KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach says that the band's upcoming follow-up to 2019's "Atonement" is "by far the most difficult album" he has ever worked on.

Earlier today (Monday, January 15),the 45-year-old musician, who lives in Woodstock, New York with his fiancée, Corinne Paris (a.k.a. Philia Porphyra),took to his Instagram to write: "I will say this. The newest @killswitchengage album we are working on has taken its toll on me this past year. It is by far the most difficult album I've ever worked on for various reasons. That being said as I see the distant light at the end of this long tunnel. I can truly say it has all been a much needed growing experience.
When I say that I mean it personally, lyrically and vocally. I've been able to take any criticism from my dudes and separate it from my being to push through and rise to the occasion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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BREAKING BENJAMIN guitarist Keith Wallen will release his new solo album, "Infinity Now", on May 3 via Rise Records.

The official music video for the new single from "Infinity Now", a song called "Strings", can be seen below. The simple but impactful clip finds Wallen and his band in performance mode.

Wallen comments: "'Strings' is a shot of adrenaline, and an earnest refusal to conform to any agenda other than your own free thought and peace of mind."

Speaking of performance mode, Wallen will be debuting his solo material while pulling double duty. He will serve as the support act on an acoustic tour with his main band BREAKING BENJAMIN.

Wallen is a prolific songwriter responsible for soaring melodies and hypnotic hooks heard across modern rock radio. The West Virginia-born troubadour uses his solo work as a vehicle to explore his multifaceted passions, moving seamlessly from the smart pop of '80s favorites like THE POLICE and GENESIS to the big moody riffs of '90s grunge heroes like ALICE IN CHAINS, SOUNDGARDEN and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. His co-writing collaborations include compositions with SAINT ASONIA, WE CAME AS ROMANS, RED, DOROTHY and KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch's LOVE AND DEATH.

Keith's independently produced acoustic and piano-driven "Allies" EP arrived in 2014. His debut solo album, 2021's "This World Or The Next", featured "Dream Away", a song streamed 1.4 million times on Spotify alone. His second solo album, "Infinity Now", includes production and co-writing contributions from Kevin Thrasher (RIVALS, JELLY ROLL) and work with Dan Braunstein (SPIRITBOX, DAYSEEKER) and Andrew Baylis (SLEEPING WITH SIRENS, JELLY ROLL, BRANTLEY GILBERT). Produced by Thrasher and mixed by Joel Wanasek (RAIN CITY DRIVE, SCOTT STAPP),Keith's sophomore solo album, extends a warm invitation into the singer/songwriter's heart and mind. Hard rock bombast meets intimate pensiveness via engaging songs like "Blackout", "Headspace Holiday" and the aforementioned first single, "Strings".

Wallen is a singer-songwriter from Beckley, West Virginia, best known as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band BREAKING BENJAMIN, former guitarist and backing vocalist of ADELITAS WAY and the co-founder/lead singer/guitarist for Knoxville, Tennessee-based band COPPER. Now writing, recording and performing around the world as guitarist for BREAKING BENJAMIN and as a celebrated solo artist, Wallen's drive to share his creative output is embedded in his blood, bones and soul.

"Infinity Now" track listing:

01. Infinity
02. Strings
03. Headspace Holiday
04. The Wolf
05. Don't Fall Asleep
06. Nemesis
07. Blackout
08. Crown Of Thorns
09. Crush Me
10. Dear Father

Keith Wallen on tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN:

Jan. 13 - Richmond, VA - The National
Jan. 15 - Hunsville, AL - Von Braun Center
Jan. 16 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City
Jan. 19 - Memphis, TN - Elvis Presley's Memphis-Graceland Soundstage
Jan. 20 - Fayetteville, AZ - JJ's Live
Jan. 23 - Midland, TX - Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
Jan. 24 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theater
Jan. 26 - Biloxi, MS - Beau Rivage Theatre

In the midst of an increasingly globalized musical era, the band Meggera is ready to make its mark in a new territory.


The band is now laying the groundwork for the release of their highly anticipated English album, scheduled for mid-March 2024. This new music not only signifies challenges in the new language but also an exploration of new musical horizons.


Throughout their career, the band has been solidifying a strong presence in the music scene, standing out for their profound lyrics and captivating arrangements. Now, with the announcement of their upcoming English album, the band is venturing into uncharted territory, challenging themselves to reach new audiences and connect in unprecedented ways.




The shift to English is not just a matter of language but an evolution in the band's creative process. The band members have shared insights into how the language change has influenced the lyrics and musical dynamics.


"Writing in English allowed us to explore new nuances and communicate differently. It was a moment that brought a new dimension to our music," declared the band members about this new phase.


Parallel to the release of the English album, Meggera plans a tour through Europe to bring their music to different parts of the world. It will be an opportunity for international fans to experience the unique energy that the band brings to the stage.


As Meggera prepares for its English release in mid-March 2024, enthusiasm is reaching high levels. This bold move not only challenges language boundaries but promises to take the band's music to new heights. Fans are ready to embark on this energetic journey, excited to see how the band will continue to shape its musical legacy on a global scale. The album release represents more than just a language change; it is a new chapter in a constantly evolving musical journey.


Further details to follow.

Danish deathcore mob, Cabal, start off 2024 strong. After kicking off their The Great Decay European Tour a few days ago, the band from Copenhagen have dropped "Plague Bringer" (Inhuman Rework) today. Taken from the band's last album, Magno Interitus, German producer Inhuman has reshaped this crushing cut and added his own distinctive touch to "Plague Bringer".


Listen to the song here, and watch a visualizer below.







Singer Andreas Bjulver states: "If there is something we’ve always loved in Cabal, it’s collaboration and experimentation, so we decided to embrace both of those two things with this rework of 'Plague Bringer' by dark electronic wizard Inhuman. We are super excited that Inhuman managed to create a fresh and new take on our sound, and that we now get to share it with you all."


Inhuman adds: "Excited to announce my collaboration with Nuclear Blast and Cabal on the remix of their hit single, 'Plague Bringer.' This rendition is my most metal-inspired take, merging the potent force of electronic production with Cabal's relentless instrumentation and vocals.  Brace yourself for an intense sonic blend, where metal meets electronica, inviting you to dive deep into the auditive plague. Get ready for an electrifying experience that hits hard and doesn't hold back."





"Plague Bringer" (Inhuman Rework) was taken from the band's latest album, Magno Interitus, that was released on October 21st via Nuclear Blast. The album is available as Digipack [limited edition], Black Single LP, Crystal Clear with Gold + Black Splatter Single LP [limited to 500 units, Mailorder + Wholesale exclusive], Crystal Clear with Red + Black Splatter Single LP [limited to 500 units, USA exclusive], Gold + Black Marble Single LP [limited to 300 units, bandshop exclusives] and on all streaming platforms.


Order Magno Interitus here.


Cabal is one of the most brutal and promising heavy acts hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band aims to create a visceral and doom-laden atmosphere throughout both their music and visual expression. The production is crystal clear, whilst the songwriting draws inspiration from everything from black and death metal to djent and hardcore.


Since the release of their debut album Mark of Rot in 2018, the young band has managed to make a name for themselves in both Denmark and the rest of the world by playing renowned festivals like Copenhell, Roskilde Festival, Euroblast Festival and Complexity Fest as well as touring in Europe, Japan and North America.


Cabal released the sophomore album Drag Me Down in April 2020 - a dark descent into a personal hell brought to life by crushing instrumentals, an oppressive atmosphere and dark personal lyrics delivered with relentless intensity, while still leaving room for experimentation and expansion of Cabal’s signature sound. Add to this guest appearances from metal titans Trivium's Matt Heafy, rising metalcore stars Polaris’ Jamie Hails and Denmark’s Blackgaze darlings MØL’s Kim Song Sternkopf and there is no doubt that Cabal is a band with friends in every corner of the metal scene.


Cabal is:


Andreas Bjulver Paarup – Vocals
Christian Hammer Mattesen - Guitars
Chris Kreutzfeldt - Guitars
Lui Broch Larsen - Guitars
Dennis Hursid - Bass
Nikolaj Kaae Kirk - Drums


(Photo - Christoffer Rosenfeldt)

Femme sleaze rockers, Cobra Spell, have released a singthrough video for "Love = Love", featured on their debut album, 666, out now via Napalm Records. Watch below:





The band previously released guitar playthrough videos for "S.E.X." and "Satan Is A Woman", and a drum playthrough video for "The Devil Inside Of Me", all from 666. Watch below:













Cobra Spell’s ambitious, smoking hot debut attack, 666, showcases the indisputable talent of the outfit, and is sure to settle the rising rockers’ standing in the scene. These fierce ladies take no prisoners and are now ready to take on all stages worldwide, with a hunger to put on a show that will leave audiences around the globe bewitched, speechless and begging for more.


Cobra Spell on 666: “Unleash the power of our upcoming album, 666 - an album that defines convention and rebels against the limitations imposed on us, women. This is a sonic journey that embraces the devil’s number as a symbol of personal autonomy and freedom. ‘666’ is not just music; it’s an act of rebellion against gender inequality, a scream for freedom of expression, and a fight to destigmatize sexual expression for women. Join us in this unapologetic quest for equality and empowerment.”


Order here.





666 tracklisting:


"666"
"S.E.X."
"Satan Is A Woman"
"Hotline 666"
"Bad Girl Crew"
"The Devil Inside Of Me"
"Fly Away"
"Love = Love"
"Love Crime"
"Warrior From Hell"
"You’re A Cheater"
"High On Love"


"Warrior From Hell" video:





"The Devil Inside Of Me" video:





"S.E.X." video:





Cobra Spell are:


Sonia Anubis - Guitars, Synthesizers
Noelle dos Anjos - Guitars
Kristina Vega - Lead vocals
Hale Naphtha - Drums
Roxy Herrera - Bass

Formed in Vaxjo, Sweden in 2001, Bullet have a sound that can best be described as a modern mix of the three A's - AC/DC, Accept and Airborne.


Having released six critically acclaimed studio albums and a recent double live set, the band has carved out a name for itself on the European festival circuit and even caught the attention of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, who played their track "Turn It Up Loud" on his BBC radio show.


Led by the inimitable Dag “Hell” Hofer, the band will play three exclusive Australian shows, presented by Bleed Records in conjunction with Steamhammer Records. Tickets on sale now via Moshtix.com.au.







Dates:


April
26 - Simos Boat Cruise - Sydney, Australia
27 - The Bendigo hotel - Melbourne, Australia
28 - The Cherry Bar - Melbourne, Australia

In a new interview with The Times, Roger Daltrey was asked if there will be more from THE WHO. The 79-year-old singer, who most recently played with his THE WHO bandmate Pete Townshend last summer, responded: "I can't answer that. I don’t write the songs. I never did. We [Pete and I] need to sit down and have a meeting, but at the moment I'm happy saying that part of my life is over."

Regarding the fact that THE WHO sold its back catalog for a reported £100 million more than a decade ago, Roger said: "I found it hard to do. It was like selling the family silver, but then they made such a good offer. I'm a wealthy man, but I'm no good to society because I don't want anything. Still to this day I have that wartime mentality. I find it hard to throw anything away. My Merc is 20 years old and my jeans have holes in them.”

Daltrey also discussed how the music business has changed over the last five decades, particularly as it relates to how artists are being compensated for their songs.

"Money doesn't make you happy," he said. "But I do think the industry has been stolen from young artists. There's no money in streaming, even if you write a great song. You can write a hit for Taylor Swift and, even if it gets a billion streams, you'll receive a check for about £3,000."

Roger's comments come just a month after Pete admitted he was unsure what's next for their group.

The 78-year-old guitarist addressed the iconic band's future more than three months after he and Daltrey played the final date of their orchestral tour date at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Pete told Record Collector: "I think it's time for Roger and I to go to lunch and have a chat about what happens next. Because Sandringham shouldn't feel like the end of anything, but it feels like the end of an era."

He added: "It's a question of, really, what is feasible, what would be lucrative, what would be fun? So, I wrote to Roger and said, 'Come on. Let's have a chat and see what's there.'"

Pete recently revealed that he is working on the musical score for his hit 2019 novel "The Age Of Anxiety".

"The Age Of Anxiety" was released in November 2019. The book was published by Coronet/Hachette Books and is available in hardcover and audio read by British actor Michael Jayston.

In "The Age Of Anxiety", Pete explores the anxiety of modern life and madness in a story that stretches across two generations of a London family, their lovers, collaborators, and friends.

THE WHO's "Tommy" musical will make its way back to Broadway in the spring of 2024. It was announced in October that the critically acclaimed production that premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theatre earlier this year will open at the Nederlander Theatre.

In October 2022, THE WHO released a new version of the 2019 album "Who" featuring an updated version of "Beads On One String" newly remixed by Pete Townshend and acoustic tracks from the band's only live shows of 2020.

The songs on the deluxe version of "Who" were recorded in Kingston on Valentine's Day this year exactly 50 years to the day since THE WHO's seminal show at Leeds which became the infamous live album "Live At Leeds".

In December 2019, "Who" entered the U.K. chart at position No. 3, becoming the band's highest-charting U.K. LP in 38 years.

Toronto Rockers, The Blues Emergency, have unveiled their latest track, “Quicksand”.





A gritty follow up to their successful 2023 release, “A Love Revolution”, this song weaves a dark tale of a person plagued by drug abuse stemming from childhood trauma that haunts and consumes them. They seek compassion and understanding from the world around them with little hope.




The band hopes that "Quicksand" will bring awareness to the issues of drug addiction, mental health issues, and homelessness that are plaguing our societies. The Blues Emergency believes that music can be a powerful tool for change and that this single will inspire people to take action and make a difference.


In the true style of The Blues Emergency, this song sounds unlike anything else they have released. While the gravel laden vocals bring a sense of familiarity, this tune is their heaviest yet. The thunderous rhythm and soaring guitar leads meet with choral harmonies to round out the sound and create a dynamic tune reminiscent of Rival Sons, Soundgarden, or Stone Temple Pilots.


Written, recorded, & produced by the band, it was mixed by 2x Juno Award Winning Engineer & Producer Kevin Dietz (The Glorious Sons, JJ Wilde), and  mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel. “Quicksand” is available on all digital streaming platforms, and the music video, by Toronto filmmaker Vincenzo Buggea and starring Goran Juko, can be viewed below:





About The Blues Emergency:


The Blues Emergency is a renegade band of misfits channeling original music that is stylistically and sonically fitting for the ears of your mama and her misbehaving posse. Their sound is hard, cranked up, blues-rock infused with the elements of stoner-rock and psychedelia.


Socially conscious lyrics, hard hitting guitar riffs, coupled with raspy vocals - the band packs a punch. The Toronto band consists of Andy Du Rego (vocals), Emir Halilovic (guitar), John Anthony Brand (bass), & Marshall Baglieri (drums).


2023 brought a new wave of creativity to the band. Their latest high-energy single, “A Love Revolution” has been featured on 94.9 The Rock’s Generation Next, placed #5 on the Top 100 Songs of 2023 on Pet Rock Radio and received great reviews on 102.1 The Edge, Spill Magazine, and other music review sites worldwide. It was accompanied by a music video by up-and-coming filmmaker Vincenzo Buggea, which has surpassed 15,000 streams on YouTube. The Blues Emergency was also awarded the Rising Sun Award at the 2023 Gussapolooza Music Festival, an award given to recognize a band who the judges felt would shape the future of the industry and inspire generations to come.


Their debut album, released in 2017 entitled, The Machine showcases 8 original songs and one Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers cover tune, "Good Enough". It contains tunes of epic proportion, with impressive guitar work, a super tight rhythm section, powerful vocals and sharp political messaging. It was recorded the old-school way, live off-the-floor and without the use of a click track. Shortly after recording, the band went on hiatus with each member pursuing new endeavours.


Though their debut album The Machine was not supported by any marketing or extensive promo, it gained fast traction in 2022 worldwide on YouTube. The album made a mark overseas in Europe and garnered a cult following. With some 50,000+ streams across various YouTube channels. A local radio station out of Hamilton, No Hope No Fear 93.3 FM, invited the band for an interview in March 2022. The support from the fans and their demand for the music, re-energized the band. With the introduction of a new drummer, The Blues Emergency is currently working on another album and is rehearsing for upcoming festival appearances.

Guitar legend Micahel Schenker is featured in a new career-spanning interview with Guitar World. Following is an excerpt from the two-and-a-half-hour conversation, which covers his formative years, joining the Scorpions and UFO, turning down the offer to join Ozzy Osbourne's band, MSG and more.


Guitar World: Let’s talk about the formation of the Michael Schenker Group. What was your initial vision for the band?


Schenker: "Well, the original line-up was me, Billy Sheehan, Denny Carmassi (ex-Montrose) and Gary Barden, but I was really untogether, and that fell apart: basically I lost the whole band. As I said, 1979 was a difficult year, and I needed to sort myself out. Then Peter Mensch wanted Mutt Lange to produce our album, but I didn’t want to sound like AC/DC, and we argued over that. Mensch also kept talking about working with David Coverdale, and we actually wrote one song together at his apartment, but of course Coverdale didn’t want to leave Whitesnake, he wanted me to join him. So then Gary came back and Mensch found Mo Foster (bass) and Simon Philips (drums) and off we went." 




"I thought the songwriting was really good on that first album, but it could have been more powerful. I liked working with (Deep Purple bassist) Roger Glover, but his production wasn’t as deep as what Ron Nevison might have done, and the rhythm section, while brilliant players, were lighter than what I wanted."


Guitar World: With the MSG album, the band’s second recording, you scored Top 20 success in the UK and Japan. Was that a happy time for you?


Schenker: "Making the album, I wasn’t in a great place, mentally, and I think (producer) Ron Nevison wasn’t either. We ended up going to Montserrat to record, but we spent too much time messing around, and basically treated it like a holiday. The songs were very good, Gary and I wrote them in (rehearsal studio) John Henry’s in London when we were completely straight, but we got less focussed in the studio. Things were happening so fast. Suddenly we’d a live album to record, (1982’s One Night At Budokan) and by the time it was released Graham Bonnett was in the band, and he was autographing album sleeves for a record he wasn’t on! It was all a bit confusing. And then I got a phone call from Ozzy Osbourne in the middle of the night, stuttering, asking me to help him out because Randy Rhoads had died in that plane crash."


Guitar World: But you said No…


Schenker: "I loved Sabbath, and I should have been delighted to join – I instantly had visions of Ozzy dragging me across the stage by my hair - but a voice in my head said, 'Michael, follow your vision.' I’d left UFO and Scorpions because I didn’t want to go any further with the fame thing, and I wanted freedom and peace, so I felt it would be crazy to join. Ozzy knew that I was Randy’s favourite guitar player, so he thought I’d be the perfect fit, but it wasn’t the right time. We were already rehearsing the Assault Attack album with Graham Bonnet. The only way I could think of getting out of the Ozzy gig was by making outrageous demands, so that’s what I did. In his book (I Am Ozzy) Ozzy said I asked for a private jet, and that’s true, but it was only so that he’d turn me down."


Read the complete interview here.


Michael Schenker brought MSG to O2 Shepherd's Bush in London, England on November 30th, 2023. Fan-filmed video of the entire show courtesy of Room With Mirrors can be viewed below.


Setlist:


"Into the Arena"
"Cry for the Nations"
"Doctor Doctor" (UFO)
"Looking for Love"
"Lights Out" (UFO)
"Red Sky"
"Shoot Shoot" (UFO)
"Emergency"
"On and On"
"Let It Roll" (UFO)
"Attack of the Mad Axeman"
"Natural Thing" (UFO)
"Armed and Ready"
"Let Sleeping Dogs Lie"
"Desert Song"
"Rock Bottom" (UFO)
"Too Hot to Handle" (UFO)
"Only You Can Rock Me" (UFO)





More MSG live dates:


June
3 - Ballyshannon, Ireland - Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival
8 - Zamora, Spain - Z! Live Rock Fest


July
8 - Knislinge, Sweden - Time To Rock Festival
29 - Pyras, Germany - Pyraser Classic Rock Night *SOLD OUT*


August
11 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Metal Fest
12 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas del Rock


Current MSG touring lineup:


- Michael Schenker (lead guitars)
- Robin McAuley (vocals; until the end of 2023)
- Steve Mann (keyboards, guitars)
- Barend Courbois (bass)
- Bodo Schopf (drums)

The My Collection YouTube channel has shared fan-filmed video of UFO's full August 1, 1995 show at the Orange Pavilion in San Bernardino, CA. Check it out below.


Setlist:


"Natural Thing"
"Mother Mary"
"Let It Roll"
"This Kid's"
"Out in the Street"
"Venus"
"Pushed to the Limit"
"Love to Love"
"Only You Can Rock Me"
"Too Hot to Handle"
"Lights Out"
"Doctor Doctor"
"Rock Bottom"
"Shoot Shoot"
"C'mon Everybody"







UFO have announced a February 2 release for the 2024 remastered edition of the Lights Out album.


Lights Out was released in May 1977 and became the group’s biggest album to date, reaching No. 23 in the US. Michael Schenker’s status as the most exciting guitarist in heavy rock was confirmed, the band were rejuvenated with personnel change as Paul Raymond replaced Danny Peyronel and Leo Lyons, who had produced the band’s previous three albums was replaced by Ron Nevison, whose work with Led Zeppelin had impressed and signalled the first in a stellar run of collaborations.


An album rich in quality, title track ‘Lights Out’ offers an urgent portrayal of a dystopian London, dripping with “batons charging… the smell of anarchy”. The song was inspired by the same thing that led Joe Strummer to write "White Riot" for The Clash – the Notting Hill Riots of August 1976. Closing out the record is what Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris has called his favourite song of all time, "Love to Love", arguably the albums crowning achievement.


Newly remastered from the original tape transfers by legendary engineer Andy Pearce, the album is sonically more gripping than ever. The 2CD set comes with three bonus tracks, including a previously unreleased rough acoustic take of Love cover "Alone Again Or", and a bonus disc of the first show on the Lights Out tour, at the Roundhouse, London from April 2nd 1977, newly mixed by Richard Whittaker. Remastered by legendary engineer Andy Pearce, the material enclosed sounds as urgent and thrilling as when it was first released. The 3LP set comes with a recording of the Roundhouse show.


Newly written liner notes from Michael Hann interweaved with newly conducted interviews with original band members tell the story of this fantastic record.


“We were hitting our stride, playing well. We’d got to where we wanted to be” - Phil Mogg


“This was the first album with this line-up, and there were always surprises coming up” - Michael Schenker


“When we listened back to it, we all knew: ‘This is really good,’” - Andy Parker


Formats:


- 2CD edition with previously unreleased music and rarities, live at Roundhouse 1977 concert newly mixed by Richard Whittaker and remastered by Andy Pearce. With liner notes by Michael Hann and pull-out poster booklet.


- Format: 3LP deluxe gatefold edition with original album and live at Roundhouse 1977 concert newly mixed by Richard Whittaker and remastered by Andy Pearce. With liner notes by Michael Hann.


Pre-order here.





CD tracklisting:


Disc 1: Lights Out - 2024 Remaster


"Too Hot To Handle"
"Just Another Suicide"
"Try Me"
"Lights Out"
"Gettin' Ready"
"Alone Again Or"
"Electric Phase"
"Love To Love"
"Too Hot To Handle" (Edit)
"Alone Again Or" (Acoustic Rough Studio Version)
"Try Me" (7” Version)


Disc 2: Live At Roundhouse, London, 2nd April 1977


"Lights Out"
"Gettin' Ready"
"Love To Love"
"On With The Action"
"Doctor Doctor"
"Try Me"
"Too Hot To Handle"
"Out In The Street"
"This Kid's"
"Shoot Shoot"
"Rock Bottom"
"Let It Roll"
"C'mon Everybody"

In a recent interview with Larry Mac of the 96.1 KLPX radio station, SKID ROW guitarist Scotti Hill was asked if he and his bandmates have begun work on material for the follow-up to last year's "The Gang's All Here" album. The LP marked SKID ROW's recording debut with Swedish singer Erik Grönwall, who joined the group in January 2022 as the replacement for ZP Theart.

Scotti said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we definitely plan on going back in. Our producer Nick Raskulinecz, who did 'The Gang's All Here', he's on board and he's excited about it, and we're all looking forward to it."

He continued: "I don't know when we'll be going into the studio, but we certainly will. We're always working on ideas and riffs and whatever you would call it, especially at soundcheck — a lot of our stuff is written at soundcheck. One of us will just bust out, start playing a riff, and if it grabs everybody's ears, somebody will pull their iPhone out of their pocket and record it and then it'll go into a file and then we'll assemble it all later. But a lot of songs have been born at soundcheck."

"The Gang's All Here" arrived in October 2022 via earMUSIC. The group recorded most of the LP in Nashville, Tennessee with Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

Last month, SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo spoke to Tulsa Music Stream about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's next LP. "We've written a few things, getting Erik involved as well," Snake said. "We've toured quite a bit, so that takes up… We're not really adept at writing on the road; we're pretty crappy at it, actually. One thing that we do do is we come up with soundcheck riffs and we utilize those riffs. And when we have, when we go, 'Okay. Let's start writing for the next record,' we'll stop touring for a while and really get down to it and start getting in a room and shutting the door and shutting the phones off and cranking them out."

Sabo continued: "We're still old school, man. It's, like, we record these riffs on the dictaphone. And then I can remember we had built this studio at my house in New Jersey years ago, this big-ass studio. And Rachel [Bolan, SKID ROW bassist] and I would be in the live room and we'd come up with an idea. And instead of hitting the tape machine or something like that, we both just lie instinctively pulled out our dictaphones. And we looked at each other, like, 'What? We just spent this crazy amount of money building this studio, and we're still [using a] dictaphone.' The iPhone is our dictaphone now. So it's actually really cool to sit there and be able to get in a room after you're done touring and stuff like that, and go back and listen to these riffs. And you look at the date and you're, like, 'Oh my God. All right. That was soundcheck in Seattle,' or 'That was soundcheck in Boise.' There's something that attaches itself to that, and that helps to spur the creative process. It kind of reminds me, or it reminds you, as a writer, of where you were at that particular moment when this came to you, and then potentially what it could be. It's an exciting process."

Three months ago, SKID ROW postponed the third North American leg of "The Gang's All Here" tour with BUCKCHERRY until early next year. Erik later explained that he needed "more time to recover" from a recent illness due to the fact that he received a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia more than two and a half years ago.

SKID ROW's fourth leg of "The Gang's All Here" tour with BUCKCHERRY took place earlier this month.

Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years, played his final gig with SKID ROW in February 2022 before being officially given the boot.

DOWN, featuring vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders, is continuing work on the songwriting process for a new release. The long-running heavy metal supergroup hasn't issued anything since the arrival of the "Down IV – Part Two" EP in May 2014.

In the last couple of days, Bower has shared a few photos from Nodferatu's Lair, the barn studio on Anselmo's property in rural south Louisiana, along with a picture of the entire band, which has reunited for the latest sessions. "Office for the next few days!" Jimmy captioned his post on Friday (January 12).

Late last month, Windstein shared a photo of him and Keenan in DOWN's rehearsal studio in Louisiana, and he included the following message: "So...we kinda wrote 2 DOWN songs today!!!"

This past October, Windstein spoke to Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio about the possibility of him and his DOWN bandmates writing and recording new music in the not-too-distant future. Windstein, who also plays guitar and sings in CROWBAR, said: "I talked to Phil a pretty good bit… Phil's attitude is kind of just like, 'Look, fellas, I'm doing what I'm doing [with PANTERA]. I love it. We're killing it.' And boy, are they. We [CROWBAR] had the pleasure of playing with PANTERA in Poland in early June. It was unbelievable. I mean, I laughed, I cried. My emotion was something else, because I was very tight with [late PANTERA guitarist] Dimebag. It's real — what they're doing is real. But what Phil said, 'Hey, man, in the big picture of things, dude, I really don't have a band. I'm doing a PANTERA reunion thing.' And of course they're gonna do it as long as they can. I mean, I don't blame them. Who would? You do what you've gotta do. And they're killing it and doing it heartfelt for the right reasons, and I love it. But like he said, 'Look, you are the guys.' And I talked to Pepper about two or three days ago. I think he's got a few shows in early November with C.O.C. and he's off for a while. CROWBAR's next gig is in Ireland in late February, so we're off for a good bit. And when you have five guys — well, Phil, of course, will be kind of out of the picture for now but me, Pepper, Jimmy and Pat — in a room together, when you've got all these guys writing riffs off of each other… And that's the way I like to write — I like to write spontaneously off the cuff. I don't like to [go], 'Okay, this is my new song. Boom. Here y'all go,' or whatever. I like to write off the cuff, on the spot. I feel what the other guys are giving me vibe-wise and whatnot. And that, to me, is a winning formula. It really is."

Asked by Penfold if he is saying that there could possibly be some new DOWN music coming out in 2024, Kirk replied: "I hope. To be honest, we talked about doing like a cover-song EP. But we threw around like a hundred songs and we can't pick and choose any of them. So, to me, it's easier to just go, 'Hey, guys, let's get in the fucking room and just write some shit.' Come out with six songs and do an EP. So I hope that that's what happens.

"To be honest, I don't know," he continued. "And this is not from Phil or [PANTERA bassist] Rex [Brown] or anything. They can do [the PANTERA thing] forever. Like as far as festivals in South America, Europe and whatnot, they can — they can always go do a weekend or two in the summer here and there between Zakk [Wylde, PANTERA guitarist] and Charlie's [Benante, drums] [schedules]… whatever they're up to with [their respective] bands. So I hope that they do. I hope they do it forever.

"When we got DOWN together in 1991, that was the first demo tape," Windstein added. "We wrote 'Bury Me In Smoke', 'Temptation's Wings' and 'Losing All' in a day. We recorded it. Phil sang. We mixed it off on a four-track or some shit, and that was it. Phil flew back to Texas and Pepper flew back to North Carolina with C.O.C. So when we got together, we always joked, but it's no longer a joke that this is the kind of band we can grow old with. It doesn't matter what we look like. We can be fat. We can be bald. We're not attracting 18-year-old girls. If they wanna be a fan of the music, great. If you're a [Taylor Swift] fan, hey, more power to you. It's all good. Whatever. But that was not our intention. And it's kind of ironic or whatever that it's kind of come full circle where we see ourselves going, 'Hey, guys, we're closing in on mid-50s to 60s. This is a band that we can actually do and kill it and then retire with it maybe.' So that's what I personally believe is going to happen, and I hope that in the near future, that's what happens and we're able to do more DOWN in, say, '24, '25, whatever. But there's no time limit on anything. I mean, Phil's doing what he's doing and God bless him for that. And I'm so proud of him. I really am."

DOWN made a handful of rare live appearances in the spring and summer of 2022. The band launched a three-date U.S. run of shows in May 2022 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. After playing in Atlanta and Dallas immediately after Rockville, DOWN took a three-week break before regrouping for three European festival appearances in June. An appearance at last year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival followed in September 2022 in Alton, Virginia.

In August 2021, DOWN took part in a very special in-person live and virtual experience. "NOLA Town Throwdown" was held at the Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured fans attending the show in person as well as watching it in real time from the comfort of their living room.

In August 2020, DOWN celebrated the 25th anniversary of "NOLA" with a special livestreamed event. Dubbed "The Quarter Century Throwdown", the high-production, multi-camera event took place using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience.

A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER),and HONKY.

Windstein announced his return to DOWN in 2019, with the band confirming a number of festival appearances for 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "NOLA", all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which swept the globe.

Prior to the August 2020 livestream, DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas.

"Down IV – Part Two" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release in May 2014 to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous EP, "Down IV Part I – The Purple EP", opened with around 12,000 units in September 2012 to land at No. 35.

"Down IV – Part Two" was recorded at Nodferatu's Lair — Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson. It was released via Down Records/ADA Music.

DOWN ‘24 @down_nola 📷@eyekategod

Posted by Down on Saturday, January 13, 2024

Office for the next few days!

Posted by Jimmy Bower on Friday, January 12, 2024

The “Lair”

Posted by Jimmy Bower on Saturday, January 13, 2024

Canadian melodic death / folk metal band, Blackguard, have checked in with the following update:


"It’s been a long four years since our last show…..


We are extremely happy to announce that Blackguard will finally be performing live again in 2024! We will be sharing the stage with some old friends for some exclusive dates around Quebec and Ontario and we can’t wait to see you all there.




Show dates and more news to come!"





Blackguard released their latest album, Storm, on January 3rd, 2020. It is available for streaming below.


Contributing musicians included:


- Morgan Lander ("By My Hand")
- Per Nilsson ("...Of Threads And Fate")
- Lindsay Schoolcraft ("A Dying Season" and harp on "Mourning Star")
- Emilie Livernois-Desroches (violon on "By My Hand" and "To Ashes Return")
- Samael Pelletier (classical guitar on "By My Hand")
- Jeff Loomis ("Mourning Star")
- Youri Raymond ("In Dreams" and "Visions (Of Blood And Gold)")
- Jonathan Lefrançois-Leduc (additional keys)

In the AXS TV clip below, Sammy Hagar teams up with his band, The Circle, to headline at Florida’s largest waterfront music festival, SunFest, before heading to North Carolina to play at the Carolina Rebellion Music Festival. While in North Carolina, they also spend some time cruising around a racetrack with the innovative new trike motorcycles.





Hagar recently announced The Best Of All Worlds 2024 tour, on which he'll be joined by rock heavyweights and longtime bandmates Michael Anthony (bass, backing vocals), Jason Bonham (drums) and Joe Satriani (guitar).




Produced by Live Nation and featuring special guests Loverboy, the 28-date tour will commence on July 13 in West Palm Beach, FL and will conclude on August 31 in St. Louis, MO.  For tickets and more details, go to RedRocker.com.


The tour follows on the heels of the chart-topping success of The Collection II, the box set released October 6 featuring newly remastered versions of the four consecutive #1 albums released during the Hagar era of Van Halen: 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988),  For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge  (1991), and Balance (1995). A reminder to fans of the arsenal of hits, many which haven’t been played live since the band’s 2004 reunion tour. Collectively, Anthony, Satriani and Bonham have played together in nearly every phase of Hagar’s career including Van Halen, Chickenfoot and The Circle, so fans can expect a setlist which draws from some of the biggest rock anthems of the last 4-decades, including, "Finish What Ya Started", "5150", "Your Love is Driving Me Crazy", "Best of Both Worlds", "Poundcake", "Sexy Little Thing", "One Way To Rock", "Right Now", "Good Enough", "Eagles Fly" and more. They’ve also enlisted legendary Australian musician, Rai Thistlethwayte on keyboard and backing vocals. The tour represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this band of brothers deliver one of the most legendary hits-packed live shows of their career.





Tour dates:


July
13 - West Palm Beach, FL - iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
14 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
16 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
19 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion
20 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
22 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Broadview Stage at SPAC
24 - Bridgeport, CT - Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
26 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
27 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
29 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
31 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage


August
2 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
3 - Tinley Park, IL - Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
9 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
11 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
13 - Spokane, WA - Airway Heights, WA BECU Live at Northern Quest
14 - Ridgefield, WA - RV Inn Style Resort Amphitheater
16 - Wheatland, CA - Toyota Amphitheatre
17 - Concord, CA - Toyota Pavilion at Concord
19 - Los Angeles, CA - Kia Forum
20 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resorts Amphitheatre
22 - Dallas, TX - Dos Equis Pavilion
23 - Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
25 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
27 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
28 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
30 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center
31 - St. Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

EMPEROR drummer Kai Johnny Mosaker, professionally known as Trym Torson or just Trym, has released the second song from his ambient solo project TRYMR.

Earlier today (Monday, January 15),Trym took to his social media to write: "New week, new track.

"First off, I want to thank everyone who have showed your support to my little side project, and specially all those who bought the track on Bandcamp, you rock!

"While the first track was very ambient and sound-effect based, I now go in the opposite direction with the next track, called 'Vandring' (The Journey)".

When Trym first announced his new project a week ago, he wrote in a statement: "New year, new opportunities.

"I have been a big movie fan my whole life, and a big fan of movie themes and soundtracks.

"For the past years, I have been busy with EMPEROR, but I also have been working on my first solo project.

"This will have nothing in common with what I have been doing before, but a complete new chapter in my musical journey.

"My passion for soundtracks and cinematic soundscapes is what my new project will be all about.

"The name will be TRYMR but spelled in the old norse language (thrymr-lord among the giants)

"The first project will be themes about an old village being threatened by roving warlords.

"The tracks I'm working on right now are: Landsbyen (the Village),Trusselen (the threat),Slaget (the battle),Gravferd (the funeral),Sorgen (the sorrow),Minner (the memories),Vandring (the journey),Håpet (the hope)"

"Please check out my Bandcamp page where I have uploaded the first song: Trusselen (the threat)

"A scout have found the peaceful village and reports back to his warlord, who summon his troops and prepare them for battle.
They march towards the village in the cover of nightfall, torches raised for war!"

Torson started his career in the extreme metal band ENSLAVED and was later invited to play in black metal band EMPEROR. He also co-founded ZYKLON together with EMPEROR guitarist Samoth. Trym has also played shows with SATYRICON in the U.S., temporarily replacing Kjetil-Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad, who was unable to obtain a visa at the time. Torson is also a tattoo artist and owner of the Emperial Tattoo studio.
Vandring (the Journey) by ÞrymrTrusselen ( The Threat ) by Trymr

Former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar) were interviewed for the latest episode of "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza. Asked what it was like being in a band with Dave Mustaine, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's obviously a wonderful side to his musicianship, his musicality, his ability to sell an idea. You know what I learned from him? Maybe there's four other guys in the room, [and] their ideas were as good or better than Dave's, but Dave had a way to convince you that his was the best. And I think that was what was required. And Yngwie [Malmsteen] has that same thing. Yngwie has a way, obviously aside from his incredible skill, and a unique skill at the time that no one had — we hadn't heard that sound before. And probably with Dave — it was a new sound, METALLICA [Mustaine's pre-MEGADETH band] and all that stuff, that it was new. It was, like, 'Wow, I haven't heard this before.' That's what I felt when I met Dave. It was, like, 'I have not heard this before. This is brand new. This is a great sound.' But he had a conviction in how he would get you on board with his idea, and he was such a good salesman with it that you believed it. And that was a big part of it. You read it in his interviews. When he's on stage, there's a conviction. Ted Nugent was like this. When Ted's in the room, you feel like he's in control. And I always felt it standing on the stage with Dave. I would always say, it's, like, 'I'm glad I'm standing behind him,' because he had control. If some guy heckled him, man, he would shut that fucking place down. 60,000 people would just go, 'Whoa.' He just had that ability to do it. So, I mean, look, that's why he's a rock star."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

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

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

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

In February 2024, Ellefson will embark on his inaugural "Bass Warrior Tour". Accompanying him on the European trek is Italian guitarist and musical director Andy Martongelli, a longtime friend and collaborator who has been by Ellefson's side during his solo ventures, "Basstory", ELLEFSON-SOTO and ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE tours across Europe. On drums will be Roberto Pirami (Michael Angelo Batio, Rowan Robertson, Gus G.),on vocals Titta Tani (EHFAR, ex-drummer of Claudio Simonetti's GOBLIN),and on rhythm guitar Walter Cianciusi (Geoff Tate band).

2024 launches with a bang thanks to the announcement of "The Quantum Phase", the highly anticipated new record from supergroup THE END MACHINE, the collaborative project featuring former DOKKEN members, guitarist George Lynch and bassist Jeff Pilson. The announcement signals a notable change in personnel as well. Singer Robert Mason has officially parted ways with the group, paving the way for Girish Pradhan, the rising superstar vocalist known for his work under the moniker GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES and, more recently, with JOEL HOEKSTRA'S 13 and FIRSTBORNE. The addition of Pradhan to the band is a testament to the keen discernment of Serafino Perugino, president, and founder of Frontiers Music Srl. Perugino, who serves as the executive producer for THE END MACHINE, recognized the incredible talent and potential in Pradhan and brought him to the attention of the band.

To herald this fantastic change and new album, THE END MACHINE shares their first single off "The Quantum Phase", titled "Silent Winter". The track is accompanied by a new music video which can be seen below.

Pilson comments on the new track: "'Silent Winter' is a song about the bleak prospects for humanity if we keep on our current trajectory. 'Quantum Phase' — the album — deals with what we must do to change course."

"The Quantum Phase" will arrive on March 8.

Established in 2018, THE END MACHINE released its eponymous debut album, "The End Machine", in 2019, bringing early acclaim for not only contemporary production and a modern attitude, but also their perfectly crafted songs, paying homage to their roots and the music that they love. This attitude and talent was equally on display with their 2021 sophomore album, "Phase2".

In delivering 2024's "The Quantum Phase", THE END MACHINE has not only surpassed expectations but has penned the record of their lives. With each note and lyric, they have exceeded their own artistic aspirations, collectively crafting the album they always wished they had written. This monumental work stands as a testament to THE END MACHINE's evolution, showcasing not only their musical prowess but also their unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of their creative expression.

A little over a year ago, Lynch told MetalSucks about the upcoming THE END MACHINE album: "Girish Pradhan… is unbelievable. We loved Robert Mason [who sang on the first two THE END MACHINE albums], and he's an incredible singer, but we felt it was time for a little bit of a change. So, of all the records I'm working on — and there's a lot — I'm most excited about this next END MACHINE album. It's really powerful, and some of the tracks are downright scary good."

Asked what it is about the upcoming THE END MACHINE album that has him most excited, George said: "When me and Jeff get together, we're just a two-headed songwriting monster. It's crazy, but we finish each other's sentences and understand each other musically. I think that because we've been doing the same thing for so many decades, we know exactly what we're trying to do, but now we have a much better idea of how to get there than we used to. And when I work with other people — and I've worked with some great people — I don't have that connection with any other people like I do with Jeff. It's everything, from riffs, guitar sounds, and composition to putting that together. We're very attuned to each other, and our skill sets complement each other very well, so working on this record is an absolute joy, and it's got me very excited."

"The Quantum Phase" track listing:

01. Black Hole Extinction
02. Silent Winter
03. Killer Of The Night
04. Hell Or High Water
05. Stand Up
06. Burning Man
07. Shattered Glass Heart
08. Time
09. Hunted
10. Stranger In The Mirror
11. Into The Blazing Sun

Produced By: Jeff Pilson for Pilsound Music Inc.
Studio: Pilsound Studios, Santa Clarita, California
Recorded By: Jeff Pilson and Girish Pradhan
Additional engineering: Olivia Pilson
Mixed By: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Mastered By: Alessandro Del Vecchio

Band Members:

George Lynch – Gutar
Girish Pradhan – Vocals
Steve Brown – Drums
Jeff Pilson - Bass

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, have kicked off 2024 with a sexy and raucous cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers classic "Can't Stop". Check it out below:

Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, have shared a clip of upbeat moments from 2023. Check it out below.





Toyah recently revealed in an interview with eonmusic that a movie of the Sunday Lunch series is in the planning. The weekly event, which sees Toyah and partner Robert Fripp cover songs from across the rock spectrum, started during the lockdown of 2020, and has grown into a "phenomenon," according to the singer.




Toyah made the revelation while speaking to eonmusic's Eamon O'Neill ahead of her performance at Rewind South in Henley-on-Thames in August.  


Speaking about how Sunday Lunch has taken off; Toyah said; "Well, the Sunday lunch phenomenon, which is a worldwide phenomenon, it's basically, we picked up on classic rock, and our treatment of rock is; if you can teach Mozart and Beethoven in schools, then why can't you teach classic rock? Because that's what it is now; rock from Led Zeppelin, rock from Black Sabbath; it's classic, it's never going to go away. And it's something that I think, kids would really love learning about. That's not that we're going on the road and being educational, but our show kind of goes on a journey with artists we know, artists who visit us in our homes."


Going on to reveal that a movie about Sunday Lunch is on the way, Toyah said; "We have a documentary crew following us, and we have quite a big production company scripting an idea at the moment. Obviously we won't be in it. It's for actors to play, but that's all in the back kind of pool of what do you call pre-production. All of that's going on."


Asked when the movie might see the light of day, she was however, less committal; "I mean, movies take years, you know, for the even scripts to be accepted, so who knows what will happen?"


Read the interview here.

Last month, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY drummer Jeff Fabb released his debut solo album titled "Stealing Souls".

Fabb grew up in the small Long Island town of Mattituck. He started studying drums at age eleven while taking in every genre of music a drummer he could consume. From the early days of performing at school functions, to soon starting a Long Island based hardcore band that performed frequent basement shows due to the age of the band members.

After graduating high school, Fabb moved to Los Angeles to pursue music as a career, answering "drummer wanted" ads and playing in bands he responded to from the Music Connection magazine. His first major band, IN THIS MOMENT, toured and recorded, doing all aspects of the business with no assistance until they were signed by Mercenary Management/Century Media Records in 2006.

Over the next several years, Fabb toured worldwide with such acts as ROB ZOMBIE, MEGADETH, OZZY OZBOURNE, MUDVAYNE, along with performing at the largest music festivals in the world (Ozzfest, Warped Tour, Download, etc.).

Following his departure from IN THIS MOMENT in 2010, he then started the hired gun / session career with such acts as FILTER, SIXX:A.M. and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY.

Creating has always been at the forefront of Fabb's career. Writing and crafting songs through the years of experience along with being surrounded by countless mind-blowing musicians and writers, Fabb made the decision to pursue his own compositional ideas. Thus "Stealing Souls" was born.

Jeff commented: "The 'Stealing Souls' recording was derived from different musical influences growing up. The album was inspired by my love of '90s alternative rock movement, as well as the hard rock, and classic rock of our time. This was a chance for me to have my own voice, while expressing the emotions and experiences of my path.

"I hope you the listener can connect with parts of 'Stealing Souls', whether it be lyrical or musical. I hope you enjoy my debut release."

RILEY'S L.A. GUNS will release its sophomore album, "The Dark Horse", on January 22 via Golden Robot Records. The effort will arrive more than two months after the death of the band's drummer and leader, Steve Riley, who would have celebrated his 68th birthday on the day of "The Dark Horse"'s release.

In addition to Riley, RILEY'S L.A. GUNS' most recent lineup featured Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS' "classic" incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin, who played bass for L.A. GUNS from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014.

In September 2023, RILEY'S L.A. GUNS released "The Dark Horse" title track via Golden Robot Records. The track came seven months after RILEY'S L.A. GUNS issued another new song, "Rewind", digitally via Golden Robot. In October 2022, RILEY'S L.A. GUNS released a single called "Overdrive".

"The Dark Horse" track listing:

01. Overdrive
02. Rewind
03. The Dark Horse
04. Somebody Save Me
05. Sweet Summer Girl (Florida)
06. The Truth
07. Changing Lights
08. It's The World
09. Downday Drag
10. While I'm Away

Riley died on October 24, 2023 at the age of 67. Prior to his passing, Steve had been battling a severe case of pneumonia for several weeks. His wife Mary Louise and son Cole were by his side in his final moments.

Riley was the drummer for W.A.S.P. on the band's second and third albums — 1985's "The Last Command" and 1986's "Inside The Electric Circus" — and world tours from 1984 to 1987. After leaving W.A.S.P., Riley joined L.A. GUNS and played on that group's most commercially successful LPs.

In 2016, singer Phil Lewis and guitarist Tracii Guns reunited in a new version of L.A. GUNS that didn't include Riley. Steve later launched his own version of L.A. GUNS, which played its debut concert at the M3 Rock Festival in Maryland in May 2019.

In April 2021, an out-of-court resolution was reached between Riley and Guns and Lewis over the rights to the band's name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Tracii and Phil continued to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS carried on under the new name RILEY'S L.A. GUNS.

In January 2020, Riley was sued by Lewis and Guns in California District Court. Joining Riley as defendants in the case were the three musicians who performed in his rival version of L.A. GUNS; that group's manager, booking agent and merchandiser; and Golden Robot Records. The complaint, which requested a trial by jury, alleged that Riley's version of L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as "the infringing L.A. GUNS") was creating "unfair competition" through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS trademark. In addition, Guns and Lewis were seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.

Photo credit: Mark Weiss

Ready to start the new year rockin...? We're thrilled to announce the release date of our New Record is... January 22nd...

Posted by Riley's L.A. Guns on Wednesday, January 10, 2024

In the clip below, Germany's Electric Callboy take viewers on a tour of their new rehearsal / recording studio / warehouse.





Electric Callboy recently shared an official video trailer for their upcoming Tekkno World Tour 2024. Check it out below.




The first round of confirmed dates for Europe are as follows:


February
2 -  Berlin, Germany - Velodrom (Sold Out)
3 - Hannnover, Germany - ZAG Arena (Sold Out)
9 -  Innsbruck, Austria - Olympiaworld
10 - Basel, Switzerland - St. Jakobshalle 
23 -  Nürmberg, Germany - Arena
24 - Stuttgart, Germany - Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle


March
1 -  Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle 
2 - Dreesden, Germany - Messe  (Sold Out)





Electric Callboy's Tekkno (Tour Edition) is available to order in the following formats:


- Ltd. 180g. ultra clear-red splattered Vinyl (limited to 1.000 copies / band exclusive)
- Ltd. 180g. yellow-black marbled Vinyl (limited to 500 copies / band exclusive and CM Distro)
- Ltd. 180g transp. light blue-lilac marbled Vinyl (available at all outlets)
- Standard CD Jewelcase





Tracklist:


"Pump It"
"We Got The Moves"
"Fuckboi" (feat. Conquer Divide)
"Spaceman" (feat. Finch)
"Mindreader"
"Arrow Of Love"
"Parasite"
"Tekkno Train"
"Hurrikan"
"Neon"
"Pump It" (Live)
"Hate/Love" (Live)
"Spaceman" (Live)
"We Got The Moves" (Live)
"Hypa Hypa" (Live)

US doom metal giants The Obsessed have released their new single, "Realize A Dream", taken from their upcoming fifth studio album, Gilded Sorrow, to be released on February 16th through Ripple Music. The band will be touring the United States extensively this spring in support of the new release.


Says frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich about the song: "This track is an example of how amazing the universe is: I wrote this track while still in high school. Later, I showed it to Dale Flood, who asked to record it on the Unorthodox's Asylum album, engineered by Frank Marchand. Fast forward to The Obsessed's Sacred sessions with Frank. Out of the blue, he said that we should cover this Unorthodox song. I replied, 'Realize A Dream?' He said, 'Yeah, how did you know?'. 'Because I wrote it!' This song is about destiny, questions on existence, and a human's quest for answers related to life. It's a real old song, but still relevant in my opinion." 







Stream / download "Realize A Dream" at this location.


Fronted by legendary guitarist and vocalist Scott "Wino" Weinrich, iconic doom and heavy metal powerhouse The Obsessed comes roaring back after seven years with their new studio album and Ripple Music debut, Gilded Sorrow. Expanded to a four-piece with Jason Taylor on rhythm guitar, their music is more aggressive, straightforward and downright mean than ever before: firing on all cylinders, the foursome delivers their most rocking album of all time with Gilded Sorrow. Described by Wino as "the heaviest thing he's ever done," this new sonic onslaught from the mighty East Coast foursome is about to leave an indelible mark on the 2024 heavy music landscape!


Gilded Sorrow was produced by Frank Marchand, Scott "Wino" Weinrich and Jason Taylor. Mixed and engineered by Frank Marchand and mastered by Alan Douches. It will be issued on vinyl, CD and digital on February 16th through Ripple Music. 





Tracklisting:


"Daughter Of An Echo"
"It’s Not OK"
"Realize A Dream"
"Gilded Sorrow"
"Stoned Back To The Bomb Age"
"Wellspring/Dark Sunshine"
"Jailine"
"Yen Sleep"
"Lucky Free Nice Machine"


Pre-orders can be placed here.








Catch The Obsessed on tour with Howling Giant and Gozu:


March
13 - Philadelphia, PA - Milk Boy
14 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
15 - Richmond, VA - Cobra Cabana
16 - Wilmington, NC - Reggie's 42nd Street Tavern
17 - Asheville, NC - The Odd
19 - Atlanta, GA - Boggs Social & Supply
20 - New Orleans, LA - Siberia
22 - Fort Worth, TX - Tulips
23 - Austin, TX - The Lost Well
25 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
26 - Mesa, AZ - The Nile Underground
27 - Los Angeles, CA - Resident
28 - Palmdale, CA - Transplants Brewing
29 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
30 - Las Vegas, NV - The Usual Place
31 - Salt Lake City, UT - Aces High Saloon


April
1 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
3 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
4 - Lakewood, OH - The Foundry
5 - New Kensington, PA - Preserving Underground
6 - Rochester, NY - Montage Music Hall
7 - Brattleboro, VT - The Stone Church
9 - Cambridge, MA - Sonia
10 - Portland, ME - Geno's Rock Club
11 - Hamden, CT - Space Ballroom
12 - Brooklyn, NY - The Meadows





 

During an appearance on today's (Thursday, January 11) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", singer Scott Stapp was asked if he was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to the reunion of his multi-platinum rock band CREED. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's not surprising in the context of I knew that there was a new generation of CREED fans being born, and then also the fans from the past were re-engaging with CREED because of everything that was going viral. It started in late 2020, then in 2021, 2022, 2023, between TikTok and Instagram and YouTube and all the social media platforms, we just started having this resurgence. And it was shocking at first 'cause I was, like, it came out of nowhere, but to see the reception and to see that there was so much love out there for the band… I expected a positive reaction and a positive reception, but I didn't know it was gonna be like this. I had no idea."

Referencing the fact that CREED's first shows together in 12 years will take place as headliners of the "Summer Of '99" cruise, setting sail from April 18-22, 2024 (the band added a second cruise the following weekend),Stapp said: "I've never done the cruise thing before, so I didn't really know what to expect there, and when I found out how fast it sold out, and then when I found out how the ticket sales are for the amphitheater tour, I was surprised that it was going that fast and there was that much demand. So yeah, a positive reception I expected, but I didn't know it was gonna be that big."

Asked if he hopes to make new music with CREED at some point, Scott said: "Well, yeah, Mark [Tremonti, CREED guitarist] and I were together a couple days ago doing some secret, secret thing I can't share, but we were hanging out for a couple days. And as we were hanging out, we just began talking about how we wrote [1999's] 'Human Clay' [album]. And we wrote 'Human Clay' while on the road touring [CREED's debut album, 1997's] 'My Own Prison'. And we wrote it during soundchecks — 80, 90 percent of that record was written on stage during soundcheck. And you know what we'd do? We'd write a song and we'd get it tight and play it within three or four days of writing it because we didn't have enough material with just that one record to be a headliner, but we were headlining shows. So we didn't wanna fill our set with covers, so we were writing on the fly and just playing new songs as we as we wrote them. And so we were talking, like, 'You know what? That was a really good experience.' Those were good times and both of us connected. And I could see in his eye, and I was feeling it too, that I think there's gonna be some writing happening, and it's gonna be organic. And I think it's gonna be beautiful, man. If we get back to that place and that chemistry, which I think we're gonna fall right back into once we start playing these songs together and we reconnect, through our relationships, through the songs that we created together, I think it's only natural for us that during soundchecks, sometimes in the dressing room, wherever and whenever we're together, that songs are gonna be born. I mean, it happened on the 'Full Circle' tour. We wrote a bunch of songs during soundcheck during that tour, and so we're sitting on those. But I think we're all in a fresh space and I definitely think the creative juices are gonna flow. And so I definitely think there's hope for some new music."

Pressed about whether he wants CREED to be an ongoing thing or if it's just a reunion to reconnect after 10 years, Scott said: "Well, it's evolved. I'll be honest with you — initially I was taking it, like, 'All right, let's do the cruises and then let's kind of see what happens from there.' But the reception was so incredible, and, like I explained before, everything that was going on viral, the tour just got presented to us and we couldn't say no, especially with the positive interaction that was happening with the band behind the scenes."

He continued: "I really am hoping that all this positive energy and positive mindset and just collective mindset that this is something that we finally need to really cherish and nurture and really give our fans what they want, and that it actually benefits everything else we're doing as well. There's definitely been some dialogue and some conversations about this being something that continues. But again, there's still a little bit of that 'let's see how it goes' kind of deal. So I think part of us are in the moment, the excitement of this, 'Let's make this something we do all the time,' and then the other half of us is, 'All right. Well, let's see how it goes.' So with both of those head spaces kind of living together, I think that's a positive recipe. So if everyone just shows up with that right attitude, I think — not to sound cliché, but it is cliché — I think the best is yet to come for CREED."

CREED's 2024 "Summer Of '99" tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off on July 17, 2024, and will run through September 28, 2024. 3 DOORS DOWN will be direct support on the majority of the tour, with DAUGHTRY, SWITCHFOOT, TONIC and BIG WRECK appearing on select dates, and FINGER ELEVEN opening all shows.

On August 31, 2024, CREED will headline the inaugural "Summer Of '99 And Beyond Festival" at Glen Helen Amphitheatre in San Bernardino, California, with support from 3 DOORS DOWN, DAUGHTRY, FINGER ELEVEN, FUEL, VERTICAL HORIZON and THE VERVE PIPE.

In a recent interview with Belgian Jasper, Tremonti was asked how difficult it was for him to dodge questions about a possible CREED reunion in the months leading up to the official announcement last July. He said: "Yeah. You just have to definitely be almost like a politician when you're talking about it. You've gotta say, 'Oh, you never know. When the timing is right.' You have your lines that you'll have in case that question comes up. And to be honest, we've been planning stuff and talking since before COVID about when the timing would be right. And when COVID hit, it kind of derailed things."

Tremonti went on to say that right now seems like "the perfect time for CREED" to come back. "A bunch of athletes have been using [a CREED] song as kind of their go-to-battle kind of music," he noted. Furthermore, he said, "When the tour went on sale, we get to see all the ages of people buying the tickets and if it's male, female or whatnot. And we were blown away to see that the biggest fanbase buying the tickets are between 25 and 35 years old. So a lot of these people were too young to be around when CREED was touring back in the day. So it's good to see a whole new generation of CREED fans out there."

In December, Tremonti spoke about CREED's upcoming 40-city North American tour, which will mark the band's first time hitting the road together in over a decade. Asked by Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA if CREED's previously announced "Summer Of '99" cruise was a way for the band to gauge fan interest before committing to a full run of shows, Mark said: "We knew we were gonna do a tour; we just didn't know how big of a tour it was gonna be. We kind of wanted to use that to gauge the amount of — how receptive people were gonna be. And when we put that cruise on sale, the Sixthman group, who put the cruise together, I think they said they've been in business for 21 years and this was the quickest-selling cruise that they'd ever [had]. And it's funny, in my household, my wife and kids watch — and I'll get there and watch with them too — the Hallmark channel movies, the Christmas movies. They said that the only other cruise that had sold as fast at a certain point was the Hallmark cruise."

Regarding the strong fan response to CREED's 2024 tour, Mark said: "We appreciate it, because ever since CREED broke up for the first time, we took that break, you realize how well we had it, as far as the radio play and the ticket sales and all that stuff. And then when we started [our post-CREED band] ALTER BRIDGE, we realized how much of work it took to get back up to that level, at least over in Europe. Especially with [my solo project] TREMONTI — I wish I could sell a tenth of the tickets CREED sells with TREMONTI band. And that's why we appreciate how well CREED has done, 'cause we get to relive those years that we first got excited about being professional musicians. And, like I said, the pre-sale went on and it did really well, but when the general on-sale went out, we were blown away. So, we hope for the best."

CREED's enormous success is largely due to the prolific writing team of Stapp and Tremonti, who founded the band together in 1993. Their winning combination of driving guitar riffs, rousing hooks and introspective lyrics earned them legions of loyal fans around the world. Following the release of their first two albums, the four-piece — which also included bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips — became the first band ever to have seven consecutive No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. CREED's third album, "Weathered" (2001),also debuted at No. 1, and produced several popular singles, including Top Ten hits "My Sacrifice" and "One Last Breath". Though CREED announced its breakup in 2004, the band briefly reunited in 2009 to release "Full Circle". Heavier than their previous albums, "Full Circle" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, proving the incredible staying power of the band.

CREED disbanded in 2004 but reunited five years later for the aforementioned "Full Circle" LP and an extensive tour. Stapp has since toured and recorded as a solo artist, although he suffered a drug-related mental breakdown in 2014 and spent several years recovering from that.

Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann

Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has shared  a guitar playthrough video for  "Rain", which can be viewed below. The track is taken from the band's second album, Ascendancy, released in 2005.





Heafy previously shared live video of the band performing "The Sin And The Sentence" on tour at an undisclosed location featuring soudboard audio. Check it out below.

MR. BIG kicked off it U.S. tour last night (Friday, January 12) at Warehouse Live in Houston, Texas. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

MR. BIG's ongoing last worldwide tour is aptly titled "The BIG Finish". Since the band's original drummer and co-founder Pat Torpey lost his battle with Parkinson's disease in 2018, the band now feels it's time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy. The first leg kicked off in Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August 2023, where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows including Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. Now MR. BIG is bringing "The BIG Finish" to the U.S. Joining MR. BIG on drums for this special final world tour is longtime friend of the band Nick D'Virgilio (SPOCK'S BEARD, BIG BIG TRAIN),stepping in for Torpey.

MR. BIG's final tour sees the band performing the entirety of its breakthrough platinum-selling 1991 album "Lean Into It" from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist.

MR. BIG recently entered the studio to record a new studio album to coincide with the last shows of the band's farewell tour.

Last November, MR. BIG singer Eric Martin was asked by Troy Patrick Farrell of the weekly live "This That And The Other" radio show why he and his bandmates feel that now is the time to officially pull the plug on MR. BIG. He said: "Well, I really didn't wanna end it. I think we're gonna be done with it. I would just keep the door open forever. I didn't wanna ever end something. I hate the end of anything, but Pat Torpey is not there anymore. And that's kind of taking the wind out of the sails. He was the anchor of the band. And Nick D'Virgilio is a great replacement. He's phenomenal drummer. He sings just like Pat. Nick's great. But everybody has so many other projects. I don't. I really like the MR. BIG project… I have a couple of irons in the fire. But, yeah, it's over. To me, it's kind of a bummer. But it's time. It's been 35 fucking years, man."

Martin went on to say that it "feels great" to have a drummer in MR. BIG who can not only reproduce Torpey's parts on the band's classic songs but who also has the voice to harmonize with him during MR. BIG's live shows.

"No offense to Matt [Starr]," Eric said, referencing the drummer who played with MR. BIG for four years prior to Torpey's passing. "I thought Matt Starr was great. He was fine. The thing about Matt is that he came when Pat just couldn't do it anymore. He had this little cocktail kit on the side and he would play drums with us once in a while. Matt did it. It was just too soon for me. I wasn't ready to give up Pat Torpey. And when Matt did it, Matt has his own style. He's more like a John Bonham. He's not a Pat Torpey, and I was looking for somebody to play exactly like Pat, because I could. I wanted it, and I was really bummed that Pat couldn't do it anymore. And Matt did it, and he did a fine job for us. We sounded like a different MR. BIG. Pat Torpey has this finessey kind of things, and he's like Steve Gadd meets Vinnie Colaiuta meets maybe like a John Bonham. But Matt has got that form, heavy rock [approach], but there's a lot of finesse in the MR. BIG style — you know, 'Colorado Bulldog' and all that. And Matt did a great job; he really did. But then, after Matt, we didn't do anything. COVID thing, Pat passed away first, actually. And then nothing happened. And then when we were gonna get another drummer, we wanted to do a different style — not a different style, but we wanted to find somebody new that could play exactly like Pat. And that's what we found in Nick. He's got the same chops and the incredible voice. Matt can sing too. I mean, he was great. But I'm just letting the folks know out there, there's no bad blood between Matt Starr and MR. BIG or me or anything like that. He's killer."

Regarding the possibility of MR. BIG making a new album as the follow-up to 2017's "Defying Gravity", Eric said: "We're doing it now. We're working on it now. [MR. BIG guitarist] Paul Gilbert and I — I've been going back and forth to Portland, Oregon, where Paul lives, and we've been writing and recording everything. And so far, I wanna say, [we have] 10, 13 songs so far. And Billy's [Sheehan, MR. BIG bassist] got one that he just brought in. And Nick — we said, 'Hey, Nick, if you've got any tunes, man, throw it our way.' And he's got four songs that are pretty good."

In an April 2023 interview with Border City Rock Talk, D'Virgilio spoke about how he landed the gig as MR. BIG's new touring drummer, five years after the passing of the band's co-founder, Pat Torpey. The 55-year-old Nick, who has spent the last nine years working for the Indiana-based online retailer of music instruments and audio gear Sweetwater, said: "It stemmed through Sweetwater. I've known Paul [Gilbert]; Paul was the one guy I knew most. I met Pat, and I met Billy — Gosh — at a music trade show back in the day. And I was definitely a fan of the band. I listened to a lot of Pat's drumming way before I ever met him in person. But at Sweetwater, we do a lot of recording workshops and we get artists in to come and people pay to come to the studio and hang in the studio with the artists that come in. Paul does it quite a bit; he's been there a bunch. Billy was there a while back as well, but Paul's been there a number of times. And I've been able to play as his rhythm section for these recording workshops. And I also had Paul play on a song on my solo record called 'Invisible' that I put out in 2020. Through all of this stuff, we got to just jamming some more stuff. And I know Paul through Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse and a lot of circles of musicians. After the last thing we did at Sweetwater, Paul just sent me an e-mail and asked if I would be interested in going on tour with MR. BIG in Asia. Now, this was [in] July [2022], when he first sent me the e-mail, so nine, 10 months ago or so. And I immediately said 'yes'. I think I said 'fuck yes', all in bold letters… So then I went sort of hog wild here in my studio and I videotaped and multi-tracked my drums. I kind of just went hog wild, sending back these demos of me playing and then singing all the parts. So I sang the lead vocal, and then I sang Pat's parts too. Since [it was an] audition, I figured I'd put my best foot forward. Long story short, they said, 'Yeah, we'd love to do it. And you're in,' basically. So that's kind of how it all happened. It came out of the blue."

As a session musician and touring artist, Nick has worked with many different kinds of artists and bands, from TEARS FOR FEARS, Sheryl Crow and Kevin Gilbert to Peter Gabriel and Eric Burdon and the ANIMALS. In 1996, Nick took Phil Collins's place in GENESIS and played on their "Calling All Stations" album. He has also carved out a major presence in the progressive rock world with his bands, SPOCK'S BEARD and BIG BIG TRAIN.

Before joining the Sweetwater team, Nick spent almost five years touring with Cirque Du Soleil's "Totem" as drummer, vocalist, and assistant bandleader.

When D'Virgilio's addition to MR. BIG was first announced in March 2023, Sheehan said in a statement: "We found a wonderful drummer in Nick, and he's got a great voice too. Nick has a vocal range similar to Pat's, and he'll be able to do the parts Pat did with a similar finesse. It's a big relief because MR. BIG has always been heavy on the harmonies. When the band began, we really relied on each other. We knew each guy would do exactly what he needed to do vocally and to do it righteously, on key, and in time. It's difficult to find a drummer who sings in that range, but Nick has the voice we really need onstage."

Gilbert concurred, saying: "Nick gets close to the spirit of Pat Torpey. Billy, Eric [Martin, vocals] and I have been really happy with the music we've already shared back and forth. I'm impressed with Nick's level of musical adaptability and breadth of skill. He and I have done some recording together, and I was blown away with his groove, and how he just played what fit the song. If the song requires him to be more progressive and stand out, he will stand out. But if the song requires him to groove, he will groove. That's actually a rare thing, and it really fits in with what we do in MR. BIG."

Martin added: "I love the fact that Nick was a fan of Pat Torpey and wants to keep our BIG sound intact. When I first saw his audition demo video of the 'Lean Into It' song 'Lucky This Time', Nick was playing drums with those signature Pat snare hits and singing harmonies spot on to what Pat used to do. It gave me goosebumps!! I am so thrilled to have this man who will be filling some mighty BIG shoes join us on our last tour."

The Grandmaster released their new album, Black Sun, on January 12. ​Following their explosive 2021 debut, Skywards, this remarkable band, led by German guitarist Jens Ludwig (co-founder of Edguy), is set to deliver a powerful fusion of power and melody with a distinctive Teutonic twist.


Check out the official video for new single, "Black Sun", below.







Keen to hit the road to promote further releases, Danish vocalist Peer Johansson has been welcomed into the fold for the recording of ‘Black Sun’, the group’s follow-up record. Celebrated for his contributions to bands such as Fate, Ureas and Pentakill, Johansson’s voice is characterised by its warmth and an impressive range that has seen him compared to fellow hard rock titans like Rob Halford, Jorn Lande and Udo Dirkschneider.


Musically exuding infectious grooves and again displaying the exceptional prowess of Ludwig with a series of rhythmic riffs and captivating solos, the stellar vocal performances delivered by one of the genre's hidden gems is the icing on the cake.


Ludwig was thrilled to get Peer on board for the follow-up: “I’ve actually been a fan of Peer’s for decades and own all the Fate albums he was involved in. The excitement was back for this second record and it was great to see the songs take shape from their original demo form and also see how Peer’s voice has developed over the years.”


For his part, Johansson describes Black Sun as “a fantastic collaboration from inception to completion. When I first heard Jens’ riffs, I was completely blown away. His guitar playing is absolutely mind-blowing and has left me with a sore neck from all the headbanging! He plays like a musical deity and I feel honoured to be part of this extraordinary project. I can't wait to share the stage with him during live shows and give it everything we've got.”


Guided by the ubiquitous Alessandro Del Vecchio, who plays bass and keyboards while also making a significant contribution to its superb production, Black Sun is a dynamic and captivating album that sees in 2024 with a massive metallic bang.





Tracklist:


"Black Sun
"Watching the End
"While the Sun Goes Down
"Learn to Forgive
"Heaven’s Calling
"Something More
"Fly, Icarus Fly
"I’m Alive
"What We Can Bear
"Soul Sacrifice
"Into the Dark
 
The Grandmaster line-up:


Peer Johansson - vocals
Jens Ludwig - guitars
Alessandro Del Vecchio - bass, keyboards
Brett Jones - keyboards
Mirko De Maio - drums

Finnish cello metal band, Apocalyptica, have shared a new video along with the following message:


"On this day four years ago we released Cell-0! Enjoy this special version of 'Call My Name' from our performance at St. John’s Church in Helsinki 2021."







Apocalyptica recently released a new single and music video for “What We’re Up Against” featuring Amaranthe singer Elize Ryd.





Apocalyptica have released the video below, along with the following message:


"Join the Apocalyptica Patreon family! Over the last couple of months, we had a lot of conversations about how to create a digital space for our community in which we are not limited by algorithms. We had brainstormings about how to get more interaction with you guys, talks about special merch items, ideas about how to publish unseen material… and finally found the platform for all of this: Patreon! Join us and be part of the next chapter in our band history."


Join here.