Blues rock guitar virtuoso Orianthi wanted to create something special to celebrate her 25th anniversary as a professional musician. The Australian-born, Los Angeles-based Orianthi entered THE DOORS guitarist Robby Krieger's Love Street Sound studio where she wrote, produced and recorded her debut single for Woodward Avenue Records. The official music video for "First Time Blues" was directed by Alex Brown and can be seen below.

Orianthi has been performing "First Time Blues" in concert with her band for the past year and was able to cut it live in the studio in just a few takes. She burns up "First Time Blues" with her impassioned vocals and blazing guitar licks. Joining her on track are Justin Andres (bass, vocals),Carey Frank (keyboards),Nick Maybury (electric and acoustic guitar) and Elias Mallin (drums).

Orianthi said: "'First Time Blues' is about that feeling of when you first feel brokenhearted. It doesn't change throughout life if you really have the strength to love and be all-in every time. I'm guilty of that…throwing myself into the fire just to get burned, heal, then get burned again…or not. You never know. Love is a gamble!"

To add a second guitar solo to "First Time Blues", Orianthi invited a friend to record with her: three-time Grammy-nominated blues rock guitar prodigy Joe Bonamassa. They had played together many times, but "First Time Blues" is their first recording together.

"My good friend and legend Joe Bonamassa put down his fire leads on the second solo section. Joe is such a great musician. We have jammed many times in the past and I'm grateful he came in and added his magic to 'First Time Blues'," said Orianthi who also wrote, produced and recorded her second single for Woodward Avenue Records, "Bad For Each Other" (release date to be announced),at Love Street Sound.

Orianthi (Orianthi Panagaris) looks as much like a rock star as she does a supermodel. But it's her extraordinary guitar chops that turn the most heads. She began playing professionally when she was thirteen years old before going on to perform and/or tour with Carlos Santana, Steve Vai, Alice Cooper, Richie Sambora and Dave Stewart. She was hired by Michael Jackson for his "This Is It" tour before his untimely death and was a member of the supergroup HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES (Cooper, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp and Tommy Henriksen). Orianthi's debut album, "Violet Journey", was released in 2005 and she has issued five solo albums to date. She was featured accompanying Carrie Underwood during a Grammy Awards telecast, performed on "American Idol", and appears in Jackson's documentary concert film, "This Is It". Elle magazine named Orianthi one of the "12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists" and she won the 2010 "Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year" award from Guitar International magazine.

The Florida-based Woodward Avenue Records is a boutique independent label committed to producing and distributing unique, collaborative musical projects that masterfully fuse genres. From jazz, R&B, soul, blues and gospel to rock, pop, country, Americana and Latin music, Woodward Avenue Records supports standout artists releasing exceptional recordings.

Woodward Avenue Records founder and president Mark Nordman said: "As a label, we've always been about supporting great artists in making the kind of music that's in their heart and soul, without commercial or arbitrary requirements to simply 'fit' in some preconceived genre box. We believe that if the music is great and created with passion and excellence, it will find its own lane with our help. There is no one who represents those ideals more than Orianthi, and we are absolutely thrilled to be working with her and her team. I promise you, there is some really awesome and memorable music on the way, and we can't wait for people all over the world to hear it!"

In a recent interview with Larry Mac of the 96.1 KLPX radio station, Orianthi stated about the musical direction of her new material: "Well, I wouldn't say it's a complete direction change. It's going more in the blues-rock sort of Americana vibe, sort of less poppy than the stuff I put out before.

"I love all sorts of genres of music, but I think what really connects with me the most is the blues, that kind of blues, sort of Americana rock vibe and a bit of country there too, and that kind of resonates with me more than anything," she explained. "So I'm just kind of going back to that. 'Heaven In This Hell', that record I did with Dave Stewart [in 2013], has a lot of that in there. Even my first record, 'Believe', had quite a bit of blues in it as well. So with this new album and the singles that are going to be rolling out, people are gonna hear more of that, a bit more of an edge and a bit more of the music I'm gonna be playing for the rest of my life."

Speaking specifically about "First Time Blues", Orianthi said: "We've been playing that song live actually, and it just really connects with people, and it's a brand new song. We just see the reaction and it's, like, 'Okay, we should probably record this pretty soon and put it out.' So, we had a blast in the studio."

As for the experience of recording at Krieger's studio, Orianthi said: "He's a dear friend of mine for many years and a legend. And I'm a big DOORS fan. So having the opportunity and the honor of recording at his studio and Robby coming in and giving the thumbs up, that means the world."

Orianthi's latest studio album, "Rock Candy", arrived in October 2022 via Frontiers Music Srl. The LP followed 2020's "O" which was Orianthi's first new studio album in seven years and her first new music as a solo artist in six years. Sonically, "Rock Candy" was described in a press release as "a hard-rockin', blues-tinged, display of Orianthi's dazzling guitar playing and her soulful vocals."

Joining Orianthi on "Rock Candy" was the multi-talented Jacob Bunton, who produced the album. Additionally, he provided guitar, bass, keyboard, piano and violin playing through the course of the LP. Drummer Kyle Cunningham rounded out the recording lineup for "Rock Candy".

On Saturday, February 24, former EXODUS singer Rob Dukes performed a full set of the band's songs under the SHOVEL HEADED KILL MACHINE banner at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey.

SHOVEL HEADED KILL MACHINE's setlist included the following tracks, most of which were originally recorded during Dukes's era of EXODUS:

* 44 Magnum Opus
* Iconoclasm
* I Am Abomination
* March Of The Sycophants
* Children Of A Worthless God
* Dethamphetamine
* The Ballad Of Leonard And Charles
* The Sun Is My Destroyer
* Burn, Hollywood, Burn
* Now Thy Death Day Come
* Shovel Headed Kill Machine
* A Lesson In Violence

Dukes joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

In June 2014, EXODUS announced the departure of Dukes and the return of his predecessor, Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Dukes addressed his relationship with EXODUS in a summer 2022 interview with Scott Penfold of the "Loaded Radio" podcast. He said: "When EXODUS fired me, it took me about a year to not be angry about it. It was unexpected — I didn't see it coming — and it was a hard time in life. I'd just moved; I'd just gotten married. It was a heavy burden. And it took me a while. And about a year later, after Gary [Holt, EXODUS guitarist] called me and we spoke, they flew me up to San Francisco and I sat down with them. And we laid it out on the table. And it made it better — just to clear the wreckage of that. And I moved on with my life, and they moved on with their life. I did one show with them — I did a few songs up in San Francisco — and then I just started living my life."

Dukes went on to say that he no longer dwells on the negative circumstances surrounding his departure from EXODUS.

"[EXODUS] was definitely a part of my life, but I don't rely on it," he said. "So I just move forward. But our friendship is good, man. I went up there to see… After Tom [Hunting, EXODUS drummer] got sick [with cancer in early 2021], we were talking the entire time and I was aware of his situation. And then when the time was right, after he had done some chemo sessions and was feeling a little better, I flew up and spent a couple of days with Tom. And I saw Gary, and I went and had lunch with Lee [Altus, EXODUS guitarist].

"Look, man, we lived together for 10 years. That bond is very difficult to break," Rob explained. "Especially when the reason I got fired, it wasn't personal; it was business. I took it personally in the beginning. But this is a harsh business, man, and there's a lot of fucking snakes out there and there's a lot of weird people who want their little piece. And it's kind of what happened. It was just business. Looking back on it, it was all for the best."

Three years after he was fired from EXODUS, Dukes performed with the band during a July 2017 concert in San Francisco, California. He sang several songs with the group on the second of EXODUS's two-night stint at The Chapel in what marked the band's first headlining Bay Area club shows since late 2013.

Rob previously discussed his split with EXODUS during a December 2020 pay-per-view video conversation with Souza, recorded earlier that month at Zetro's studio in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of Souza's "Zetro's Toxic Vault" YouTube interview series. At the time, Dukes said that the seed for his exit from EXODUS was planted during the songwriting and pre-production sessions for the band's 2014 album "Blood In Blood Out". "One night, before a show, me, Lee, Tom and Jack [Gibson, drums] were sitting, and we said, 'You know, we should do this [album] different. We should do this one where we actually rehearse together and we go through the songs like a band would do 'em in the old days' — go through 'em and maybe pick apart parts, maybe make 'em better, do it that way," he said. "[I thought it was] a great plan; I agreed. I come home, fly back out a couple of weeks later and everything is done. They're doing the drums, but Jack is doing the engineering, and [longtime British producer] Andy [Sneap] is not doing the vocals. And at that time, nothing against Jack — I love Jack — but the difference was, working with Andy, I didn't have to sing the whole line all the way through over and over again. Jack wasn't able to, at this time, edit in a word if I fucked up; I had to start all over. And the dissent had started with me. I felt a lot of the songs were very repetitious.

"Now, I could have just kept my mouth shut and just went along with it if I wanted to keep my job, even though it wouldn't have mattered, because the business decisions, I think, were being made behind the scenes with Metal Maria and Chuck [Billy, TESTAMENT singer]. I, actually, in front of everyone, challenged Chuck. 'Cause Chuck was now managing the band. We're halfway through the record, and they said, 'Well, Chuck's gonna manage the band.' I go, 'You don't see that as a conflict of interest — a little bit?' And I said this to Chuck, to his face. I said, 'You're telling me, if you get an opportunity, you're not gonna have TESTAMENT [take the gig]; you're gonna give EXODUS the gig? Get the fuck outta here, dude! I wouldn't do that, so I know you're not gonna do that.' He's, like, 'I wouldn't do that.' I go, 'You're not being honest with me. You're not being honest with yourself.' And it caused, like, a thing. And everyone was mad at me, 'cause the boys don't like confrontation. And it wasn't the songs. The songs were the songs. I thought 'BTK' was killer. Dude, you did 'BTK' awesome," he said, complimenting Zetro. "There were certain things about it. I don't wanna shit on it, but some of it just seemed regurgitated. I was, like, 'This song sounds like that song,' and, 'This song sounds like this song,' and it started to weigh on me. Like I said, I could have just kept my mouth shut and just played the game and not rocked the boat, but it wasn't my nature. My nature was, 'No, man. We're better than this. We need to top ourselves over the last thing we did,' and I didn't feel like it was doing that — I felt like it was actually declining a little bit, in my eyes, from my position. But it didn't mean that I didn't give everything I had — I gave everything I had on vocals — but Jack was beating me up, because I was constantly not able to… Especially with some of the timing stuff — you've never done it before, and now you're expected to do it forever. This is the CD, man — this is forever."

Explaining why he was angry for such a long time about his dismissal from EXODUS, Dukes said: "Look, man, [I was] 47 years old [at the time]. I got married five days before. And you fucking fire me. If I was by myself, if I was just me, I would have been okay with it. I was responsible for another human being. I just moved my entire life from my comfortable New York upbringing to a place [in Arizona] where I know one person, and I don't even know him that well; I know him from touring and watching him when I was a kid. I knew Roger Miret from AGNOSTIC FRONT; it's the only guy I knew [in Arizona].

"I remember telling my wife, 'We're gonna be okay. It's fine. We're fine. I'll sell my car. And that'll get us, like, a year rent, and we'll be okay. I'll figure it out. We'll be okay.' But in my head, I was fucking terrified," he admitted. "And I felt like [the EXODUS guys] took something from me that I earned, that I deserved. But I was looking at it wrong. I didn't deserve anything. I didn't earn anything. I was grateful to be there. And I tried to do the right thing. I remember writing a statement and putting it out there. I was grateful — I was grateful for going to over a hundred countries in my lifetime, playing in front of the millions of people that I got to play over 10 years. I was grateful for every opportunity that was given to me; I was honestly grateful. But also, I was angry, and I had every right to be angry. But I wasn't able to see it for what it was until a year later — it took me a year."

Dukes said that he wishes he had been more vocal in the earlier stages of the making of "Blood In Blood Out", particularly as it relates to EXODUS's choice of producer for the sessions.

"The truth was that my part in it, had I been honest from the beginning and I had said — 'cause there were times when I didn't wanna rock the boat — 'We are making fucking mistakes. And if you guys all wanna go to this next level that you all talk about, then let's put our fucking money where our mouth is and change it the way we're doing it,'" he said. "You've done it this way all this time and you've always gotten what you got. But if you change the game… Nothing against Andy, but if we bring in Colin Richardson, bring in fucking Zeuss [Chris Harris], bring in somebody [from] outside the game who had his own ideas of looking at things and maybe corral some of the chaotic stuff that was going on. And maybe go, 'You know what? The song does sound like that song. Maybe we should fucking take this riff…' Let producers do what they do… I thought it would have been awesome for somebody like Colin Richardson or Zeuss to come in and take Gary Holt [EXODUS guitarist and main songwriter] and sit him down and go, 'This is awesome. But we can make this better. Let's try this and try that.' And that's what the plan originally was."

Looking back on how his split with EXODUS went down, Rob said during the "Zetro's Toxic Vault" chat that he was "glad that everything worked out the way it did. And I was glad that Gary called me a year later and I spoke with him," he said. "And he was legitimately sorry; I knew he was. And he said, 'I want you to come to San Francisco.' And then I was, like, 'Well, how does Zet feel?' And he goes, 'It was Zet's idea.'"

Dukes also addressed the speculation that his substandard vocals on an early version of "Blood In Blood Out" were proof that he wasn't sufficiently inspired to deliver the goods on the album. "That assumption has been said to me a bunch of times," he said. "Even Lee has said, he goes, 'Your heart wasn't in it.' And my ego, which I don't have a big ego — it's not like I'm an egotistical dick — but I can tell you that when I was on the microphone, I was giving my best, I was giving all I had. What I felt inside was that the songs weren't as good. To me, they felt rushed. I felt some of the lyrics felt rushed.

"Me and Gary look at music very differently, and I think that's why we kind of worked," he continued. "Gary will write the lyrics before he writes the music, and he fits it in, where I write the music, write the melody and then fill in the words to the melody.

"It's hard to say it without sounding like a dick, but it was very… I remember singing one song and going, 'Dude, this is that other song.' And then, hearing the lead, going, 'That's the lead from that other song.' And I think that alone, trying to take my ego out of it, maybe my heart wasn't it. I wish that it was.

"At the moment, I knew I was giving all I could, but the factors against me was I didn't think the material was as strong as what we had already done," Dukes added. "I wanted it to be better. It's like setting bar for yourself and then not giving at least that measure. And then I thought that, as much as I love Jack, he wasn't Andy Sneap. And working with Andy, there was something to working with Andy that pulls it out of me.

"I remember talking to [Rob] Halford about it, 'cause [Andy recorded] Halford with PRIEST. He made me do fucking 10 fucking takes of each line. When you do 10 takes of each line, and then he fucking pieces them together. And then you get back something and you're, like, 'Wow, that's the way I sang that, huh? Cool.' No, it wasn't. It was the way Andy put it together. And then, all of a sudden, now you have a template. 'Well, now I'm gonna do that live, 'cause that's better.' 'Cause Andy knew what the fuck he was doing. But now you're just leaving it to me raw. And I thought not having Andy there for the vocals made me mad — not mad; it just made me a little disheartened, I guess. Because working for two albums with Andy, I knew what to expect. No matter what template I was given, I knew that Andy was gonna make me do it the right way. And when we were doing it, it wasn't that."

Dukes still resides in Arizona, where he works as a mechanic specializing in car restoration.

@rob_dukes and @generationkillband will be @dingbatznjofficial doing a one night only set of Dukes-era Exodus. See you there #exodus #robdukes

Posted by Generation Kill - the real on Friday, January 26, 2024

The DeadMike.com YouTube channel has uploaded video of Marty Friedman's entire February 23 concert at the White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Texas as the support act for John 5's early 2024 tour with the MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist's solo band THE CREATURES. Check out the clips in the YouTube playlist below.

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for Friedman's show was as follows:

01. Stigmata Addiction
02. Devil Take Tomorrow
03. Rock City
04. Amagigoe (SAYURI ISHIKAWA cover)
05. Tornado Of Souls (MEGADETH song)
06. Whiteworm
07. Dragon Mistress
08. Band Intro
09. Guest jam with audience member
10. Kaze Ga Fuiteiru

Marty recently completed recording his new solo album. The former MEGADETH guitarist spoke about the LP last November during the question-and-answer portion of Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp's "Metalmania III" in Los Angeles. 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 also talked about his next solo LP in October 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. And right now I would say I'm about 75 percent done with that."

As for some of the other projects he is currently involved with, Marty said: "I'm editing my autobiography, which will come out also next year. And also, I just did the most exhaustive instructional video series for TrueFire — the most exhaustive one they've ever done and the most exhaustive one I've ever done by far. It's the deepest dive into just the way I see music, which apparently is not the same as how others see it. Not that it's better or worse, but it's just completely different. So for the first time ever, including any of my other instructional things, for the first time ever, I've really actually worked hard on it and created this thing. And I did it at the end of the tour, the U.S. tour that I did earlier this year, and now it's just about finished. [We're] just putting the last edits on and just about done with that. So, it's kind of a lot of post-production work at this point."

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."

Last April, 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 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.

🔥 Heads up! Clervelend and Columbus will sell out shortly, Derry NH and Las Vegas not far behind - Don't sleep on your J5 tix!!
john-5.com

Posted by John 5 on Monday, January 22, 2024

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach performed his new single, "What Do I Got To Lose?", live for the first time during his February 24 concert at Palace Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of Melvin Zoopers).

Bach released the official music video for "What Do I Got To Lose?" in December. The clip was directed by Jim Louvau and Tony Aguilera.

"What Do I Got To Lose?" was co-written by Sebastian, Myles Kennedy (ALTER BRIDGE, SLASH) and Michael "Elvis" Baskette (MAMMOTH WVH, SLASH),the latter of whom also served as the track's producer. For the video, which shows Bach cruising through the desert in a convertible and performing with a full band, Sebastian was joined by his former SKID ROW bandmate, drummer Rob Affuso. The clip also features an appearance by actor and comedian Craig Gass and Sebastian's wife Suzanne, who plays a scantily clad car wash attendant.

"To me, 'What Do I Got To Lose?' is the perfect sentiment for me right now," Sebastian said about the track. "It's an anthem for coming back and crushing it. It's time to lay down the law and put the hammer down old school-style."

For the release of "What Do I Got To Lose?", the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star, and actor teamed up with Reigning Phoenix Music. It marks Sebastian's first new music in ten years.

"I cannot express enough how happy I am to have a full and complete team of rock and roll professionals on my side with RPM music," Sebastian added. "We have been working on this record together for over eight years and I could not be more proud of the results."

Among the other musicians who have assisted Bach during the writing and recording process for his new music are Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, Michael Jackson),John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (Billy Idol),Devin Bronson, Brent Woods, Eli Santana and Jeremy Colson.

Four years ago, Sebastian told The Aquarian Weekly that his new album would be "heavy. In many ways it is my follow-up to [2007's] 'Angel Down'," he said. "I am trying to make the best record I have ever made. There will be a lot of heavy [music] coming your way."

Bach hasn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014. Like its predecessor, 2011's "Kicking & Screaming", the disc was released through Frontiers Music Srl, the Italian label which specializes in what's commonly called AOR, a term that once signified a popular radio format ("album-oriented rock") but nowadays applies to acts whose airplay is marginal.

Although Bach had said in some of his interviews a few years ago that his next record would be less musically aggressive and it would be "more uplifting and fun," he told WRIF in 2018 that he has since had a change of heart.

"Well, before [the new record deal] happened, I was thinking of doing more of an acoustic-based record because I've done a lot of solo records," he said. "I've done 'Angel Down', which I'm very proud of that album,. Then 'Kicking & Screaming', which is a great album. 'Give 'Em Hell'… Not to mention 'ABachalypse Now', which is a three-record set. 'Forever Wild' DVD, 'Bring 'Em Bach Alive!'… I've put out a lot of records. And putting out the last one, when I put so much time and effort into it and it doesn't get the attention that it deserves, for me as an artist, I'm, like, 'Fuck!' So I was, like, you know what? If I'm gonna put out another heavy metal, hard rock album, I need help. I need a company around me that's gonna put the same kind of attention and time and effort into it as I am. So now that looks like it's happening. So now I'm changing the way I'm looking at things."

Stormborn, the melodic heavy metal powerhouse from Kent, UK, has officially joined forces with Rockshots Records. Drawing inspiration from metal titans like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Dio, Stormborn blazes a unique trail in heavy metal, crafting a sound that fuses classic elements with bold, modern innovation.


Today, they're unleashing not one, but TWO explosive singles: "Fear Of A Monster" and "Serpentine", in anticipation of Stormborn's upcoming album Zenith coming out on April 26, 2024.


Stormborn is a melodic heavy metal band from Kent in the UK. While drawing inspiration from the titans of metal – Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, and the rest, Stormborn blazes a unique trail, adopting influences from across the metal spectrum. Their sound is a fusion of classic elements and bold, modern innovation. Stormborn isn't just walking in the footsteps of giants; they're crafting a new path in heavy metal, dominated by great riffs, a strong melodic backbone, and powerful vocals that you can't help but sing along to.




After the release of their first album, Stormborn cut their teeth gigging up and down the UK, especially in London where their regular appearances at the legendary Intrepid Fox were attended by the likes of Herman Li from DragonForce and Mark Cross - ex Helloween and Firewind. They were soon chosen by Rob Chapman to support his band Dorje as well as Phil X & The Drills on a UK tour in 2013, playing at various O2 Academys around the country.


Career highlights include supporting Rhapsody of Fire at the Camden Underworld in 2023, winning the 2012 Metal 2 the Masses for London, playing at Bloodstock festival, winning the 2013 Summer Breeze New Blood award, and opening the main stage of Summer Breeze Festival 2013.


Preorder at the Rockshots Records webshop.





Tracklisting:


“Call Of The Void”
“Land Of The Servant King”
“Fear Of A Monster”
“The Unending Night”
“Dawn Will Come Again”
“Out In The Weird”
“Serpentine”
“Death Incarnate”
“Echo”


“Serpentine”:





“Fear Of A Monster”:





Stormborn are:
Andrew Felton (Drums)
Laurence Armitage (Guitar)
David Viner (Guitar)
Simon "Steve" Ball (Bass)
Christopher Simmons (Vocals)

A U.S. judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler of sexually assaulting a former teenage model twice in one day in Manhattan nearly 50 years ago.


U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan said Jeanne Bellino waited too long to sue the 75-year-old Tyler, who has "vehemently" denied her allegations, under a New York City law protecting victims of gender-motivated violence. The judge said Bellino did not qualify for a two-year window to pursue claims that would otherwise extend beyond statutes of limitations, because she did not allege that Tyler's conduct posed a "serious risk of physical injury."


And in a ruling that could affect other cases, Kaplan said two state laws, the Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act, preempted Bellino's claim, "substantially for the reasons" given by Tyler's lawyers. The lawyers said those laws, whose windows to sue have expired, "occupy the field regarding the revival of claims derived from state penal sexual assault law," and Bellino showed a "lack of diligence" by not suing under the Child Victims Act.




A lawyer for Bellino did not immediately respond to requests for comment. David Long-Daniels, a lawyer for Tyler, said: "We agree with the judge's reasoning, and are grateful for this result on behalf of our client."


Bellino, a former child model claimed to have met Tyler in New York in the summer of 1975 when she was 17, alleged in the suit that Tyler, then around 27, violently assaulted her twice the only day they’d encountered one another. 


Bellino alleges that she met Tyler after a friend had arranged for them to meet Aerosmith at the Warwick Hotel following a fashion show Bellino was working in Manhattan. After Bellino and her friend met Tyler and several unnamed members of his entourage, they all walked down Sixth Avenue together. While walking, Bellino claims she asked Tyler a question about a song lyric, which frustrated Tyler, leading to him forcing her into a phone booth.


“While holding her captive, Tyler stuck his tongue down her throat, and put his hands upon her body, her breasts, her buttocks, and her genitals, moving and removing clothing and pinning her against the wall of the phone booth,” the suit alleges. “As Tyler was mauling and groping Plaintiff, he was humping her pretending to have sex with Plaintiff. Others stood by outside the phone booth laughing and as passersby watched and witnessed, nobody in the entourage intervened.”


Bellino further alleges in the suit that “Tyler’s penis was erect and it was evident to her as he rubbed it against her that he was not wearing underwear and wearing thin pants.” Eventually, the suit says, she freed herself and left the phone booth after raising up her knee and pulling on Tyler’s hair. She allegedly ran out of the phone booth “in shock and fear.”

In a new interview with Forbes, SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo and bassist Rachel Bolan discussed the band's general approach to the business side of music.

"One of the things that I think we both prided ourselves on is that we didn't want to just be the dumb guitar player in the corner," Sabo said. "We wanted to be on top of SKID ROW and everything that goes on. And we always had this idea that we always wanted to surround ourselves with people who were better and smarter than us — so we were always learning and always applying it to our partnership in SKID ROW.

"When we were negotiating a new deal with Atlantic Records, and we were sitting in with Doug Morris who was the president of the label at the time and wielded a ton of power, we were able to go in there and were both able to sit there and understand these conversations. We understood the terminology. Now, you can understand the terminology, [but] that doesn't always protect you from knowing what's right and what's wrong. That just comes through experience."

Bolan added: "We always ask questions. Are we the best businessmen in rock and roll? Not by far. Are we better than a lot? Yes. Better because we ask questions. The main thing I tell people or bands is know your worth. And that got passed down to us from people like [KISS's] Gene Simmons… And the BON JOVI guys. Know what you're worth and know what your brand means. When you're 23, you're trying to get your head around it. 'Brand? We're a band not a brand!' But you are a brand.

"I like to think that the thing that we're doing right the most is that we have never motherf—ed anybody — anybody," he continued. "We have been above board, transparent and absolutely honest with everybody that we've come in contact with and done business with. That's the way everyone should do business. Unfortunately, not a lot of people do. But that's the way Snake and I have always done business."

Back in 2022, Bolan and Sabo were asked by The Telegraph writer Ian Winwood whether Ian was "in the company of wealth." According to Winwood, both men answered, without hesitation, with the word "yeah." Millionaires, Ian wondered. "Yeah," they said. And how about multimillionaires? "Yes," was the response from Bolan, while Sabo said: "Almost."

Rachel added: "There's a very popular American DJ, who will remain nameless, who talked shit about us on his show saying that we all live in tents. And I'm, like, well, then I've got two very nice tents."

Bolan previously touched upon people's misconceptions about SKID ROW's financial status in July 2022 in an interview with Fistful Of Metal magazine. Asked if it is still viable to make a living as a musician these days. Rachel responded: "People have this misconception that everyone in the band is broke, and we're not. We had some massive songs, which I guess they forgot about, and we sold nearly 23 million records [laughs], so we're not broke by any means. I heard some woman say, 'Oh, they live in tents', and I'm, like, 'Okay. I've got a couple of tents, one in Jersey and one down in Atlantic City, and they're nice tents, y'know?'

"We never had to go back to day jobs; the albums keep selling, and we make good money on the road," he explained. "That's another misconception that we play for peanuts; it's a lot of peanuts. [Laughs] Don't slip on the fucking shells."

Back in 2015, Sebastian Bach told Rodney Holder of Australia's Music Business Facts that only three of the members of SKID ROW's classic lineup were part of the band's record deal with Atlantic: Bach, Bolan and Sabo. "And so, those agreements are done before you go into the studio," the singer said. "You have entertainment lawyers that speak to each other about what's happening and then you sign everything and then you go do it. And the ironic thing is, I haven't been in a room with Rachel Bolan in [more than] 20 years, but we are still in a business relationship together. We have the same accountant, and I get statements and we get… It's very strange, 'cause we are close together in a business sense — still, and forever — but I don't even have any relationship with the guy. So it's very strange and weird."

Asked if he "did okay" financially as a member of SKID ROW, Sebastian said: "We all did okay. When you sell 20 million records, everybody does okay. I mean, that's how many albums we sold and videos, singles… But, you know, we signed a publishing deal with [Jon] Bon Jovi's company, which gave him an extremely large cut of the first album. And when that happened, none of us realized it, really, and we were very bitter when we found that out. But our next record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, so quit your fucking whining. [Laughs] It's, like, I look back… He took us on tour… Nobody thought we'd make it. There was a million bands. We could have been BANG TANGO or TIGERTAILZ or… We could have been… There's a billion bands. We could have been BABYLON A.D. … Anyway, so, the fact that we were one of the bands that did make it was like a needle in the haystack. So for Bon Jovi to put us on the road in front of his crowd every night, that's how we made it. So he deserved to get paid for that. He could have taken any other band. So we re-did all those deals after the first album — for 'Slave To The Grind' and 'Subhuman Race' and the best-of album. We re-did all those."

Regarding whether he sees himself as a businessman, Bach told Music Business Facts: "Definitely. I am the president of Get Off My Bach Productions, and I am the boss in my band. I have a crew, I have a guitar tech, drum tech, soundman, tour manager, monitor man, band members… So, yes, I am a businessman. It depends on what interview I'm doing, you know, how I'm gonna answer that, as I said before. But, of course I am… Here's one thing that I should tell you: I sign my own checks. If this is a business article about business, here's something I'll tell you: you be the person that signs your checks. And that took me years to figure out. I had, in SKID ROW, accountants that sometimes I didn't even really know that would handle all the money and sign my checks for me. And you know what? That's not cool. I would say one of the greatest feelings I have is I'm the guy that signs my checks for my company — nobody else has that power, and people have tried to get it. And I'm, like, 'No, I'm the guy that signs checks for Sebastian Bach.' And so that would be a piece of advice that I would say would be good to keep."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of Bolan, guitarists Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

SKID ROW's latest album, "The Gang's All Here", was released in October 2022 via earMUSIC.

In a new interview with The Logan Show, Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., who spent eight years as a hired gun in Ozzy Osbourne's solo band, confirmed that he was approached about auditioning for MEGADETH in late 2014.

He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What happened was [then-MEGADETH bassist] Dave Ellefson gave me a call and he was telling me that Chris [Broderick] was stepping down and they were looking for somebody to come in and replace him. He said, 'I know you're with Ozzy doing his thing.' So I don't know if David Ellefson, his role was to scout guitar players and talk to people and see who was available. Maybe that's what it was; it was just early stages. I never got to talk to management; I just spoke to Ellefson directly, 'cause I've been buddies with him before. And I was just getting ready to do a South American tour with Ozzy and JUDAS PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD, the 'Monsters Of Rock' tour, and there was talks about doing more things. And I was, like, 'I love MEGADETH. I'm a huge fan. But it will probably clash with if this continues or something.' I don't think mentally I was ready to just jump ship [and] do that. And so that that was a discussion that just basically didn't go anywhere. And he knew, yeah."

Asked if MEGADETH reached out to him again last year when Kiko Loureiro left the band and they once again needed a replacement guitarist, Gus said: "So, actually, I spoke to Kiko a little bit, and he already had [current MEGADETH guitarist] Teemu [Mäntysaari] in place. And he was asking me, like, Kiko was saying, 'Well, do you have a visa or something? If there's any problems.' I think they were looking for somebody that might be like some kind of a backup thing, in case it doesn't work out, or visas don't work out or passports. And I was, like, 'I don't have a visa, no. Not right now.' I think I had some other gigs scheduled, and I think Teemu was already in place. But, yeah, me and Kiko have been buddies for a long, long time — almost 20 years. And I think he found the guy that was gonna fill in for him, who is incredible, by the way."

Gus also talked about the time he was approached about possibly auditioning for MACHINE HEAD as a replacement for Phil Demmel back in 2019. He said: "I like MACHINE HEAD, I have to say. It's a fucking killer band. And I know Robb [Flynn, MACHINE HEAD frontman] and Phil as well and the guys — not very well, but we met a few times and we hung out a couple of times and they're super cool.

"I think that whole thing came out, I think MACHINE HEAD was gonna come to Greece and do a show, and they had a tour planned," he explained. "And we were talking about maybe going up on stage and jamming a couple of songs — some covers or whatever. And then, I don't know, the discussion went, like, 'How about doing this tour?'

"But, yeah, would it be a good fit? I'm not sure," Gus added. "I'm not a thrash guitar player. And then again, I was in a totally different phase in my life. I was getting ready to do some FIREWIND stuff and all that. And I think actually a few months after, the world shut down anyway; everything got canceled anyway [due to the] pandemic."

Earlier in the month, Gus told The Chuck Shute Podcast that he wasn't sure if he was "really made for being like a hired-gun kind of guy. I'm enjoying calling my own shots, I guess," he said. "It's two different worlds doing those things. I mean, doing your own thing, of course, involves a lot of risks — financial, of course, because you don't know if things will work out. You have to put tours together and you have to front your own capital to do things, to get things going. And you don't know if it's gonna work out, if people are gonna like it. So it's just very competitive, of course, out there, especially nowadays. And then, of course, being a hired gun for a band, you don't have to worry about any of that. But, of course, you're also disposable."

Last November, Gus shared his cover of Marty Friedman's impressive lead section in MEGADETH's "Tornado Of Souls". In a statement accompanying the YouTube release of the video, Gus wrote: "After posting my recent cover of Yngwie's [Malmsteen] 'Trilogy', someone requested MEGADETH's 'Tornado Of Souls'. Happens to be one of my favorites and it got me practicing again.

"We all know Marty Friedman is 'out of this world' level player, the rest of us can keep trying.

"MEGADETH always had insane lead guitarists in their ranks. For me it's an inspiration."

Gus, whose real name is Kostantinos Karamitroudis, joined Osbourne's band in 2009 after building a name for himself as one of metal/hard rock's most exciting new shredders in his own melodic metal act, FIREWIND. The guitarist would go on to play on Osbourne's 2010 studio album "Scream" and managed to start a solo career while Ozzy was touring and recording with BLACK SABBATH.

In a 2018 interview with "The Right To Rock" podcast, Gus was asked if he saw any similarities between his situation in joining up with Ozzy in 2009 and Loureiro getting the call to join MEGADETH in 2015. Like G., Loureiro was a recognizable figure in guitar shred circles and in the European metal scene because of ANGRA but was a largely unknown commodity in America before joining MEGADETH.

"Kiko's a friend of mine," said Gus. "Our bands toured together [in 2007], ANGRA and FIREWIND. It's a great thing, it's a wonderful thing that a guy like that, a great musician like him, he joined an iconic band like MEGADETH. A lot of people are hearing about him in America now. The guy has had a great career in Asia, Europe and South America for many years. Yeah, it's been a great opportunity for him and I was very happy to see him in MEGADETH. It was kind of a similar situation when I joined Ozzy [in 2009]."

FIREWIND will release a new studio album, "Stand United", on March 1 via AFM.

In a new interview with WNST and Baltimore Positive founder Nestor Aparicio, TRIUMPH guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett was asked if he can foresee himself ever going back on the road again. He responded: "I am a guy that wrote a song that said 'never say never', and, and I do find it dangerous to take a really big paintbrush and paint brushstrokes, but I should tell you, I've been struggling with some arthritis in my hands, and that's changing things. I don't know how much it will."

He continued: "I've gone through a sort of a cancer treatment. Now I'm sort of trying to deal with this advent of rheumatoid arthritis, and I don't know how much it's gonna knock a hole in my ability to [play]. So certainly going out on the road and traveling and hotels and airports, that does seem like a grind to me. And I've gotta admit, my wife has been patiently sitting around for decades waiting for, 'Hey…' She's gonna go on a safari — she's going to like Kenya and Nairobi this year. I'm not going with her. That's not my idea of fun."

On February 5, Rik revealed that he had just completed radiation treatment for prostate cancer. He added in a social media post: "For you gentlemen out there north of age 45-50, please do yourself a favor and get checked. If you catch it early, there's an excellent chance it can be treated; and treatment doesn't always have to mean surgery or chemotherapy either. Consider this a PSA to get your PSA checked!"

Emmett went public with his prostate cancer battle last November, telling John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com: "I have to take medications and stuff. I've just had another biopsy done. I'm gonna find out in a couple of weeks whether or not it's gonna have to come out or stay. Men my age, everybody should be getting checked regularly. You've gotta try and stay ahead of it. And I am ahead of it. But my dad had it for, like 20 years at the end of his life. I'm hoping I've just got that slow-growing kind of…

"There's a statistic — I think it's like 80 percent of men's bodies when they're old, when they do autopsies, they have some form of prostate cancer," the 70-year-old Emmett, who was promoting his then-just-released memoir, "Lay It On The Line - A Backstage Pass To Rock Star Adventure, Conflict And Triumph", explained. "It's just if you live long enough, you're probably gonna get it. So it doesn't freak me out. It would freak me out if somebody sat me down and said, 'Yeah, it's moved. We're finding it in other places now.' 'Cause I've been there with my brothers and my mom. And you go 'Well, that's not good. How much time have I got?'"

Although prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer found in men and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, it can also be one of the most treatable forms of cancer.

If elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is identified early, there are treatment options that have been shown to extend survival. It is important for men to be informed about different treatment options and their side effect profile so that they can have educated treatment conversations with their doctor.

On average, approximately one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Both JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE bassist Tim Commerford have spoken out publicly about their prostate cancer battles.

Emmett, who quit TRIUMPH — acrimoniously, in 1988 — over music and business disputes, went on to pursue a solo career, while TRIUMPH carried on with future BON JOVI guitarist Phil X for one more album, 1992's "Edge Of Excess", before calling it a day the following year.

Emmett was estranged, both personally and professionally, from the two other members of the legendary Canadian classic rock power trio for 18 years before they repaired their relationship.

"Lay It On The Line - A Backstage Pass To Rock Star Adventure, Conflict And Triumph" came out on October 10 via ECW Press.

Gil Moore (drums),Mike Levine (bass) and Emmett formed TRIUMPH in 1975, and their blend of heavy riff-rockers with progressive odysseys, peppered with thoughtful, inspiring lyrics and virtuosic guitar playing quickly made them a household name in Canada. Anthems like "Lay It On The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" broke them in the USA, and they amassed a legion of fiercely passionate fans. But, as a band that suddenly split at the zenith of their popularity, TRIUMPH missed out on an opportunity to say thank you to those loyal and devoted fans, a base that is still active today, three decades later.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

Back in 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the "RES 9" album from Emmett's band RESOLUTION9.

I just finished my radiation today and got to ring the bell. For those who might not have been aware, I had a bout with...

Posted by Rik Emmett on Monday, February 5, 2024

Multiplayer action horror game Dead By Daylight has teamed up with legendary heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN to bring their beloved figurehead, Eddie, to the game in an electrifying new collection.

A true metal icon, you know Eddie as the shapeshifting figure gracing nearly all of IRON MAIDEN's album covers, t-shirts, and merch. Where their heart-pounding music plays, you can be sure Eddie is not far behind.

Eddie enters The Fog as Legendary Outfits for The Dredge, The Doctor, The Deathslinger, and The Oni. IRON MAIDEN fans are sure to recognize the inspiration behind the Outfits, as each one draws from one or more of Eddie's iconic iterations throughout the years. Survivors also get to join the mix, with Very Rare tour shirts for all the game's original Survivors.

"What an incredibly exciting new collaboration for us to explore," shares Kirby Taylor, product manager on Dead By Daylight. "Eddie is such an icon, and flipping through some of his famous appearances to see which Killers we could pair them with was a dream come true. We're also glad our Survivors can get in on the fun with some killer tour t-shirts. A couple of those even have a little surprise as well, depending on the Survivor, but we'll leave that up to players to find."

As an additional treat for fans, IRON MAIDEN's classic track "Fear Of The Dark" will play once any of these cosmetics are equipped in the match lobby — helping set the mood for the face-melting challenge ahead.

Having appeared in bloody battlefields, dystopic futures, and the deep reaches of hell, Eddie will be right at home in the twisted world of Dead By Daylight.

Created by Behaviour Interactive, Dead By Daylight is a multiplayer action horror game of hide and seek, set in a dark fantasy and drawing from all corners of horror, where each match is a different experience. Dead By Daylight boasts 60 million players both globally and across all platforms. On any given day, up to two million players step into The Fog, whether on PC, console, or mobile. Since its release in 2016, the game has become a place where cult classic horror survives and thrives, having welcomed legends from TV, movies, and video games. For more information, please visit deadbydaylight.com.

Behaviour Interactive is the largest Canadian gaming studio, with more than 1,300 employees worldwide. Behaviour is best known for its flagship franchise, the multiplayer survival horror game Dead By Daylight, which has entertained 60 million players across multiple platforms. The studio is currently expanding its portfolio of original IP with multiple projects, including the acclaimed building and raiding title Meet Your Maker. Behaviour has also established itself as one of the world's leading providers of external development services. The company has partnered with many of the gaming industry's leaders, including Microsoft, Sony, EA, Warner, Netflix and Take-Two, among many others. Over 30 years, Behaviour has developed an unparalleled, award-winning culture. The company was named one of the Best Places to Work in Canada by GamesIndustry.biz, and has been recognized with Deloitte Canada's Enterprise Fast 15 and Best Managed Company awards. Headquartered in Montreal, Behaviour has expanded its global presence with studios in Toronto (Behaviour Toronto),Seattle (Midwinter Entertainment),the United Kingdom (Behaviour UK - North and Behaviour UK - South) and the Netherlands (Behaviour Rotterdam).

In a new interview with "Loudwire Nights", IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, who is promoting his upcoming solo album, "The Mandrake Project", spoke about his hectic recording and touring schedule after coming out of a two-year pandemic. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We all got locked up for three years, so in that time, it gives you a lot of things — perspective, a chance to let ideas breathe, and a chance to discriminate against what's truly important and what's really not important. Now, of course, the world is back and we are just crazy busy.

"This year is gonna be nuts for me, which I don't have a problem with," he continued. "As long as my legs stay attached to the rest of my body, I'm gonna be okay. Don't go swimming with sharks. I've got basically 90 shows this year, just under, between the solo tour, which goes up to 21 of July, and then the MAIDEN tour that starts at the beginning of September and goes right the way through to just two weeks before Christmas. So that's full-on. There's like a three-week break in the middle, but that's it, during which time we'll be doing absolutely nothing — lying down somewhere going, 'Okay.' Recharge the batteries and off we go for round two. But it's really exciting, the intensity of it all."

The 65-year-old singer, who is also releasing "The Mandrake Project" 12-issue comic book series, added: And, yeah, it's not over. I mean, the comic's gonna go on for three years, just under. And in terms of music, obviously 'The Mandrake Project', the album is done, out March the 1st, and then we'll see how people take to it. But I'm going to be writing music in two or three weeks, I hope, with [longtime guitarist and collaborator] Roy['Z' Ramirez] again, because we've got more stuff we wanna do. So, yeah, there'll be another album, because we already have 10 or 12 different ideas for it."

"The Mandrake Project" will arrive via BMG.

Earlier this 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 Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass). Roy 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.

Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's last solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

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. Since then, Dickinson has only released one more solo album (the aforementioned "Tyranny Of Souls") but has previously said that his solo career is not over.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

In a new interview with Zisis Petkanas of Rock Overdose, former HIM frontman Ville Valo spoke about his plans for the coming months, including work on a possible follow-up to his debut solo album, "Neon Noir", which was released in January 2023 under the VV banner. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's only a few weeks [of touring] to go to [in support of 'Neon Noir']. We're gonna fly over to Australia and New Zealand and then over to Athens. And then we're playing about 32 shows and finishing the tour in London in early May. And after that, I don't know. And that's the cool thing about it. I'm probably gonna start working on new music. I've already started humming and strumming a couple of new ideas."

He continued: "I'm sort of like a racehorse with the blinkers on. So I wanna concentrate on the tour. And that's the important thing now. And then once the tour is over, then 'Neon Noir' is over for me. I don't have to think about that album anymore, and I don't have to think about the songs, which means that I'm free to do whatever I choose. And if I'm reading the horoscope right, I think that I'm gonna be working on music, and it won't be that much different. So it will still be emotional, it will still be melancholy. But I have no idea yet when that music might come out and in which form. But I'm definitely gonna be working on some music. And I think the quicker, the better.

"I'm excited about the fact that people have been interested in what I do," Ville added. "If it wouldn't have gone so well, it might be that I wouldn't be as keen on doing it more. So, it's a matter of survival. It has to be."

Earlier in the month, Valo told The Rockpit about the response to "Neon Noir": "Well, the operation in its entirety has been quite — I've been awestruck and I've been exhilarated. I'm really pleasantly surprised because there were so many things… HIM was such a big part of who I am and still is such a big part of who I am, I wasn't sure whether I can pull off writing a good song by myself, or to perform it with a new set of lads behind me playing it. And I didn't know how people were gonna react. For obvious reasons, I was hoping that it wouldn't be a tribute act in a way and that it wouldn't be just about the HIM songs. And I've been really pleasantly surprised that there seems to be this new generation that never had the chance to see HIM, and some of the newer generation, they seem to be gravitating towards 'Neon Noir' more than the HIM tracks, which is great. So there's all sorts of people in the audience. There's people from between 18 and, let's say, 68. It's great that there's all sorts, and that makes each and every night a bit different. Not to say that there would be grannies on Tuesdays and teenagers on Wednesdays, but it keeps on changing. Also, the cool thing about HIM was the fact that different albums had different levels of success in different parts of the world. So, an album called 'Dark Light' was quite a success in the States, then an album called 'Love Metal' was quite a success in the U.K., and an album called 'Razorblade Romance' was a huge success in the Central Europe area. Then the 'Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666' was quite massive here in our home country [of Finland]. So, different songs have different meanings to different audiences and people, and that makes it always a positive struggle."

He continued: "It's been really, really nice because I couldn't really wish for more. And then the fact that we've been able to travel quite a bit. We played 120 shows last year, which is a lot for me. I've never been a part of a tour, like an IRON MAIDEN sort of thing, the way you do 300 shows in five years. So, there's 30 more or so to go before we finish off a Royal Albert Hall in London on, I think the 10th of May. And, yeah, it's been… I couldn't really hope for anything more. It's been amazing, especially after the pandemic. And there's so many things that influence the overall exhilaration, so to speak."

HIM completed a farewell tour in 2017, closing the final chapter on the band's 26-year career.

A little over a year ago, Ville told Radio Bob! about HIM's split: "I think it was the right call to call it a day with HIM. We'd done it for a long, long time and it started to sort of, like, wither away a bit. It was maybe our interest and maybe just sign of the times. We'd been together for such a long time that we were ourselves really surprised that it lasted for such a long time."

"Neon Noir" came out via Heartagram Records, distributed by UMG/Spinefarm.

Valo's show at the iconic and historic Royal Albert Hall in London on May 10 will mark the end of his promotion around "Neon Noir". The concert will not only be the "Neon Noir" finale but also wrap up Valo's reincarnation.

"The idea behind VV and 'Neon Noir' was to symbolically finish what HIM started, and after the bangs and whimpers at the Royal Albert Hall, it's time to reshuffle the pieces of the puzzle once again and give Herbert West a shout," he said in a press release.

"I had no expectations whatsoever when releasing music under the banner of VV, so I've been quite shocked to see people still find my kind of racket enjoyable, warts and all. Touring has been way less painful than I dared to hope, and as we say in Finland, it fits my arse like a glove. A mourning glove from a bygone era."

The story of Loverboy is akin to a Hollywood movie. They overcame rejection to eventually become one of Canada's most successful rock bands of all time and selling millions of albums in the process, and it's a feel-good story for the ages.


On June 7, one of their most incredible live performances will be released for the very first time in high definition. Live In '82 has been lovingly restored by Paul Dean from his personal archive of 16mm film, and the joyous energy of a band who helped define the golden era of '80s music is captured like lightning in a bottle.


With their great music, colorful clothing, outrageous hairstyles (and headbands!), and terrific soundtracks for movies like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Top Gun, Loverboy have stood the test of time.




Live In ‘82 will become available on limited CD+Blu-ray, limited LP+DVD and digital streaming and download. Today’s announcement coincides with the launch of the first live track. "Turn Me Loose" is available as digital single and live video.


Watch the "Turn Me Loose" video below, stream the single here.


For more than 40 years, Loverboy have been "Working For The Weekend" (and on the weekend), delighting audiences around the world since forming in 1979, when vocalist Mike Reno was introduced to guitar hot shot Paul Dean — both veterans of several bands on the Canadian scene — at Calgary's Refinery Night Club. Along with Reno and Dean, Loverboy still includes original members Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums, with Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve replacing the late Scott Smith on bass.


With their trademark red leather pants, bandanas, big rock sound and high-energy live shows, the band has sold more than 10 million albums, earning several multi-platinum awards. Their string of hits includes, in addition to the anthem "Working For The Weekend," such arena rock staples as "The Kid Is Hot Tonight," "Take Me To The Top," "Turn Me Loose," "Jump," and many more. Loverboy are not only masters of their craft as songwriters, but also renowned for being a formidable touring act, spending years on the road sharing stages with everyone from Def Leppard to Journey.


In 2009, the group was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and more recently the Canadian Walk of Fame, in the fall of 2023.


And there is no stopping the band this year, as they embark on a Live Nation promoted North American tour supporting Sammy Hagar, starting in July.


Tour dates can be found here. Pre-order the live album here.





Tracklisting:


"Intro" (LP Side A)
"Jump"
"Lucky Ones"
"Lady Of The 80'’s"
"Take Me To The Top"
"It’s Your Life"
"Gangs In The Street" (LP Side B)
"Turn Me Loose"
"The Kid Is Hot Tonight"
"When It's Over"
"Working For The Weekend"

The MrRogerRocks2 YouTube channel has uploaded fan-filmed video of ZZ TOP's Billy F Gibbons performing on February 23 aboard this year's Rock Legends Cruise XI on Royal Caribbean's Independence Of The Seas. Accompanying Gibbons during the set were Austin Hanks on guitar and Matt Sorum (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) on drums. Check out the clips below.

With his signature beard and African headgear, Gibbons is instantly recognizable. He's best known as the centerpiece and one third of ZZ TOP, the band that came together in 1969 and has stayed part of the American musical landscape ever since. Billy and bandmates Dusty Hill and Frank Beard were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004, most appropriately by Keith Richards of THE ROLLING STONES, a longtime friend of Billy's.

His singular look notwithstanding, Billy's even more notable for having been recognized as one of the most inventive and dexterous guitarists of the rock era. Gibbons is widely regarded as one of the world's finest guitarists working in the blues-rock idiom. ZZ TOP's sound owes much to his uncanny knack to squeeze unheard of sounds out of the electric guitar that resonate with the blues, pop, R&B, country, gospel, western, hillbilly and West African influences that coalesced when rock and roll was born. His almost subconscious awareness of this heritage makes his an approach that is, at once, innovative and authentic. As a vocalist, his down-and-dirty growl is unmistakable; he sounds ominous and mirthful at the same time, as listeners to such hits as "La Grange", "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Cheap Sunglasses" can attest.

Before ZZ TOP, who would go on to become a living symbol of the State of Texas, Billy fronted several bands during his formative years growing up in Houston, and soon became a local phenomenon. THE MOVING SIDEWALKS was his psychedelic pre-ZZ TOP group and had occasion to open for Jimi Hendrix, who was so taken with young Gibbons's fretwork that he called it to the attention of Dick Cavett on national TV.

Now, as then, Billy Gibbons is much more than an iconic guitar slinger with a monumental length of chin whiskers. He's an internationally recognized collector of guitars and cars, a fact chronicled in the best-selling book he wrote about his collecting obsessions, "Rock + Roll Gearhead" (MBI Publishing).

His guitar collection today numbers more than 800 instruments and includes the famous "Furry One," as seen in the "Legs" video, and his most cherished guitar, "Pearly Gates," a Gibson Les Paul that he values above all others. Years ago, when Gibbons visited the childhood home of Muddy Waters on Mississippi's Stovall Plantation, he noted that a massive cypress timber that had been part of the shotgun shack's roof had fallen. He was gifted with the huge piece of lumber and commissioned a guitar to be made out of it in tribute to Waters, a longtime hero of Billy's. Thus was born the "Muddywood" guitar that was soon donated to the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale where it is on display to this day.

The cars he's built over the years have become stars in their own right: Eliminator, CadZZilla, Kopperhead, Whiskey Runner and others have been major attractions on the car show circuit and have been seen in numerous videos. They are works of art — literal museum pieces. Eliminator has been on display at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, and CadZZilla, Coupe de Grace, Slampla and HogZZilla were part of the Petersen Automotive Museum's Cars & Guitars Of Rock 'N Roll exhibition in Los Angeles, for which he served as creative consultant. Beyond guitars and cars, Gibbons has a renowned collection of African art, and an abiding interest in both the paranormal and cutting-edge technology.

Apart from his work with ZZ TOP, he's recorded with such notable artists as B.B. King, Les Paul, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, Shemekia Copeland, Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, Johnny Winter, John Mayall, Sue Foley and others.

This lineup is on fire! Rooms are selling out fast for Rock Legends Cruise XI setting sail for the Dominican Republic,...

Posted by Rock Legends Cruise 2024 on Thursday, February 22, 2024

SUM 41 has shared a new single, "Waiting On A Twist Of Fate", taken from the Grammy-nominated band's upcoming final album, "Heaven :x: Hell". The second single from the double album's pop-punk "Heaven" side, "Waiting On A Twist Of Fate" harkens back to the earliest days of the band's pop punk roots. The track opens the album the only way long-time fans would expect SUM 41 to open an album — a flurry of guitar riffs, drum fills, and vocals powerful enough to raise the dead.

"Waiting On A Twist Of Fate" is paired alongside a brand new music video, available to watch now below. The video, filmed at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, pays homage to the music that inspired the formation of SUM 41 that the members hold close to their hearts to this day. The video features a cameo from CJ Ramone, as well as footage of SUM 41 inside of GREEN DAY's infamous tour bus the Bookmobile.

Due on March 29 via Rise Records, "Heaven :x: Hell" is the most ambitious album from SUM 41 yet — "Heaven" is 10 tracks of snarling high-energy pop punk, while "Hell" consists of ten heavy metal anthems spiked with fret-burning solos, thrashing riffs, and fist-pumping hooks. The band has been straddling the line of pop-punk and metal for their entire career, and "Heaven :x: Hell" is a testament to their innovative sound and unmatched skill, proving them as pioneers 27 years after the bands inception.

SUM 41 previously shared "Rise Up" and "Landmines", from "Heaven :x: Hell"'s metal "Hell" side and pop-punk "Heaven" portion, respectively. The tracks have gained the attention of notable outlets such as Entertainment Tonight, Revolver, Consequence, NME, Exclaim!, Brooklyn Vegan, Alternative Press, Knotfest and countless others. The band also made an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to perform "Landmines". The track is currently at No. 2 on U.S. Alternative radio charts and No. 1 on Canada Alternative, Active Rock, and Big Picture radio charts.

Last year, SUM 41 announced their breakup after 27 years of making music together. The news was reported on by The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, CNN, Bloomberg, Pitchfork, "Today", CBS, Billboard and countless other major news outlets globally. "Heaven :x: Hell" is aiming for nothing short of greatness, a perfect parting gift from the band to the fans that have supported them endlessly.

"I love SUM 41, what we've achieved, endured, and stuck together through, which is why I want to call it quits," vocalist Deryck Whibley said. "There were so many times we could've broken up. For some reason, we kept sticking it out. I'm proud of that. It's the right time to walk away from it. I'm putting all of my energy into what's ahead. This is going to be the biggest tour of our lives, and I want to make it the best show we've ever done. That's it."

Speaking to CJAY 92 's Jesse and JD about the upcoming album, Whibley said: "The intention was with this new record — it's a double record, 'Heaven :x: Hell', and the 'Heaven' side is 10 songs of what would be old-school SUM 41 pop punk, and the 'Hell' side is the newer sort of heavier metal side that we've done for about 16, 17 years now — maybe even longer. But anyway, yeah, I think that song does have the spirit of, say, [2001's] 'All Killer No Filler' and [2002's] 'Does This Look Infected?', but played by a band that's been playing for 30 years now."

Asked how much pressure was there for him and his bandmates to make this final album exactly how they wanted it, Deryck said: "There was no pressure, because we didn't really know that we were going to make this the last record. When I started writing songs for this record, I didn't even know I was writing songs for SUM 41. I thought I was writing for other people, because at the beginning of the pandemic, I was getting asked by managers and record labels if I'd work with some of their artists. They were looking for pop-punk stuff. And so I just started writing songs, and I just happened to like them and I didn't wanna give them away. So I kept them. And I didn't even know we were making a double album. I didn't even know it was going to be what it became. It wasn't until all the music was just written. I was just writing for the sake of writing, and when I listened to it all back, it just kind of spoke to me."

Regarding the decision to put SUM 41 to rest after the upcoming LP and tour, Deryck said: "I'm a big believer in that the music tells you what to do, and it just told me this should be a double album. Once that album was finished, I'd realized, and I'd been thinking this for a while, that I felt like after all these years with my 1,000% focus on SUM 41 all day, every day, I felt like I don't have much more of that in me to continue past this record. I've been in this band since I was in tenth grade, and I just... I'm getting to a point where I'm thinking, I'd like to put some focus and energy into something else. And I felt this is probably the best record we've ever made. And I think this version of the band is the best we've ever been live. And I thought, what a way to just go out on this one."

Whibley previously talked about "Heaven :x: Hell" in an interview with TheresaRockFace of the Houston, Texas radio station 94.5 The Buzz. At the time, he said: "It's two totally different records. It's 10 songs each side. I would call like early SUM 41 pop punk, and the 'Hell' side is like newer, heavier SUM 41 that we've kind of done the past couple of records, that sort of style. I don't wanna call it metal, but it's our version of what we do that's heavy and metal influenced."

He explained: "Over the years, we've done both sort of styles. We've had more heavy music than pop-punk music, but since we started with that on those first two records, it's kind of like you're labeled that for the rest of your life. But there are fans of ours that don't really care for any of the pop-punk stuff and only like the heavier stuff, and vice versa."

According to Whibley, "There are no guests" on "Heaven :x: Hell". "There was some talk about it," he said. "We've never really done that. And as the record starts moving along, it just gets finished, and we're, like, 'Well, I guess we've done the record now.' Those ideas come up early on, and then once the songs are done, we're, like, 'I don't know. Maybe we'll just leave it as is.'"

Whibley also talked about the songwriting process for "Heaven :x: Hell" and how it came to turn into a double album. He said: "It wasn't really that fast [to make], but it also wasn't intentional. There was no thought or idea to make a double album. The music just kind of came out that way. And I'm always a believer in the music tells you what to do. So I didn't have this idea of, like, 'I'm gonna write a bunch of pop-punk songs and write a bunch of heavy songs.' I was just writing stuff and collecting music, and I didn't know what it was for. And one day I just decided, 'Okay, I've got all these songs. I'm gonna put 'em on a disc and go drive around in the car and listen to just see what I have.' And once I listened to it all, it kind of spoke to me. It was just, like, 'This needs to be a double album, 'cause they're two separate albums.' There was no thought of it. And even with the band, I didn't tell them, 'Hey, I think this is a double album.' I just sent them the music and said, 'Listen to everything that I've been working on. Tell me what you think.' And one by one, each guy came back and said, 'What do you think about doing a double album?' So the music spoke to all of us."

SUM 41's storied 24-plus-year career includes over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard-charting releases, a Grammy Award nomination, two Juno Awards (seven nominations),a Kerrang! Award in 2002, as well as multiple Alternative Press Music Awards.

In September 2023, Whibley was discharged from a hospital after being treated for pneumonia.

Back in 2014, Deryck collapsed in his kitchen and was rushed to the hospital, before doctors revealed his liver and kidneys had failed. He was placed in a coma for a week to help his body detox from alcohol and went on to get sober and lead a healthier lifestyle.

SUM 41 recently announced its last headlining world tour, "Tour Of The Setting Sum", to celebrate the upcoming release of "Heaven :x: Hell". SUM 41 will be making stops in the United States, Japan, Mexico, Germany, Italy, and more, as well as performing their largest show to date to a sold-out crowd of over 35,000 people at Paris La Défense Arena in France later this year. SUM 41 will play its final show as a band in Toronto, Ontario, at Scotiabank Arena on January 30, 2025.

In a new interview with The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was asked if he thinks it was necessary for him to leave the band in order to achieve the sobriety that he has now maintained for over 17 years. Ace responded: "It's a lot easier being sober away from those guys. They know how to push my buttons, and we don't always see eye to eye on everything. But once Peter [Criss, original KISS drummer] left the band, Paul [Stanley, KISS frontman] and Gene [Simmons, KISS bassist/vocalist] always overrode my point of view."

He continued: "When Peter was in the band, it was a democratic group. And I didn't even realize it, but when Peter left, I realized I had lost all my power in the band because pretty much Paul and Gene are workaholics and like to do things their way. So, if I don't like the way something is happening, I get outvoted. I was dead set against 'The Elder' [KISS's controversial 1981 LP 'Music From 'The Elder']; I didn't think it was the right album for the right time. It's not a bad record; I don't think our fans were expecting a record like that. And I kept telling him during the recording process, I said, 'I think it's a big mistake.' And, of course, it bombed. Because I'm the kind of guy that has this feeling of — I'm a street kid, and I have a sense of what kids wanna hear. And that's why I think this new album is gonna be successful."

Last month, Ace spoke to Rock Candy magazine about why he never made it on stage one last time with KISS for their final show at Madison Square Garden last December after last leaving the band back in 2002.

"Fans would constantly reach out to me and say, 'Ace, please come back to the band,'" Frehley explained. "So the fans were and are my primary motivators, and I want them to know that I did try, but I couldn't make it happen. They never asked me."

Frehley dismissed the idea that his well-documented troubles with drugs and alcohol could ever have been a reason for Simmons and Stanley not reaching out to him.

"I'm sober, and all my friends and associates will tell you as much," he stated categorically. "I got to the point in life where drugs and alcohol had taken me over, and I'm just so happy to be away from all that."

Despite the much-reported rifts with Simmons and Stanley over many years, nevertheless Frehley insisted that he still had affection for both of them.

"I want people to know that I do love Paul and Gene," he said. "I wish things would have been different, but it wasn't to be…" Nor does Frehley hold any animosity towards his replacement Tommy Thayer.

"He's a good guy and deserves a break," Ace said. "He's not me, but he was never going to be me. In a lot of ways, his task was impossible."

Last November, prior to KISS's final concert, Frehley told Mark Strigl of SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard that he didn't hold a grudge against KISS, despite all the badmouthing that had gone on between him and some of the other original KISS members in recent years.

"I wish KISS the best, all the best on their final shows for the 'End Of The Road' tour," he said. "There's really no hard feelings. We say things sometimes in the heat of passion or sometimes our memory isn't… [we don't] recall things. But I love those guys. We're all getting old, our memory isn't what it used to be, so I just let it roll off my back."

Ten months ago, Frehley told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was still open to playing with KISS at the band's final shows in New York City. "Money motivates me, just like it motivates them, but I don't put money before God," he explained. "If I got a quarter of a million dollars a night, and I can make half a million dollars for playing three or four songs, five songs, I'd take the money. [I'd] buy a Ferrari… buy a Maserati. [Laughs] I don't really wanna play with those guys ever again after what they've done, but money can change my mind."

Frehley continued: "Look, I'm a capitalist. I grew up in America. But I'd never put money before people's feelings. I like money as much as the next guy does, but money isn't my God, like it is theirs. They're all atheists. Whatever they can do or say, whether it's true or false, as long as it makes them the most amount of money, they're gonna do [it]."

Ace also addressed the issue of whether he would have performed with KISS at the band's final concerts while wearing his trademark "Spaceman" makeup — the same makeup his replacement Tommy Thayer had been sporting for more than two decades. "Sure. For a quarter of a million dollars," he said, explaining that "I'm a good-looking guy. I don't need the makeup."

When Trunk pressed Ace about what he thought the odds were of him playing with KISS at the final concerts in New York, Frehley said at the time: "It all depends on money. If I get a formal invitation with a check, I'll be there. But they've gotta have deep pockets… If they don't wanna pay me, I won't be there, ladies and gentleman."

Ace also once again confirmed that he had never received a formal invitation to join his former bandmates at their last-ever shows. "Absolutely not," he said. "From what I understand, the shows are sold out. The only reason they sold out is they made innuendos that me and Peter were gonna be there, [that] they invited us. I wasn't invited. They lie all the time. Haven't they said, 'We're inviting Ace and Peter to come up and play?' Or at least me? Multiple times. So, people bought the tickets. But I haven't been given a formal invitation or given an offer monetarily. And I'm probably not gonna get one now after this interview. And guess what: I don't give a shit."

Despite everything that had been said between all the parties, Ace claimed that he still looks back fondly on his time with KISS and he doesn't hate his former bandmates.

"Look, the bottom line is this: deep down in my heart, I love those guys, because we created something so special that it will be remembered for years," he said. "When we're all dead and buried, there will still be people listening to KISS music. And I'm overjoyed. But I want my legacy to be cleared of any of this bullshit and lies."

Founding BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has shared a new original poem called "In These Days". Check it out below.

Ward has released a number of poems in recent years, some inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and others celebrating the fall–winter holiday season, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Bill was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced more than 12 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during SABBATH's last tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

It was rumored that SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward, something that Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about SABBATH's "Ten Year War" box set.

In 2015, Ward released his first solo album in 18 years. Titled "Accountable Beasts", the record can be purchased on iTunes.

In November 2017, Ward's band DAY OF ERRORS released its first two songs, "Day Of Errors" and "Blaspheming At Creation", via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon MP3 and Google Play. Two more tracks, "Dark" and "Ghost Train", followed in 2019.

In March 2021, Ward revealed that he was working on an autobiography.

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Former SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg has shared video of a reunited INFECTIOUS GROOVES rehearsing the song "Infectious Grooves" in preparation for the funk metal band's 2024 concert dates.

Jay wrote on his social media: "Here's a look at our first run-through of the song 'Infectious Grooves'.

"After my first week back on drums following my hip surgery in November, it felt so great to play with these shredders. Can't wait to rip it up in Orange County and all over Australia next month!"

Three months after Weinberg was fired from SLIPKNOT, the drummer announced that he will be joining INFECTIOUS GROOVES, the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by now-METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Mike Muir.

INFECTIOUS GROOVES has scheduled two U.S. shows next month — March 23 and March 24 at the Garden Grove Amphitheater in Garden Grove, California — before embarking on a short tour of Australia in late March and early April.

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

"IG is beyond stoked and honored to be able to have the incredible Jay Weinberg to be the driving force as he beats the funk out of the drums on this run!" INFECTIOUS GROOVES announced on Instagram.

Added Weinberg: "It's an absolute honor to play with the legendary INFECTIOUS GROOVES on this incredibly exciting Australian tour! Playing with some of my favorite musicians, in one of the most beautiful countries, for some of the greatest fans of heavy music in the world…I couldn't be more thrilled to get started. See you all soon!"

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

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

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

INFECTIOUS GROOVES 2024 tour dates:

March 23 - Garden Grove, California @ Garden Grove Amphitheater
March 24 - Garden Grove, California @ Garden Grove Amphitheater
March 30 - Melbourne, Australia @ Forum
March 31 - Brisbane, Australia @ Fortitude Music Hall
April 01 - Byron Bay, Australia @ Bluesfest
April 04 - Adelaide, Australia @ Hindley Street Music Hall
April 05 - Sydney, Australia @ UNSW Roundhouse

In a new interview with Pablo of the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked if there is any up-and-coming band that has "got [his] ear" at the moment. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, there's a lot of importance being put in the direction of this band called SLEEP TOKEN. And they're a really curious band in what they're putting out in terms of all of these different textures. They're very difficult to pin down. That's what I find intriguing as a musician listening to their music. It's going to a lot of different places, and I think that there isn't any other band out there right now that's able to do that. Because most bands have a specific sound and direction and idea that they project. And then you kind of fine-tune into that. But you can't really nail them down, if that's the expression. And, of course, the guys have been around for a few years; they're not, like, suddenly here they are. They've worked hard to get to this place of recognition. But I really like all the extra textures of the way that they look and the way that they're talking."

Rob added: "They have a [singer] called Vessel. One day The Metal God and Vessel will take a selfie together; I predict that. So, there's something cool."

Back in 2014, Halford dismissed Gene Simmons's claim that "rock is dead", telling Canadian journalist Mitch Lafon in an interview: "No, I've heard that statement a number of times through the decades that I've been in metal. I don't think it is. I think it's absolutely in incredible shape right now. [It's] never been stronger."

He continued: "I think we're surrounded constantly by new talent and the enthusiasm that surges from new bands of all kinds keeps rock alive and strong, and I think it'll always be that way. So, for me, when I check out the metal sites that I do every day — I check out a dozen metal sites from different places around the world — I see the strength and the power there, and it's tremendously exciting. It's a different world now, for sure, in terms of the way the industry side of the business works. That is a whole new perspective compared to how it was even twenty years ago, with the advent of the Internet, which created an enormous amount of… a change of perspective. It affected everybody in a great way.

"So what I'm saying is rock isn't dead. It's alive, it's thriving, and it's exciting."

SLEEP TOKEN released its third studio album, "Take Me Back To Eden", last May via Spinefarm. The band also enjoyed a completely sold-out North American tour this past fall.

"Take Me Back To Eden" has generated 400 million streams, while standout single "The Summoning" has generated 150 million streams alone, causing the track to trend on Twitter and take the No. 1 song spot on a host of international Spotify viral charts, as well as being selected as a "YouTube Trending Artist On The Rise," featuring on YouTube's homepage, viewed by millions of people every day.

JUDAS PRIEST's new album, "Invincible Shield", will arrive 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.

SLEEP TOKEN photo credit: Andy Ford

In a new interview with Audacy Check In, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars spoke about why it has taken him more than four decades since the band's inception to release his debut solo album. He said: "Well, it took me 40 years 'cause MÖTLEY was priority… and now that I'm retired, I'm just me. I mean, if MÖTLEY wanted me to write songs with them again, of course I would… But right now, I'm just me, so I'm writing, and it's not MÖTLEY, and it's how I feel — my ideas and my kind of thing and kind of trying to reinvent myself or bring myself up to date."

Although CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx is responsible for penning the lion's share of the band's material, Mars did have a hand in co-writing some of the group's most famous tracks, including "Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)", "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Dr. Feelgood".

The only credit Mars has on the first two MÖTLEY CRÜE albums is the instrumental "God Bless The Children Of The Beast" on 1983's "Shout At The Devil".

Mick's debut solo album, "The Other Side Of Mars", has just been released via his own label 1313, LLC, in partnership with MRI.

Birmingham, Alabama rocker Jacob Bunton collaborated extensively with Mars on "The Other Side Of Mars".

Bunton had previously worked with former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler and CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer, and has songwriting credits with Mariah Carey, Steven Tyler and Smokey Robinson, among others.

Bunton sings lead on all but two of the 12 songs on "The Other Side Of Mars".

Other guests on the LP include WINGER/ALICE COOPER keyboardist Paul Taylor, KORN drummer Ray Luzier, and Brion Gamboa, who handled lead vocals on the songs "Undone" and "Killing Breed".

Bunton previously fronted the Alabama bands MARS ELECTRIC and LYNAM.

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, he has since filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach says that he is in the middle of "the final few recording sessions" for the band's upcoming follow-up to 2019's "Atonement". In a social media post on Wednesday (February 21),the 45-year-old musician, who lives in Woodstock, New York with his fiancée, Corinne Paris (a.k.a. Philia Porphyra),wrote in part: "This album has been a great challenge for me. Now that it's almost complete I can say I wouldn't change a thing! All the trials, difficulties and deep anxieties were all worth what this record is shaping up to be.

"I don't ever half ass anything in my creative life. I can say this with the utmost confidence, I gave this my everything and it will show.

"I've said it before and I'll say it until the day I die, Adam D [Adam Dutkiewicz, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist and producer] is my musical soulmate and a FORCE in my life as an artist, writer and musician," he continued. "His role in my growth as a writer can't be overstated. The man just knows how to get that performance out of me. I just don't think I'll ever have the synergy with anyone else in my life as a musician.

"Also the lessons, insights and support of [renowned vocal coach Melissa Cross] saved me and continue to guide me. I've learned new techniques (fry) that I use here and there but more importantly I've been able to really rediscovered my original style (false chord) on a whole other level because of her. The blend and the knowledge of the over all inner workings of the voice have empowered me to do things I didn't think I could still do. I've also really learned to sing with more ease and confidence and it's been super liberating to me. Pure POWER, grit, intensity and smooth big Melodie's are the result of all of it. I pulled out all of my arsenal of vocal weapons and left it all on this recording. Even if people don't like or naysay what we've done I could die happy knowing I gave this shit my ALL.

"I feel a true sense of satisfaction," Jesse added. "I stood my ground when I needed to and I acquiesced and changed when it was needed. The end result is the culmination of 2 years of hardcore work."

Last month, Leach wrote in an Instagram post that the upcoming KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album had "taken its toll" on him. "It is by far the most difficult album I've ever worked on for various reasons," he said. "That being said as I see the distant light at the end of this long tunnel. I can truly say it has all been a much needed growing experience. When I say that I mean it personally, lyrically and vocally. I've been able to take any criticism from my dudes and separate it from my being to push through and rise to the occasion.

"This has been a work in progress as everything I write is always deeply personal and for the most part difficult to write," he continued. "It's always hard to let go of my work. I'm very pleased I've learned to separate my emotions from the work. It's been liberating! I've also been able to stretch the limits of my voice mixing techniques and hues of sound (still working on this as a full time student of the voice via @zenofscreaming).

"Lastly, lyrically I've crafted some songs to feel more like a story, which I believe makes the material more interesting," he added. "Adam has helped a great deal as usual being a great producer and a good friend throughout. Talking me off the cliff and making me laugh when need be. It can't be overstated how crucial he is (even when I can get thrown sideways at times). He always sees the bigger picture and pushes me to my limit for better or worse. The outcome however is always far better than I imagined."

Last summer, Adam told Rock Antenne about the progress of the songwriting sessions for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's next LP: "[It's going] very slow, but we're taking our time with the demoing process. We're gonna start recording right after this tour, actually. So, I would like it to be done by the end of the year, but it will most likely be completed early next year. And then we've gotta wait for the vinyl, and you know how that works. And so it'll probably be like mid-to-late next year. It takes that long."

Regarding what fans can expect from the next KILLSWITCH ENGAGE LP, Jesse said: "I think it sounds like KILLSWITCH, but we're really pushing to do different lyrics, different themes, different sounds. None of it's gonna be phoned in. And that's why it's taken so long — just rewriting stuff and really just doing quality control."

Added Adam: "We made an effort to have everyone spend more time together writing instead of separately. Because we live so far from each other, it's hard for us to get together and jam. And we made an effort to all meet up and write music together this time. So there's that too. So it's gonna feel a little different, for sure. [It will be] more collaborative."

Last September, Dutkiewicz told TotalRock's Neil Jones that KILLSWITCH ENGAGE was "still at demo stages" for the upcoming album, "but we have quite a bit of demos. And Jesse's been writing and rewriting and going back to the little chopping block. We decided to have everybody in the band become a part of the lyric writing too. So Jesse will bring ideas. We say, 'We like this. We don't like this. This is the idea. Carry on with that.'"

Asked how the process of making a KILLSWITCH ENGAGE has evolved over the years, Adam told TotalRock: "In the past, I took a lot of it on my shoulders, to handle a lot of the duties. But I think the last record, in particular, everyone was just — they felt like a bit detached almost, because I was doing almost everything on my own. And I think they're just, like, 'We don't even feel like we made a record.' So they wanna be more of a part of the production process and the writing process. So I've made sure to keep everybody looped in and in the same circle. Communication's key to anything."

He continued: "I do my best to try to make something that we're kind of proud of. So, at the end of the day, it's up to me to make sure that everybody in the band is happy and we're all going in the same direction."

As for the musical direction of the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE material, Adam said: "We're still doing what we do. We're just trying to push the boundaries and shake it up a little bit and make it not the same thing we've been doing for 20-something years."

In a separate summer 2023 interview with Ore Bihovsky of TotalRock's "Louder" radio show, Adam said that he and his bandmates were still "demoing" and "writing" material for the next KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album. "We've been kind of busy with other side hustles and whatnot," he said. "But, yeah, [we've] just been taking our time and wanting to get Jesse in the right head space and get him comfortable. But we're pretty much ready to record now. We've just gotta wedge some time in between shows and tours and things going on within everybody's lives."

Asked if the challenges of staying productive during the coronavirus lockdown contributed to it taking this long for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE to come up with enough material for a new LP, Adam said: "Not necessarily. I've got a bunch of stuff going on. I've been writing a ton. But it was just more so pushing Jesse to get a little more, I guess just to vary it up a little bit more and maybe try to pull from other places for inspiration and just try to get some different lyrical content."

In August 2023, Leach told The Razor's Edge that KILLSWITCH ENGAGE had 14 or 15 demos ready for the next LP. But he added: "We're gonna be tossing out, like, four or five of them already to redo some stuff and to rethink some stuff just to make sure that everybody in the band feels like we're doing the best we can, and it does sound fresh yet familiar. So it's a challenge… You wanna please your fans, but you also wanna please yourself as an artist and as a band. So we're focusing on us first. And then my hope is that the fans will in turn be pleased with what we're doing because we are putting the effort in to ensure that it's something that isn't just a remake of something we've done before."

Asked if Dutkiewicz would once again be in charge of the production of the band's new LP, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE drummer Justin Foley told Forever Loud: "Yeah. We're pretty sure that we're gonna do it with Adam and Adam's gonna be the producer. I mean, it just makes sense. He knows what we're doing. We know how to work with him. We all know how to work with each other real well, and he obviously gets the band and what we're trying to go for. So it just makes too much sense not to do."

In July 2023, Leach told Oran O'Beirne of Bloodstock TV about the band's next album: "I think we made some headway. Definitely some good ideas, some good demos. I'm revisiting some ideas. We had a great little meeting where all of us got together and listened and talked, which, to me, has been a great process. And I think it's gonna make this album a lot different than what we've done in the past, 'cause everyone sort of has their voice. We're taking more time with it. So, yeah, it is taking a bit longer but it gives me hope that the end result will be that much better because it is taking a little bit more time to do it. But I'm stoked, for sure. There's some bangers on there already."

During the same chat, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio revealed that he wasn't feeling very inspired in the early days of the coronavirus downtime. "During the pandemic, for me, I kind of wasn't able to do much at all," he said. "You'd think that that would be the best writing process, to be nervous about your future and not sure what's gonna happen next. But I was just locked in some sort of a mode where I couldn't even do graphic design; for about six to eight months, I didn't do anything. But I think after that, it definitely seemed to start flowing. Especially when we did the live gig at the Palladium [in Worcester, Massachusetts], the livestream that we did [in August 2021], that kind of helped make the juices work a little bit more. We learned a lot of songs from 'Atonement' that we actually never played live together before, so that was an experience. And I think that's what kind of jarred us into, 'Okay, let's get this thing moving again.'"

In June 2023, Leach told Pete Bailey of Primordial Radio that the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album was "taking a lot longer than, I think, any of us anticipated, because there's a lot of quality control going on. And making sure that it's fresh; we're not repeating ourselves," he explained. "So that process has been a little arduous but I think necessary because we don't wanna put out something that people are gonna go, 'Oh, yeah. Another KILLSWITCH record. Whatever.'"

Regarding where he and his KILLSWITCH ENGAGE were with respect to the writing process, Jesse said: "We're solidifying a lot, but there's still some back-and-forth and looking at parts and rewriting the music. And then I'm revisiting a lot of the lyrics. I've actually rewritten a bunch of stuff. 'Cause we all got together and had a meeting, and all of us just kind of gave our input on everything, and I took notes. It's the first time, really, I think we've done that. But, again, I do believe that it's necessary at our stage in our career to really just kind of get all of our heads together to make sure that this record is gonna be what we all feel is a good representation of who we are right now."

On the topic of the lyrical inspiration for the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE material, Jesse said: "Initially, for me, I really wanted to put out something that was healing, something that could help people cope. But it's kind of turned into anger, it's kind of turned into frustration, it's kind of turned into seeing the greater deceptions of everything that's going on, the struggles of humanity. So I've kind of taken a turn for a little bit more of a darker topic than I initially had hoped for, but I think it's necessary. I think once I really sort of dug into myself, I realized that there was a lot that I was not tapping in to. And when I got honest with myself, I [said], 'You know what? There is a lot to be pissed off about.' And maybe that's the route; maybe that's the good therapeutic way to deal with it. You don't always have to sugarcoat things and let people know there's gonna be hope. Maybe it's just time to get your hands dirty and talk about some of the harder-to-deal-with topics, and that's kind of what I've been doing lately."

"Atonement" was released in August 2019 via Metal Blade Records in the U.S. and Sony Music Entertainment in the rest of the world. The disc featured guest appearances by former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones and TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy. It marked the band's third full-length release since the return of Leach, who rejoined the group in 2012.

In July 2021, Leach and Dutkiewicz released the second album from their TIMES OF GRACE project, "Songs Of Loss And Separation", via the band's own imprint label, Wicked Good Records, distributed by ADA Worldwide.

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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 "Made In China", the second single from the upcoming project.

"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 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)

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

Porcupine Tree frontman-turned-solo-artist, Steven Wilson, is featured in a new interview on the Gas Masks & Hand Grenades podcasr alongside Tom Bowness to discuss their project, No-Man. Duting the chat, found below, Wilson offered some information on his next solo album, due out in 2025.


Wilson: "The follow up (to The Harmony Codex) is almost finished, can you believe. Bear in mind The Harmony Codex was finished in December 2022, so it's been over a year since that, and I've almost finished the follow-up. It's very different again. I work very quickly and I'm still excited by making music. This is just two 20-minute long tracks, so it's very conceptual, and I think that'll be finished and ready to come out early next year."







In November 2023, Wilson has shared a stunning official music video for the brooding centerpiece of The Harmony Codex. The clip for the claustrophobic and hypnotic "Beautiful Scarecrow" was directed and animated by long-term collaborator Jess Cope alongside Venkatram Viswanathan. Cope previously directed videos for Wilson's tracks "The Raven That Refused to Sing," "Routine," "People Who Eat Darkness," and "King Ghost." 


A gothic horror story set in a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly pandemic has led to the human race being divided, with the infected rounded up and forced to live in underground quarantine, Jess’ extraordinary film continues to play on the mind long after the credits have run, showing how a simple gesture of kindness can resonate with profound meaning for years afterward.


“The video is a completely new approach for Owl House Studios," says Jess Cope. "I wrote the original idea with my partner Jonathan Main and in conjunction with Venky Viswanathan and Shaheen Sheriff, we decided to pursue a 3D animation route. Our aim was to build a computer–generated world but give it the 'feel and texture' of a stop-motion animation. As always, Steven’s track was so exciting to work with, as the more you listen to the track the more your ears discover. The song has so much depth and richness, it allowed us to freely explore an intriguing visual narrative.”





Written, performed, and produced by Steven Wilson, The Harmony Codex includes the singles "What Life Brings," “Impossible Tightrope,” “Rock Bottom” (featuring Ninet Tayeb), and “Economies of Scale,” all available now alongside official music videos streaming on YouTube. The album is available now via Spinefarm Records in a wide range of formats – including CD, 2LP, Blu-ray, and digital download. Order here.





"What Life Brings" video:





"Economies Of Scale" video:

Former Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his weekly cover, this time taking on the 1985 Gary Moore classic, "Run For Cover", from the album of the same name.





In October 2023, Johansson released A Tribute To The Moore, dedicated to music and guitar legend Gary Moore, via Spotify and Deezer. It is a compilation of covers Johansson has shared via YouTube over the past few years.




 Go to this location for the streaming links.





Tracklist:


"Over the Hills and Far Away"
"Wild Frontier"
"Nuclear Attack"
"The Loner"
"Out in the Fields"
"Murder in the Skies"
"Thunder Rising"
"Running from the Storm"
"After the War"
"Empty Rooms"
"Emerald"

In a new interview with Rolling Stone India, Anders Fridén, frontman of Swedish melodic metallers IN FLAMES, spoke about the band's latest three additions: Tanner Wayne on drums, Chris Broderick on guitar and Liam Wilson on bass. Asked what it is like bringing different people into the band, even if it's just for the touring lineup, Anders said: "All the guys that you mentioned — Tanner and Chris and Liam — are in the band, so it's not just hired people. They are part of the band, but it's Björn [Gelotte, IN FLAMES guitarist] and me that write the music and arrange it. That's what we do and it will not change. But the guys are very important to us and I think the way we sound live, we never sounded better.

"I don't mean that to be disrespectful to anyone who has ever been in the band, but these are really professional musicians and very skilled at what they do, and they all come from different backgrounds," he continued. "Tanner comes from a more hardcore punkish era, and Chris, obviously, with his history of being in NEVERMORE and JAG PANZER and MEGADETH… him we've known for more than 20 years. We were friends way before we thought about of him being in the band. It's been great to have him and him and Björn really jell together and they play a lot of guitar. I've never seen Björn play this much guitar, and I think Chris is a big part of that.

"Liam came in this last summer because [previous IN FLAMES bassist] Bryce [Paul] left us kind of abruptly," Anders explained. "We're still friends, so it's no bad blood whatsoever. But he had to focus on family and we had a festival booked in Europe, so we had to do something. And then, obviously, I know of DILLINGER [ESCAPE PLAN] from before and we met here and there, but we were not friends at all, so I didn't really know him. But our manager said, 'I think this would be a great fit for you.' He knew him way better than us and he came in and after meeting him for an hour, we were like best buddies. He's awesome and he's great and he fits in the band really well. He's a little bit older. He's not a young kid. He has a family. He has so much experience from the road, so it's a perfect fit. And he's a great guy on stage and off stage, and that's very important. And I need to say that because we play an hour, one and a half hours every other day. So that's what happens on stage. But off stage is also extremely important, how you are and how you behave and how you are socially, how you interact with each other. There's so much fun and there's no tension in the van, everybody's laughing and having a good time. Whenever someone needs to walk away a little bit and be on their own, it's totally cool. Nobody bothers you. So I am very happy to be part of this band right now. It's a good feeling after so many years, as I said before, still feel the vibe, especially after the pandemic and everything that happened. We got back together and we are able to do this. It's awesome."

IN FLAMES recently announced a spring 2024 headlining tour with special guests GATECREEPER and CREEPING DEATH. The skulltrek will kick off on May 1 in Portland, Maine and will wrap up on May 26 in Dallas, Texas.

IN FLAMES is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Foregone", which was released in February 2023 via Nuclear Blast.

"Foregone" was the second IN FLAMES album with Paul and Wayne, the first with Broderick, and the third with Grammy-winning producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THREE DAYS GRACE). Mike Plotnikoff (ALL THAT REMAINS, WARBRINGER) engineered at Benson's West Valley Recording Studios. Joe Rickard (10 YEARS, STARSET, DIAMANTE),who played drums for IN FLAMES from 2016 through 2019, handled mixing duties.

Wilson made his live debut with IN FLAMES on June 7, 2023 at the Release Athens festival in Athens, Greece.

Dark progressive hard rock band Shadow Circus has just unveiled their latest musical offering in the form of a captivating music video titled "Into The Fire." The song, an intense exploration of inner turmoil, portrays a visceral conversation between an individual and their anxiety and depression personified as an inner demon.


"Into The Fire" delves into the depths of the human psyche with haunting melodies and raw emotion, reflecting the band's signature dark and progressive sound. Animated using cutting-edge AI technology, the video captures the essence of the song's themes with its eerie and surreal imagery, complementing the intensity of the music.


Shadow Circus founder and guitarist John Fontana explains, “We had been on the fence over the use of AI for videos, initially we thought that everything made with it had a similar look that was kind of disjointed and strange. However, we found that the footage we were able to create with it was particularly appropriate for the kind of dark, twisted and disturbing subject matter that this song conveys.”




Founded in 2006 by guitarist/songwriter John Fontana and singer/lyricist David Bobick, Shadow Circus has established itself as a unique force in the realm of dark progressive rock. Drawing inspiration from horror, dark fantasy, and inner life experiences, the band weaves macabre storytelling into their music, creating a captivating and immersive auditory experience.


The band's most recent lineup includes former members of renowned acts such as Devin Townsend Project (drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen) and Pain of Salvation/Meshuggah (bassist Gustaf Hielm), adding to the band's pedigree and musical prowess.





"Into The Fire" is a testament to Shadow Circus's evolution and reinvigoration, marking a new chapter in their musical journey. With their latest album, From The Shadows, the band has emerged from a decade-long hiatus with a renewed sense of purpose, delivering a powerful and evolved sound that pushes the boundaries of their genre.





For further details, visit Shadow Circus on Facebook.

The Drumeo YouTube Channel has shared a new video along with the following message:


"Watch Chad Smith perform 'Otherside' by Red Hot Chili Peppers – a track from the Californication album. Chad's performance highlights subtle ghost notes, syncopated patterns, and a groove-centric approach. The song not only topped the charts but also earned a Grammy for “Best Rock Song”, complemented by a visually striking music video."







Smith was recently in the Drumeo studio to discuss some of his favorite drum tracks he’s recorded with groups other than the Red Hot Chili Peppers - and some may surprise you. Join Chad as he breaks down parts from Wu-Tang Clan, Ozzy Osbourne, Dua Lipa, and more.


Songs featured include "Soap On A Rope" (Chickenfoot), "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit" (Wu-Tang Clan), "Break My Heart" (Dua Lipa), "Frenzy" (Iggy Pop), "Patient Number 9" (Ozzy Osbourne), "Invincible" (Eddie Vedder), "I'll Be Your Domino" and "I Make My Own Rules" (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Eccentric Philadelphia based blackened Tolkien metallers Morgul Blade have confirmed their sophomore full-length, for No Remorse Records. Set for release April 26th on CD, vinyl and digital formats, Heavy Metal Wraiths will contain ten tracks, although "Beneath The Black Sails" and "Spider God" have been available online for a while now. 


A sample of the new material can be heard below thanks to a video for the title track, produced by low budget horror film purveyors, Blood Sick Productions.


Morgul Blade brandish power chords and swords like a swarm of Nazgûl from the Keep Of Barad-Dur itself. The new album delivers righteous headbanging anthems. Songs like the title track and "Beneath The Black Sails" lean into their love of Tolkien lore, with the arena rock attitude inspired by Dokken and the Scorpions. Other tracks like "Frostwyrm Calvary" attack with the ice cold speed of classic black metal. More ambitious yet are "Razor Sharp" and "Neither Cross Nor Crown," which speak to the band's working class attitude and disdain for zealotry.




The Fell Sorcery Abounds debut (2021) quickly gained Album of The Year mentions throughout the metal world. Following its release, the band solidified its line up with the addition of guitarist Sister Midnight and bassist Jimmy Viola. In March 2023, Morgul Blade toured the United States, culminating with a ferocious performance at Hell's Heroes Festival in Houston, TX. This year, Morgul Blade will celebrate the new album's release with a performance at the Keep It True Festival in Germany. 





Tracklist


"Eagle Strike"
"Beneath the Black Sails"
"Heavy Metal Wraiths"
"Frostwyrm Cavalry"
"Widow's Lament"
"Spider God"
"Razor Sharp"
"A Welcoming Hearth"
"Neither Cross Nor Crown"
"The Last in a Line of Kings"


"Heavy Metal Wraiths"





 


Line-Up:


Lord Klauf - vocals, guitar
Will Spectre - drums, production
Jimmy Viola - bass, guitar, keyboards
Sister Midnight - lead guitars

In an unparalleled blend of blues, rock, and orchestral majesty, Joe Bonamassa is set to release Live At The Hollywood Bowl on May 17 via J&R Adventures. This monumental CD/DVD, also available in CD/BR, 2LP Vinyl (180-gram), and digital formats, immortalizes Joe's first-ever performance at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in August 2023. Accompanied by an impressive ensemble of 40 orchestra members, Bonamassa delivered a performance that will now be forever encapsulated in this eagerly awaited release.





Live At The Hollywood Bowl With Orchestra  showcases Bonamassa’s virtuosic blend of blues and rock but also elevates fan-favorite tracks with grandiose orchestral arrangements by some of Hollywood's finest – David Campbell, Trevor Rabin, and Jeff Bova.




“Very few gigs represent my journey in music more than the Hollywood Bowl. I moved to Los Angeles in 2003 in search of opportunity and cheaper rent than New York City.  My first gig at The Mint was attended by 5 of my friends and that's all. We have played The Greek Theatre many times since, but the Bowl has always been a dream. The orchestra and the sheer scale of the event and venue is something I will never forget. I am so grateful that we filmed this special event in my life,” reminisces Bonamassa.


The project’s lead single is a riveting live rendition of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s classic “Twenty-Four Hour Blues” from Bonamassa’s latest studio album Blues Deluxe Volume 2.





"With a master practitioner like Joe Bonamassa on guitar, studio ingredients become magic live,” comments Kevin Shirley, the project's producer. “Embracing the challenge of surpassing previous concerts, we aimed high for the Hollywood Bowl, incorporating orchestral maestros like David Campbell and Trevor Rabin. The result is a cinematic celebration of Joe’s music, a testament to his unparalleled standing in the blues-rock realm."


Bonamassa's Hollywood Bowl performance was a “bucket list” event that further cements his status as a leading figure in modern blues-rock. The collaboration with a full orchestra, under the guidance of renowned Hollywood orchestrators, added an unprecedented depth and scale to Joe’s music, providing fans with an entirely new way to experience his catalog. The project represents yet another pinnacle in Bonamassa’s career, encapsulating the magic of a live performance where every note resonates with the energy of a musician at the peak of his powers.


Following the momentum from his US spring tour and recent Blues Music Award nominations, Bonamassa recently announced the Blues Deluxe Tour for the summer. Beginning August 2 in Selbyville, DE, and culminating in an unforgettable two-night performance in Hampton Beach, NH, on August 30 and 31, the tour celebrates Bonamassa's seminal albums Blues Deluxe and its chart-topping successor, Blues Deluxe Volume 2. This 21-city tour is set to showcase an electrifying mix of Bonamassa's classics and deep tracks live for the first time, alongside a band of world-class musicians.


The news also follows the announcement of Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea X, the 10th voyage of Bonamassa’s annual cruise. For more information, visit jbonamassa.com.


(Photo - Christie Goodwin)

During an appearance on this past Wednesday's (February 21) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Zakk Wylde spoke about the possibility of the reformed lineup of PANTERA — featuring surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),alongside Wylde and Charlie Benante (drums) — making new music. Asked if he would be open to working on new material with PANTERA, Zakk responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. I think you would have to call it something else. You know what I mean? PANTERA is those four guys. So, yeah, you can't replace that."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of Vinnie Paul and Dimebag, as well as Brown, who in 2021 said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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