In a new interview with Knotfest Australia, SLIPKNOT co-founder and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) touched upon the band's decision to fire drummer Jay Weinberg after a 10-year run with the masked metallers.

"I'm very excited about this idea of a new drummer," Crahan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "There's many reasons for it. It's not to be confused. It doesn't matter what the situation may seem like. Unless you're in the band and understand — there's no hard feelings; there never was. We just went our way. There was really no bad things. That's as much as I can say.

"What I can say is SLIPKNOT decided to move on, and that's what we've done," he continued. "And I'm very excited for what we have done. And we're really working hard. And there'll be new music, there'll be new masks, there'll be new people, there'll be new ideas, celebrating a 25-year anniversary. I would imagine there'd be some shows. It can be 200 people, 500 people, 700 people, 2,000 people."

Regarding how SLIPKNOT plans to release new music, Crahan said: "I wouldn't look at it like new music like album and stuff like this. I think we're gonna have some fun. I don't know exactly what we're trying to do. I know that we just wanna do what we wanna do. So however it happens, it happens. We're not gonna push it and we're not gonna mold it into something it doesn't need to be, but I will tell you, we're having a really good time right now. There's some real magical stuff that's happening.

"Everything in SLIPKNOT is meant to be," he added. "So, when it does happen and you shed a tear and you have a little smile, it feels good, man. It feels good to have good feelings in this reality. So we always want everybody to have good feelings."

Earlier this week, SLIPKNOT revealed that it has commenced rehearsals with a new drummer following Weinberg's departure.

Although SLIPKNOT has offered no hints about the new drummer's identity, the new man behind the kit is widely believed to be former SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande.

SLIPKNOT's first concert of 2024 is scheduled to take place on April 27 at the Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas, to be followed by appearances at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida on May 12 and Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio on May 19.

Last month, SEPULTURA announced that Casagrande had left the band to join "another project", with some fans speculating that he will be the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

On November 5, 2023, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call", "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."

Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

When SLIPKNOT announced Weinberg's departure, the band thanked Jay "for his dedication and passion over the past ten years." The group added: "No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honored Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, SLIPKNOT is intent on evolving. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds."

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father, Max Weinberg, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".

Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.

Death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER will release their fourteenth studio album, "Killing For Revenge", on May 10 through Metal Blade Records.

From the opening moments of first single "Know-Nothing Ingrate", which kicks off the record, it's immediately clear that SIX FEET UNDER focused their energies into something that's as brutal, lyrically visceral, and musically dazzling as one would hope for from the ground-breaking Tampa-bred death metal. "Killing For Revenge", a gnarly beast of a record that's not for the faint-hearted, dishes up nightmare-inducing imagery courtesy of frontman Chris Barnes via the vocalist's trademark guttural vocals. Both the album title and darkly detailed red-hued album cover by artist Vince Locke are perfect containers for the brutality within.

"I chose the title 'Killing For Revenge' after we completed writing and noticed that all the lyrics and storylines had a common theme of revenge. Revenge by human or revenge by nature," Barnes says. "The album title describes the flow of the stories within the lyrics perfectly."

"Killing For Revenge" marks the second album that Barnes and guitarist Jack Owen (ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE) have created together since reuniting for 2020's "Nightmares Of The Decomposed". Owen also produced "Killing For Revenge".

"We worked well together in CANNIBAL CORPSE," recalls Barnes. "I loved him to death as a friend and a musician, so I'm really comfortable giving him the reins because I just have such great respect for him as an artist."

It's clearly a partnership that works, given the brilliance of CANNIBAL CORPSE's early work under Barnes and the fact that the Owen-Barnes rekindled symbiotic relationship has breathed new life, or perhaps new death, into SIX FEET UNDER.

"I asked Jack to map out what parts of the songs he wanted lyrics for, and he just started writing lyrics instead and gave me a demo vocal track for pretty much all the songs," Barnes says. "I thought it was great. That's how the music and lyrics wanted to appear this time, so I just let it come through that way and worked with him in a collaborative way. Like we did back in the old days, like on the song 'Shredded Humans'."

SIX FEET UNDER was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, CANNIBAL CORPSE. It became the frontman's sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, "Haunted". Only Barnes remains from SIX FEET UNDER's original incarnation, but the quality has remained remarkably consistent. The current lineup of Barnes, guitarists Owen and Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.

While Barnes is the sole remaining member, SIX FEET UNDER is about more than he and Owen. The singer is thrilled with the current lineup, and what each member brings to the table. "Jeff and Marco have been with me for about 10 years," Barnes says. "I'm really fortunate that I have probably the best musicians in metal. If you look at it, we have the same amount of original members as CANNIBAL CORPSE. Jeff is a killer bass player. Marco's probably the best drummer out there. Jack's the greatest songwriter I've ever been involved with over the 30-plus years I've been doing music professionally. And Ray is just a phenomenal guitarist who can play everything from jazz to death metal. The lineup now is untouchable."

The chemistry between the five men is palpable; listening to "Killing For Revenge", one could be forgiven for assuming that they hid themselves away somewhere for a couple of months and hammered it out in blessed, creative seclusion. Not the case. "We all recorded it on our own, in different parts of the country since we're all spread out," says Barnes. "I think the most important thing is to put everybody in a comfortable space so that they get a great performance. That's what you want to capture. It's really hard nowadays to afford everyone being in the studio recording like we used to back in the '90s. It can be done just as effectively this way."

The songs on "Killing For Revenge" — highlighted by the singles "Know-Nothing Ingrate", "Ascension" and "When The Moon Goes Down In Blood" — dive headfirst into subjects that are as gleefully vile, graphic and downright grotesque as you might dream of from a Barnes/Owen project. After all, the two men were vital cogs in the CANNIBAL CORPSE band that released such delightfully offensive death metal classics as "Butchered At Birth" and "Tomb Of The Mutilated". Highlights of this latest SIX FEET UNDER opus include "Compulsive", which tells the tale of a disturbed individual in a padded cell, eating himself alive: "Display of carnage for the poor soul who finds you; To discover sick survival that binds you; Heaving lungs the only thing intact; Scattered expelled organs your final act."

"Jack wrote 90 percent of the lyrics on this album, and that was one that he came up with the storyline to," says Barnes. "How you want to interpret it is up to you. You can find deeper meaning or metaphors or symbolisms. But I would say a good interpretation is someone suffering who is devouring himself. You could look deeper as it being about addiction."

As a first preview of the record, today the band unveils "Know-Nothing Ingrate". Notes Owen, "This music was written early in the writing process. Wanting to keep the aggression of a prior SIX FEET UNDER song like 'Amputator', I wrote music in the style of early DARK ANGEL or KREATOR, who always had cool driving drumbeats. I had all the riffs in my head as I wrote the drums in a couple hours. Lyrically, I kicked around a phrase that fit the stop parts throughout the song. After coming up with 'Know-Nothing Ingrate', the lyrics wrote themselves. It's basically about online trolls who voice their uneducated and unnecessarily spiteful review of any artist's output. You're entitled to your opinion, and I'm entitled to mine."

SIX FEET UNDER also recorded a cover of NAZARETH's "Hair Of The Dog", which appears on all formats of "Killing For Revenge" with the exception of vinyl. "'Hair Of The Dog' has such a heavy groove to it and the vocal is so killer and memorable that it seemed like a perfect fit for us, and something fun to add to the album as a bonus track," explains Barnes. "Plus there's cowbell!"

Clearly, 2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for SIX FEET UNDER, and Barnes hopes to take full advantage. "I'd like to get a tour put together," he says. "I would love to get back out on the road. It's been too long. Three of those years were due to the pandemic. I love being on the road. I love being in a tour bus and being in front of people on stage. I have missed it so much. It's what I was meant to do."

"Killing For Revenge", which features a guest appearance by guitarist Jason Suecof on "Neanderthal", was mixed and mastered by Chaz Najjar at Badlands Recording in Denver, Colorado. The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl.

"Killing For Revenge" track listing:

01. Know-Nothing Ingrate
02. Accomplice To Evil Deeds
03. Ascension
04. When The Moon Goes Down In Blood
05. Hostility Against Mankind
06. Compulsive
07. Fit Of Carnage
08. Neanderthal (guest lead guitar solo Jason Suecof)
09. Judgement Day
10. Bestial Savagery
11. Mass Casualty Murdercide
13. Spoils Of War
13. Hair Of The Dog (NAZARETH cover; CD + Digital Only)

SIX FEET UNDER is:

Chris Barnes - vocals
Jack Owen - rhythm guitar
Ray Suhy - lead guitar
Jeff Hughell - bass
Marco Pitruzzella - drums

Photo by Stephanie Cabral and Dark Photography

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have confirmed that they their upcoming biopic is currently in development.

It was reported by Variety back in October 2021 that Ozzy and Sharon had partnered with Sony Pictures and Polygram Entertainment for the film, which will focus on the love story between the BLACK SABBATH frontman and his wife and manager. It will be scripted by Lee Hall, who previously worked on Elton John's "Rocketman".

Ozzy and Sharon, along with their children Jack and Kelly, discussed the biopic in the latest episode of their revived podcast.

"By the time they finish this film, I'll be dead… I wanna be alive to fucking see it," the 75-year-old Ozzy, who has Parkinson's disease, said.

"Movies take forever to make. Forever," Sharon added.

Asked which actress she would like to play her in the biopic, Sharon said: "Florence Pugh or the little girl from 'Game Of Thrones'."

The film is being produced by Sharon and her children Jack and Aimée Osbourne via their label Osbourne Media (which was also behind the Showtime documentary "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" and A&E's "Biography: The Nine Lives Of Ozzy Osbourne"),alongside Michele Anthony and David Blackman on behalf of Polygram Entertainment. Andrea Giannetti is overseeing development for Sony.

Variety also pointed out that music from BLACK SABBATH and Ozzy's solo career will be featured in the film.

In 2020, Ozzy stated about the biopic: "From what I understand, it's about Sharon and I and our relationship. It's how we met, fell in love, and how we married. She's my other half. She grew up a lot with me, and I grew up a lot with her."

"I hope it will be a story that everybody can relate to," Sharon said. "You don't have to be a fan of the music, because it's a story about a survivor. No matter what life throws at you, you pick yourself up and you start again. It's just an amazing story of overcoming everything that's thrown at you in your life."

Sharon added that the film will be "a lot more real" than the QUEEN biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody". "We don't want it to be squeaky, shiny clean and all of that," she said. "We're not making it for kids. It's an adult movie for adults."

Back in January 2019, Sharon told Variety that she had approached Danny Boyle ("28 Days Later", "Sunshine", "Trainspotting") about directing the film. "It's the madness of my childhood, growing up in the industry with a powerful father who was somewhat violent," she said.

Sharon went on to say that she "would get a complete unknown" to play Ozzy. "It's Ozzy at a very young age," she explained. "It's Ozzy at 20."

Sharon's father, former music mogul Don Arden, became known as the "Al Capone of pop" and the "English Godfather" for his tough-guy business practices while overseeing the careers of acts ranging from ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA to BLACK SABBATH. Arden and his daughter became estranged in 1982 after she took over the management of Ozzy's solo career, also marrying the singer. Father and daughter were not on good terms for nearly 20 years until reconciling in 2002.

Sharon had to pay her father $1 million in a court settlement after she gained control of Ozzy's affairs.

In a new interview with El Planeta Del Rock, DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda stated about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's next studio album (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's going great. And we're excited about it. That's where DEATH ANGEL is right now, writing the new record… I think I was at [DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany's] house on Thursday and I laid down vocals to a demo of a new DEATH ANGEL song. And there's more songs I've gotta start writing the lyrics and melodies for, 'cause him and Will [Carroll, DEATH ANGEL drummer] are in the studio and Rob has been tracking Will's drums on these songs for demos and now it's time for me to catch up and write more lyrics and melodies. It's happening. And the only thing that's gonna slow it down — and I don't mind; we're all excited about it — starting next week, we'll switch the gears into rehearsing for the Latin American 'Humanicide' tour. So we'll be rehearsing for the Latin American 'Humanicide' tour, go on that tour, which we're not trying to rush, then we'll come back, take a moment to breathe, and then it's right back into writing. That'll be the main focus after that."

Asked if there is any chance of DEATH ANGEL releasing a new single this year, Mark said: "That's a good question. I don't know. We're more of an album band. 'Cause we wanna write a whole bunch of music and cherry pick the best songs that we think will make a solid, solid, vicious record, especially after — [it being] the follow-up to 'Humanicide' and being that it's already been, we're going on five years since the last [studio album]. So I think we wanna get the best product possible."

In a separate interview with Elevar, Cavestany confirmed that new DEATH ANGEL music was in the works. "I don't like divulging the 'play by play'; I'd rather news came out when there is substantial information to speak of," he explained. "That being said, I can tell you there are around seven songs we are currently working on and I'm currently getting deep into the writing zone, which is my happy place. If we can manage to stop saying yes to every tour offer (we love to tour),then maybe we can finally get this new album done. The plan is to record it this year."

Earlier this month, Carroll said that he was "stoked" about how DEATH ANGEL's new music was shaping up. "The creative juices are flowing and things are moving along at a very productive rate," he wrote on social media. "One more song and we'll have reached our goal we set for ourselves before rehearsing the songs we're doing down in South/Central America in April. Once that tour is over and we're back home we get straight back to making these demos."

He added: "I can't wait for the DA fans around the world to hear this new material and hopefully we'll make some new ones along the way. Exciting times indeed."

A little over a month ago, Will said that he and his DEATH ANGEL bandmates were "hard at work getting" the band's next album "written and completely demo'd."

"It felt good to get back to work with Rob Cavestany," Will wrote on January 26. "It's a real challenge to not rehash the same ideas and beats from previous albums but I think so far things are sounding fresh and inspired."

Last July, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Ted Aguilar told Vikram Chandrasekar about the band's songwriting process: "Well, when it comes down to writing, it's all Rob. It's all Rob. It starts with him. He comes up with a basic structure and him and Will get together and they hash it all out and they record it. And when they get it to a point where, 'Oh, yeah, this is great,' then they send it off to everyone else. And Damien [Sisson, bass] does his parts and Mark [Osegueda, vocals] will listen to it and try to write lyrics and melodies. And I'll listen to it and I'll touch base with Rob: 'What do you want me to do here? Do you want me to play something here? Or do you want me to do something different?' 'Cause Rob has a vision and you kind of wanna see his vision. And as soon as the song comes together to where we play it quite a few times, then we could throw in our ideas, like, 'Hey, maybe that part should be a little longer,' or, 'Maybe cut that out,' or Will will go, 'I wanna do something different here instead.' So, you know, Rob has a vision, we listen, we play along with it. Then if we feel like there needs to be changes, we express our concern, and Rob is really good at, 'Yeah, let's give it a try.' So we try everything. And it comes down to, 'All right, this is what works.' So it starts with Rob. And with regarding the lyrics, every now and then Rob will pick out a song: 'I wanna write lyrics for this song.' And Mark goes, 'Go ahead.' But Mark writes all the lyrics, and what he does is with the music, he'll listen to it over and over by himself. I don't know where he goes. He goes into the far corners of the earth by himself, with the headphones and music, and he'll come up with so many types of different melodies and stuff, and then come up with the ones he's happy with and lay it down on the demo form. Then when we get into the real studio, then things start to evolve 'cause we've played it so many times or we listened to it so many times that when we get in there, [we go], 'All right, let's try this.' It's always evolving to the point where it's handing it in to get mastered. Some songs stay kind of the same from what it was, but we just put more energy into it. Some songs have been rewritten quite a few times, so it differs. Rob's the songwriter, and on the last album I wrote one song. Yeah, it's how it is. And right now I'm writing some stuff, and how it goes is I'll write some stuff, I'll send it to Rob. I always tell him, 'If it's good, use it. If not, if you find parts are good, use it. If it's not good, it's okay, dude.' I'm just throwing some stuff out there, 'cause he knows what the DEATH ANGEL sound should be. And if he likes it, he'll use it. If he doesn't, my feelings are not broken."

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

Released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast, "Humanicide" saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Will can be heard on the last four DEATH ANGEL studio albums: "Relentless Retribution" (2010),"The Dream Calls for Blood" (2013),"The Evil Divide" (2016) and the aforementioned "Humanicide".

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Life In The Stocks" podcast, Duff McKagan was asked if he thinks Axl Rose's guest stint with AC/DC back in 2016 was a key part of GUNS N' ROSES' redemption after the partial reunion of the latter group's classic lineup. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We went out and did that first stadium tour. [Axl] broke his foot [at the first show in April 2016], and he overcame it. And [FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave] Grohl brought this throne [that he performed on back in 2015 after breaking his leg in Sweden and he loaned it to Axl to use on stage]… And to be able to sing that stuff sitting down, dude, it's not… I observe every vowel, every note he sings just because he's a fucking master — where he breathes, where he pushes from, angle of his head. He's a real amazing singer to go to school on, and I get to do it nightly. 'That's where I would breathe for that vowel sound right there.' So, from that, we played Coachella, [and] he was kind of the hero of that year; I think he was like the hero of that year. And then getting the AC/DC thing."

Duff continued: "Me and [GUNS N' ROSES guitarist] Slash have gone off and played with all kinds of people over the years — you name it, we've done it, almost. [Axl's] never done it… And that AC/DC thing really was his favorite band. He went and tried out [for the touring singer position in AC/DC]. 'I'm gonna try out.' I'm, like, 'You're not gonna need to try out. I wouldn't worry about it.' [And he said] 'Wow. I'm so nervous.' It was really great. We knew — me and Slash — 'You're gonna get the gig.' And it was so good for. And he still had the cast on [when he played the first show with AC/DC]. I think he had to play the first couple [of shows] in the chair. And then he got his walking boot. But then Slash and I came to surprise him [at AC/DC's concert in London]. We came in through — you can come into Heathrow [airport without being seen]. You've gotta pay some money. But we came around to the side thing, so we weren't in the airport, just so nobody knew we were here, to really surprise him and support him in this thing. Because we knew he hadn't been able to do this thing, play with other people. So I think it did really help. I think he saw how that [AC/DC] organization was run, too, like, 'Yeah, we can go on on time,' and all that stuff, because 'They'll go on — if I'm ready or not, they're gonna go on.'"

Duff went on to describe Axl as "a great leader in a band situation. He has a lot of levity," McKagan explained. "He takes it very seriously. He warms up for an hour and a half, warms down for an hour and a half. And we go on on time and we play forever. If there's a curfew at 11, we'll hit that curfew. And so that means we're gonna go on at 7:30 or else we don't get to play all the songs. So if we're going on at eight, we're playing less time, so he doesn't wanna do that. So, yeah, I've enjoyed watching his triumph over the last eight years… It's been really, really quite wonderful. It's been wonderful."

AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after singer Brian Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with the GUNS N' ROSES frontman as a "guest vocalist."

McKagan, who is one-third of the reunited partial classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES, got a chance to watch Rose and AC/DC play in June 2016 in London, England and in September 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.

AC/DC's North American tour ended in Philadelphia in September 2016, and despite initial fan trepidation, Axl got generally good reviews for his performances. AC/DC guitarist Angus Young said at the time: "I mean, under the situation that we had, it was very good that he volunteered and said, 'Hey, if I can help, let me try.' So he's been very good. And he had to learn a lot of songs very quickly, and he's done a great job."

Chicago’s Opium Death has a brutal new album coming out next month and those with thrash and death metal sensibilities should take note as Genocidal Nemesis delivers slick groove bass lines, heart rate-increasing riffs, and gritty vocals. Thus far they have released two singles “Genocidal Nemesis I: Fear” and “The Condemned” each exploring real-life concepts. 


This trend continues with the third single “Vesuvius”, about the eruption, as the band explains:


“‘Vesuvius’ is a review and representation of the famous disaster in Pompeii, the themes of self-demise present in the rest of the album do not really apply here. Musically it has this very nice blend of thrash and death metal throughout the song and one of our favourite sections in the song is the breakdown that helps construct the explosion of the disaster. We are hoping it becomes a fan favorite.”




For Opium Death, there is no clear rule or fixed process/formula when they write out songs. Sometimes they come up with a section during practice and work from there, or one of them records a part on an instrument and shows it to the others. This diverse and spontaneous nature of their creative collaboration, along with a wide range of influences across the metal spectrum leads to an album that has a song for everyone and every occasion.


Technical, progressive and recommended for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Cattle Decapitation, and Dying Fetus, there is a lot to enjoy in Genocidal Nemesis when it's unleashed on April 19, 2024.


Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Cower”
“Genocidal Nemesis I: Fear”
“The Condemned”
“Ozymandias”
“Flatline”
“Extinction”
“Chronic”
“Deadweight”
“Shattered”
“Vesuvius”
“Fe56”
“Genocidal Nemesis II: Desolation”


“Vesuvius”:





“The Condemned”:





(Photo – Michael Gonzalez) 

Zombi will release their new album, Direct Inject, on March 22 via Relapse Records. Today, the band offer a final preview of the forthcoming album with "Sessuale II", the third pre-release single from the nine-song record. Listen below.


“So good to get this trout out into the world. We’ve been sitting on it for a long time, and with help from Jeff Gretz and Phil Manley, we finally gave it the treatment it deserved. A showcase for Steve in both performance and production,” AE Paterra shared of the song, which was written in the early ‘00s but never officially released.







Direct Inject was born from sessions at a friend’s home studio in Clearfield, Penn. Following a Covid-caused, aborted European 2022 tour, the pair had the rare opportunity to spend time together without any looming deadlines. As Paterra describes the sessions, “Most of the tracks that ended up on the album were pretty close to their final form, spontaneous jams that just flowed out of us.” Those few days of improvisation and jamming turned out to be fruitful, with three or four sessions over three days turning out several gems.


Album pre-orders are available now, with Direct Inject available on several limited-edition vinyl variants, CD, and digitally, here.





Direct Inject track list:


"Direct Inject"
"So Mote It Be"
"Bodies In The Flotsam"
"Kamichi & Sandy"
"Sessuale II"
"Improvise Adapt Overcome"
"The Post-Atomic Horror"
"Insurmountable Odds"
"Sessuale I"


"Bodies In The Flotsam":





"The Post-Atomic Horror"





Zombi has announced their first tour dates in support of Direct Inject, with a US/Canadian trek coming this April. Tickets are on-sale now. Overcalc opens on all dates.





Zombi is Steve Moore (synth/bass/guitar) and AE Paterra (drums/percussion/electronics). Formed in 2001, the Pittsburgh-founded, instrumental duo have released seven full-length albums including their most recent offering, 2020’s 2020 and the 2022 covers collection, Zombi & Friends, Vol.1, which saw the pair cover songs from Neil Diamond, Dionne Warwick and the Alan Parsons Project. Known for their distinctive style, which blends prog rock, electronics and an affinity for ‘70s and ‘80s era horror films, Zombi create music that’s both retrospective and futuristic, expansive, and intimate. Each release has seen the band refine and evolve its sound, exploring different textures and moods while staying true to their core aesthetic.


(Photo - Shawn Brackbill)

Gatecreeper’s Dark Superstition is leading a new wave of American death metal. Their sprawling third full-length, and label debut for Nuclear Blast, is more concise, melodic, and memorable than anything they’ve ever done. It’s a pivotal moment which sees vocalist Chase H. Mason, guitarists Eric Wagner and Israel Garza, drummer Metal Matt Arrebollo and bassist Alex Brown carving out their own path.


Dark Superstition deals with the supernatural, divination, fear of the unknown, and trust in magic or chance. “Many of the songs incorporate supernatural ideas with my own experiences,” Mason says. “But the title itself is a reference to the Superstition Mountains in our home state of Arizona. It’s a beautiful mountain range surrounded by tragedy and legends of hidden fortune.”


The album’s intricate lead single, "The Black Curtain" leans heavily in a rock direction, and embodies Dark Superstition’s themes with a tale of divination. “It’s about being trapped between living and dying,” Mason tells. “A soul trapped in purgatory begging to be brought back by a supernatural force.” “The Black Curtain” is available today alongside a video directed by Max Moore. Listen to the song here, and watch the video below.







Dark Superstition moves swiftly from one brutal soundscape to the next, each sonic structure evoking its own emotion and landscape. To help perfect their game this round, Gatecreeper joined forces with drummer / songwriter Fred Estby, of Swedish death metal titans Dismember, whose influences can be heard throughout the album. Dark Superstition was recorded at God City Studios in Salem, MA with Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, who also mixed the album.


The album sees its release May 17 via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order/pre-save the album here.





Dark Superstition tracklisting:


"Dead Star"
"Oblivion"
"The Black Curtain"
"Masterpiece Of Chaos"
"Superstitious Vision"
"A Chilling Aura"
"Caught In The Treads"
"Flesh Habit"
"Mistaken For Dead"
"Tears Fall From The Sky"


"Caught In The Treads" video:





Gatecreeper is:


Chase H. Mason - Vocals
Eric Wagner - Guitar
Matt Arrebollo - Drums
Israel Garza - Guitar
Alex Brown - Bass


(Photo - Trenton Woods)

Swedish metal veterans Sabaton have shared the following news with their fans:


"Wow! Two new gold certifications because of you! We are absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude! Our Heroes album (2014) is now officially Gold certified in Germany, and our latest album, The War To End All Wars (2022), has also achieved Gold status in Sweden! The reality of this achievement is still sinking in – it's totally surreal. We owe it all to you, our amazing supporters and fellow metalheads. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible."













 

Scotland's Dvne will release their new full-length, Voidkind, on April 19th via Metal Blade Records.


Formed in Edinburgh in 2013 by Frenchman Victor Vicart and native Scot Dudley Tait, progressive post-metal/sludge artisans Dvne have been building a powerful head of steam since their second album, 2021's kaleidoscopically mesmerizing Etemen Ænka. Their first release for Metal Blade Records, the LP was a concerted hike up the greasy pole for this enigmatic outfit, enabling Dvne to embark on UK and European headline tours and win spots at such discerning festivals as Hellfest, ArcTanGent, Desertfest, Damnation, and Resurrection. A live EP of reimagined album tunes, 2022's Cycles Of Asphodel, kept up their profile while satiating demand from a rapidly mushrooming fanbase, and now in 2024, stunning third album Voidkind looks set to propel this expanded five-piece line-up (welcoming Maxime Keller on keyboards) to the top of their game.







Voidkind succeeds in finding new modes of expression for Dvne. The songs are more pointed, direct, and memorable, but the soundscape still has a radiant, evolving, hypnotic flow, the effect achieved with fewer layers of sonic ornamentation, consciously urging closer to Dvne's incendiary live sound. And despite the addition of a full-time keyboardist, Vicart has no doubt about the album's defining feature, "We wanted very distinct left and right guitars, and punchier drums and bass, which would transcribe better live. And the synths needed to be clearer; it's very easy to put five guitars on each side, loads of different vocals and keys, but then you end up watching a band with an album you really like, and the songs sound nothing like the record. That's what we wanted to avoid. As soon as the song starts, we want people to immediately recognise the riff."


Conceptually, the lyrics continue the band's overarching narrative - "following a religious group through the generation line from the beginning to its end" - while Voidkind's extraordinary sleeve art depicts the main theme of this chapter, namely, "a godlike entity seducing and luring followers through their dreams and these followers' multigenerational journey to reach their god dimension."


One book that has been particularly impactful on the band's thought process: 1989 novel Hyperion by Dan Simmonds. Notes Vicart, "It's a very dark Sci-Fi book with loads of interesting parts, so you can go really prog with it, but you can also go more violent and animalistic." Further inspirational touchstones include FromSoftware video game Dark Souls, and the Japanese manga series that inspired it, Berserk, "It's a very cool, violent, psychedelic, medieval dark fantasy," explains Vicart. "We wanted to have these kinds of visuals and aesthetics on this album, in this mix-up of things. Even without the vocals we wanted to evoke something, different places and spaces, and take the listener on a journey."


Vicart further elaborates on the themes driving "Plerõma," the first single from Voidkind, and its accompanying video, which was directed by Vicart, "Plerõma is a concept that has appeared in Gnosticism, Greek Philosophy, and Judeo-Christian religions. In Gnosticism, it is the spiritual universe as the abode of God and of the totality of the divine powers and emanations. It is also the ultimate source of transformation. Plerõma is a key moment of the album narrative where religious followers are consuming the essence of their deity and reach a new sense of awakened existence. It is the first step in their transformation. Musically it also represents something similar to us, as it is a song that is bringing new elements that we didn't explore musically until that point."


Watch the "Plerõma" video below.


Voidkind was recorded between September and November 2023 in Edinburgh at Craigiehall Temple and Byres Farm in Scotland and features the stunning artwork of Felix Abel Klae.





The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as 2xLP in the following color variants:


- Burnt Skin Marble (US)
- White Black Marble (US)
- Dark Crimson Marbled (EU)
- 180g Black (EU)
- Grey Brown w/ Black Smoke (EU - ltd. 500)
- Crystal Clear (EU - ltd. 300)
- White/Black Dust (EU - ltd. 300)
- Clear w/ Black Smoke (Band Exclusive - ltd. 666 available here)
- Clear w/ Black, Red + Gold Splatter (Band Exclusive - ltd. 200 available here)


Find pre-orders here.





Voidkind tracklisting:


"Summa Blasphemia"
"Eleonora"
"Reaching For Telos"
"Reliquary"
"Path Of Dust"
"Sarmatæ"
"Path Of Ether"
"Abode Of The Perfect Soul"
"Plērōma"
"Cobalt Sun Necropolis"


"Plērōma" video:





Following the release of Voidkind, Dvne will embark on a European Spring tour which includes shows with Sleemo, Conjurer, and My Diligence on select dates.





Dvne album lineup:


Allan Paterson - guitars, bass
Daniel Barter - vocals
Dudley Tait - drums
Maxime Keller - keys, vocals
Victor Vicart - guitars, keys, vocals


Dvne live lineup:


Allan Paterson - bass
Daniel Barter - guitar, vocals
Dudley Tait - drums
Maxime Keller - keys, vocals
Victor Vicart - guitar, vocals
Occasional Live Member:
Alexandros Keros - bass


(Photo - Alan Swan)

The long running, high energy Texas outfit, Aska, is poised to make another splash.


For the last couple of years, vocalist George Call (Banshee, ex-Omen) and drummer Danny White were moonlighting in NWOBHM veterans, Cloven Hoof. It's been over a decade since the Fire Eater album and once again, they've reunited with bassist Keith Knight, to issue some catchy, hard driving heavy metal.


"Soul Stealer" is the first taste of their Knight Strike album, scheduled for release on April 13 via Vanadium. Watch the video below, and pre-order the album here.







Tracklisting:


"1944"
"Queen Of Mirrors"
"Soul Stealer"
"Love Then Oblivion"
"Black Flight"
"Together"
"Janissary"
"From Out Of The Sky"
"Skoll & Hati"
"The Lie"


"Soul Stealer" video:

Prepare to be engulfed in a whirlwind of metal mayhem as Inner Axis releases their new single "Evil Dead", from their upcoming album Midnight Forces.


With "Evil Dead", Inner Axis delves into the darkest recesses of the human psyche, conjuring a haunting sonic landscape that resonates with themes of horror, darkness, and supernatural forces. Drawing inspiration from the iconic cult classic film of the same name, "Evil Dead" channels the raw intensity and relentless energy that fans of the genre crave.







"Evil Dead" sets the stage for a thrilling musical journey that promises to captivate listeners with its electrifying riffs, thunderous drums, and soaring vocals. This single is a testament to Inner Axis' unwavering commitment to delivering uncompromising metal that pushes boundaries and defies expectations.





For further details, visit Inner Axis on Facebook.


 

Dialith return with their latest offering, Alter, on April 5th. The 4-track EP aims to push further the boundaries of symphonic power metal through trailblazing ventures into new sonic territories.


 


Vocalist Krista Sion comments: "With every new release, I think that the quality of the songs just gets better and better. All four songs on this EP are high-energy, unique, and special to me. I am looking forward to releasing this out into the wild." 




 


The release opens with "Writhing Red", a folk metal inspired song complete with flutes and fiddles, with lyrics that explore the nature of anger, hate, and greed. Following up to that is the anthemic "Ironbound", a chorus-focused experience inspired by Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn with some tasteful saxophone completing this unique sound. Alter concludes with the crown jewel of the EP: The two-track epic of "Hourglass (Shadowdancer Pt. 1)" followed by "Shadowdancer". Featuring a heavily middle-eastern inspired atmosphere, its lyrics evoke the mythology of the ancient Near East. This song signals a turning point in the band’s history–it weaves a unique balance between heavy metal staples like gritty guitars and thundering drums with Middle Eastern vocal improvisation and instruments.


 





 


Tracklist:


 


"Writhing Red"


"Ironbound"


"Hourglass (Shadowdancer Pt. 1)"


"Shadowdancer"


 


Check out the official video for "Shadowdancer" below.


 





 


Dialith is an epic symphonic power metal band from Danbury, Connecticut. Formed in 2015, the band made an impact with their 2019 debut album, Extinction Six. Blending epic orchestral arrangements with enrapturing melodeath riffs, Dialith aims to breathe new life into the symphonic metal genre with tracks that draw inspiration from varied sources, from death metal to pop music to Arabic and Celtic folk music. Alter is the continuation of Dialith’s 2021 EP Atrophy, the second in what will be a trilogy of EPs that culminate in a full album. 


 


Dialith is:


 


Mark Grey - Bass, Irish Whistle


Cullen Mitchell - Drums


Krista Sion - Vocals


Alasdair Wallace Mackie - Guitar, Orchestrations

Bon Jovi’s music video for their hit single, “Always”, has surpassed one billion views on YouTube. This is the third time the band has achieved this milestone, previously passing the one billion views mark with "It’s My Life" and "Livin’ On A Prayer".


In a video shared via social media, vocalist Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres express their gratitude, with Jon saying, “This is a humble thank you to everybody who watched the video for the song ‘Always’ a billion times.”







"Always" was a new song included on Bon Jovi's 1994 greatest hits album, Cross Road. The single spent six months in the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 and became the group's biggest selling single in the United States at that time. Watch the video below:





Hulu has released the official trailer for the upcoming docuseries, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story. Watch below.


Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story is a four-part, all access docuseries chronicling the epic past and uncertain future of one of the most recognizable bands in the world and its frontman Jon Bon Jovi. A 40-year odyssey of rock and roll idolatry on the precipice as a vocal injury threatens to bring everything to a screeching halt.


Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story joins the band in February 2022 and follows their real time journey with its fits and starts as they attempt to chart out their future. As thrilling as the story of a once-in-a-lifetime talent is, it is even more rare that a legend like Jon Bon Jovi lets the world into his most vulnerable moments, while he's still living them.


40 years of personal videos, unreleased early demos, original lyrics, and never before seen photos that chronicle the journey from Jersey Shore Clubs to the biggest stages on the planet. The series relives the triumphs and setbacks, greatest hits, biggest disappointments, and most public moments of friction.


The docuseries is set to premiere April 26 on Hulu in the United States and later in the year on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in the rest of the world.








 

Legendary rockers BLUE ÖYSTER CULT have shared the second single from their upcoming album "Ghost Stories", due out April 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. The track, titled "Don't Come Running To Me", is accompanied by a new music video which can be seen below.

After the resounding success of their 50th-anniversary celebration, legendary rockers BLUE ÖYSTER CULT are eagerly gearing up for an exciting new chapter in their storied career with the upcoming release of "Ghost Stories". This highly anticipated album marks a fitting finale to the recording legacy of one of rock's most iconic fixtures from the past 50 years.

In a thrilling partnership with Frontiers Music Srl, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT is set to captivate fans with a collection of reimagined and completed songs that span from 1978-2016. These musical treasures, long considered the "lost gems" by BLUE ÖYSTER CULT enthusiasts, were originally recorded between 1978 and 1983, except for one track from 2016, "If I Fell". Also included is the only known recorded performance of their concert classic "Kick Out The Jams" (MC5 cover). Some of the material is from workshopping albums, some from performance rehearsals, and all were recorded once in the hopes that someday they'd see the light of day.

George Geranios, the band's original audio engineer and an integral part of the band's golden years, produced the tracks along with BÖC and all were originally recorded on reel-to-reel analog tape. He transferred them to digital audio which is when modern AI and magical musical talents meet and the collection of vintage multi-track recordings was de-mixed, re-mixed, and produced by Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano to become "Ghost Stories".

Work in the studio for the album was completed by Richie Castellano along with remaining original members Eric Bloom and Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, and both Albert Bouchard and Rick Downey appear on drums with additional overdubs recorded by Joe Bouchard. All these original lineup members appearing on "Ghost Stories" create a musical journey that traverses decades and promises easter eggs for days.

As BLUE ÖYSTER CULT embraces its "classic rock" phenomenon status, the anticipation for this album is reaching a crescendo. Fans are eager to experience the culmination of the band's artistic vision and witness the completion of songs that have become part of their folklore. The band will also add some of the songs in their upcoming 2024 shows.

With a legacy spanning over five decades, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT continues to be a formidable force in the classic rock scene. The exciting partnership with Frontiers Music Srl and the visionary leadership of Serafino Perugino add an extra layer of anticipation to the release of "Ghost Stories". As the band bids farewell to their recording career, they do so with a flourish, offering fans a musical odyssey that is sure to leave a lasting imprint on rock history. Truly a remarkable journey.

"Ghost Stories" track listing:

01. Late Night Street Fight
02. Cherry
03. So Supernatural
04. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
05. Soul Jive
06. Gun
07. Shot In The Dark
08. The Only Thing
09. Kick Out The Jams
10. Money Machine
11. Don't Come Running
12. If I Fell
13. Roadhouse Blues (bonus track Japan)

Bandmembers and credits:

Eric Bloom - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Albert Bouchard - Drums, Vocals
Joe Bouchard - Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals
Allen Lanier - Guitar, Keyboards
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser - Guitar, Vocals
Rick Downey – Drums (on 3 and 11)
Richie Castellano - Additional Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals

"If I Fell" was recorded on April 18, 2016 at Red Studios, Hollywood, CA

Eric Bloom - Vocals
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser - Guitar, Vocals
Richie Castellano - Guitar, Vocals
Kasim Sulton - Vocals
Jules Radino - Percussion

Original recordings produced by George Geranios and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT except "If I Fell" produced by Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano

De-mixed, remixed and produced by Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano

Engineered by Richie Castellano

"Gun" and "Money Machine" overdubs recorded by Joe Bouchard

Digital transfers by George Geranios

Mastered by Sam Stauff at Mercy College Studio, Dobbs Ferry, NY

In a new interview with Australia's Metal Roos, guitarist Herman Li spoke about DRAGONFORCE's decision to cover Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams", which is included as a bonus track on select editions of the band's upcoming album, "Warp Speed Warriors", due out on March 15 via Napalm Records. The Grammy-nominated unit has transformed the current reigning pop superstar's huge hit into a lightning-fast power metal anthem, featuring incredible guitar solos and sky-high vocals. DRAGONFORCE's version first caused a wave of buzz in the press and on social media after the band performed it live on their most recent North American tour.

The DRAGONFORCE guitarist said: "On the last album, [2019's] 'Extreme Power Metal', ['My Heart Will Go On' by] Céline Dion, that was all Sam [Totman, DRAGONFORCE guitarist]. He really wanted to do Céline Dion. I said, fine — Céline Dion is cool. I can't argue about that. And for this album, I wanted to do Taylor Swift because I had to listen to — I'd listened to so much Taylor Swift the last four years, like a lot. I didn't expect that to happen in my life, but it happened because I had a kid — I had a daughter. My daughter was born four years ago, so I was using music for her to listen to stop the baby crying or keep her busy. So I heard a lot of Taylor Swift, and I really got into it. The songs are really catchy, and I really found the production to be pretty incredible, how the production is done. So I said to Sam, I said, 'I think we should do this cover of 'Wildest Dreams' by Taylor Swift.' He [went], 'No. Come on. You serious?' He didn't know Taylor Swift, to be honest. Living in England, he had not really heard it — he never even heard that song before. And I was able to convince him, and I thought, 'This is gonna work.' We played it live on the last tour, and people were just going insane for that song. So, it's fun. It just adds that extra-fun element to the album and on stage as well."

Asked what his daughter thinks of DRAGONFORCE's cover of "Wildest Dreams", Herman replied: "She hasn't heard it, actually. I haven't played it to her, for some reason. I don't have that album on my phone, and every time I go in the car right now, I'm listening to 'Cars 2' motion picture soundtrack or 'Cars 3'. So we're in a 'Cars' phase at the moment. So we'll get back to that when it's time."

ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz joined DRAGONFORCE on stage on November 5, 2023 at MTelus in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to perform "Wildest Dreams (Dragonforce's Version)".

"Warp Speed Warriors" was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with DRAGONFORCE guitarists Sam Totman and Herman Li.

On "Warp Speed Warriors", DRAGONFORCE — composed of of guitar virtuosos and founding members Li and Totman, singer Marc Hudson, bassist Alicia Vigil and drummer Gee Anzalone — explore a wider range of varying musical styles than ever before, evolving their sound throughout the exciting musical journey while still staying true to their roots.

Herman stated about "Warp Speed Warriors": "After four years of creative incubation, we are beyond excited to release what we believe to be our most ambitious and grandiose record yet. This album showcases multiple facets of our artistic abilities, and we invite metal aficionados from every corner of the genre to discover something captivating within its layers. We can't wait to share this chapter of our musical journey with you, it's going to be EPIC!"

"Power Of The Triforce" keeps the volume high before DRAGONFORCE temporarily slows it down for the ballad "Kingdom Of Steel". Rapid drum patterns and thrilling guitars carry the catchy "Burning Heart", while chanting "Space Marine Corp" features a strong and uplifting chorus. Electronic influences on grandiose power metal anthem "The Killer Queen" hypnotize, as singer Marc Hudson's vocals reach for the skies. On "Doomsday Party", 1980s rock influences meet captivating retro video game soundscapes and epic guitar solos in true DRAGONFORCE manner.

"Warp Speed Warriors" track listing:

01. Astro Warrior Anthem
02. Power Of The Triforce
03. Kingdom Of Steel
04. Burning Heart
05. Space Marine Corp
06. Doomsday Party
07. Prelude To Darkness
08. The Killer Queen
09. Pixel Prison

DRAGONFORCE's platinum-selling single "Through The Fire And Flames" brought the London-based Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim and was featured as the most challenging song on "Guitar Hero III".

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

"Through The Fire And Flames" is the leadoff track from 2006's "Inhuman Rampage" album, which was officially certified gold in July 2017 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

In August 2019, DRAGONFORCE parted ways with longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq. He has since joined German thrashers KREATOR.

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 El Planeta Del Rock, Mark stated about how he landed the gig in Kerry's band (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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).

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, drummer Tommy Clufetos spoke about what it was like to play with Ozzy Osbourne for eight years, first as a member of Ozzy's solo band and then as the replacement for Bill Ward in BLACK SABBATH's touring lineup. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Ozzy, he gets it. I mean, the guy's been doing it for 50 years. He's had enormous success. And I've played on stage with a bunch of people. And when I'm behind Ozzy, we go to war together… I like to look up to my elders, put it that way. It's like when I was a kid and my grandpa would be sitting there. Maybe your grandpa doesn't speak all the time. They know when to speak.

"You can pick up a lot of things from older musicians because they have the experience and they're five times more experienced down the line than you are," Tommy explained. "And if you watch, you can pick up a lot of clever tricks. And I've learned so much from Ozzy. I've learned so much from [playing with] Ted Nugent — where you can go, 'Oh, in 20 years, I'm gonna use that trick that they just did.' It was one split second. So all these little showbiz tricks, I have a lot of things in my back pocket from working with very experienced, talented people. And I've been so lucky for that."

Regarding what it was like to play his first show with BLACK SABBATH, sharing the stage with the band's original members Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, Tommy said: "It's — the steps. The steps to playing locally in Detroit, the steps to learning to back other people. When I started playing with my dad, we would play all these so-called oldies shows where there would be five, six, seven acts on a show. And you had to learn how to read the front singers and play different styles of music. So I've done all these little different, many different, millions of different things of learning to play in different situations that it all adds up to playing with BLACK SABBATH and being ready when that opportunity presents itself."

He continued: "I talk to a lot of young kids, and they'll think some old people are kind of cheesy and goofy, and I point out to them, 'Well, back in the '60s, those were the rock stars. Maybe they're 75 now and they may look goofy to you, but you can learn a lot.' I used to play for LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS, which is a big, I'd say doo-wop '60s group who had a bunch of hits — four wonderful black singers, and, at the time, they were in their 60s. And they would all get ready together and put on their suits together and make sure their hair looked good and they danced and the moves and just soaking this energy in of always being professional, always going up there and giving it your best.

"When I go up with my own thing [on my upcoming tour with TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP], it's not gonna be any different. I can honestly say, from being in Detroit, from being raised the right way by my parents, through having a work ethic and being professional and wanting to be the best that I can be, it all adds up to what you're doing. So I'm going to bring the best of what I have [to those shows]."

TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP, where Clufetos, he offers his take on the rock 'n roll influences that made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the current hard rock scene, will embark on a short solo tour at the end of March.

The following dates have been confirmed:

March 26 - Winchester Music Tavern - Lakewood, OH
March 27 - Sweetwater Music Co - Fort Wayne, IN
March 28 - Token Lounge - Westland, MI
March 29 - Blue Note - Harrison, OH

In May 2021, TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP released its debut album, "Beat Up By Rock 'N' Roll", via Frontiers Music Srl. Eric Dover, known for singing and playing guitar with JELLYFISH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Alice Cooper, handled lead vocals on the LP (though Tommy grabbed the mic for three tracks). Eliot Lorengo (bass),Hank Schneekluth (guitar) and Nao Nakashima (guitar) rounded out the supporting cast.

Clufetos worked with such rock icons as Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie before joining Ozzy Osbourne in 2010. That led to a spot as the drummer on BLACK SABBATH's last two world tours.

In a 2021 interview with Jason Saulnier, Clufetos was asked if he ever finds himself looking back on the fact that he played drums for BLACK SABBATH on the legendary heavy metal band's final tour. "I always feel blessed that I was lucky, I was honored to play with those guys 'cause they're a great musicians," he said. "But I don't look at it as — I was never a member. Once a gig's over, a gig's over. So I don't really live in the past concerning that; I always have to plow forward — as does everybody. I can't look back. I can appreciate it — that's not saying I don't appreciate it — but I'm also not gonna dwell on I played with BLACK SABBATH one time, because then you're living in the past. I've got many more years to move forward to continue my career and pay my bills. It doesn't mean that I don't love what I do, but it is my job, and it's my craft, and it's an ongoing thing to me. So that was that gig, and that ended, and now it's, what do you do next? It's always that."

He continued: "Every tour ends; every band ends eventually… To me, it's work. To, that works to me. And I'm working to be better, and I'm working to get better. Hopefully I'm a better drummer than [I was] then. And it's always been the process; I'm always chipping away at the stone. And my drums are right there. And after I get done with these interviews, I will go right there and play and see what else comes out of me going right there and playing. 'Cause everything has come out of me sitting at the drums trying to be the best that I can be."

Clufetos did not play on the SABBATH reunion album, "13", a role that was filled by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE drummer Brad Wilk. Ozzy Osbourne told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that Clufetos was gong to play on the record until producer Rick Rubin stepped in.

Although original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward was initially announced as part of the reunion in late 2011, he dropped out within a couple of months, saying he was offered an "unsignable" contract.

The members of SABBATH were reportedly concerned that Ward's health would not hold up on the road and allegedly asked him to accept the use of a second drummer on tour, which he refused.

In a new interview with the Appetite For Distortion podcast, SHINEDOWN's Zach Myers and Brent Smith were asked when they think they will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Zach said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're eligible in '28. But I don't know. I mean, listen, there's bands from the '70s and '80s that aren't in there that I think should very much be in there. So I don't know."

He continued: "Here's the thing: we've never been nominated for a Grammy this far in and [after] this many [Number One singles], and watch us get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame year one. Wouldn't that make the most sense of anything ever, if we've never been nominated for a Grammy or anything else, but we get in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame the first year we're eligible?

Added Brent: "I would be all down. I mean, let's go. A hundred percent. Let's go. The whole thing about that is you hear not necessarily negative stories or horror stories about that whole induction process, but at the end of the day, our number one boss in this band — we have one boss; it happens to be everybody in the audience. So, that's who we care about."

Continued Zach: "We get our Grammy and our Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination every night when we walk on stage and there's 13,000 people out there."

Said Brent: "Don't get me wrong: we'd be happy to have the honor, but it's not something that… You've just gotta keep your head up and keep moving forward."

Zach added: "Yeah, we don't let it motivate us; that's for sure."

SHINEDOWN's single "A Symptom Of Being Human" recently landed at No. 1 at Active Rock. This marked SHINEDOWN's record-breaking 21st No. 1 song on the Mediabase Active Rock chart and extended the band's record for the most No. 1s in the history of Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with 19 total. The crossover hit is also moving up the Alternative charts and now impacting at Top 40 radio nationwide, all following its Top 15 run at Hot AC in 2023.

SHINEDOWN's latest album, "Planet Zero", debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and the official U.K. albums chart, and at No. 1 on six other Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales, Rock, Hard Rock, and Alternative Albums.

SHINEDOWN recorded "Planet Zero" during the pandemic, mostly in bassist/producer Eric Bass's newly built Big Animal Studio in his home base of South Carolina.

SHINEDOWN's six previous albums have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and all gone gold or better — double platinum in the case of 2008's "The Sound Of Madness".

For more than a decade, SHINEDOWN has worked with the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention, participating in national walks to bring awareness to the effects of depression and donating money to the organization.

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson played the ninth show of his inaugural "Bass Warrior Tour" last Thursday night (March 7) at Reigen Live in Vienna, Austria. Video of the concert can be seen below.

The "Bass Warrior Tour" sees Ellefson gracing select European cities with a captivating evening of cherished classics, deep cuts, and insightful storytelling from his illustrious career. This journey encompasses his role as a co-founding member of MEGADETH, his ELLEFSON solo material, and more.

When the "Bass Warrior Tour" was first announced, Ellefson said in a statement: "I've approached my career as that of a musical warrior, always accompanied by my bass guitar. I eagerly anticipate bringing these songs back to the stage, while sharing introspective and entertaining anecdotes about their creation. It's been a wild ride of low notes and high stakes!"

Accompanying Ellefson on this tour is Italian guitarist and musical director Andy Martongelli, a longtime friend and collaborator who has been by Ellefson's side during his solo ventures, "Basstory", ELLEFSON-SOTO and ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE tours across Europe. On drums is Roberto Pirami (Michael Angelo Batio, Rowan Robertson, Gus G.),on vocals Titta Tani (EHFAR, ex-drummer of Claudio Simonetti's GOBLIN),and on rhythm guitar Walter Cianciusi (Geoff Tate band).

Ellefson's setlist for the Vienna concert was as follows:

01. Skin O' My Teeth (MEGADETH song)
02. 99 Ways To Die (MEGADETH song)
03. Celebrity Trash (ELLEFSON-SOTO song)
04. Reckoning Day (MEGADETH song)
05. Bad Omen (MEGADETH song)
06. Go To Hell (MEGADETH song)
07. Like A Bullet (ELLEFSON-SOTO song)
08. Over Now (Post Malone cover)
09. Simple Truth
10. Countdown To Extinction (MEGADETH song)
11. Tornado Of Souls (MEGADETH song)
12. Love Me Like A Reptile (MOTÖRHEAD cover)

Encore:

13. Dawn Patrol / The Trooper / For Whom The Bell Tolls
14. Symphony Of Destruction (MEGADETH song)
15. Peace Sells (MEGADETH song)

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

Shortly before Ellefson was dismissed from MEGADETH, he released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders.

Dave Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — released a statement on May 24, 2021 announcing the bassist's departure from the band. In the statement, Dave said: "We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward."

Last June, Ellefson told Andrew McKaysmith of the "Scars And Guitars" podcast that he was prepared for his latest exit from MEGADETH.

"When my departure from MEGADETH happened, a lot of people were hitting me [up and saying], 'Oh my God. It's so terrible. It's so terrible,'" he recalled. "[And I said], 'Yeah, believe me, it's not.' [Laughs] It really isn't. I was ready for it. I didn't think it was gonna go down that way; I didn't see that coming. But the fact that it happened, I was not sad about it. I was okay with it. Because I knew there's another journey ahead, and that journey wasn't gonna start until I was out of the old one.

"When you're in a group, you're in a setting, you've gotta play company man and you kind of go along with the narrative that's been set forth.

"There was a lot of things, a lot of the narrative in that band that I never agreed with," Ellefson admitted. "A lot of that band was started on a grudge and a hardship of the firing [of MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine] from METALLICA. That was never my story. I was always a METALLICA fan and I became friends with those guys. I have nothing but gratitude for that group and those gentlemen for what they've done for all of us, and I think they deserve the biggest applause. So it was hard to be in a band that always had this saltiness around that whole narrative, because it was never my narrative. So I went along to get along, but now I don't have to do that. And now I can be on my own path. These are my words; it's my story now. And maybe the events that happened a couple of years ago, I needed to have my own story to tell. 'Cause when you quit a band, everyone's pissed at you; they hate you: 'Oh, fuck you. You quit. You quit my favorite band.' But when you get tossed out… And I'm not looking for the sympathy card. You don't have to feel sorry for me; you don't have to do any of that. But it's interesting that, I guess the way it happened… it went down in a way that it was certainly visible enough and on a level that… It was sort of, like, okay, well, what's gonna happen next? And I just tried to be faithful to just following my heart, following the path."

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

DAVID ELLEFSON BASS WARRIOR TOUR FEATURING ANDY MARTONGELLI FEBRUARY-MARCH 2024

"I've approached my career as that of a...

Posted by David Ellefson on Thursday, February 15, 2024

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman will release his new solo album, "Drama", on May 17 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Recorded in Italy, "Drama" showcases Marty's unique touch, for the first time using both vintage and modern guitars, delivering a pure delight for lovers of music everywhere. From the captivating first single "Illumination", which can be streamed below, to the album's breathtaking "Mirage" and 10 other emotionally charged mini-symphonies, Marty paints atmospheric elements with a modern and exotic flair, promising an unforgettable musical experience.

"Drama" track listing:

01. Illumination
02. Song For An Eternal Child
03. Triumph (Official Version)
04. Thrill City
05. Deep End
06. Dead Of Winter
07. Mirage
08. A Prayer
09. Acapella
10. Tearful Confession
11. Icicles
12. 2 Rebeldes (Dead Of Winter) (Spanish version)
12. Mirage (Guitar Karaoke Version) (bonus track Japan)

Recording lineup:

Marty Friedman - Guitar
Wakazaemon - Bass
Gregg Bissonette - Drums
Mika Maruki - Piano, Keyboard & Synth
Hiyori Okuda - Cello
Miho Chigyo - Violin

Vocals on "Dead Of Winter": Chris Brooks (LIKE A STORM)
Vocals on "2 Rebeldes": Steven Baquero Vargas
Bass on "Mirage": Or Lubianiker
Rhythm guitar on "Thrill City": Naoki Morioka
Keys and synth on "Sanctuary": Takuro Iga
Drums on "Thrill City": Chargeeeeee

During the question-and-answer portion of last November's Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp's "Metalmania III" in Los Angeles, Friedman spoke about his upcoming solo album. He said: "I've got 15 solo albums now, and each time I try to do something new and something I've never done before. I don't want ever to be heard as one of those guys, 'Ah, his early albums were great.' You know what I mean? I used to say that about my favorite guitarists — sadly — and I never wanted that to be said about me. So I'm always challenging myself on new stuff. On this new album that I'm about 70 percent done with, the closest thing I can relate it to is an album I had called 'Scenes' [1992], which I released quite a while ago. It was very dramatic and orchestral, and there was a lot of other type of instruments — violins, cellos and all that type of stuff. So it's more of a dramatic, orchestral concept. But everything that I've learned since that 'Scenes' album has just exponentially grown, so it's a much bigger scale. So if you like that 'Scenes' album at all, I think this one will be right up your alley."

Marty previously talked about his next solo LP in October 2023 in an interview with Chris Akin Presents. At the time, he said: "I've been recording my upcoming album for almost a year now. And it's gonna be finished by the end of the year, and it's gonna come out in the spring of 2024. And boy, it's an ambitious one. But, of course, I say that every time. But every time I have to top the one that was before it, so the task keeps getting more and more insane."

Asked what challenges and motivates him to keep pushing forward with his music, Marty said: "I'm not really so much into trying something that I haven't done for the sake of trying something I haven't done. I'm trying to impress me with something that I've never done before. It's not like I'm gonna suddenly wake up one day and say, 'Okay, I'm gonna be a rapper' or something. I do what I do and I have my musical vision and sound. I just try to do deeper things with it. I try to make more complex emotions, deeper emotions in the music, more interesting, melodic twists and turns, more adventurous things, things that I wasn't deep enough to do last year or two years ago, or five years ago, things that I couldn't hear back then, things that I can only hear because life has given me more experiences since then, and, of course, more musical experiences, and just to consciously be aware of stuff that I've already done and not repeat it. It's a natural challenge that I've been doing forever, and the hardest part is that blank sheet when I just start from zero. It's, like, 'How am I going to top that last thing that I just did? I worked my ass off. I'm completely done. I have nothing left. I've got zero.' And so that's the challenge. But now that I'm about 70, 80 percent done with this new record, I'm pretty confident with it. And I really am looking forward to letting everybody hear it."

In April 2023, Friedman told Justin Hunt of The Entertainment Outlet he "recorded about half" of his upcoming album in the summer of 2022. "I went over to Italy and I recorded about half of an album."

Regarding what fans can expect from his upcoming LP, Marty said: "I think it's gonna please a lot of people who liked my album 'Scenes', one of my earlier albums. It's kind of in that vein, but much more modern. And it's got all the things that I've added to my musical — I don't know how to say it — palette, or what I'm trying to do musically. It's basically a grown-up version of 'Scenes', really, so far. But I haven't finished it. It's taking a long time, but, you know, tender love and care. And it's coming along great."

Friedman went on to say that his early 2023 U.S. tour as the support act for QUEENSRŸCHE was a "perfect" way to inspire him to complete his new album. He explained: "This tour I'm playing really my most aggressive music with my most aggressive band. And that is perfect for my mentality for writing stuff like 'Scenes'. That's how 'Scenes' happened in the first place, because I was touring with MEGADETH like a maniac, and I was playing all this really, really heavy stuff every single night, and now I'm doing the exact same thing with my band. And so what I write is the complete opposite. So it's kind of like a really good creative time. And things are moving along really nice."

Marty's latest album, "Tokyo Jukebox 3", came out in April 2021 via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. The record, which was made available in Japan in October 2020, is the third in a series that began with "Tokyo Jukebox" in 2009, and then "Tokyo Jukebox 2" following in 2011. The trilogy presents Friedman's inspired performances to Japanese repertoire he's chosen to cover.

Marty's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His first major impact in music was in the game-changing guitar duo CACOPHONY, which he founded with equally enigmatic and now-legendary guitarist Jason Becker. He then spent 10 years as lead guitarist in the genre-defining thrash metal act MEGADETH before moving to Tokyo due to his love for Japanese music, language, and culture.

Following his move, he landed a starring role for a new TV comedy "Hebimeta-san" ("Mr. Heavy Metal") and its spinoff, "Rock Fujiyama", which ran for six seasons and propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. He has since appeared in over 800 TV shows, movies and commercials, including a two-year campaign with Coca-Cola for Fanta, authored two best-selling novels and was the first-ever foreigner to be appointed as an ambassador of Japan heritage and perform at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Marathon in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.

At the same time, Marty has continued his career in music with several solo albums in addition to writing and performing with the top artists in Japanese music, racking up countless chart hits, including a No. 1 with SMAP, two No. 2 songs with MOMOIRO CLOVER, a No. 2 with SOUND HORIZON — just to name a few.

New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL have recruited David Ellefson to play bass for the band on their "Scorching Latin America 2024" tour. The former MEGADETH member will be filling in for original OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni, who will be unable to make the shows as he is recovering from shoulder surgery.

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

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

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

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

Confirmed dates for OVERKILL's "Scorching Latin America" tour are:

April 11 - MX - Guadalajara
April 13 - MX - CDMX
April 15 - SV - San Salvador
April 17 - CR - San Jose
April 19 - EC - Quito
April 21 - CH - Santiago
April 22 - AR - Buenos Aires
April 24 - BO - La Paz
April 26 - PE - Lima
April 28 - BR - Sao Paulo

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

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

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

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

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

Posted by Nick Menza on Monday, March 11, 2024

Overkill ANNOUNCE THEIR 'SCORCHING LATIN AMERICA 2024' TOUR

DAVID ELLEFSON TO HANDLE BASS DUTIES

For four decades,…

Posted by David Ellefson on Monday, March 11, 2024

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST kicked off their "Invincible Shield" world tour earlier tonight (Monday, March 11 at OVO Hydro in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

The band's 18-song setlist included three tracks from PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield" — the title track, "Panic Attack" and "Trial By Fire" — along with the first performance of "Love Bites" in nearly a decade.

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

01. Panic Attack (live debut)
02. Rapid Fire
03. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
04. Metal Gods
05. Lightning Strike
06. Love Bites (first time live since 2015)
07. Breaking The Law
08. Saints In Hell (first time live since 2019)
09. Trial By Fire (live debut)
10. Turbo Lover
11. Invincible Shield (live debut)
12. Beyond The Realms Of Death
13. Victim Of Changes
14. Screaming For Vengeance
15. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)
16. Painkiller

Encore:

17. Hell Bent For Leather
18. Living After Midnight

In a recent interview with Metal Pilgrim, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about the setlist for the European leg of the band'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."

"Invincible Shield" arrived on March 8 via Sony Music.

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn 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 Richie Faulkner.

Metal Masters Judas Priest kick off their "Invincible Shield: World Tour" Tonight in Scotland at Glasgow's OVO Hydro

Posted by Calum Buchan on Monday, March 11, 2024

Judas Priest kicked off their long-awaited "Invincible Shield Tour" tonight in The Ovo Hydro, Glasgow.

#JudasPriest #InvincibleShield #InvincibleShieldTour

Posted by Martín Damacena on Monday, March 11, 2024