will never quit playing music. I’ll still be touring with Majestica and other projects, but not on the same level as Sabaton, of course. I am sure I will meet you lovely fans on the road again in the future.


My brothers in Sabaton and the best crew in the world will forever be my second family, and I will miss spending time with all these wonderful people. We had so much fun together every day. I’ve come to learn so much about life, about music and about touring that I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else.


A massive thank you to all you lovely Sabaton fans for accepting me as the new guitarist in 2016. I am certain you will accept the person who takes over after me.


All the best to you all and I’ll see you again soon!"

Cyhra guitarist Euge Valovirta has checked in with the the following update:


"'Testify' (feat. Samy Elbanna) single is out now! Available on all major streaming platforms. Here's  a few for starters."


"Testify" is taken from Valovirta's forthcoming solo album, Hardtones.







Hardtones will be released on May 31st. Pre-order CD, vinyl LP and bundle formats here.





Tracklist:


"Testify" (feat. Samy Elbanna)
"The Game" (feat. Joonas Kosonen & Ben Varon)
"Gone Without A Trace" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
"⁠Pasadena ’78" (feat. Jules Näveri)
"⁠Rock & Roll Unites" (feat. Jake E)
"Fast Living, Slow Suicide" (feat. Olli Herman)
"⁠Going Down The Hole" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
"⁠⁠Not My Time" (feat. Joonas Kosonen & Ben Varon)
"Wake Up" (feat. Pekka Heino)
"⁠Flesh From The Bone" (feat. Samy Elbanna)
"⁠Road Song II" (feat. Nico Hartonen)


"The Game"

As the vocalist of Belgian post-metal collective Amenra, Colin H. van Eeckhout is known for his ability to connect with listeners, and to guide them on Amenra’s transformative path to healing. With his solo work as CHVE, he gets to tell his own story – one that aims to take the listener deep within themselves, to tap into something primal that dwells in us all.


Now, CHVE makes his Relapse Records debut with his powerful solo record, Kalvarie - a dark, ritualistic, and atmospheric experience.


Kalvarie is out May 31 on Relapse Records. Physical pre-orders on LP/CD/CS are available here & digital pre-saves are available here.







Kalvarie was recorded and produced by Amenra’s bassist Tim De Gieter, mixed by Seth Manchester and mastered by Matt Colton. The title Kalvarie is a reference to the location where Christ was supposedly crucified, and also the name of the street where Colin went to school. The cover art shows a stone with a gallow on it – another reference to the Calvary hill, and also to the tattoo on Colin’s back, a symbol that has become synonymous with Amenra’s work. As Colin explains, he sees his solo work as connected to Amenra: “This is the story told by 1/5 of Amenra, so there will always be a connection.”


For Colin, CHVE and Kalvarie represent the opportunity for full creative freedom: to experiment with sound without any limitations, and to embrace the vulnerability that comes with creating alone. The hypnotic music of Kalvarie is almost mind-altering, as the droning repetitions of the hurdy gurdy, various percussions and effects meld with the soft otherworldliness of Colin’s voice throughout a single, 15 + minute track titled "Eternit". Though not in the metal realm, the music contains a weight and heaviness on a par with that of Amenra.





(Photo - Guy Kokken)

Lipz, the dynamic force in glam rock, have released a video for "Bang Bang", the new single from their sophomore album, Changing The Melody, out now.


Order Changing The Melody here, and watch the new video below.







Changing The Melody tracklisting:


"I’m Going Under"
"Changing The Melody"
"Bang Bang"
"Stop Talk About..."
"Bye Bye Beautiful"
"I’m Alive"
"Freak"
"Secret Lover"
"I Would Die For You"
"Monsterz"


"Bang Bang" video:





"Changing The Melody" video:





"Bye Bye Beautiful" video:





Lipz are:


Alex K Klintberg (Vocals, Guitar)
Koffe K Klintberg (Drums)
Conny Svärd (Guitar)
Chris Young (Bass)

When Togolese metal five-piece Arka'n Asrafokor [Asrafocore = "Music of the Warriors" ("asrafo" means "warrior" in their mother language)] promised that their latest single, "Walk With Us: was only the beginning, they were more than right as they haven't only prepared another new track, "Angry God Of Earth", alongside a visualizer video, but also launched pre-orders for their self-produced Reigning Phoenix Music label debut. Dzikkuh will be released on May 24.


Stream/download "Angry God Of Earth" here, and watch the video below.


Arka'n Asrafokor state: "'Angry God Of Earth' is an invitation to get back in tune with Mother Earth's rhythms. Not so long ago, we used to listen...watch...feel...what she wanted. Our every moves used to be in tune with Mother Earth's rhythms... We used to see the magic in bowing down to her might and power. Until we decided otherwise and let our egos take the lead...pushing the victory of cupidity over solidarity. And yet, we are only but guests on this planet. Bringing our asrafocore music to the fore, we hope the warning is loud and clear. It is not too late to calm down the fury of our wounded Earth. It is not too late to calm down the 'Angry God of Earth.'"







Pre-order Dzikkuh on CD, pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally to receive "Angry God Of Earth" and "Walk With Us" instantly, here.





Dzikkuh tracklisting:


"The Truth"
"Not Getting In Line"
"Walk With Us"
"Angry God Of Earth"
"Mamade"
"Asrafo"
"Final Tournament"
"Still Believe"
"Home"
"The Calling"


"Walk With Us" video:





Arka'n Asrafokor are:


Rock Ahavi - guitars, lead vocals
Enrico Ahavi - keyboards, harsh/rap vocals
Francis Amevo - bass
Mass Aholou - percussion
Richard Siko - drums


(Photo - Mouad El Ykb)

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


In order to celebrate the album’s release date, Whom Gods Destroy are now launching a lyric video created by Wayne Joyner for the track “The Decision”, which you can check out below.


Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal commented about “The Decision” as follows: “This song is filled with duality - djenty math metal riffs with contrasting slow clean chord movements, vocal and guitar lines answering each other, and lyrics about struggling with a life-and-death decision, with song sections that score differing points of view...hope vs defeat, euphoria vs despair, internally battling it out.”




And Whom Gods Destroy vocalist Dino Jelusick added the following comment about today’s album release: “Super proud of this chaos that we delivered. Each song on this album is a story for itself and it works as a whole. I cannot wait to tour this album and for us to finally play these songs live!"





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


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


Order here.





Insanium tracklisting:


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


"Crawl" video:





"Over Again" video:





"In The Name Of War" video:





Whom Gods Destroy lineup (from left to right in photo at top):


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


(Photo - Greg Vorobiov)

Breaking Benjamin guitarist, Keith Wallen, will drop his new solo album, Infinity Now, on May 3 via Rise Records. Today, Wallen has shared the video for "The Wolf." Watch below.


"'The Wolf' is a song and a concept that I felt a lot of us can identify with," Wallen says. "We've all known those people that for whatever reason we just can't break ourselves away from them. An addiction on every level, all the while knowing it's a toxic situation. You break all those promises to yourself that you'll stay away, but ultimately there you are again."


Commenting on the video, he shares, "The video for 'The Wolf' was shot in a beautiful house in south Nashville. Directed by Courtney Dellafiora, we wanted an intimate look and setting that was reminiscent of waking from a dream in the middle of the night, and then grabbing the guitar and playing the song. The most exciting thing of all with getting to work with 'Bane,' the real live wolf actor and his amazing training staff for the shoot! That was a first for me, and I couldn't be happier how the video turned out."







Pre-save the Infinity Now album here.





Tracklisting:


"Infinity"
"Strings"
"Headspace Holiday"
"The Wolf"
"Don't Fall Asleep"
"Nemesis"
"Blackout"
"Crown of Thorns"
"Crush Me"
"Dear Father"


"Strings" video:





"Headspace Holiday" video:





Wallen will return to the road this spring.