In a recent interview with Brazil's A Rádio Rock, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson spoke about the inspiration for his upcoming solo album "The Mandrake Project", which will be released on March 1 via BMG. Bruce and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy "Z" Ramirez recorded the LP largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's last solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

Bruce said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[In] 2014, I was gonna do a solo album, follow-up to 'Tyranny Of Souls'. And it was gonna be called 'If Eternity Should Fail'. And the title track I wrote, we did a demo of it, which is actually on the ['Afterglow Of Ragnarok'] single. I actually put the demo of 'If Eternity Should Fail' on the single, on the flip side of the single, so people could see, with the main track, how it evolved from the demo, from the beginning to the MAIDEN version. And because it ended up on [MAIDEN's 2015 album] 'The Book Of Souls', I went, 'Hmm, oh, well. Maybe I won't use it as the title track,' something else. But in any case, I had some other tracks we were working on, with Roy. So then, at the end of 2015, I got diagnosed with throat cancer. So that was a year before I could do anything. And the first thing I had to do was go and go tour with IRON MAIDEN to make up for the time we had lost. So that was 2017. And then I went, 'You know what? Let's go back to America. And, oh, COVID.' And that was three years of not being allowed to go into America. So it was five years —more than five years. I lost seven years of my life [laughs] during that. So in the meantime, the idea of the graphic novel… It was originally just gonna be one comic to do with the album, but the story had grown and changed, and so it became this 12-episode monster. And I was running ideas past a guy called Kurt Sutter, who wrote 'Sons Of Anarchy' and 'The Shield' and stuff. He's an amazing Hollywood writer…. 'Sons Of Anarchy' was the inspiration for the four bikers of the apocalypse in the video [for IRON MAIDEN's] 'The Writing On The Wall'. I wrote the script for that and was very involved in the production, and whilst I was doing it, I was Zooming with Kurt and I ran the idea of 'The Mandrake Project' past him. It wasn't called 'The Mandrake Project' then. We were doing this album and I had no idea what it was gonna be called. And I had this story, and I didn't know what to call the story. And I actually have no idea how I came up with 'The Mandrake Project'. Somewhere I have a piece of paper, and it's got some absolutely ridiculous ideas for the album title. I'm writing them down, 'What about calling it this? What about calling it this?', and just look at them all and go, 'Which one feels right?' And none of them felt right. And then… 'Mandrake' is such a great word. And, actually, has anybody done something [using the word] 'Mandrake'? The answer is no. I was amazed. There was a DEEP PURPLE song, 'Mandrake Root'. There's a French comic called Mandrake The Magician. And there was something called The Mandrake Project, but it was like a one-off drum-and-bass thing. And I thought, 'Well, that's not gonna be an issue.' So, 'The Mandrake Project'. I thought, 'That sounds really cool.' So I thought, 'Well, I could call the album and the comic 'The Mandrake Project'.' Because I had the story, but now calling it 'The Mandrake Project' — brilliant, now I can put that in there. So that's how it evolved — piece by piece by piece."

Dickinson went on to say that "The Mandrake Project" ended up being "like a continuation of what we had in 2014. Some of the songs were really quite fully formed," he explained. "I mean, 'Shadow Of The Gods' was basically finished almost. 'Sonata (Immortal Beloved)', the last track on the record, that is over 20 years old. And I'd even forgotten we'd done it. And it was just a demo. And one evening, Roy was playing me like a jam he'd done. He'd seen the movie 'Immortal Beloved', with Gary Oldman, about Beethoven, and he goes, 'You know what? I'm going to get a little tape loop of [Beethoven's] 'Moonlight' sonata and just play around with it and put some keyboards and put some guitars and make a little kind of ambient vibe.' And he played it to me and said, 'What do you think about this?' And I went, 'Oh, it sounds really trippy. I don't know what I'd sing over that. Let me have a go.' So I went in. I had no words, I had no melody, I had no idea what I was gonna sing. And I sang 80 percent of that song — made it up on the spot. Lyrics, spoken word — everything. I was just free associating. And we went, 'Oh, that's cool.' And I forgot about it. And then Z gave me some stuff. He said, 'I've got a load of demos here. I found a few more.' And that was on there. So Leana, my wife, heard it. She went, 'What's that?' I went, 'Well, it's just a demo we did.' She goes, 'It's amazing!' I went, 'Really?' I said, 'Don't you think it's a little bit trippy on there?' She goes, 'No! It's fantastic! You've gotta have that on the record.' So, I went, 'Okay. All right.' So we had to do a little bit of repair — there was no second verse. Because I sang the first verse and I was so, like, 'Wow, that sounds great. Oh, there's a chorus! I sang the chorus. God, that sounds brilliant.' And then the second verse continued. I was, like, 'Oh no. What do I say now? Oh, there's a chorus coming up. Hey.' And then I was back in the groove. So we had to create the second verse, and we had to do a couple of little fix-ups. But by and large, 80% of that take is the first take and the only take, with nothing written down at all. In fact, I had to listen to the song to write what the lyrics were. I didn't have them written down anywhere. It was just there."

Last month, Bruce told Brazil's Omelete about the lyrical concept for "The Mandrake Project": "So 'The Mandrake Project' is, one, is an album. It's the name of the album. The comic is a 12-episode graphic novel, kind of adult. There's lots of stuff in it — there's lots of sex and drugs and violence and all kinds of stuff. But it's basically a story about a guy who is looking for his identity, Dr. Necropolis. He's an orphan, he's a genius, and he hates it, and he hates life, but he's involved in The Mandrake Project. And The Mandrake Project aims to take the human soul at the point of death, capture it, store it and put it back in something else. And the guy that's running the project, Professor Lazarus, he has one vision of what's gonna happen with this technology, and Necropolis has other ideas. And on we go with the story."

Asked how he came up with the idea to mash together music and comics, Bruce said: "Well, I think they do kind of go together. They really do. Music and games, music and comics, comics and games, they're all related."

He continued: "Years ago, IRON MAIDEN, we were doing some cover art, and I said, 'Why don't we do a comic?', like the comics that I used to read when I was a kid… When I suggested doing some covers, comic covers, we did some single artwork for IRON MAIDEN, and I thought, 'You know what? This is kind of cool.' Then later, MAIDEN had a video game called 'Legacy Of The Beast'; we still do. But what came with a video game, somebody produced a series of comics. And I thought they looked fantastic, but they lacked a story. And that got me thinking, what if you had an album that had a story that could be turned into a comic and the two things would work together? As it happened, they've actually grown apart. So, the [original] album, in 2014, was gonna be one comic with the album — that's it. Then, COVID happened, other things happened, seven years went by, and I had a 12-episode graphic novel. And I went, 'I don't wanna restrict the album to being like a script for this.' These two things exist separately, but they inform each other. So you can look at the album and go, 'Oh, yeah, that's kind of related to the comic.' And you look at the comic and go, 'Oh, I see that might be a little bit related to the album,' but they're not dependent on each other. So you can buy the comic or you can buy the album — or both."

On November 30, 2023, Dickinson unveiled the dramatic, action-packed video for "Afterglow Of Ragnarok", the first single to be taken from "The Mandrake Project". In front of a packed audience on the opening day of CCXP23, Brazil's huge Comic-Con event in São Paulo, the IRON MAIDEN frontman premiered the spectacular film and revealed further details about the album and forthcoming comic series in partnership with Z2, including releasing 2,000 CCXP-exclusive versions of the comic to the delight of the international comic community.

"The Mandrake Project" track listing:

01. Afterglow Of Ragnarok (05:45)
02. Many Doors To Hell (04:48)
03. Rain On The Graves (05:05)
04. Resurrection Men (06:24)
05. Fingers In The Wounds (03:39)
06. Eternity Has Failed (06:59)
07. Mistress Of Mercy (05:08)
08. Face In The Mirror (04:08)
09. Shadow Of The Gods (07:02)
10. Sonata (Immortal Beloved) (09:51)

Bruce has previously described lead single "Afterglow Of Ragnarok" as "a heavy song and there's a great big riff driving it… but there's also a real melody in the chorus that displays the light and shade that the rest of the album brings."

Directed by award-winning director Ryan Mackfall, written by Dickinson and acclaimed British writer Tony Lee (whose lengthy credits include "2000AD", DC and Marvel ranging from "Dr. Who" and "Star Trek" to "Spider Man" and "X-Men"),the film unveils Dr. Necropolis, the main protagonist at the heart of "The Mandrake Project". It also sets the scene for the story to come, reflecting the dark narrative contained in the eight-page comic book prequel which features in the seven-inch gatefold vinyl release of the single.

Ryan Mackfall comments: "Many years before I was a director, I have fond memories of various music videos that spoke to me and one of those was 'Can I Play With Madness' by IRON MAIDEN. For me it defined what a music video is. Little did I know, many years later I'd be on a call with one of the stars of that video, Mr. Bruce Dickinson, discussing ideas for a music video. Bruce has felt like a kindred spirit from that moment and it was therefore only right that we attempted to bring the story of 'Afterglow Of Ragnarok' to life in a live action form. Naturally the music is a big part of the engine of the music video and this track was a heavy hitter from the first play. But beyond that I firmly believe it's also the passion of the artist that defines the results — Bruce's passion is unmatched. I really hope the fans find themselves taking Necropolis' journey with the mandrake juice time and time again. This is just the start of something very special!"

"The Mandrake Project" is not just an album, but a dark, adult story of power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius. Created by Bruce Dickinson, the comic series is scripted by Tony Lee and stunningly illustrated by Staz Johnson for Z2 Comics, released as 12 quarterly issues that will be collected into three annual graphic novels. The first episode will be released in comic shops on January 17, 2024.

Bruce Dickinson and his phenomenal band will bring the music of "The Mandrake Project" to life with a major headline tour next spring and summer.

Bruce's touring band features guitarist Roy Z, drummer Dave Moreno, bass player Tanya O'Callaghan and keyboard maestro Mistheria.

"The Mandrake Project" will be Dickinson's seventh solo album and his first since "Tyranny Of Souls" in 2005. It will be released via BMG worldwide on multiple formats.

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.

Who needs candy or flowers, when you can give the gift of music to your better half with a red-hot limited-edition vinyl from FOREIGNER. The band continues its epic two-year farewell tour with Las Vegas residences at The Venetian Hotel, a run of Canadian shows, and this summer, co-headlining the "Renegades & Juke Box Heroes" tour with STYX and special guest John Waite. Now, FOREIGNER announces "Farewell - The Very Best Of Foreigner (Hot Blooded Edition)", a very special limited-edition album, available exclusively at tour stops and online in time for Valentine's Day at this location.

A must-have collector's album, this limited-edition striking red vinyl features FOREIGNER's greatest hits produced by Mick Jones with Jeff Pilson. Tracks include FOREIGNER's most beloved hits, such as "Hot Blooded", "Cold As Ice", "Urgent", "Double Vision" and the worldwide No. 1 hit "I Want To Know What Love Is", among many more. Only 5,000 individually numbered albums are available, and with many tour dates already selling out, these albums are sure to go quickly.

Mick Jones continues to elevate FOREIGNER's influence and guide the band to new horizons with his stylistic songwriting, indelible guitar hooks and multi-layered talents. Lead singer Kelly Hansen, one of rock's greatest showmen, has led FOREIGNER into the digital age, inspiring a whole new generation of fans. Bassist Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, guitarist Bruce Watson, Chris Frazier on drums, and guitarist Luis Maldonado provide an unprecedented level of energy that has resulted in the re-emergence of the astounding music that speaks to FOREIGNER's enduring popularity.

With more Billboard Top 10 hits than JOURNEY, and just as many as FLEETWOOD MAC, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll's most enduring anthems, FOREIGNER still rocks the charts more than 40 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard Top 200 album success. Streams of FOREIGNER's hits are approaching 15 million per week.

"Farewell - The Very Best Of Foreigner" track listing:

Side A:

01. Feels Like The First Time
02. Cold As Ice
03. Long, Long Way From Home
04. Hot Blooded
05. Double Vision
06. Head Games

Side B:

01. Dirty White Boy
02. Urgent
03. Waiting For A Girl Like You
04. Juke Box Hero
05. I Want To Know What Love Is

In a recent interview with Raul Amador of Bass Musician Magazine, Pilson spoke about FOREIGNER's ongoing two-year farewell tour. He said: "There may be something going on in '25; we just haven't heard yet. But what I will tell you is at the end of '24 will be the end of our doing long tours. That's really what we mean by this farewell tour. We're not gonna do the long tours anymore. No more nine months of the year on the road. That will end at the show in Vegas. There may be some other things happening in '25. We'll see. It's all kind of to be determined, but the gist of it is that we don't want to do those long tours anymore, and that's what's going by the wayside."

Regarding why now is the right time for FOREIGNER to call it quits, Pilson said: "It's traveling. It's family. It's all that stuff combined. We're not that young So, there is all that. And basically we wanna have a life; it would be nice to have more of a life. I mean, my daughter is in college now. I've missed a lot of stuff with her, and so I wouldn't mind going home and spending a little more time in my studio 'cause, boy, do I love to record in my studio. [Laughs]"

In December, Hansen spoke to Guy "Favazz" Favazza of the St. Louis, Missouri radio station KSHE 95 about the "Renegades & Juke Box Heroes" trek with STYX. After Favazza suggested to Hansen that FOREIGNER extended its farewell tour in order to take in the STYX dates, Kelly insisted that this is not the case. "I've been saying constantly, in every interview, on stage during the show, at the meet-and-greets, everywhere I can, that this has always been a two-year farewell, because we couldn't get everywhere in one year," he explained. "I've been saying it all over the place. Listen, of course, I can't exactly repeat everything, every day, everywhere, all the time, but I've been saying it constantly. So if someone has not looked more than one inch in front of their face, then I can't help them. I've been saying it, so it's always been the plan to do this for 2023 and 2024. The days of touring nine months a year is over after 2024… And that is over, and I'm sure there's gonna be certain appearances or shows or something maybe along the way after that, but the days of doing this nine-months-a-year thing is over."

Kelly continued: "I am not one to go out there and say, 'It's just gonna be for two weeks,' and then 10 years later I'm saying the same thing. That's not who I am, that's never who I've been, and I've never portrayed myself like that. And so if you didn't hear it any other time during the year last year, I'm sorry, but I have been saying it constantly that it's gonna be a two-year thing."

In July 2023, Hansen was asked by Mike Hsu of 100 FM The Pike if he and his FOREIGNER bandmates already know where and when the final show of the farewell tour will take place. Hansen said: "We're just starting to kind of wrap our brains around what that might be. And listen, there's a lot of pressure from a lot of different areas to get me to continue to do this. And I can't see that I'm gonna continue to do this. So we're now looking… 'Cause when you're a band like FOREIGNER, you're already booking a year in advance. So we're already deeply into 2024. But we haven't decided yet where the last show's gonna be."

The only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, Jones suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. Ever since, it is never announced whether he will be appearing with the band for specific shows — it just depends how he is feeling.

Hansen told 100 FM The Pike about Jones: "He's with us whenever he's able to be with us. And he is still the architect of this band. And he and I have worked closely for many years. And the great thing about it is that we've always been very simpatico about our ideas and about how we think things should be done. So, yeah, whenever he can be with us, he is."

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

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

Photo credit: Krishta Abruzzini (courtesy of Vanessa Menkes Communications)

According to Blue-ray.com, the 4K Blu-ray version of MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The End - Live in Los Angeles" will be made available internationally on April 22. A North American release is expected to be officially announced shortly.

On December 31, 2015, before a sold-out Staples Center arena in Los Angeles, MÖTLEY CRÜE bid what at the time was supposed to be the band's final farewell. CRÜE's initial 35-year career as a band ended with a spectacular New Year's Eve performance in their hometown, just a few miles from where it all started on the Sunset Strip.

"The End - Live In Los Angeles" — which was originally presented in 2016 in theaters worldwide — captures performances of such mega-hits as "Kickstart My Heart", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Smokin' In The Boys Room" and "Dr. Feelgood".

In January 2014, MÖTLEY CRÜE signed a binding legal document known as "cessation of touring" agreement, preventing them from touring under the band's name past the year 2015 — which was being touted at the time as the first of its kind. This was followed by their CRÜE's two-year "Final Tour", performing across five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia),with 164 shows in 72 markets and grossing over $100 million.

Produced and distributed by Eagle Rock Entertainment, "The End" fully captures the energy and emotion of the evening. Known for their over-the-top production, MÖTLEY CRÜE did not disappoint for their last show ever on New Year's Eve: from massive, cutting-edge pyro, including Nikki Sixx's bass guitar spitting fire over 30 ft. into the air, and Tommy Lee's "Crüecifly" drum roller coaster, amongst many other spectacular elements. Lead singer Vince Neil delivered an emotional, "thank you" speech to the audience, while the band supplied next-level, high-octane fueled energy, ringing in the New Year on stage with thousands of balloons raining down on the crowd. The grand finale of the show included a blow-out performance of their hit single, "Kickstart My Heart" with Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil floating above the audience in far-reaching "cherry-pickers." Leaving fans in tears, the show concluded with an emotional encore rendition of "Home Sweet Home" from the second stage riser in the center of the audience.

The concert was initially released as a CD/DVD and CD/Blu-ray in 2016. It was also later made available as a standalone 3-LP vinyl.

CRÜE fans who shelled out for the band's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the group would never return after playing its final concert on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

During an appearance on the January 19 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Neil was asked how he felt about coming out of retirement and playing shows again as part of the CRÜE's 2022 summer stadium tour with DEF LEPPARD and POISON. The 62-year-old singer responded: "We sat around for — what? — five years without doing anything. I was always [doing shows] with my solo band, but I thought it'd be fun. I was in. They said, 'We're gonna get together and do some stadiums.' And I was, like, 'Okay, that sounds pretty cool.' 'The Stadium Tour' got us out to more people, so it was a lot of fun."

When "The Stadium Tour" was first announced in December 2019, CRÜE said the Netflix biopic "The Dirt", about the band's formative years, sparked a renewed interest from younger fans who wanted to see them live. Asked if he felt that it was inevitable that MÖTLEY would start up again, given the success of the movie, Vince said: "I didn't even think about it. I didn't even think about MÖTLEY at all. I thought the movie was great, and a lot of people liked it. And I guess it was inevitable. Because you get so many fans watching the movies, and at stadiums you can tell, because there's kids with their dads and their grandpas — a young kid, like six, seven, eight years old, to 68 years old. It's a lot of fun. It's good to see those little kids out there doing the devil horns and stuff."

Lee reflected on CRÜE's decision to cancel its retirement during a June 2020 appearance on SiriusXM's Debatable. At the time, the drummer said: "[As far as we were concerned] that was it. 2016 — I'll never forget it. I think it was New Year's Eve. Staples Center [in] L.A. That was it. We all said goodbye. That was the dopest 32, 33 years of our lives. We're out. This is the best way ever to go out — on top. Mic drop, boom, see ya. We're out. And that was it. We're done. We didn't really speak to each other for probably a year. Everybody just went and did their own thing. And here it is four years later, [concert promoter] Live Nation asked us if we'd like to do a stadium tour, and all of us were, like, 'Ehhh…' And then we thought about it for a minute. We were, like, that is the one thing that this band has never done. Yeah, we played stadiums on festivals all over the place, but our own stadium tour? We were, like, 'Hold on. Let us think about this. Okay.'"

Lee also said the success of "The Dirt" movie was the biggest catalyst in getting him and his bandmates to reunite.

"The movie … really [inspired] a whole new generation of kids that are probably… I know, 'cause I've talked to many of them; I stay in touch with a lot of fans, and they're, like, 'Dude, is that really what it was like in the '80s when you guys were around?'" Tommy told Debatable. "And I'm, like, 'That's exactly what it was like.' They're, like, 'Oh my God.' That newer generation feels like they missed out, and they did, because shit isn't like that anymore, man. It was a free-for-all back then — anything went. And I think they wanna be a part of it and see it and witness it. So, yeah, there's this whole generation of kids that that movie has brought into the fold now that are super pumped to come and see what we do, come to see that life that we lived. And [they] probably can't believe we're all still alive. [They're] going, like, 'These guys are still doing this shit. What are they, cockroaches? You can't kill these motherfuckers.'"

In December 2019, Sixx said that he and his CRÜE bandmates "missed each other" in the four years since they played their last show. He said: "Honestly, I don't think any of us thought, when we were on 'The Final Tour', we would ever get back together. We weren't really getting along at that point. We had been together 35 years, and it had been a lot of years on the road. I don't think we took a lot of time for ourselves off; we were just constantly touring for all that time. And when it came to the end, we broke the band up and everybody went their own ways. I think we really needed that break, and it was during the making of 'The Dirt' movie, we started working on the script, started being on the set, we started hanging out again together. And I think we really started to realize — without even talking about the music — how much we missed each other. And then that got us to go in the recording studio, which is where the whole thing always starts for all of us. And we wrote a bunch of new music, and had a blast in the studio. And then the movie took off. And our fans were super stoked, but we also got a new generation of people. And that kind of started the conversation. But it really was from the heart. We missed each other, to be honest with you, and we missed being in a band together."

"The Stadium Tour" was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus crisis.

Back in December 2021, Sixx said that the chance for the group to headline a U.S. stadium tour was the primary reason he and his bandmates decided to cancel their retirement. Speaking to the 98.3 CIFM radio station, Sixx said: "It was pretty interesting. We knocked it on the head because we felt like we had said everything we wanted to say. We felt that we were young enough where we had time left on the clock to do other stuff. And I think it ended in a really good way.

"We never intended on getting back together," he continued. "It was the movie [MÖTLEY CRÜE biopic 'The Dirt']… We always knew we were gonna do the movie. And then getting in a studio and making music was, like, 'That was fun.' I was, like, 'Yeah, we'll do some songs for the movie.' And we got the movie. 'It's been great.' High five. 'Tommy call me for sushi.' And it started — it just started rolling and rolling. Now there's, like, 83 or 84 million people who've seen the movie, and the phone calls started coming in from around the world.

"We owed it to ourselves to have that conversation, 'cause if three of us were, like, 'Let's go do it' and the fourth was not, that's what the contract was about," he explained. "We couldn't leave two guys behind and go out and have two versions of MÖTLEY CRÜE. So it was an exciting time, something to celebrate. And if there was any hem and hawing, it was around the idea of going and doing arenas. We've done arenas, we've done festivals. We just felt like it isn't gonna get any bigger than how we ended it. And then came the, 'No, no. They wanna do stadiums.' And we were, like, 'Ah, well, that's a little different conversation.' 'And DEF LEPPARD wants to do it with you. The whole thing.' So then it was us and DEF LEPPARD talking, and what do they see. We've played many shows together before, so it was fantastic. And then I think eight [shows] went on sale and sold out, eight more sold out, eight more sold out, and everyone was, like, 'This is gonna be a great run.' And I figured that was gonna be it. And then COVID came and knocked it on its heels, like everybody else, or a lot of people. And then we decided not to tour [in 2021] because we weren't comfortable enough yet personally, and maybe it wasn't the right thing for the fans, in our opinion, or for our crew. So during that time, we got to start talking more [about], 'What's Europe look like?' 'You know what? We love Japan. Wow. What a show in Japan.' MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD. And those are huge shows in Australia."

Early last year, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded three new songs with legendary producer Bob Rock, including "Dogs Of War" and a cover of BEASTIE BOYS' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)".

MÖTLEY CRÜE debuted its cover of "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" during a "secret" June 30, 2023 club performance for 450 lucky fans at the Underworld in London, England.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's last studio album was 2008's "Saints Of Los Angeles", which was followed by a 2009 "Greatest Hits" compilation.

In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for "The Dirt" movie, including the single "The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)", "Ride With The Devil", "Crash And Burn" and the band's own spin on Madonna's "Like A Virgin".

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, the now-72-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in April 2023 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.

Regina, Canada’s Kelevra has made a name for themselves in the national scene with their distinct and unique approach to metal, accompanied by a high-intensity live show. Recently they have taken time away from performing live to step back into the studio and create their third album, Oneiric, which will be released on March 8, 2024. The first single is the gripping “The Distance” - a story of hateful endings and love lost. The band comments:


“The bpm and varied technique required to pull this one off really demands the band be tight and ready, and it has become a standout track showcasing every band member firing on all cylinders. The nimble string gymnastics, push and pull feel in the rhythm section, and stops and starts on a dime really come together to show clever musicianship. The lyrics, vocals, and music interplay with an urgency that drives home the message of the track in a tight and cohesive unit.”







For Kelevra, the writing process is different from song to song, but usually begins with a single guitar riff. With the luxuries of technology and home recording studios, it is also common for songs to be formed in their entirety by one or two of the members and then presented to the band. Each member of the band has considerable experience in other bands as well, so talent and professionalism run deep in this group.


Oneiric artwork and tracklisting:





"Atoned"
"Cleanse With Fire"
"No Voice"
"The Distance"
"Self-Extinct"
"The Mad Wind"
"Despite What You Owe"
"Lifeblood"


Pre-order Oneiric now at this location.


(Photo credit: Mac Ulmer)


 

JUDAS PRIEST's Richie Faulkner says that Glenn Tipton's "creative mind" was involved in the making of the band's upcoming album, "Invincible Shield".

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more ten years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's latest LP, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT. Tipton occasionally joins PRIEST onstage for its encores, performing "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".

Asked in a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station how Glenn is doing and whether he had much input in the writing and recording process for "Invincible Shield", Richie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "He's doing all right. He has good days and bad days, as I think is the nature of the challenge that he's facing. Glenn, obviously with those challenges, we had to work around it. So if he couldn't play when we were writing, if he had an idea that he couldn't play that day, he'd kind of talk to me and walk me through how it was supposed to go and I'd play it. And it was the same in the recording process, really. If he could play the song, he'd play it. If he couldn't, then I'd take over and that's how we did it. And I think everyone understands that as well with Glenn suffering from Parkinson's. I think they understand. For us, it was important that he was involved. We had his mind involved, we had his creative mind involved, and that's part of the reason it makes it JUDAS PRIEST."

Back in September 2020, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford told BBC Sounds about Tipton: "He's a wonderfully strong, beautiful man… He can still play the guitar, albeit in his own particular way.

"Parkinson's is a really cruel, terrible, horrible thing to happen to anybody — to see the physical debilitation that it creates," Rob continued. "But your brain is still there — you're still functioning as a person. But in a guitar sense, it's very, very difficult to play anything anymore. But like we [say] on this great song on the last PRIEST album, 'Firepower'. 'No Surrender'. You don't give in. You fight, fight, fight, and that's what Glenn's doing right now.

"Incidentally, he has this wonderful Glenn Tipton Parkinson's Foundation. We've raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Glenn over the years, and we're still continuing to do that. Some of the advances that they have in Parkinson's now are extraordinary, but the funds and the finance to keep searching are vital."

Tipton turned 76 last October.

In his first interview since revealing his condition in early 2018, Glenn told Guitar World magazine about his diagnosis: "It was upsetting, but I wasn't really shocked because I sort of thought it was Parkinson's. I probably hoped it wasn't but the doctor said it was."

Regarding being told by the doctor that he had likely already had the disease for between 10 and 15 years, Glenn said: "Hearing that I already had Parkinson's for a long time made me even more determined to fight. I could still play, so I just continued recording and touring."

About a month before the opening date of PRIEST's "Firepower" tour, Tipton realized he could not guarantee that he would be able to execute an energetic, precision performance with the band night after night and "decided that it was really going to be too much for me," he told Guitar World. "With the medication and the time zone changes and everything else, I realized it was time to retire — from touring at least. I don't ever want to compromise JUDAS PRIEST. It's too big a part of my life.”

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then returned to PRIEST in 2003. Founding guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.

"Invincible Shield" will arrive on March 8, 2024 via Sony Music.

Photo credit: James Hodges Photography

British metalcore mob, Sworn Amongst, have released their latest single, "Tyrant". Find a video for the track below.





Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, the band stated: “'Tyrant' is offered not only as a tribute to the friends, acquaintances, and all peoples affected by this modern-day genocide, but also a profound statement of support and hope for the Ukrainian people. A recognition of their strength and unity as a nation, and the sacrifices made by all those - solider or civilian - who stand tall in the face of one man's violent oppression.”







Formed in 2004, Sworn Amongst quickly gained an impressive reputation for their in-your-face, aggressive, groove-laden compositions, and over the years have built an extensive history of international touring and festival appearances to support their numerous releases.


Over the years the band have been regular visitors to mainland Europe and have succeeded in turning heads for their sets at the world-renown Download and Bloodstock festivals. The band have also previously toured with numerous acts including playing main support to Canadian speed metal legends Annihilator as well as Gama Bomb, Our Hollow, Our Home, Lotus Eater, Bonded By Blood, Susperia, Breed 77, Man Must Die, Evile, and The Rotted.


They’ve also shared stages with the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, The Faceless, Anthrax, Sepultura, Chimaira, Skindred, Meshuggah, Bleed From Within, While She Sleeps, Dark Tranquillity, Asking Alexandria, and Sylosis. They have appeared at a variety of prestigious festivals including Download Festival, Bloodstock, Metal Heads Mission, Wurzburg Metal Fest, and Metal Invasion to name but a few.


After a brief hiatus starting in 2020, the band this year returned to form with its strongest lineup to date, releasing the much-anticipated new single, "Restitution". This release saw the return of founding members Jonny Harper and Liam Liddell, who alongside guitarist Ashley Currie and bassist Kieran Agnew have succeeded in returning the band to its rightful place as a force to be reckoned with; both in terms of the band's earth-shattering metalcore anthems, and their fiercely precise, electrifying live shows.

Metro Society, the brainchild of guitarist/songwriter Chris Mangold and bassist Ian Ringler (Magnitude 9 / Psyco Drama), is set to send shivers down the spines of progressive rock/metal enthusiasts with their latest single and video “City Streets”, premiered exclusively through BraveWords. The haunting track is part of the album The London Conspiracy Chapter I 1898, a concept-driven musical journey into the dark and mysterious streets of 1800s London, which comes out in March 2024. “City Streets” is the first song on the album with lyrics and it’s a prog rocker with driving guitars and catchy melodic vocals. 


The band shares:


“This was one of the first song concepts that we came up with when starting to plan out the storyline for the album. We knew we wanted the album to start off with the character of The Detective walking the London streets at night. Ironically enough, when we worked on the vocal recordings for the album, we sort of went in a reverse order starting with the last song on the album and then working our way towards the first song.”







The London Conspiracy Chapter I 1898 revolves around a gripping story penned by Chris Mangold and Ian Ringler, exploring the thin line between the thirst for knowledge and the addictions of obsession. Set against the backdrop of London in 1898, the Victorian age draws to a close, but the horrors of Jack the Ripper's murders continue to cast a grim shadow over the city.


The album features an exceptional lineup of musicians, including vocals from George Margaritopoulos (Wardrum) and Will Mangold, Chris' father who contributed his talent to the drum tracks. The final recording, production, and mixing was a joint effort between the band and Rob Murray and Kyle from Wilderfox Studio. It is recommended for fans of Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, and Threshold.


The London Conspiracy Chapter I 1898 is due out on March 1, 2024, and available for preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“London 1898”
“City Streets”
“Lost Souls”
“Pieces Of The Past”
“Society”
“Underground”
“Inferno”

In a new interview with The Underground Australia, MUDVAYNE frontman Chad Gray lamented the lack of originality of a lot of the newer hard rock and heavy metal bands, saying that there is "nothing separating one band from another". Asked about the "rebirth" of the "late '90s, early 2000s era of music" in recent years and the presence of fresh "nu metal"-inspired artists, Chad said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dude, maybe I shouldn't say this, but I don't give a fuck. Because I'm me and I've got stuff to say, and I'm gonna say it. Music now to me, God bless them, new bands, but they sound the same. All new music reminds me of the same fucking thing. There's nothing separating it, one band from another. It's, like, one band kinda does something, a hundred bands follow that band, then another band does something, then a hundred bands follow that band and sound just like that fucking band.

"I was on Ozzfest 2001. So you had SLIPKNOT, [MARILYN] MANSON, PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, MUDVAYNE, DROWNING POOL… Every fucking band, every band I just named, none of them sound the same," he continued. "None of them. And I think that's why it was such a special time in music, because everybody was bringing what they were bringing to the table. You had SYSTEM OF A DOWN and shit-tons of bands, man. And all very original and all doing their own thing. We were part of that. We were more progressive than a lot of our counterparts from that era. So we were doing our own thing. Just a lot of really good fucking music and a lot of people really digging into what they were. Nobody was fucking following somebody else. We just didn't see a lot of that. A couple bands here and there, maybe, you know what I mean? But for the most part, bands were doing their own thing and really pushing the boundaries, really challenging the listener. And that's what music's all about, right? It's individuality.

"I am Chad Gray and what I do is me," he added. "But the things that make me Chad Gray are James Hetfield, Layne Staley, Phil Anselmo, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I could fucking go down the list and name you probably 50 different singers that I — Chris Cornell —that I used to sing every fucking thing that they ever put out in their songs and on their albums. And I've taken all that influence that inspired me so much to want to do what I do and I've processed that inside of myself. And now all those people that I'm talking about, they come out as Chad Gray from me. You know what I mean? I feel like that's what everybody was doing. I mean, the only way you can have it be music, be that pure and true is if people are drawing from their influence. All these influences create who they are and what they contribute to the musical equation. I did what I did and I contributed what I contributed, but I couldn't have contributed what I contributed without the people that influenced me. And I couldn't have contributed what I contributed if I didn't learn and sing along with every single one of those fucking people that I mentioned. So I think there was a lot of that going on. I think there was a lot of people that weren't looking like… What bands do when they look at this new band and everybody follows that new band, it's not even an influence really because they're current. My influences, even when I came out in 2001, with [MUDVAYNE's debut album] 'L.D. 50', my influences were from 1981, 1983 — like 20 years, almost 20 years prior of me dropping my first album. I wasn't ripping off a band from 1999 and releasing my album in 2001. My influences were long — my influences were 18, 19, 20 years. The people that inspired me — James Hetfield with his 'yellody', the way that James — he basically yelled in key, which I do a lot in my music. And my scream. I definitely think of all the screamer people — Philip Anselmo. It's my scream now, but it started being his scream. I just took it and twisted it and made it something else."

Gray continued: "I think that that's what was happening then. I think that everything that was happening in the late '90s, 2000 was coming from a very pure place with all the musicians that were creating it at that time. I think it all came from old influence that over time had been cultivated and nurtured turned into something completely different. And it takes time in order to do that. I can't be influenced by somebody that just came out with an album that's brand new last year. I don't have time to process that to be something different than probably what it was a year ago. But over 20 years, I can 100 percent absolutely process that and turn it into something that just now belongs to me, that's Chad Gray's, what he offers the music world, which I think is very important.

"Music is truth. It should be truth," Gray concluded. "It is for me. That's where I get my fulfillment from music, is the honesty and the love that I put into it. So whether people like it or not, it doesn't fucking matter to me. It is what it is. I do what I do. I'm honest about what I do. I love what I do. I care about it. I protect it. I nurture it. I cultivate it. And then I put it out. And if you like it, cool. If you don't, eh, whatever."

MUDVAYNE hasn't put out any new material since 2009, which means we're coming up on nearly a decade and a half without a single fresh MUDVAYNE song.

Last August, Chad told The Oakland Press that he and his MUDVAYNE bandmates had "four [songs] in the pipe. I've written each one of them probably three different times, 'cause it's like nothing's good enough," he revealed. "We're gonna keep pushing. We're all getting along really good. We're all talking. Hopefully we all want the same thing from our music, so we'll see. It's definitely the thing that makes the most sense to do now."

MUDVAYNE kicked off its first headlining tour in over 14 years, "The Psychotherapy Sessions", in July 2023. Support on the 26-city trek, which was produced by Live Nation, came from COAL CHAMBER, along with GWAR, NONPOINT and BUTCHER BABIES.

Previously, MUDVAYNE made waves in 2022 when they embarked on the "Freaks On Parade" tour co-headlined with ROB ZOMBIE. This 2023 tour, however, marked MUDVAYNE's first headlining endeavor since 2009.

Gray told The Oakland Press that his "main motivation for putting [MUDVAYNE] back together and coming back was our fans", including those who discovered the band during its absence. "There's so many younger kids that are coming up and coming into our world, the metal world, and they're learning about MUDVAYNE," he said. "So you have this, like, the ground's kind of rumbling and it goes out and touches more and more people, but we weren't out there to scratch that itch. You still have your actual fan base but you're accumulating new people. So when we came back it was very exciting for us. It was about our fans and giving those new fans the experience."

MUDVAYNE formed in 1996 and has sold over six million records worldwide, earning gold certification for three albums ("L.D. 50", "The End Of All Things To Come", "Lost And Found"). The band is known for its sonic experimentation, innovative album art, face and body paint, masks and uniforms. MUDVAYNE is Gray, Greg Tribbett (guitar, backing vocals),Matthew McDonough (drums, synthesizer) and Ryan Martinie (bass).

Gray spent 17 years fronting HELLYEAH, which released its sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away more than five years ago.

MUDVAYNE did not tour behind its fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

RIOT V, the band featuring members of legendary metal pioneers RIOT, will release a new studio album, "Mean Streets", on February 16, 2024 via Atomic Fire Records. The follow-up to 2018's "Armor Of Light" contains 12 tracks which were recorded by Bruno Ravel in New Jersey. Ravel also mixed the LP while Bart Gabriel took care of its mastering. Artwork was provided by Gyula Havancsák (ACCEPT, STRATOVARIUS, BRAINSTORM).

The official music video for the album's second single, "Feel The Fire", can be seen below. The clip was shot in New Jersey by director Tom Flynn (LAMB OF GOD, BUCKCHERRY) and additionally stars model Liv Walsh.

RIOT V bass player Donnie Van Stavern states: "When I wrote the music for 'Feel The Fire', I wanted to bring back the early RIOT rock days musically with a [LED] ZEPPELIN/[JUDAS] PRIEST kind of vibe. The lyrics I wrote about a passionate, aggressive, love, fire driven relationship within the souls of man and woman deeply obsessed with one another. The video kind of grabs the concept with fire, aggressive lights and, of course, a hot woman!"

RIOT is a band name that makes every metalhead's mind ring alert — in a positive way for sure. Many iconic musicians and bands listing them as an important influence, the New York City-born group has definitely paved the way for the hard 'n' heavy scene essentially. Their early musical steps — "Rock City" (1977),"Narita" (1979),"Fire Down Under" (1981) and "Restless Breed" (1982),to only name a few — made them grow fastly, following an artist development from hard rock to more metal sounds what resulted in their arguably most iconic record, "Thundersteel" (1988). The band's path was unfortunately also marked by many strokes of fate which led to significant lineup changes. Especially the death of founding member Mark Reale made a big impact on the group and eventually Reale's "Thundersteel" bandmate and songwriting partner Don Van Stavern decided to continue the legacy and came up with an idea out of respect to add "V" (Roman numeral five) for the fifth chapter of the group as well as the recorded singer. 2013 was the year that RIOT V was born! The outfit kept writing and releasing music honoring their legacy — more successfully than ever before. The musical foundation titled "Unleash The Fire" was followed by another furious album that even made RIOT V hit the official German album chart for the very first time in their prominent history ("Armor Of Light" reached position No. 27).

Van Stavern, who currently manages and handles affairs for the band, states: "We are extremely excited to release our 17th RIOT record 'Mean Streets' with the mighty Atomic Fire Records label! We went back to the roots a bit on this one with some hard rockers and of course power metal stylings. Our new pre-release lyric video 'High Noon' is a song I wrote with Mark Reale in mind. He loved the Old West and wrote songs about it as well ['Restless Breed', 'Gunfighter' etc.] and the music is a reminiscence on 'Thundersteel'/'Privilege Of Power'! Enjoy, metal warriors, more awesomeness is on the way!"

Vocalist Todd Michael Hall adds: "I am really excited for the people to hear 'Mean Streets'. We are evolving well with one foot rooted in the past and one foot pointing toward to future."

"Mean Streets" track listing:

01. Hail To The Warriors
02. Feel The Fire
03. Love Beyond The Grave
04. High Noon
05. Before This Time
06. Higher
07. Mean Streets
08. Open Road
09. Mortal Eyes
10. Lost Dreams
11. Lean Into It
12. No More

Hardly any other metal act has such a long and absorbing history behind it. Since the quintet formed in 1975, they have been hit by several severe strokes of fate during their long career. Three deceased members — Rhett Forester (R.I.P. 1994),Guy Speranza (R.I.P. 2003) and Mark Reale (R.I.P. 2012) — have left their mark on the four decades of RIOT's band history.

After the death of Mark Reale and the departure of Tony Moore, Todd Michael Hall (from Michigan),completed the lineup of RIOT, which changed its name to RIOT V and moved forward under the auspices of the two long-term members and main songwriters Donnie van Stavern (bass) and Mike Flyntz (guitar).

Many artists name-check RIOT as an important influence of their musical career and have paid tribute to the power metal godfathers on multiple occasions. The list is long and includes several well-known acts such as HAMMERFALL ("Flight Of The Warrior"),LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY ("Thundersteel"),AXEL RUDI PELL ("Warrior") and newcomers such as NIGHT DEMON ("Road Racin'"),ALPHA TIGER ("Flight Of The Warrior"),SAVAGE MASTER ("Swords And Tequila") and STALLION ("Rock City").

RIOT V 2024 is:

Todd Michael Hall - vocals
Mike Flyntz - guitars
Nick Lee - guitars
Don Van Stavern - bass
Frank Gilchriest - drums

Finnish melodic metallers SONATA ARCTICA will release a new studio album, titled "Clear Cold Beyond", on March 8, 2024 through Atomic Fire. The LP contains 10 tracks reviving the band's penchant for power metal-esque tunes following their trip to acoustic landscapes during the pandemic.

The latest single from "Clear Cold Beyond" is a song called "Dark Empath". Longtime followers of their work may notice that this piece is the direct sequel of 2004's "Don't Say A Word", which has become a staple in the group's live set over the years. The track is at once nostalgic and allows new listeners to dive deeper into SONATA ARCTICA's colorful back catalogue.

Singer Tony Kakko comments: "This track is part of a saga that started on our second album 'Silence' in 2001 — some even think it started on our debut album with the song 'The End Of This Chapter' — and has many sequels and prequels already. Its stalker theme offers a frame to write songs in a certain style I like very much. People do not seem to mind this, fortunately, haha! It's not a chronological story, but rather a theme with reoccurring, familiar characters that end up living through variations of the theme over and over again."

"Clear Cold Beyond" is packed with strong songs and fuses the best of all periods of SONATA ARCTICA's multifaceted work: from high-speed anthems such as the recently released single "First In Line" and "California" to emotion-laden tracks such as "The Best Things" and the closing title track, this record offers something for each and every SONATA ARCTICA fan. The album's artwork, reminiscent of their early works, was created by Niko Anttila and the band returned to mixing engineer Mikko Karmila (Finnvox Studios). Final mastering was handled by Svante Forsbäck (Chartmakers West) who has also been part of other SONATA ARCTICA productions.

Kakko comments: "We've felt for a while now that we needed to get heavier after a couple of unintentionally softer albums. We still love those albums, but in terms of finding cornerstone songs for a feel-good melodic metal show, the previous album didn't have much to offer. We're getting back to metal after all that feels like a fresh start, and the new songs have been so much fun to write and record: More speed and songs that people can and want to sing along to. We can't wait to hit the road with this album and see how the crowds react to us being back at it."

"Clear Cold Beyond" track listing:

01. First In Line
02. California
03. Shah Mat
04. Dark Empath
05. Cure For Everything
06. A Monster Only You Can't See
07. Teardrops
08. Angel Defiled
09. The Best Things
10. Clear Cold Beyond

Bonus tracks (digipak + vinyl only):

11. A Ballad For The Broken
12. Toy Soldiers (MARTIKA cover)

Born in 1996 at the edge of the world in the northern Finnish town of Kemi, these humble music makers of melodic metal never tire of the sweet taste of victory. Achieving gold status in their native Finland and securing their ninth career gold record with 2012's "Stones Grow Her Name" just seven days after release, SONATA ARCTICA also have a long-established history of global chart domination and sold-out shows around the world.

SONATA ARCTICA is:

Tony Kakko - vocals
Elias Viljanen - guitars
Pasi Kauppinen - bass
Henrik "Henkka" Klingenberg - keyboards
Tommy Portimo - drums

Photo by Jaakko Manninen

Former WHITE LION frontman Mike Tramp will release his second solo album sung entirely in Danish, "Mand Af En Tid", on March 15 via Target Records.

The official music video for the LP's new single, "Ham Vi Vil Være", can be seen below.

Tramp is probably the only person ever to sing about Jolly Cola, THE BEATLES, sauerkraut (a traditional German food) and karate on the same album. It happened on "For Første Gang", which was released in 2022 and was Mike Tramp's first-ever album in Danish.

With "Mand Af En Tid", he does it again. This time the songs are about everything from Andy Warhol's "Fifteen Minutes Of Fame" to Ingrid & Lillebror, Muhammad Ali, Ole Olsen and roast duck. Again, it all happens in Danish.

Thus, Mike shows that it was not for fun when, to the surprise of most, he released a record in his mother tongue after more than 45 years of singing in English. The Danish songs are a way of telling some of the stories and sharing the experiences that have been gathered together throughout his life.

Says Tramp: "Many of those I meet at my concerts have always followed me, and we have almost grown up together. I can feel that it means something very special to them that I suddenly sing in Danish. They can recognize themselves in the stories and songs because I sing about something that means something to me. I'm a grown man who's tried a little bit of everything, but I'm still here and don't need to chase the latest trend. I know who I am and stand by it. Therefore, the record could not be called anything other than 'Man Of A Time'."

Tramp's career is longer and more colorful than most. He has been the country's biggest teenage idol, made records in Germany and was an MTV star in the USA. With "Mand Af En Tid", he makes up for it, and as he states in one of the album's tracks: "I have chosen my path and the path gave me answers / I came as I was". Or as he describes himself in another song: "Stiff-necked, stubborn and retro, but really okay".

"In the past, I have always written songs that should suit a band," Mike explains. "Therefore, there have been many things that I just couldn't do because I had to live up to a certain image or a particular sound. With the Danish songs, I go where the songs demand it. If it's a big mess, well then it's with strings. If it's a song about the old nightclubs on Vesterbro, then of course it should also sound like that. I grew up with albums where songs could sound different. 'Mand Af En Tid' is such an album."

On "Mand Af En Tid", this means that there is room for the pure rock numbers such as the album's title song and "Storm Og Stille", the great break-up song "Indeni", the rock hymn "Altid Farvel" and not least the glimpses of memory in "Ham Vi Vil Være" and in "Nat På Libelle", which is a song about Tramp's late mother.

As with "For Første Gang", all the songs on "Mand Af En Tid" were written together with Lars Daneskov, and the record was produced by Tramp himself together with Søren Andersen. The record also features Søren Skov, Claus Langeskov, Kenni Andy, Emily Garriock Langeskov and Jørgen Thorup.

"Mand Af En Tid" will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 500 units),digipack CD and digital formats. All pre-orders made in Targetshop.dk are signed by Mike Tramp.

Recording lineup:

Mike Tramp - vocals, guitar
Claus Langeskov - bass
Søren Andersen - guitar
Kenni Andy - drums
Søren Skov - piano, B-3, keyboards
Emily Garriock Langeskov - harmonies
Jørgen Thorup - harmonies

Mike Tramp Danish tour dates:

March 15 - Slagelse Musikhus, Badeanstalten, Slagelse
March 16 - Stars, Vordinborg
March 20 - Agger Darling, Vestervig
March 21 - Ferritslev Fritidshus, Ferritslev
March 22 - VINDANMARK, Aarhus
April 12 - BIO Huset, Galten
April 13 - Kulturcafé Ludvig, Sorø
April 19 - Ny Ridehus, Kulturcentret i Næstved, Næstved
April 20 - Gribskov Kultursal, Helsinge
May 10 - Bygningen, Køge
May 11 - Karosserifabrikken, Helsingør

Photo credit: Marcus Nand (courtesy of Target Records)

Reigning Phoenix Music, the emerging force in heavy music, has announced the integration of Atomic Fire Records. The strategic move sees the incorporation of Atomic Fire Records' roster into the RPM family and expands into a very impressive global lineup comprised of many genre-defining bands.

The new RPM roaster boasts many legendary, Grammy-nominated, and global powerhouses such as OPETH and MESHUGGAH, German pioneers of heavy metal HELLOWEEN, Finnish metal legends AMORPHIS, the newly signed DEICIDE and Sebastian Bach, with more to be revealed soon.

"Everyone at RPM is extremely excited about the prospect of continuing our quest to build the most impressive line-up in heavy music, especially this moment as we welcome many of these icons into the fold," said Sven Bogner, founder of RPM.

Gerardo Martinez, co-founder of RPM, states: "It is an honor to welcome and to see familiar faces join the team! Having spent 20 years with MESHUGGAH, I'm very much looking forward to another 20."

"Our vision for RPM goes beyond just being another record label; it is a collective endeavor to unite with exceptional individuals and bands deeply aligned with our commitment to extraordinary music," said Jochen Richert, the newly appointed managing director for RPM in Germany.

This new structure solidifies RPM as a big contender in the current heavy music scene and promises a great variety of quality music to be released in the future. Atomic Fire's sub-label Fireflash Records will be integrated as well. The RPM family also promises to heavily focus on new and up and coming artists, catering to their specific needs, paving the way to the young talent to reach success. More details will be unveiled soon.

RPM is currently headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, and Los Angeles, California. RPM also has full localized world-wide market support and expertise with teams offering best services and practices, including boots on the ground in major markets such as the U.K., Mexico City, Latin America, Australia, and more.

Founded in 2023, Reigning Phoenix Music is truly the 100% independently owned vision of music industry professional Gerardo Martinez and avionics and tech entrepreneur Sven Bogner. The blueprint is to continue to help heavy metal, extreme and hard music thrive by partnering with an array of well-established acts, new talent, and iconic artists by offering best services and practices in the industry. RPM's paramount goal is to help the artists amplify their music and talent to a winning formula for success.

SKID ROW has released a new "facts video" for the band's self-titled debut album to celebrate the LP's 35th anniversary.

In a message accompanying the YouTube release of the video, SKID ROW wrote: "Happy 35th Birthday on SKID ROW's debut album. Celebrate with this album facts video and let us know in the comments what you did or didn't know before!"

SKID ROW was unleashed on the world when its self-titled debut album was released in January 1989. That year, the album steadily climbed the Billboard chart to peak at No. 6 on the strength of the band's hits "Youth Gone Wild", "I Remember You" and Billboard Top 5 single "18 And Life".

SKID ROW was formed in 1986 in Toms River, New Jersey. Two years later, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, bassist Rachel Bolan, drummer Rob Affuso and singer Sebastian Bach signed with Atlantic Records. To record their debut, the quintet traveled to Royal Recorders in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to work with producer Michael Wagener (DOKKEN, GREAT WHITE, WHITE LION).

Shortly after the album was released on January 24, 1989, "Skid Row" was certified platinum, and the band began touring the world, first with BON JOVI on its "New Jersey Syndicate" tour, and later with AEROSMITH during the band's tour for the album "Pump". The extensive touring, coupled with heavy rotation of SKID ROW's music videos on MTV, helped fuel the debut album's enormous popularity.

"Skid Row" would remain in the Billboard album chart's Top 10 for three months, and the record would eventually be certified platinum five times. The first single from the album — "Youth Gone Wild" — was followed by the Top 10 hits "18 And Life" and "I Remember You". "Skid Row: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" includes the song "Forever" as a bonus track. Originally recorded in 1988 during the sessions for "Skid Row", the song remained unreleased until 1998 when it appeared on "40 Seasons: The Best Of Skid Row".

For "Skid Row"'s 30th anniversary in 2019, Rhino released a digital deluxe edition of the album that included the original album remastered for the first time, expanded with the bonus track "Forever". The deluxe edition also featured a previously unreleased live performance from 1989, marking the first ever release of a full live show from the band. "Skid Row: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" is available on all digital download and streaming services.

"Skid Row: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" features a previously unreleased recording of the band's April 28, 1989 performance at the Marquee club in California. The show includes powerful live versions of the classic hits from the album as well as fan-favorites such as "Rattlesnake Shake", "Piece Of Me" and "Big Guns", as well as the set-closing cover of the KISS classic "Cold Gin".

Slower (the all-Slayer cover project formed by members of Fu Manchu, Kylesa, Monolord, Lowrider, Kyuss, and Year Of The Cobra) present their crushing and hypnotic rendition of Slayer's all-time-classic "South Of Heaven". The song is taken from their self-titled debut album, to be released this Friday, January 26th on Heavy Psych Sounds.


The full lineup behind the glacial glory of Slower features six major players from the international stoner and doom metal scene: guitarist Bob Balch of Fu Manchu, drummer Esben Willems of Monolord, bassist Peder Bergstrand of Lowrider, bassist Scott Reeder of Fireball Ministry (also ex-Kyuss), vocalist Laura Pleasants of Kylesa and vocalist Amy Barrysmith of Year Of The Cobra. This unique recording will catch all heavy and doom metal fans off guard, delivering five fully reinvented Slayer classics with heavier-than-thou atmospheres and compelling ethereal vocals from the Kylesa and Year of the Cobra frontwomen. 


The bewitching "South Of Heaven" cover features Laura Pleasants (Kylesa) on vocals, Scott Reeder (Kyuss) on bass, Bob Balch (Fu Manchu) on guitar and Esben Willems (Monolord) on drums. About the song, Bob Balch says: "The main riff to 'South Of Heaven' was what started the entire Slower project. Once I demoed that riff, I knew that this record had to be made eventually. I was teaching a student so we slowed down the riff. I thought it would be really cool to tune down and play it heavy and make it doomy. This is the only song on the record that features Laura Pleasants on vocals and Scott Reeder on bass. The main structure/demo of this recording goes back to 2020. Now, almost four years later, I’m super stoked that people get to hear it. Enjoy.”







About this collaborative project, Bob Balch explains: “The idea for the Slower project started around four years ago. I was teaching a student how to play 'South Of Heaven' by Slayer but she was a beginner so we slowed it down. I thought that sounded cool so I tuned down to B standard and tried it. I added some drums and thought “someone in the doom community should do this and name it Slower.”


“A few years later I befriended Steven 'Thee Slayer Hippy' Hanford, best known for his work as the drummer in the influential Oregon punk band Poison Idea. He was backstage at a Fu Manchu show. Oddly enough I was wearing a Poison Idea shirt and he told me that my shirt sucks. I asked who he was and why he was in our backstage. He told me and I felt stupid. We started drinking whiskey and talking about music. We stayed in touch over the next year or so and during Covid I told him about my Slower idea. He asked me to send him tracks. I waited too long because the day I sent the tracks he passed away. Totally tragic. I’m glad I got to know him even for a few years. He was a monster musician with a giant heart. He will be greatly missed.”


“I shelved the project for a while after that. One day Esben from Monolord posted about musical collaborations. I love Monolord so I thought what the hell. I sent him some tracks and he killed it on drums. So I sent more. Then more. Shortly after that, we started reaching out to other musicians to get them involved. That’s how we ended up with this lineup. Everyone that contributed completely knocked it out of the park and I can’t thank them enough.”


“This project has been a long time coming and I’m beyond stoked on how it turned out. Without all of the players involved, Steven Hanford and my baritone Reverend guitar it wouldn’t have happened. Thanks to everyone involved and I hope you dig it! I’m a giant Slayer fan so it’s been a treat to dig into these classic songs. Hopefully, we can do another record in the near future. Look out for shows because they will happen!”





Tracklisting:


"War Ensemble" 
"The Antichrist" 
"Blood Red" 
"Dead Skin Mask" 
"South Of Heaven" 








(Cover artwork by Peder Bergstrand)


 

"The one you’ve been asking for…" begins drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs, Adrenaline Mob, Sons Of Apollo).


"Fun fact: You’re not gonna believe this, but this track was NOT on the list of discussed songs/content before I arrived at Drumeo to shoot. Brandon Toews asked me on the spot if I’d be willing to do it, and I said I was willing to give it a try but that I hadn’t played it in YEARS (since the Shattered Fortress tour in 2017). We decided to give it a whirl without me even listening to the track to review it… hit record and this is what came out! 'Like riding a bicycle! Well, more like a unicycle…'."


"The Dance Of Eternity" is arguably one of the most iconic (and difficult) progressive rock songs of all time. Watch below as the one and only Mike Portnoy breaks down how he plays this incredible song.







Initially released in 1999 on Dream Theater's fifth studio album, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory, "The Dance Of Eternity" is a dazzling instrumental.





 

In a touching nod to the recent natural turmoil in their homeland of New Zealand, rock powerhouse Black Smoke Trigger have dropped their latest single, "Perfect Torture". The single comes with a striking music video that beautifully parallels the emotional turbulence of the song with the band's personal experience with Cyclone Gabrielle and the devastation it wreaked on their hometown of Hawke’s Bay.


Stream the track here, and watch the music video below.







"Perfect Torture really developed in the studio, we experimented a lot with producer Nick Raskulinecz to get the vibe right and I think we nailed it. The raw acoustic intro allows space to show off Baldrick's voice and the song really goes from 0 - 60 as it gets darker and reaches the first chorus where Baldrick completely unleashes. The song is about someone you love that just doesn't make it easy, but in the end, you know it's worth the fight to weather the storm, hence the line 'Your love is perfect torture'. We really wanted this song to be a journey when you listen to it, and take you through different emotions, from the most calming & loving, to the complete opposite," says guitarist and band leader Charlie Wallace.


Creating a visual representation for "Perfect Torture" became more than a music video production – it turned into a labour of love and a tribute. The song's thematic focus on emotional struggle is mirrored in the video's stormy imagery, paying tribute to the resilience shown by those affected. "Perfect Torture" stands as a powerful metaphor for the trials and tribulations that challenge us, both in love and life.


"After we had the concept and figured out how to pull it off, our director was having a hard time finding an art department who was going to create what we wanted, so we said, “screw it, let's be the art department!”. So the band and our crew created the surreal hill you see in the video. All of the leaves, trees and real grass actually came from my house, my Dad drove it all up in a van to the studio in Auckland that we filmed it. We had just had a cyclone (Cyclone Gabrielle) that really devastated our hometown in Hawke's Bay, so I drove down to the river to collect a bunch of stuff that had been washed up. This for us gave it a bigger meaning, as there were people who lost their homes, pets and even their lives in this cyclone. So having a music video showing a storm coming in and wreaking havoc, in a weird way, is a tribute to what people had to go through," Wallace reflects on the creative process.





Black Smoke Trigger continues to ride the high of their dynamic rock, anchored by the distinctive guitar work of Wallace and the commanding vocals of Baldrick combined with their pummelling rhythm section courtesy of bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro. Fast becoming known for churning out certified 10/10, arena ready rock bangers, Black Smoke Trigger are also quickly garnering a reputation for creating jaw-dropping and often death-defying music videos.


“Perfect Torture” follows the release of their previous single, “The Way Down”, the video for which saw the band perform atop the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere whilst Wallace jumped off the edge, shredding a guitar solo whilst plummeting 630ft, and has clocked up over 1 million views on YouTube. Prior to that, the band put out track “Caught In The Undertow”, where the video was also a feat of extreme conditions. Filmed at Muriwai beach in Auckland, New Zealand and at a helicopter crash testing facility in a 3.6M deep pool, the whole band performed much of the song underwater creating a stunning visual that has clocked up 3.2 million YouTube views and highlights the band’s dedication to creating unforgettable visual accompaniments for their hard-hitting rock anthems.


Black Smoke Trigger will be supporting Filter on the Australia and New Zealand leg of their Algorithm World Tour this April, before heading over to Europe for some select dates in the UK, France, and the Netherlands supporting the legendary Bruce Dickinson.





For full dates and tickets head to blacksmoketrigger.com.


With their debut full-length album set for release this May, the horizon shines bright for these Kiwi rock trailblazers. Stay tuned for much more to come.


(Photo - Christine Solomon)

Yesterday, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson released "Rain On The Graves", the second track from his forthcoming solo album, The Mandrake Project. And today, guitarist Thomas Zwijsen shares acoustic guitar cover of the new song. Check it out below:





Watch Bruce Dickinson's official video for "Rain On The Graves" below:







Across ten inventive, expansive and absorbing tracks, Dickinson and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy Z, have created one of 2024’s defining rock albums. Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, The Mandrake Project sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making, and features some of the finest vocal performances of his career.


Recorded largely at LA’s Doom Room with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist, the lineup for The Mandrake Project was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce’s last solo studio album, Tyranny Of Souls, in 2005.


The Mandrake Project is Dickinson’s seventh solo album. It will be released on March 1 via BMG worldwide on multiple formats. Pre-order here.





The Mandrake Project tracklisting


"Afterglow Of Ragnarok"
"Many Doors To Hell"
"Rain On The Graves"
"Resurrection Men"
"Fingers In The Wounds"
"Eternity Has Failed"
"Mistress Of Mercy"
"Face In The Mirror"
"Shadow Of The Gods"
"Sonata (Immortal Beloved)"


"Afterglow Of Ragnarok" video:





Bruce Dickinson and his phenomenal band will bring the music of The Mandrake Project to life with a major headline tour this spring and summer.


The Mandrake Project tour dates:


April
18 - Diana Theater - Guadalajara, Mexico
20 - Pepsi Theatre - Mexico City, Mexico
24 - Live Curitiba - Curitiba, Brazil
25 - Pepsi On Stage - Porto Alegre, Brazil
27 - Opera Hall - Brasilia, Brazil
28 - Arena Hall - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
30- Qualistage - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil


May
2 - Quinta Linda - Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
4 - Vibra - Sao Paulo, Brazil
18 - Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow, UK
19 - O2 Academy - Manchester, UK
21 - Arena - Swansea, UK
23 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
24 - O2 Forum Kentish Town - London, UK
26 - L’Olympia - Paris, France
28 - 013 - Tilburg, Holland
29 - De Oosterport - Groningen, Holland


June
1 - Barba Negra - Budapest, Hungary
3 - Arenale Romane - Bucharest, Romania
5-8 - Mystic Festival - Gdansk, Poland *
5-8 - Sweden Rock Festival - Solvesborg, Sweden *
9 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway
11 - Grona Lund - Stockholm, Sweden
13 - House Of Culture - Helsinki, Finland
14 - Noblessner Foundry - Tallinn, Estonia
16 - Huxleys Neue Welt - Berlin, Germany
17 - Grosse Freiheit 36 - Hamburg, Germany
19-22 - Copenhell - Copenhagen, Denmark *
22 - Summerside Festival - Grenchen, Switzerland *
24 - Zeltfestival Rhein-Neckar - Mannheim, Germany *
25 - Circus Krone - Munich, Germany
27-30 - Hellfest - Clisson, France *
30 - Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg


July
3-6 - Rockharz Open Air - Ballenstedt, Germany *
5 - Ippodrome Delle Capannelle, Rock In Rome - Rome, Italy *
6 - Bassano Del Grappa, Metal Park - Vincenza, Italy *
9 - E-Werk - Koln, Germany
13 - Hala - Zagreb, Croatia
16 - Kolodrum Arena - Sofia, Bulgaria
19 - Kucukciftlik Park - Istanbul, Turkey
21 - Plateia Nerou - Athens, Greece (supporting Judas Priest)


* - festival performance


Bruce Dickinson’s touring band features guitarist Roy Z, drummer Dave Moreno, bass-player Tanya O’Callaghan and keyboard maestro Mistheria. For more information regarding the tour click here.

Carnifex released their ninth full-length studio album, Necromanteum, last fall via Nuclear Blast Records, followed by a U. run in support of the new music. Continuing the momentum, the band is kicking off the new year with a music video for the single "Torn In Two" followed by a European/UK run this March and a US tour in May.


Carnifex's Scott Ian Lewis states, “We had an amazing time on the Necromanteum US tour and we’re happy to catch some of the good times on that tour in this 'Torn In Two' music video.”


Watch the video, directed by Tyler Kosec and Nox Nohi, below, and order the new album here.







Necromanteum tracklisting:


"Torn In Two"
"Death's Forgotten Children"
"Necromanteum"
"Crowned In Everblack"
"The Pathless Forest"
"How The Knife Gets Twisted"
"Architect Of Misanthropy"
"Infinite Night Terror"
"Bleed More"
"Heaven And Hell All At Once"


"Torn In Two" video:





“Infinite Night Terror” track video:





"Death's Forgotten Children" visualizer:





"Necromanteum" video:





Carnifex and Cattle Decapitation will co-headline this year’s edition of the Chaos & Carnage Tour. The journey runs from April 30 through May 26 with additional support provided by the band’s Metal Blade labelmates, Rivers Of Nihil and The Zenith Passage, as well as Humanity’s Last Breath, Vitriol, and Face Yourself.


Tickets for the Chaos & Carnage Tour 2024 are on sale at chaosandcarnage.com.





Tour dates:


April
30 - Nile Theater - Mesa, AZ


May
2 - Come And Take It Live - Austin, TX
3 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX
4 - Vibes Event Center - San Antonio, TX
6 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
8 - Brooklyn Bowl - Nashville, TN
10 - The Brooklyn Monarch - Brooklyn, NY
11 - Reverb - Reading, PA
12 - The Palladium - Worcester, MA
14 - Sharkey’s Event Center - Liverpool, NY
15 - Preserving Underground - New Kensington, PA
16 - King Of Clubs - Columbus, OH
17 - The Crofoot - Pontiac, MI
18 - WC Social Club - West Chicago, IL
20 - The Gothic Theatre - Englewood, CO
23 - The UC Theatre - Berkeley, CA
24 - The Belasco - Los Angeles, CA
25 - House Of Blues - Anaheim, CA
26 - House Of Blues - Las Vegas, NV