New Years Day have the title track from their upcoming studio album, Half Black Heart, set for release on March 1 via Century Media.


Discussing the new song, vocalist Ash Costello shares: “'Half Black Heart’ is my anthem! The concept behind it is simple yet powerful - no one is purely one thing. Nobody is so flawless that they have the right to pass judgment on someone else's flaws. We all exist as a mix of good and bad, innocence and guilt, a bit angelic and a bit devilish. The message is rooted in the idea that "he who is without sin can cast the first stone," meaning that no one is in a position to judge, because everyone makes mistakes. I don't believe in the idea of a flawless human being, and this song is my way of addressing those who may expect perfection from me. Essentially, it's a declaration that neither I nor anyone else will ever be perfect."







New Years Day spent the winter of 2023 on the road in the US with In This Moment and Ice Nine Kills on the massive Kiss Of Death Tour. Ash and the band are now prepping to head out across the US with Lacuna Coil this spring and have already lined up appearances at 2024's Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals. For a full list of upcoming shows, head nydrock.com.





Tracklisting:


"Vampyre"
"Half Black Heart"
"Hurts Like Hell"
"Secrets"
"Fearless"
"Bullet Proof"
"Burn It All Down"
"Enemy"
"I Still Believe"
"Unbreak My Heart"
"So Sick"
"Creature Of Habit"


"I Still Believe":





"Secrets":





"Vampyre" video:





"Hurts Like Hell" video:

Pittsburgh deathcore unit, Signs Of The Swarm, have released a bass playthrough video for "Shackles Like Talons", a track fromthe band's latest full-length, Amongst The Low & Empty, available via Century Media Records. Watch the clip below:





Produced by Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, King 810, Tallah, Varials), Amongst The Low & Empty is the first Signs Of The Swarm album to feature an outside producer.




Order the album here.





Amongst The Low & Empty tracklisting:


"Amongst The Low & Empty"
"Tower Of Torsos"
"Pray For Death"
"Borrowed Time"
"Between Fire & Stone"
"Shackles Like Talons"
"DREAMKILLER"
"The Witch Beckons" (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
"Echelon"
"Faces Without Names"
"Malady"


"Tower Of Torsos" video:





Signs Of The Swarm lineup:


Bobby Crow - Drums
David Simonich - Vocals
Carl Schulz - Guitars
Michael Cassese - Bass

Swedish blackened death metal masters, Necrophobic, will release their 10th studio album, In The Twilight Grey, on March 15 via Century Media Records. Today, the band shares a guitar playthrough video for the album's first single, "Stormcrow". Watch below:





With over thirty years of activity, nefarious service under their spikes and bulletbelts, Necrophobic are undisputed legends of the death and black metal scene. Formed in 1989 by drummer Joakim Sterner, the Stockholm blackhearts propagated a singular and fearless vision from the very start. Eschewing the self-conscious amateurism and primitive sonics that many of their peers held dear, Necrophobic established a bold and vivid identity of their own, conjuring a densely melodic, but endlessly wicked take on macabre extreme metal that countless lesser bands have since emulated.




Yet again, In The Twilight Grey was produced, mixed and mastered by Fredrik Folkare (of death metal icons Unleashed) at Chrome Studios, Stockholm and engineered in close collaboration by Folkare and the band themselves. For the artwork they teamed up with Jens Rydén, another likeminded institution from the Swedish scene.


The album will be available in the following formats:


- Ltd. Deluxe Gatefold combat green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster incl. 2 bonus tracks (1.000x)
- Gatefold dark green LP (300x)
- Gatefold black LP
- Ltd. CD Mediabook (comes with a special, extended booklet and 2 bonus tracks)
- Standard CD Jewelcase
- Digital album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Grace Of The Past"
"Clavis Inferni"
"As Stars Collide"
"Stormcrow"
"Shadows Of The Brightest Night"
"Mirrors Of A Thousand Lakes"
"Cast In Stone"
"Nordanvind"
"In The Twilight Grey"
"Ascension (Episode Four)"


"As Stars Collide" lyric video:





"Stormcrow" video:





Lineup:


Anders Strokirk - Vocals
Sebastian Ramstedt - Lead & Rhythm guitar
Johan Bergebäck - Rhythm guitar
Tobias Cristiansson - Bass
Joakim Sterner - Drums

In a recent interview with Larry Mac of the 96.1 KLPX radio station, TESLA frontman Jeff Keith was asked to name the artists he listened to early on that made him want to get on stage and be a singer in a band. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, my first concert was 'Day On The Green' number three at the Oakland Coliseum in 1978. I was 19 years old. [I] got up there. VAN HALEN opened the show; that was great. But AC/DC, when they took the stage, with Malcolm Young on that rhythm guitar, and Bon Scott — he got up there. It went from David Lee Roth and his cool green-and-white-striped bell-bottom pants and Eddie Van Halen had his matching overalls with his guitar, and that was great. But when Bon Scott took that stage in jeans and tennis shoes and rocked that mic, that has to be my ultimately biggest inspiration. And then, of course, it was Pat Travers, FOREIGNER and AEROSMITH headlined. So, Steven Tyler is one of my biggest inspirations. But I would have to say my biggest is Bon Scott… [I] got to see Bon Scott, and that guy, the way he just — it wasn't a cordless mic. He just had that microphone, and he went up there in jeans and tennis shoes, no shirt, and just rock that mic. And every night I step on stage, I just go, 'Bon Scott.'"

As previously reported, TESLA will return to the House Of Blues inside Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino Las Vegas in 2024 with their "Tesla: The Las Vegas Takeover". Shows will be held on April 5, 6, 10, 12 and 13, 2024, and are scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m.

In August 2022, TESLA released a standalone single, "Time To Rock!" A year earlier, the band issued another new track called "Cold Blue Steel".

In September 2023, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song is a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived in May 2023. The LP includes the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In September 2021, TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta announced that he would "take a little time from the road" to spend with family and friends. He has since been replaced at TESLA's gigs by Steve Brown, the younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer Mick Brown.

TESLA's debut album, 1986's "Mechanical Resonance", went platinum on the strength of the hits "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi". The 1989 follow-up album, "The Great Radio Controversy", produced five hits, including "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" and "Love Song", which hit the pop Top Ten.

1978 day on the green festival. Bon Scott. @acdc stopped by to say hello we had met a few times before being on the same...

Posted by Sammy Hagar (The Red Rocker) on Friday, January 5, 2024

Sci-Fi alt-metallers, Sick N' Beautiful, are set to make a triumphant comeback with their latest single, "My Wounds" out today via Frontiers Records. The band's new single, accompanied by an electrifying video, coincides with the start of an extensive European tour, igniting the stage alongside Cradle Of Filth and Wednesday 13.


Lead singer Herma, distinguished by her striking green dreadlocks, shares her anticipation for the upcoming tour, declaring, "The buzz surrounding this tour is beyond measure! With a multitude of cities lined up and sharing the spotlight with two legendary metal acts, it's no wonder that tickets are flying off the shelves! Snatch yours before it's too late!"


"My Wounds" serves as a prelude to Sick N' Beautiful's impending album, Horror Vacui. Drummer Evey sheds light on the album's title, explaining, "Derived from an ancient Latin expression signifying 'fear of emptiness' or 'fear of the void,' it aptly encapsulates the darker trajectory our sound and live performances have embarked upon. Audiences can anticipate a palpable transformation across both auditory and visual realms."







Remaining steadfast in its DIY guerrilla ethos, Sick N' Beautiful continues to take charge of all facets internally. Enigmatic guitarist Nemes asserts, "We're staunch advocates of keeping operations in-house. Herma oversees costume design, directs our videos, and conceptualizes all visual elements for the band - including our merchandise! Our music production is a collaborative endeavor, meticulously crafted with the live experience in mind. We answer to only our loyal fans and the voices resonating within!"


Catch Sick N' Beautiful live this winter in shows throughout Europe with Cradle Of Filth and Wednesday 13.

Ravage, the traditional heavy metal rockers from Boston, Massachusetts, have released an animated lyric video for the title track of the band's forthcoming album, Spider On The World. The video features the cover artwork by Andreas Marschall with additional art and animation by Alicides Burn.


Regarding the new video vocalist Al Ravage commented: "We decided to try something different with this latest promotional video. We put things in the hands of graphic artist Alcides Burn and he came up with something pretty cool as he integrated the cover art with some animated elements of his own devising. The song is also a little different for us, as it melds thrash metal with melodic heavy metal but we experimented with some King Diamond-type falsetto scream stuff and even a touch of black metalish vocals. The production of this one is very layered as are the lyrical themes. On one level it's about a giant robot alien spider attacking the Earth but it really deals with the spread of disinformation and misinformation on the world wide web and it's effects on humanity".







The new full-length album, Spider On The World, will be released on April 19. The album will initially be available on limited edition vinyl and streaming platforms worldwide through the band's own Thrash With Power Records label.


Spider On The World is the band's first full-length offering of brand new material since The End Of Tomorrow album, which was released by Metal Blade Records in 2009.


The new record was mixed and mastered by Peter Rutcho who is known for his work with Revocation, Havok, Cellador and Danny Elfman amongst others. It features the band's signature blend of trad metal stylings which weaves together elements of melodic heavy metal, speed metal, power metal and thrash.


Cover and interior artworks for the record were created by the legendary Andreas Marschall, known for his work on classic records by Kreator, Blind Guardian, Sodom, Hammerfall and others.


A ten-track version of the record will be available for paid download and streaming while a special limited collector's edition double color vinyl will feature extended tracks, two additional vinyl-exclusive songs - "World War Four" and "Ravage Part 2: Ravage The Earth", a digital download card, and special extras like a collectible Ravage guitar pick, exclusive bumper sticker, full-color lyric book, double-sided full-color glossy poster and a post card signed by the band.


Pre-order the vinyl and digital download from the band's official site, here.





Tracklisting:


"Manmade Ice Age"
"The Call To Order"
"Sign Of The Spider"
"Ravage In Peace"
"Without A Trace"
"Amazon Burning"
"Corruption Of Blood"
"Spider On The World"
"From The Mouth Of Pain"
"Face Of Infamy"


"Ravage In Peace" video:





"Manmade Ice Age" video:





Ravage lineup:


Al Ravage - Vokills
Eli Firicano - Lead and Rhythm Guitar
Nick Izzo - Lead and Rhythm Guitar
Toni Belchior - Drums
Tommy G - Bass

Svart Records are proud to release the first official live album from cult death doom band, Winter.


In August and September of 2012, Winter participated in the "Power Of The Riff East/West" series of concerts held in California and New York. After first playing the West Coast shows with bands like Pelican and Noothgrush among others, Winter returned to their hometown New York on September 2 and played a show in Brooklyn's Warsaw with their best line-up; Stephen Flam/guitar, John Alman/bass and vocals, Jim Jackson/drums and original keyboardist Tony Pinnisi, who played with the band first time since recording Into Darkness LP in 1989.


The rare appearance of this performance in Brooklyn, featuring all their classic tunes like "Servants Of The Warsmen", "Power And Might", "Destiny, Eternal Frost" etc. was recorded, and is now presented here for all their fans. This isn't any cheap nostalgia driven reunion cash out, but a real and raw deal. RISE!




Winter - Live In Brooklyn NY vinyl, CD and t-shirts out April 19. Pre-order via the following links:


- Winter - Live In Brooklyn, NY (LP+Bag) (Svart exclusive! Limited clear/black smoke vinyl, insert. Comes with a totebag)
- Winter - Live In Brooklyn NY LP (Natural clear vinyl, insert. Limited to 500 copies)
- Winter - Live In Brooklyn NY CD (Also available on fashionable CD-edition)
- Winter - Live In Brooklyn NY T-Shirt (Limited edition of Winter - Live in Brooklyn NY tees available now - one-sided)





Tracklisting:


"Oppression Freedom Oppression" (Reprise)
"Servants Of The Warsmen"
"Goden"
"Power And Might"
"Destiny"
"Eternal Frost"
"Into Darkness"

Internationally acclaimed heavy metallers, Sabaton, are gearing up for an epic celebration as they approach their 25-year milestone in the music industry.


Founded in Falun, Sweden, in 1999, Sabaton's journey has been nothing short of legendary. Their music industry adventures have been fuelled by powerful anthems, 10 studio albums, passionate historical storytelling, and explosive international shows and tours, not to mention out-of-the-box initiatives and projects, all of which wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of their dedicated fan base across the globe.


To mark this momentous milestone, Sabaton have embarked on a year-long celebration. Fans around the world can look forward to a series of celebratory events and an abundance of surprises.




The band has shared a look back on the making of their second album, Attero Dominatus:





"Attero Dominatus marked the commencement of Sabaton’s second chapter, standing proudly as the sister album to Primo Victoria. As a band, we wholeheartedly recognise its significance, viewing it as equally impactful as our debut. We are aware many of our listeners have a strong, personal connection to it and for that we are beyond humbled and grateful.


Let’s dive into the details. To kick things off, here’s a story about the making of Attero Dominatus. 


When we were about to record this album, we found ourselves in a race against time as we were gearing up for our first ever European tour alongside DragonForce and Edguy – an adventure that left an indelible mark on us. The clock was ticking, and we were under immense pressure. With just three weeks at our disposal, we jumped straight into recording, mixing and mastering the album, surviving on minimal sleep. The culmination? We wrapped up the master tapes a mere 60-minutes before rushing to catch our flight for the tour, while simultaneously patching up Pär after he was assaulted in the studio by someone who wanted to steal all of our gear. It was a huge challenge, pushing our capabilities to the brink and beyond. Yet, amidst the chaos, there was an undeniable thrill. Our determination to craft a successor worthy of “Primo Victoria” drove us to exceed our own expectations.


This experience revealed our untapped potential, transforming into a blessing in disguise. Attero Dominatus emerged as one of Sabaton’s most cherished and revered albums. We believe it holds something distinct, though pinpointing exactly what, remains a delightful mystery.


Attero Dominatus was the very first album that featured our ex-keyboardist and good friend, Daniel Mÿhr. He was beyond excited to start this heavy metal journey with us and enter the studio. Daniel’s experience, however, brought forth an unforeseen hatred for tape recorders.


His parts were to be recorded on an ADAT tape recorder. As the studio sessions were coming to an end, a disheartening revelation surfaced – the tape recorder had malfunctioned. The synth-choir recordings Daniel had meticulously crafted now resembled a flock of sheep on drugs. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to jump back into the studio before the deadline, which was just a couple of days away. The more than capable Joakim stepped in to save the day and recorded all the keys once more, and the only track of Daniel’s that was salvageable was the background synth for 'In The Name Of God'.


Needless to say, we never used tape recorders again…"


Read the complete story here.

Blacktop Mojo has released the official music video for "Red Enough", the first single from their fifth studio album Pollen, due out April 5, 2024. The song is available to stream / download now at this location.





The cover art for Pollen can be seen below. Pre-orders can be placed here.







In live news, Clutch have announced their upcoming New World Samurai Tour 2024, with support from Blacktop Mojo and The Native Howl. The trek kicks off on April 26 in Richmond, VA, and concludes on May 19 in Columbus, OH.


Dates and a video trailer can be found below.





April
26 - Richmond, VA - The National
27 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen
29 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theatre


May
1 - Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep
2 - Estes Park, CO - Stanley Hotel
3 - Estes Park, CO - Stanley Hotel
4 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
5 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater
7 - Lubbock, TX - The Garden
9 - Pelham, TN - The Caverns
10 - Columbia, SC - The Senate
11 - Daytona, FL - Welcome To Rockville
12 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
14 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
15 - Fayetteville, AR - JJ's Live
17 - Sioux City, IA - Anthem at Hard Rock
18 - Belvidere - IL - The Apollo Theatre
19 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple





 

All-Canadian rock band Toque, featuring Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz - both of whom play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators - along with Cory Churko (Shania Twain) and Shane Gaalaas (Michael Schneker Group) have been struck by Cupid's arrow. 


"Hey kids! We have a Valentine's Day gift for you this Wednesday. We're releasing a 3 song live compilation, Meanwhile Back In Winnipeg... Live, complete with videos on our YouTube channel. The songs will be available anywhere you stream music. Happy Valentine's Day."







Toque recorded Meanwhile Back In Winnipeg... Live on November 5, 2022 at Club Regent in Winnipeg, Manitoba.


Tracklisting:


"Can't Stop It"
"Action" feat. Jeff Neill of Streetheart
"What Kind Of Love Is This" feat. Jeff Neill of Streetheart


Streetheart guitarist Jeff Neill commented, "Always an honour and an inspiration to play some tunes with you gents! Thank you so much for inviting me to join you on this tune and hey, how about those amazing Winnipeg, MB fans! Canada Rocks."





In December 2023, Toque released a video for their new original song called "Forever In A Day":





Catch Toque live in concert at the following shows across Canada:


June
28 - Vernon, BC - Funtastic Slo Pitch / A&W Music Festival
30 - Dauphin, MB - Dauphin's Countryfest


July
27 - Taber, AB - Cornstock '24


For further detais, visit Toque on Facebook.


 

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, TOOL bassist Justin Chancellor said that fans won't have to wait another 13 years to hear a new studio album from him and his bandmates, referencing the gap between 2006's "10,000 Days" and 2019's "Fear Inoculum".

"Danny [Carey, TOOL drummer] is 62 now, so there's no thought of taking 13 years if we're gonna do it," he explained. "We're gonna have to be more efficient, and we've been talking of ways that we can do that. Maybe taking a leaf out of how me and Peter [Mohamed, Justin's bandmate in side project MTVOID] work with MTVOID — instead of staring at each other going 'Come on! Get it out of ya!' maybe we could do a bit more at home. We'll see!"

Chancellor added that he and the rest of TOOL have begun working on music for a possible new LP. "We put a little work in before this tour," he said. "We gave it a stab for a couple of months. We ended up compiling all the ideas we had; normally when we do that we start writing pretty soon after, but we had a lot of stuff coming up, so we didn't dive all the way in. When we're done with Europe, we're gonna dive back in during the second half of the year."

In a recent interview with Revolver magazine, Chancellor and Carey talked about a possible follow-up to "Fear Inoculum". Addressing the fact that "Fear Inoculum" marked the band's first full-length effort in 13 years, due to creative, personal, and legal issues bandmembers encountered since the release of "10,000 Days", Justin said: "It'll be different this time. Everyone's life is different, and everyone's expectations are different. Time is precious now, so you try and look for ways to be more efficient with the process. We've had a lot of discussion about that and how we can bring a new record to fruition in a slightly different way."

Speaking about the TOOL songwriting process, Danny said: "Our filter system is pretty intense. If it gets by the four of us in the band, then we figure it's going to work. It's a really painstaking process that we go through to finish [an album], and get it where we are all completely convinced. It pays off in the long run because we never really get tired of performing our songs. It gives rise to a vehicle that we can all believe in."

As for a possible musical direction for TOOL's next LP, Carey said: "Who knows? It could flip-flop and we could just go back to doing an 'Undertow' [type of] record" of shorter songs. "That's kind of appealing to me. I always like change, whatever direction it goes."

Another possibility is a new EP rather a full-length release. The songwriting process has already begun, according to Carey, and "it's going well so far."

"We're free agents now," he added. "We aren't signed to a label anymore. We are free to do whatever we want."

Quite possibly the era's most highly anticipated album, "Fear Inoculum" arrived in August of 2019. Debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200, the album earned heaps of critical praise with NPR saying, "'Fear Inoculum' was worth the 13-year wait," Revolver proclaiming the album "a masterpiece to be dissected for years to come" and Consequence saying the release finds "TOOL in peak performance."

In 2022, TOOL released "Opiate2", a re-imagined and extended version of the 1992 EP's title track and an accompanying short film, marking the band's first new video in 15 years. The band also unveiled the first incarnation of "Fear Inoculum" vinyl, dubbed the Ultra Deluxe edition, the limited offering included five 180-gram vinyl discs emblazoned with a unique etching and accompanied by an elaborate pictorial booklet including never-before-seen artwork.

TOOL formed in 1990, releasing five studio albums: "Undertow" (1993),"Ænima" (1996),"Lateralus" (2001),"10,000 Days" (2006) and "Fear Inoculum" (2019); two EPs: "72826" (1991) and "Opiate" (1992),and the limited-edition boxset "Salival" (2000). The band has won four Grammy Awards: "Best Metal Performance" (1998, "Ænima"),"Best Metal Performance" (2002, "Schism"),"Best Recording Package" (2007, "10,000 Days") and "Best Metal Performance" (2020, "7empest").

TOOL is Danny Carey (drums),Justin Chancellor (bass),Adam Jones (guitar) and Maynard James Keenan (vocals).

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

In a brand new interview with Metal Pilgrim, British heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley, who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his joining IRON MAIDEN, spoke about what it's like for him to still perform songs he wrote with the band such a long time ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's very gratifying. And what is really nice, my voice is different now, and to bring those lyrics to life, now they have a slightly different meaning. And I can deliver those lyrics and put those lyrics over in a different way to when I was younger. So, as an older, more experienced man, I can tell the story within those lyrics and those songs a lot better than I could when we were recording in the studio, and even on the tours, because my voice has changed, I've learned so much more. And it's the anniversary of joining IRON MAIDEN, not of leaving, so it's a celebration of something good that happened."

He continued: "I played huge concerts and recorded albums and had big success with 'Man On The Edge' all over the world. But the thing that really stayed with me that I'm most grateful for is what I learned about composing and writing when I was working with the [MAIDEN] guys. So there's a line there that you can draw and go, 'You know what?' After I worked and wrote with Steve Harris and Janick Gers and Dave Murray and Nicko [McBrain], you can see, yeah, there's a different way of writing.

"In IRON MAIDEN, I learned to take the luck out of it," he explained. "A lot of times it was, 'Oh, great. Oh, this song is good. Oh, that didn't work.' To go, 'Ah, that doesn't work because it doesn't do this.' Or it's something you should just put down right now and not waste energy on. Try another idea. 'Ah, that flows.' 'Okay, we can work on this.' And 'it should do this, it should do this.' So, that was the thing. And if you listen to [my new solo album] 'Circle Of Stone', and you listen to 'The X Factor' and 'Virtual XI', you can see there's some relationship between them that is, it's just there as something I've come from. 'Circle Of Stone' is all my own work, I'm not trying to copy anything, but inside me is the experience of making 'The X Factor' and 'Virtual XI', that's in me and that's been taken forward. And I feel differently now.

"So it's really fun for us to do these old songs," Blaze added. "And they are old. And it's like seeing an old friend; it's just like seeing an old friend with new clothes. And what we do is a different arrangement. We're not trying to do the record' we're not a tribute band. What we're doing is, okay, you come and see Blaze Bayley, this is the way that we do it, and it's slightly different. Nobody ever says to us, 'Oh, it was terrible, your arrangements.' They might say, 'Oh, I think that drum's a bit different. That's the way we choose to do it. And one of the things that we do is we put in the harmonies in places I feel there's really could, should have been harmonies. And on my new live album, 'Damaged Strange Different And Live', part of it is, I think, three or four MAIDEN songs, where they're my versions, and they're live versions of those old songs where we put bits in and take little bits out. And if you listen to it, it's the Blaze Bayley version, but it's still a song that we did with IRON MAIDEN."

The 60-year-old Bayley fronted IRON MAIDEN from 1994 until 1999. The two MAIDEN albums he appeared on, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN in 1999, Bayley has released a number of albums, including several under the moniker BLAZE and more than a handful under his own name. He also appeared on 2012's "Wolfsbane Saves The World", the first album of new material by WOLFSBANE since the group's self-titled 1994 effort, and a follow-up LP, 2022's "Genius".

Blaze's latest studio album, "War Within Me", came out in April 2021. The LP was recorded during 2020 with work split between Blaze's studio at home in the West Midlands and Christopher Appleton's studio in Greater Manchester.

Nearly a year ago, Blaze underwent a quadruple bypass surgery following a heart attack.

Bayley will release his new solo album, the aforementioned "Circle Of Stone", on February 23.

In a recent interview with Tony Webster of The Metal Command, Blaze spoke about some fans' initial reluctance to embrace his era of MAIDEN. When Webster noted that Blaze's solo work over the last two decades has gone a long way toward "changing the narrative" of his time with MAIDEN, Bayley said: "Yeah, I think you're right, Tony. I'm hearing this a lot. People look back and they go… Some fans go, 'Of course I've got every IRON MAIDEN album, but the ones I haven't listened to are [Blaze-era albums] 'The X Factor' and 'Virtual XI'. And now that's all I can listen to that I haven't listened to a hundred times. I have to listen to those. And it's exactly what you say to me.

"'The X Factor''s got some incredible music on it, but the sound of it is so dark, and the way it was produced, it's not accessible like some of the other MAIDEN albums," Blaze explained. "You've gotta live with that for quite a few spins until you're tuned into what things are doing. Then you can get to the music. I think that was maybe a problem with it at the time. It's so dark and the sounds of things were quite different to what came before. People who did live with it, managed to find it. And it's different cultures as well, different countries. In Sweden and Spain, those albums, people loved them as much as every other [MAIDEN] album. But in other places, people didn't. It's a different thing.

"For me, I do now [shows celebrating] my 30th anniversary and that's an anniversary of joining MAIDEN. It's a great time for me. But what I take away most isn't I play big stadiums or all of that around the world. What I take away most is, working with the guys in [MAIDEN], writing songs with the guys and what I learned from their experience — they were so generous — and I found, working in the studio and writing, another part of my voice I didn't even know I had. So, now I'm able to express the lyric and the melody and get the emotion and the passion and the specific feelings from that lyric, from that song. I'm able to get my voice and use my voice in a way I could never do before. And that's because of everything I learned in IRON MAIDEN. And even though I've been in a wasteland, and I've been underground for a long, long time, I've kept singing and my voice has developed. And now I think my voice is the best it's ever been. I have more control over my voice. I'm able to do more things that help me tell my listener a story than I've ever done before. And that goes back to those five years. That's all it was out of my career of 40 years — five years with IRON MAIDEN, and I learned so much that I've gradually been able to build up. And now with [my upcoming album] 'Circle Of Stone', I'm so proud. The things I've done on this, I haven't been able to do before. And I'm so proud of it."

The Igor Miranda YouTube channel has uploaded video of Phil Demmel's final concert with VIO-LENCE, which took place last night (Sunday, February 11) at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil. The gig also marked the last show of VIO-LENCE's Latin American tour with EXHORDER.

The 56-year-old guitarist, who co-founded the acclaimed San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal outfit in 1985, addressed his future with the resurrected group in a video message he shared to his social media on February 5. Just hours after it was revealed that Demmel is one of the musicians in Kerry King's (SLAYER) solo project, Phil told his 55,000 Instagram followers: "I am announcing that this Sunday will be my last show with VIO-LENCE.

"The timing is weird, I know, and it doesn't really coincide with the Kerry thing," he clarified. "It's not that, 'Oh, that got announced, so now I'm quitting this, stopping this,' whatever you wanna [call it], retiring from, whatever. It's been, I guess, in the works for a bit. My status has been undefined for a while. I'm kind of doing things that I felt comfortable or fell into my schedule or whatever. But given just the latest state of the band and where I feel I belong with it or feel tied to it, I just think that my time is at an end."

Demmel continued: "I'll always identify with the band. Me and [drummer] Perry [Strickland] started this band in high school. It's cool to be going to places that we haven't been.

"I'm feeling that [VIO-LENCE singer] Sean [Killian] is… We've gone far on different pages. I guess we've always been on different pages. But I don't feel like I fit in with what the objective of this is anymore. And in light of some current events [laughs], I felt compelled to make the break."

Phil went on to say that he "thought about maybe doing a home show" with VIO-LENCE as a way of "saying goodbye," but ultimately concluded that "I don't feel like I need that. I feel like playing those [comeback shows in Oakland in April 2019] with Perry and Deen [Dell, bass] and Ray [Vegas, guitar] and having those two magical days and doing some other stuff that we've done, writing the five songs, doing the EP, I feel fulfilled," he said. "And anything further kind of feels forced. Actually, before this [Latin American] tour [kicked off], I honestly didn't wanna come. [But] I was committed to it. I wasn't gonna back out. I'm committed to the dudes. But I think I'm done. I think that I've done what I wanted to do with this band."

Demmel added: "June 1st, 1985 to February, what will be 11th, 2024. 39, almost 40 years. So, never say never again. Try not to say that. Sometimes you do. It's been life defining, it's been a pleasure, it's been an honor being Phil from VIO-LENCE."

This past December, it was announced that VIO-LENCE will return to the stage in April 2024 for a special eight-date headlining tour during which they will perform their classic 1988 debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", in its entirety. The trek runs from April 5 in Cambridge, Massachusetts through April 13 in Chicago, Illinois. Support at the dates will come from EXHORDER, DECEASED and MORTAL WOUND.

At some of VIO-LENCE's recent shows, the band's touring lineup consisted of classic-era vocalist Killian alongside more recent additions, drummer Adrian Aguilar (EXMORTUS),guitarist Miles Dimitri Baker (VOIDBRINGER, INTERLOPER, ex-RINGS OF SATURN),bassist Christian Olde Wolbers and guitarist Ira Black (VICIOUS RUMORS, HEATHEN, METAL CHURCH). Notably, those dates featured only Killian from the VIO-LENCE lineup that played its first comeback gig in April 2019 at the Oakland Metro in Oakland, California.

VIO-LENCE played the São Paulo concert as a four-piece after an alleged altercation between Black and Olde Wolbers resulted in Ira being sent home from the tour a few days early. It is not presently clear if Black will continue playing with VIO-LENCE.

VIO-LENCE played its first show with Aguilar in February 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Aguilar joined VIO-LENCE following the departure of Strickland.

A year ago, Demmel addressed VIO-LENCE's future in an Instagram Live video, saying it was "kind of weird playing these shows" with "a bunch of fill-ins and me and Sean." He added that while Adrian is "awesome" and the Whisky gig "was packed", he is "just kind of really torn right now in the sense of what VIO-LENCE is and what it's gonna be and what my role is gonna be in that and how I feel about that." Demmel went on to say that he told Killian he "wanted to shut [VIO-LENCE] down," but then he realized "that to ask that of those dudes to not do it anymore is selfish on my part."

In March 2022, VIO-LENCE released a new EP, "Let The World Burn", via Metal Blade Records. The five-song collection, VIO-LENCE's first original release since 1993's "Nothing To Gain", was tracked at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS),mixed by Tue Madsen (DARK TRANQUILLITY, HEAVEN SHALL BURN) and mastered by Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEATH ANGEL).

Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and delivered "Let The World Burn", showcasing their first new material in 29 years.

VIO-LENCE's recording lineup on "Let The World Burn" consisted of Demmel, Killian and Strickland along with Olde Wolbers and guitarist Bobby Gustafson (ex-OVERKILL).

VIO-LENCE reunited soon after Demmel left MACHINE HEAD in late 2018.

Demmel was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).

VIO-LENCE played its first show with Black in August 2022 at the Brutal Assault festival in Jaromer, Czech Republic.

Black, who grew up in the Bay Area and previously played with VICIOUS RUMORS, HEATHEN and METAL CHURCH, filled in for Demmel, who was on the road at the time with LAMB OF GOD as the temporary replacement for Willie Adler.

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in the band's reunion.

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This past Saturday (February 10),it was announced that FOREIGNER is among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2024.

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

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

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

In a statement, Jones, founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist of FOREIGNER, said: "I deeply appreciate the recognition from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame committee. It is wonderful that FOREIGNER has maintained its presence all these years and brought the music to our fans. Getting this news is an incredible endorsement of what we have achieved over time. I know I speak for my fellow FOREIGNER nominees, Lou, Rick, Al, Dennis and the families of Ed Gagliardi and Ian McDonald."

FOREIGNER manager and former Atlantic Records executive vice president Phil Carson added: "Under the overall leadership of John Sykes, and Rick Krim's chairmanship of the nominating committee, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is fast becoming a more relevant, inclusive and vibrant place. I am thrilled that the committee has selected FOREIGNER as a nominee for the 2024 induction, and I join Mick Jones and the band in expressing our deepest gratitude for this recognition of FOREIGNER's part in the rock and roll universe."

Longtime bassist Rick Wills (1979-1993) told Billboard: "We're more than thrilled; it's been over 20 years since we've been waiting for this day. I suppose we were frustrated, to be perfectly honest, but we tried to hide it as best we could because we didn't want to appear like we were sad people. [Laughs] I mean, what else could you do but what we've done already with our music and what people have appreciated and enjoyed? We didn't understand why we didn't get that recognition."

In an October 2023 interview with "Good Day Rochester", the morning news show which airs on the Rochester, New York television station 13 WHAM, Gramm addressed the fact that FOREIGNER is not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and had not even been on the ballot for consideration yet. He said: "Boy, I tell this story a lot… Mick Jones and the director of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were very close friends. Their families were close, they used to run together and have dinner with the families and see each other socially a lot. They were good friends. When we didn't get inducted with our peers, and most of the bands in the area that we were successful in had all gotten into the Hall Of Fame, Mick and our manager went to see… The guy who is the head of the Hall Of Fame is also the owner of Rolling Stone magazine; I can't remember his name offhand. So they went to see — they had an appointment, and they went to see him and asked him if there was something we had done or said or something that insulted him. They couldn't understand why we weren't brought up for induction. And it started to get heated, apparently. I was not there, but this is what I heard. And it got real heated. And when our manager and Mick got up to leave, [the head of the Rock Hall] said, 'It'll be a cold day in hell before FOREIGNER gets into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' And that was about 25, 30 years ago now."

Two months earlier, current FOREIGNER singer Kelly Hansen told Houston Press about the band's exclusion from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: "As an entity, I find it unusual that a group of people can have an arbitrary standard from which they decide who is in this substantial sounding-titled Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They cite as one of their criteria as 'influence.' Well, how many people have picked up a guitar and tried to learn 'Cold As Ice' or 'Hot Blooded'? Or sing 'I Want To Know What Love Is' in a karaoke bar? This band has sold 80 million-plus records. And that's real records, not streams or downloads. That is the definition of influence."

In August 2022, Gramm was asked in an interview with Sleeve Saturday why he thinks the band has yet to get the Rock Hall nod. Gramm said: "I think it's less about whether we're qualified and I think it might be more personal now. I know that at some point when a lot of our compatriots were being nominated and accepted into it, the bands and the artists that came up when we came up that were inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame and we were left out, I believe that our manager at that time and Mick went to see the head of the Rock Hall Of Fame and had a discussion with him which led to some heated words. And as that discussion ended — I don't know who; it might have been Jann Wenner from Rolling Stone magazine, who actually was a very good friend of Mick's, I think he told Mick and our manager that it'll be a cold day in hell before FOREIGNER gets in the Rock Hall Of Fame. That's the way it ended up. And sure enough, I bet you 20 years has gone by since that."

Six years ago, Jones was asked by Tigman of the Q103 radio station in Albany if it means anything to him to get inducted into the Rock Hall. Jones responded: "Well, let's say it's not something I wrestle with or something that affects my life. Of course, it would be nice, but sometimes you wonder if it's a political thing more than a musical [thing] or [anything to do with] achievement. Because as far as achievements, we've certainly achieved a tremendous amount with the band. And we'll see. I guess someday. Who knows?"

Southern California staples ALIEN ANT FARM have released the official music video for their new song called "So Cold". The track's title is fitting after the band's musical hibernation. It calls to the fans who have been around since the beginning, with classic ALIEN ANT FARM guitar riffs leading fans into a blistering chorus. The track is taken from ALIEN ANT FARM's upcoming album, "~mAntras~", to be released April 26, 2024.

"~mAntras~" is a record that will not only challenge your preconceptions of the band, but will also firmly reassert their place in the world. The band's sixth full-length, it was shaped by personal change and growth, and it represents as close to a new beginning as a band first formed in 1996 can get. At the same time, it's not a record that dismisses and disregards the past. Far from it. A record of deep contemplation, "~mAntras~" was born out of various trials and tribulations — its songs don't just take the listener on a musical journey, but, as its title suggests, also on a personal and spiritual one.

ALIEN ANT FARM have encountered a lot of adversity since blowing up in 2001 with two iconic songs — first their own composition "Movies" and then their classic, generation-defining cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" — but none more so between the release of "Always And Forever" and this record. It's no surprise, then, that a lot of it has been captured on the 11 tracks that make up "~mAntras~". As guitarist Terry Corso puts it: "Growing up, divorce, children, family, death, band break-ups, surgeries, illness, health—everything is in this record. It's literally a product of all the fucking shit, good and bad, that we went through."

All of it, though, was channeled into crafting the most confident and self-assured album of the band's career ("The manure makes the flower grow," quips vocalist Dryden Mitchell). And despite the false start, when ALIEN ANT FARM felt they could pick things up again in terms of making new music, they did just that. What's more, they found themselves thoroughly reinvigorated and re-inspired. Older and wiser and no longer as eager to please the music industry, the band really leaned into what it meant to be themselves on this album.

"~mAntras~" track listing

01. The Wrong Things
02. Last dAntz
03. Fade
04. No. 1
05. Storms Over
06. So Cold
07. What Am I Doing
08. Prosperous Futures
09. Glasses
10. Everything She wAnts
11. ~mAntras~

"~mAntras~" comes after a nearly decade-long hiatus and finds ALIEN ANT FARM re-energized and ready to take on the world. As the band says in a joint statement: "The new album might not be for the faint of heart, but it might be for the heart broken…"

The newest installment of songs flexes moments of intricate metal, to haunting acoustic ballads that might make Ray Lamontagne shiver. The band continues: "If you're an ALIEN ANT FARM fan true and true, you won't be disappointed, and if you're just a visitor from another planet, we hope you enjoyed your extra terrestrial visit."

ALIEN ANT FARM is confirmed to perform at Welcome To Rockville 2024 with the likes of FOO FIGHTERS, EVANESCENCE, DISTURBED, SLIPKNOT, FLYLEAF and more. The band will also perform in Ashland, Kentucky on June 8 at Paramount Arts Center.

ALIEN ANT FARM formed in 1996 with the raging singer/songwriter Dryden Mitchell, guitarist Terry Corso, bassist Tye Zamora, and drummer Mike Cosgrove. All were bored with their day jobs and sought something else to break them from corporate norms. Music allowed them to freely express themselves, and a friendship was born. They independently released their quirky debut, "Greatest Hits", toward the end of the '90s and soon enough noise surrounded the band. It won the award for Best Independent Album at the 1999 L.A. Music Awards.

Two years later they made their major-label introduction with "ANThology", issued in March 2001. Debut single "Smooth Criminal" was a funky metal mix of Michael Jackson's original song, and pop kids of the "TRL" generation loved it. The song hit number one on the modern rock charts, and the album eventually went platinum. The song was recently profiled with the Los Angeles Times as it went viral again in 2022.

ALIEN ANT FARM is vocalist Dryden Mitchell, guitarist Terry M. Corso, drummer Mike Cosgrove and bassist Timmy Pee. They have released five studio albums, and have sold over five million units worldwide.

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

"Dark Matter" was helmed by Grammy Award-winning producer Andrew Watt and is PEARL JAM's first release since 2020's "Gigaton".

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

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

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

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

"Dark Matter" track listing:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Danny Clinch

MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine has shot down a rumor that Marty Friedman will join the band on stage in Argentina this spring.

MEGADETH will play three shows at the 15,000-capacity Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina in April, just days before the band's ex-guitarist is scheduled to perform a solo concert in the same city.

Last November, Mustaine said that he and his MEGADETH bandmates were "planning a really big surprise" for the first show in Buenos Aires, leading some fans to speculate that Friedman would once again perform with his former group, just as he did one two separate occasions last year. But in a new interview with Clarín, the largest newspaper in Argentina, Dave poured cold water on any hopes that Marty would play with MEGADETH again, saying (translated from Spanish): "No, that's not going to happen. He's not going to play with us. I can promise you it won't happen. Although, mind you, I love Marty and we had a great time playing together. I want to make it clear that there is nothing wrong; it just won't happen."

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

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

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

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

After MEGADETH's April 13, 2024 concert at Movistar Arena sold out in a matter of minutes, the band added another date at the same venue, scheduled for the following night, April 14. That concert sold out in two hours, according to concert promoter Ake Music Productions, leading, MEGADETH to announce that it will play a third show at Movistar Arena on April 16.

The Buenos Aires concerts will be part of the Latin American leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour. The trek will kick off in Lima, Peru on Saturday, April 6 and will include stops in Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and México.

MEGADETH's upcoming concerts in Argentina will take place 30 years after the band's first appearance in the country, which took place on December 2, 1994 at the Obras Sanitarias stadium. It was at that gig that the chant "Aguante Megadeth" was started during the song "Symphony Of Destruction", loosely translating to "MEGADETH rocks".

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

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

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

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

In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH's current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.
Argentina fans, you all have been asking and we heard you… We’re excited to announce that we will be bringing a third show from the #CrushTheWorldTour to you on April 16th. Tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10am local! https://t.co/B2L1a3NdBZpic.twitter.com/q0DO2n9r6s

— Megadeth (@Megadeth) January 24, 2024



Megadeth agrega una nueva fecha en Buenos Aires! La cita es el 16 de abril en el Movistar Arena y las entradas ya están...

Posted by En vivo en Buenos Aires on Wednesday, January 24, 2024

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Blackened master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich and METALLICA have shared two more episodes in an exclusive series of conversations titled "The Blending Sessions" in which they reveal what goes into making music and whiskey. Tune in to learn more about their creative process, shared passions and the artistry behind every sip and riff.

Blackened Whiskey is born from METALLICA's spirit of innovation, steeped in science, and honed by seasoned experts. This award-winning whiskey is a blend of the finest straight bourbon and rye whiskeys and uniquely finished and sonically enhanced in brandy casks, using the Black Noise process to extract more flavor from the wood. The original recipe was envisioned by Blackened's founding master distiller Dave Pickerell. Blackened is now crafted and propelled onward by category disruptor and master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich. The result is a magnificently balanced whiskey ideal for sipping neat, on the rocks, or enjoyed in a classic signature cocktail.

Pickerell died suddenly in November 2018 in San Francisco where he was scheduled to take part in the annual WhiskyFest event.

Dietrich also has a connection to the music industry on his resume, with experience as a concert promoter and tour manager.

"When we needed to begin searching for our next master distiller, it was a priority to find someone who could honor and continue the magic that Dave started," METALLICA said in 2019 when Dietrich's addition to the Blackened team was announced. "Rob shares a great respect for craftsmanship that Dave had and that we have for Blackened and our music."

Blackened's whiskey has won numerous accolades, including Double Gold at the SIP Awards (2021),Double Gold at the PR%F Awards (2021),Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2020),Platinum at the Ascot Awards (2021) and Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards (2022). The band's limited-edition releases, including Rye The Lightning and Blackened's Masters Of Whiskey Series: Willett, have also taken home a number of Gold and Double Gold honors.

Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, selling nearly 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 15 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents. METALLICA's catalog of multi-platinum studio albums includes "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "… And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album),"Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic", "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" and the new "72 Seasons", released April 14, 2023, on the band's own Blackened Recordings label. METALLICA's awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, a 2009 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Sweden's Polar Music Prize. In 2017, METALLICA established its charitable foundation, All Within My Hands, to give back to communities that have supported the band. To date, All Within My Hands and METALLICA have provided nearly $16 million in grants to career and technical education programs, organizations combating food insecurity, and critical local services and disaster relief efforts.

California rockers PAPA ROACH have announced that they have signed with Wasserman Music for worldwide representation (ex-Canada).

"Since the pandemic started, we really pushed ourselves and believed that we controlled our own destiny," commented PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix. "We started our own label, hired the right teams, and have found an excellent niche in social media where our music, our personalities, and our fans meet. A full-service company that understands our vision and can help us navigate this growth in the multi-media landscape is essential. Next year will bring a lot of surprises!"

PAPA ROACH joins Wasserman Music's expansive client roster, which includes Kenny Chesney, COLDPLAY, DEFTONES, Drake, Billie Eilish, IMAGINE DRAGONS, Kendrick Lamar, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, RISE AGAINST, Ed Sheeran, SUM 41, SZA, TURNSTILE, and more.

PAPA ROACH will be represented worldwide by Wasserman Music agents Corrie Martin, Geoff Meall and Anna Bewers except for Canada, where they will be represented by Jason Furman of Paquin Artists Agency.

Wasserman Music is a leading global agency representing a wide range of prominent artists across all genres for live performance, touring, brand partnerships, and beyond. Wasserman Music consists of long-term career development strategists who work with artists to expand their reach and deepen their impact with audiences around the world. Wasserman Music is a division of Wasserman.

Wasserman powers the business of sports, music, entertainment, and culture. Founded in 2002, Wasserman represents many of the world's most iconic sports and entertainment figures, music artists, brands and properties, empowering them to shape culture and captivate audiences worldwide.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Wasserman operates globally across 27 countries and more than 62 cities, including New York, London, Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Madrid, Mexico City, Toronto, Paris and Sydney.

In a recent interview with the 99.7 The Blitz radio station, Jacoby spoke about PAPA ROACH's touring and recording plans for the rest of 2024. He said: "Right now, early in the year, we've been working on a bunch of new music. And so we're essentially pulling the slingshot back. 2025 is gonna be a big year for PAPA ROACH. It's the 25th anniversary of our first album 'Infest'. We've got a book, we've got tours, we've got the whole nine. And we've got a whole new batch of music that we're going to drop. And so new music will be probably coming, like, later in the year — third or fourth quarter."

He added: "It's good to get a little calm before the storm, and so I'm taking this year and just creating tons of music, writing for PAPA ROACH, writing with other artists and really just being as creative as possible."

Last month, PAPA ROACH shared a brand new live version of their hit single "Scars" featuring a guest appearance by Chris Daughtry.

"Scars Featuring Chris Daughtry (Live)" is not only a fresh take on one of the band's biggest hits, but it also serves as the latest release on the band's latest EP, "Leave A Light (Talk Away The Dark)". The track saw its debut performed live preceded by an emotional PSA delivered by Shaddix, who pledged a donation to the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) on behalf of each city's attendees, culminating in a $155,000 donation presented in Denver, Colorado. Three months later the song sat in the top 10 at Rock radio, becoming the band's 26th song to reach that plateau.

Last year, PAPA ROACH was so impacted by the emotive response each night of the "Revolutions Live" tour and the work done by the AFSP that they have since officially re-named the song "Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)" after the organization's "Talk Away The Dark" campaign, and pledged a perpetual royalty from the song's use, to be donated directly to the AFSP to continue their mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide long after the "Revolutions Live" tour concluded.

"Scars Featuring Chris Daughtry (Live)" royalties will also be donated to the AFSP in support of their "Talk Away The Dark" campaign. This impactful initiative teaches you the warning signs for suicide, and how to have a conversation that could save a life — whether it's someone else's or your own. Help is available — talking is the first step to preventing suicide.

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music who in 2020 celebrated the 20th anniversary of their iconic album "Infest". PAPA ROACH are not unfamiliar with calling attention to mental health, and have been doing so since day 1 with the iconic release of "Last Resort". Since then, the band has gone on to create 10 studio albums, along their most recent "Ego Trip" on their own label New Noize Records. "Ego Trip" has garnered over 260 million global streams to date, and has produced three No. 1 singles, bringing the band's total to 26 career Top 10 hits and 11 career No. 1s. 23 years into their career, the band continues to have global success.

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

In a new interview with Stefan Nilsson of Roppongi Rocks, EUROPE drummer Ian Haugland spoke about the band's plans for the follow-up to 2017's "Walk The Earth" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've got a pretty busy schedule, at least for the first half of this year, doing the festival circuit up to August. And then after that, I'm not sure if there's anything booked. But we're working on new material. And the plan is to go into the studio and start recording and have a new album — well, I guess it would be early next year. And it's promising. I know Joey [Tempest, EUROPE singer] has been raving about two of the songs that him and [EUROPE keyboardist] Mick [Michaeli are] planning on writing on. And him and [EUROPE bassist] John Levén have something cooking. So the chemistry is still there. It's still going, and it's great fun."

He continued: "I can't wait to get back into the studio because in the studio that's where you reconnect as bandmembers, that's where you create the soul of the band. To go out on stage and to play the songs, that's just fun, that's just you've done the groundwork, you just go out there and you play and you have a good time. But in the studio, that's where you have the possibility to grow as a band and to develop as a band and as a musician. So, we haven't done that in a long while now, so it's about time to."

Last year, EUROPE released a new song titled "Hold Your Head Up". The track, which is described by the band as "a punchy uptempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early EUROPE," was recorded in August 2023 at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with producer Klas Åhlund (GHOST, ROBYN) and was mixed by Stefan Glaumann (RAMMSTEIN, DEF LEPPARD),who also mixed EUROPE's "Secret Society" album.

In an interview with Jorge Botas of Metal Global, Tempest was asked why he and his EUROPE bandmates decided to record and release just one song at this time. Tempest said: "We wanted to get this ready before the [fall 2023 European] tour and the [upcoming EUROPE] documentary. So we focused on this song so we could have something out together with the tour and the documentary. That's why we released one song now. But we have a handful of songs — great ideas."

He continued: "We want to record the album next year. And whether we do it in the beginning, I don't know yet, but we have some great ideas. And 'Hold Your Head Up' is just the first one, basically."

Regarding the experience of working with Åhlund this time around, Joey said: "It was a great experience. We all liked it. The whole band would like to do more stuff with him. We don't know whether he's gonna be the producer of the [upcoming EUROPE] album yet, but... No, we don't know yet. I mean, it would be an interesting idea, actually. But we haven't decided yet. But we were very happy finding him and working with him. He's very professional, and he's also listened to EUROPE when he was younger and so he knows how we think. And the procedure with him was amazing. It went really smooth, and he's a very talented, very talented man. He's a guitar player as well."

Joey also talked about the musical direction of "Hold Your Head Up", which Botas noted is a combination of the classic EUROPE sound and the band's more recent, bluesier approach. The singer said: "I think it's a good mixture in the song. We never really set out to do that. It was an idea I had, and I sent it to the guys and everybody was, like, 'Yeah, that's great. Let's do that.' So, it's a natural progression, but I think you're right. I think it's a little bit of some melodies, especially in the verses, in the end of the verses there, there's melodies that remind you of some of the earlier stuff. But maybe the chorus and the riff a little bit, it's also quite fresh and more modern, I suppose. So yeah, it's got a bit of everything, but it still sounds like EUROPE, which is really cool."

"Hold Your Head Up" was made available to stream and download on September 29, 2023 across all reputable digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora and YouTube Music.

EUROPE's twelfth studio album is expected to be recorded in late 2024 and released in early 2025.

The "Hold Your Head Up" video offers a glimpse into the brand-new documentary that the band have been busy filming with producer/director Craig Hooper (DEEP PURPLE, SAXON) for Coolhead Productions simply titled "Europe - The Movie". The film will tell the story of the band, from formation until present day, telling of their rise to success in the mid-1980s, through hard times and heartache, to coming back in the millennium, and the current successes the band has achieved. This is set for release in early 2024.

EUROPE recently completed "Time Capsule" European tour which included 21 concerts across Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K., including two nights at the famous London Palladium. These anniversary shows consisted of a career retrospective "evening with" performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favorites from all of their 11 studio albums.

"Walk The Earth" was released in October 2017 via Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). It was recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios in London with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (RIVAL SONS, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton).

The heavy metal 'n' roll, dark, madcap visionaries collectively known as Avatar — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson — are releasing three exclusive 7" single vinyl bundles via the band's web store. The three vinyl, Dance Devil Dance, Chimp Mosh Pit, and The Dirt I'm Buried In each have a B-side with exclusive content.


Purchase them at usa.avatarmetal.com.







The Dance Devil Dance vinyl will include the unreleased track "Make It Rain."


The Chimp Mosh Pit vinyl will feature the unreleased track "On the Other Side of Tonight."


The The Dirt I'm Buried In vinyl will include the bonus track "The Dirt I'm Buried In (Live in Paris)."


Neither "Make It Rain" nor "On The Other Side Of Tonight" have ever been released before! The only way for fans to listen to them will be through purchasing these extremely limited vinyls, which are bundled as a collector's item for fans!


Only 300 of each vinyl have been made, furthering their status as "must owns" for your Avatar collection. 


2024 will be quite a year for Avatar! With headline tours in Europe and Latin America announced, and festival dates in the U.S., the band is set to have a monumental start to their year. Europe already has nine sold-out shows, with many others on their way to selling out. Avatar's first headline tour in Latin America is a milestone in and of itself. The band will headline a Sonic Temple stage this May — their first headline set at a DWP Festival.


Head to avatarmetal.com for tour dates and information.


(Photo - Johan Carlén)