Firewind have released a lyric video for their new song, "Fallen Angel", to be featured on their new studio album, Stand United, out March 1 via AFM. Watch the clip below.


"'Fallen Angel' is a song about the eternal battle between good and evil, a song about the temptations of life," says Gus G. "There's been so many interpretations of all this. Working again with director Rainer 'ZIPP' Franze, we gave a biblical touch on the visuals and there's even some choreography going on, for your viewing pleasure. Musically, I feel there's a good balance of modern and classic metal elements which is where  Firewind should be in 2024."







Stand United will be available as CD, LP Vinyl, digital formats and highly collectable bundles including an autographed card, a Firewind cat patch plus a ticket for the band's upcoming European tour with Masterplan (see all dates listed below). For every ticket bundle purchase, fans will also get the chance to win a Meet & Greet. The album pre-sale is underway here.


For more than twenty years, Firewind have enthralled heavy music fans with their exciting blend of hard rock and power metal. Razor-sharp riffs by guitar legend Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil), big hooks and solos meet the incredible vocal skills of charismatic singer Herbie Langhans (Avantasia, Radiant, Seventh Avenue, amongst others), who joined the band in 2019.


Their new offering, Stand United, features nine brand new songs produced with Dennis Ward (Magnum, Unisonic), as well as a cover of the 80s pop rock classic "Talking in Your Sleep", originally recorded by The Romantics but giving it a metal twist in the style of Firewind.


Their forthcoming, tenth studio album also bears testament to the band's sheer enthusiasm and lyrical topics that could not be more relevant. “I wouldn’t exactly call Stand United a classic concept album, but the album title indicates what we’re about thematically,” explains Gus G, who has also contributed with more lyric ideas on this one than any album before. “This world seems to be getting more and more out of balance, what with environmental disasters, the pandemic, the wars currently raging all over the globe. In such times, it’s more important than ever for mankind to stand close together instead of fighting each other. That’s what Stand United is about!”


This basic idea is also reflected in the cover artwork courtesy of Costin Chioreanu (Grave, Mayhem, among others). Says Gus: “I always loved the artwork of our debut album, which was based on a real hand painting. With Stand United being our tenth album, I wanted an equally authentic template and that’s how I came across Costin. The collage of faces on the cover represent war, greed, betrayal, but also love and unity, which are some of the album’s lyrical themes. I’m just as proud of the artwork as I am of the songs on our new album!”





Stand United tracklisting:


"Salvation Day"
"Stand United"
"Destiny Is Calling"
"The Power Lies Within"
"Come Undone"
"Fallen Angel"
"Chains"
"Land Of Chaos"
"Talking In Your Sleep"
"Days Of Grace"


"Come Undone" lyric video:





"Salvation Day" video:





Masters OF Fire Tour 2024 - Firewind And Masterplan:


February
29 - Frankfurt, Germany - Das Bett


March
1 - Bochum, Germany - Matrix
2 - Uden, Netherlands - De Pul
3 - Savigny Le Temple, France - L’Empreinte
6 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Wolf
7 - Madrid, Spain - Shoko
8 - Pamplona, Spain - Totem
11 - Munich, Germany - Backstage Halle
12 - Wien, Austria - Szene
13 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Randal Club
14 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Masters of Rock Cafe
15 - Lublin, Poland - Studio im. Budki Suflera
16 - Zabrze, Poland – CK Wiatrak
17 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
20 - Oslo, Norway - John Dee
21 - Malmö, Sweden - Plan B
22 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Surr Arena
23 - Gävle, Sweden - Gasklockorna
24 - Stockholm, Sweden - Biblioteket Live





US dates:


April
12 - Manchester, NH - Angerl City Music Hall
13 - Reading, PA - Reverb
14 - Pittsburgh, PA - Crafthouse
16 - Westland, MI - Token Lounge
17 - Hobart, IN - Hobart Art Theater
20 - Peoria, IL - Revival Music Hall
21 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
23 - Denver, CO - Hq
25 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
26 - Anaheim, CA - The Parish @ House Of Blues
27 - W. Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
28 - San Francisco, CA - Dna Lounge


May
1 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
2 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater (Sundown Room)
3 - San Antonio, TX - Rolling Oaks Event Center
6 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live


Firewind is:


Gus G. (guitars)
Herbie Langhans (vocals)
Petros Christo (bass)
Jo Nunez (drums)


(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

Due to huge demand from the public, a second edition of the W.A.S.P. Deluxe 8LP Boxset from their Capitol Years is being released on March 8 via Madfish.


W.A.S.P. is one of the most consistent and reliable forces in rock music - unstoppable and unassailable, like a heavy metal juggernaut sent back in time from a long-distant galaxy. Frontman Blackie Lawless is undoubtedly one of rock’s everlasting figures – someone’s whose attitude and vision changed the musical landscape around him, in the process bearing fruit to some of the biggest anthems of their time.


Their first five studio albums (W.A.S.P., The Last Command, Inside the Electric Circus, The Headless Children & The Crimson Idol) contributed enough on their own for W.A.S.P. to be considered one of the greatest rock bands of all-time. Those LPs are all presented in this set, mastered half-speed at Air Studios, London for a superior, sharper, more direct and engaging sound.




Packaged within a deluxe red leatherette effect double slipcase, The 7 Savage: 1984-1992 is completed on vinyl with two more LPs: 1987’s Live… In The Raw and new compilation Bonus Tracks & B-Sides featuring the controversial breakthrough anthem "Animal (F**k Like a Beast)".


Compiled with the full cooperation of Blackie Lawless, the box set also includes a 60-page book with exclusive and rare pictures from legendary metal photographers (including Ross Halfin, Tony Mottram, David Plastik and Paul Natkin), along with extensive liner notes from Amit Sharma (Kerrang!, Planet Rock). Also included is an exclusive Blackie Lawless poster, plus a 6 page folding poster replica from the debut LP.


Note: The 2nd Edition has no certificate and is not numbered.


Order the box set here, and watch a new video trailer below.





Tracklisting:


Disc 1 - W.A.S.P. (Half-Speed Master)


Side A
"I Wanna Be Somebody"
"L.O.V.E. Machine"
"The Flame"
"B.A.D."
"School Daze"


Side B
"Hellion"
"Sleeping (In The Fire)"
"On Your Knees"
"Tormentor"
"The Torture Never Stops"


Disc 2 - The Last Command (Half-Speed Master)


Side A
"Wild Child"
"Ballcrusher"
"Fistful Of Diamonds"
"Jack Action"
"Widowmaker"


Side B
Blind In Texas"
"Cries In The Night"
"The Last Command"
"Running Wild In The Streets"
"Sex Drive"


Disc 3 - Inside the Electric Circus (Half-Speed Master)


Side A
"The Big Welcome"
"Inside The Electric Circus"
"I Don't Need No Doctor"
"9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y."
"Restless Gypsy [04:59]
"Shoot From The Hip"


Side B
"I'm Alive"
"Easy Living"
"Sweet Cheetah"
"Mantronic"
"King Of Sodom And Gomorrah"
"The Rock Rolls On"


Disc 4 - The Headless Children (Half-Speed Master)


Side A
"The Heretic (The Lost Child)"
"The Real Me"
"The Headless Children"
"Thunderhead"


Side B
"Mean Man"
"The Neutron Bomber"
"Mephisto Waltz"
"Forever Free"
"Maneater"
"Rebel In The F.D.G."


Disc 5 & 6 - The Crimson Idol (Half-Speed Master)


Side A
"The Titanic Overture"
"The Invisible Boy"
"Arena Of Pleasure"
"Chainsaw Charlie (Murders In The New Morgue)"


Side B
"The Gypsy Meets The Boy"
"Doctor Rockter"
"I Am One"


Side C
"The Idol"
"Hold On To My Heart"
"The Great Misconceptions Of Me"


Side D
"The Story Of Jonathan (Prologue To The Crimson Idol)["
"Phantoms In The Mirror"
"The Eulogy"


Disc 7 - Live... In The Raw


Side A
"Inside The Electric Circus" (live)
"I Don't Need No Doctor" (live)
"L.O.V.E. Machine" (live)
"Wild Child" (live)
"9.5. - N.A.S.T.Y." (live)
"Sleeping (In The Fire)" (live)


Side B
"The Manimal" (live)
"I Wanna Be Somebody" (live)
"Harder Faster" (live)
"Blind In Texas" (live)
"Scream Until You Like It" (Theme from Ghoulies II)


Disc 8 - Bonus Tracks & B-Sides


Side A
"Animal (F**k Like A Beast)"
"Show No Mercy"
"Paint It Black"
"Savage"
"Mississippi Queen"
"Flesh And Fire"
"D.B. Blues"


Side B
"Locomotive Breath"
"For Whom The Bell Tolls"
"Lake Of Fools"
"War Cry"
"When The Levee Breaks"

Russell / Guns marks the beginning of a fresh artistic partnership between two legendary figures of Los Angeles hard rock: Jack Russell and Tracii Guns, accompanied by Johnny Martin, Shane Fitzgibbon and Alexandro del Vecchio.


The pair have released the new studio album, Medusa, via Frontiers Music Srl. The new song, "In And Out Of Love", can be streamed below:







Commenting on the partnership, Tracii Guns said, "Jack is one of the greatest rock voices of our generation. It’s a total honor to play guitar on this record."


For Jack Russell, this project represents a long-awaited return to recording and new music, coming seven years after the release of He Saw It Comin' with Jack Russell's Great White. Instead of dwelling on the past and attempting to recreate the storied origins of the multi-platinum hard rock entity, Jack is excited to be moving forward and collaborating with none other than Tracii Guns, an artist experiencing a creative resurgence of his own.


On Medusa, Jack and Tracii have discovered a common thread in a collection of songs that draw from the bluesy power and heavy energy of their most celebrated material and roots, yet infused with a fresh, energetic drive and modern metallic production.


About the album, Jack had this to say, "It was so great making a record with Tracii! Initially, I had my reservations about making this record, but in the end it kicks ass. I'll play with Tracii anytime!"


Medusa is an album that showcases inspired artistic integrity and commitment to rock'n'roll from two extraordinary rock stars of the 80s and 90s. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Next In Line"
"Tell Me Why"
"Coming Down"
"Where I Belong"
"For You"
"Give Me The Night"
"Living A Lie"
"In And Out Of Love"
"Medusa"
"Back Into Your Arms Again"
"I Want You"


"Tell Me Why" lyric video:





"Next In Line" video:





In 1984, Jack Russell burst onto the scene as the frontman for Great White, a prominent presence in the Los Angeles music scene. The band's self-titled debut, along with platinum-selling albums like 1987's Once Bitten... and 1989's ...Twice Shy, sold over 8 million copies worldwide. Their rock legacy continued into the 21st century, and in 2011, Russell went on to form Jack Russell's Great White.


Tracii Guns is a legend in his own right. He founded LA Guns in 1983, which later merged with another group called Hollywood Rose, laying the foundation for one of the true giants of rock: Guns N' Roses. After departing the band and reuniting with former Girl lead vocalist Phil Lewis to reform LA Guns, he signed with Vertigo Records and released 14 studio albums with the band. He also ventured into various side projects, including Contraband (with Michael Schenker and others), Sunbomb (with Michael Sweet of Stryper), and more recently, Blackbird Angels with Todd Kerns (of Slash & The Conspirators).


Ultimately, this new music from Russell / Guns is a gift to the millions of fans who have steadfastly supported both Tracii Guns and Jack Russell throughout the years. It's everything they've been waiting for and more.

"My family's always been in meat" - since its release in 1974, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has been slashing itself into the hearts of a loyal fanbase.


Today, death metal miscreants, Aborted, pay their very own tribute to this classic by releasing their new single, "Death Cult" - a track of intense brutality, characterized by lightning-fast guitar riffs, intricate, pummelling drum patterns and monstrous vocals.


Joined by Despised Icon's Alex Erian, the band offers their fans a breathtaking ride through the abyss – paired with a cinematic interpretation of the horror classic, that you can watch below.




Aborted have not only summoned Leatherface, but a whole host of horror movie villains, ready to be unleashed on March 15. So sit back, grab a snack, and crawl down into the Vault Of Horrors - the upcoming album from the death metal veterans, and the first under the flag of Nuclear Blast.


Ten ferocious, gut-wrenching death metal slashers await you in this cabinet of horror movie classics. Aborted invited the crème de la crème of the heavy music scene to the party, and on each track of the album you will find a different guest vocalist – ranging from Alex Erian (Despised Icon) to Johnny Ciardullo (Carcosa / Angelmaker), Ben Duerr (Shadow Of Intent), Francesco Paoli (Fleshgod Apocalypse) and more.


Preorder and/or presave Vault Of Horrors here, if you dare.





Tracklisting:


"Dreadbringer" (feat. Ben Duerr)
"Condemned To Rot" (feat. Francesco Paoli)
"Brotherhood Of Sleep" (feat. Johnny Ciardullo)
"Death Cult" (feat. Alex Erian)
"Hell Bound" (feat. Matt McGachy)
"Insect Politics" (feat. Jason Evans)
"The Golgothan" (feat. Hal Microutsicos)
"The Shape Of Hate" (feat. Oliver Rae Aleron)
"Naturom Demonto" (feat. David Simonich)
"Malevolent Haze" (feat. Ricky Hoover)


"Death Cult" video:





Aborted will be on tour with Carnifex, Revocation and Vexed in spring 2024. Dates below:


March
16 - Köln, Germany - Essigfabrik
17 - Berlin, Germany - SO36
19 - Stockholm, Sweden - Slaktkyrkan
20 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Brewhouse
21 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Amager Bio
22 - Hengelo, Netherlands - Metropool GZ
23 - London, UK - Electric Brixton
24 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy
25 - Bristol, UK - SWX
27 - Paris, France - Le Machine Du Rouge
28 - Sint-Niklaas, Belgium - Casino
29 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
30 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
31 - Munich, Germany - Technikum


April
1 - Milan, Italy - Legend
2 - Vienna, Austria - Arena
3 - Prague, Czech Republic - Palac Akropolis
4 - Wrocław, Poland - Zaklęte Rewiry
5 - Leipzig, Germany - Hellraiser
6 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle


Aborted are:


Sven de Caluwé - vocals
Ian Jekelis - guitars
Daniel Konradsson - guitars
Ken Bedene - drums


(Photo - Laura Lateralus)

In a new interview with Guitar World magazine, Kiko Loureiro was asked what led to his decision to leave MEGADETH at the end of 2023 after a nine-year run with the band. He responded: "It started when I booked a trip home to Brazil. The last time I'd been was in 2019, before the pandemic; I got to a point where I said, 'I need to visit my family,' so I booked a trip for the Thanksgiving period in 2023 because MEGADETH never does anything around that time.

"When you're young, not married and have no kids, the mindset is, 'The more concerts, the better.' But my daughter is 12 now, and I want to spend time with her. I also want to be out there playing. When the MEGADETH thing happened for me in 2015, I had a young daughter and twins who were newborns. I was always struggling with knowing I needed to be touring, but also wanted to be home with my kids and my wife. So the feeling of, 'Should I be out doing this rock star thing while my kids are at home?' kept coming up. And the more moments and important dates I missed, the harder it was. It got harder in 2023, especially during the three-month summer tour. So I went to Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] in June, saying, 'This is too much. I'm not feeling like I'm in the right place or mood to give 100 percent.' It was complicated for me to say because I wanted to play, but I knew I needed to be at home. And, of course, Dave was not expecting it. We had just done a show in Florida with the MISFITS, and it was right after that show that I talked to Dave. And then MEGADETH management was there, and I let them know I could not do the September gigs. I offered to help find a replacement and do what was needed to help MEGADETH be ready to go."

Regarding what led to his departure being a permanent situation rather than just a temporary thing, Kiko said: "My proposal was not to do the September shows and help them find a replacement, which turned out to be Teemu [Mäntysaari]. But then I had some situations with my kids and had to go to the doctor, and I felt like I wanted to be home.

"And I get it — MEGADETH must go on, right? Being able to pick and choose where and when I play is not going to be a thing. I mean, I guess it could be, but that's not the way it turned out. Maybe they felt like, 'Well, Kiko might come out on the next tour and say the same thing,' which I understand. So I told them, 'I understand if you guys feel that I'm unreliable,' They kept asking me, 'Are you sure?' Ultimately, I had to take control because I knew I needed and wanted to be home. People who don't have kids won't understand, while if you do, you will."

In November, Kiko announced his decision to "extend" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, explaining that he didn't want to "hinder any of the band's plans or the hard work of all the incredible people involved in the tour."

Kiko revealed in September that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

One day after Kiko's announcement that he was "extending" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, Mustaine released a statement in which he said that he loves Loureiro and respects and fully supports Kiko's decision. He described Kiko as "a top-notch professional, a maestro" and thanked the guitarist "for his dedication and hard work these past nine years, helping us to achieve a Grammy on 'Dystopia' and the additional awards we have received on this latest record 'The Sick... The Dying...And The Dead'." Mustaine added: "I could not have done this without Kiko Loureiro."

In early October, Mustaine told Shaggy of the 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick radio station in Idaho Falls, Idaho about Teemu's addition to MEGADETH: "People are losing their minds over how things are going right now 'cause we have a really good chemistry together."

In September, Mustaine was equally full of praise for Mäntysaari, telling Wes Styles in a separate interview: "He's really great. And I'm super excited with what Teemu has brought. And it's uncanny because he plays a lot like [former MEGADETH guitarist] Marty [Friedman]. And it's really exciting. At certain times I just close my eyes during the set and I just hear these songs played, whether like Kiko in the past or Teemu now, it just sounds really magic because these guys have learned these songs and they're not just going out there and just banging their guitar around; they actually learned the solos from some of the virtuosos that I've played with over my career."

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

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

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

In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH's current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

Canada’s Hatred Reigns offers a brutal assault on unsuspecting listeners. They believe in a no-holds-barred approach and do not relinquish their grip until the last note is unleashed. Their latest release "Awaken The Ancients" is an eight-track sojourn into other worlds, paying homage to classic films and literature as well as their musical influences. 


For those who like to get into the nitty gritty, they now present a playthrough video for the track “To Depths Unknown” – premiered exclusively through BraveWords – which the band comments on, along with the album:


“Frantically falling, flailing to and fro," the protagonist is caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty, grappling with the unpredictable twists of their destiny. Their ultimate destination remains shrouded in mystery as they descend into the abyss of the unknown. The album encountered numerous adversities during its recording process, including COVID-19 lockdowns, illnesses, technical challenges, and complex musical arrangements.







Despite these hurdles, the band's unwavering dedication has resulted in an album that defies conventional limitations.”


Vocalist Mitchi Dimitriadis, who mixed and mastered the album, played a pivotal role in bringing guitarist Jeff Calder's vision to life. Together with Calder, Dimitriadis developed orchestration soundscapes, incorporating percussive sounds, spoken word elements, and digital sound samples into the music. Pedro “Lordigan” Sena, the album's designer, crafted a masterful artwork piece that vividly depicts countless aimless souls preparing to face judgment. This artwork aligns seamlessly with the album's thematic exploration and adds depth and vibrancy to the overall experience.





The tracks on the album are a testament to the band's diverse influences, seamlessly woven into a unified entity that reflects their collective vision. The sonic journey they offer is a compelling fusion of their musical roots and is suggested for fans of Carcass, Behemoth, and Cryptopsy.


Awaken The Ancients was released on December 1, 2023 and is available at distrokid.com and Bandcamp .

Entheos ring in the new year with a new single: a Drumcorps remix of "I Am The Void". The original track is taken from the band's Time Will Take Us All full-length, released in March of 2023 via Metal Blade Records.





Drumcorps is a metal/hardcore-inspired solo project of Aaron Spectre, an electronic musician, and DJ well known within the breakcore scene. His recordings and performances as Drumcorps mix explosive breakbeats and samples with his own guitar shredding, resulting in an aggressive, powerful hybrid of several styles of heavy music. Drumcorps has done remix collaborations with such scene giants as Converge, Code Orange, Animosity, and more. The remix of Entheos' "I Am The Void" follows Drumcorps' reinterpretation of the band's "The Interior Wilderness" (also taken from the Time Will Take Us All album), released last October.




Stream "I Am The Void (Drumcorps Remix)" below:





(Photo - Daniel Alvarado)

France’s Osculum Serpentis, the one-man project of Maxime Taccardi, a.k.a. "Vipera," has released a stunning music video for the track "Charogne de mon être, Odeur de ma vie". This song hails from Osculum Serpentis' forthcoming album, Miseria. 


In 2023, Osculum Serpentis amazed with their debut album, Maleficia, and the EP The Curse Of The Vampyre.


Taccardi is a revered figure within the extreme music world. He has a ton of top-notch projects, including K.F.R, Kyūketsuki, Putrid Omen, Saturnian Tempel, Griiim, Djinn, etc. In addition, he is a visual artist with a massive following. Taccardi is known for painting in his own blood. He is also a sculptor and video creator. He has authored books of art, poetry, and more.

Since winning a coveted Juno for their last album in 2018, Anciients have been whittling away at their follow-up. That album is done now and will be released later this year. But before the hard-rocking Canucks come down from the mountain with a new set of genre-breaking commandments for the psychedelic masses, they're flexing their new lineup with a re-recorded version of a proven fan favorite.    


Watch the visualizer for "Raise The Sun" (Re-Recording):


 




Anciients first came into existence back in 2011, though Kenny Cook (vocals, guitar), Chris Dyck (guitar) and Aaron "Boon" Gustafson (bass) had already played in a band together. Their potent chemistry, joined with drummer Mike Hannay, spilled over into Heart Of Oak, which landed the band an opening slot on tour with Lamb Of God, as well as on the long list for a Juno and the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.


After their second album, Voice Of The Void, won a Juno in 2018 for Metal / Hard Music Album of the Year, Anciients underwent several line-up changes. They're now joined by bassist Rory O'Brien and Brock MacInnes on rhythm guitar. You can hear the full brunt of their twin force on this re-recorded version of "Raise The Sun". The riffs sizzle with more than enough righteous fury to burn rubber, while the low end casts a thunderous shadow.   


"With the 10th anniversary of Heart Of Oak happening while we were recording our new record, we decided to re-record a couple songs with our current lineup," says Cook. "It was a trip down memory lane working on this song, a decade later, with producer Jesse Gander at the helm again. We hope you enjoy the sound of this new version of 'Raise The Sun'." 


Anciients' new album will come out later this year.






 

"Horizon Divides" is the upcoming offering from the Pennsylvania-based act, Negative 13. The new single is about facing the fact that no one can simply run from their problems, while musically it incorporates aspects of stoner, sludge, and doom with an injection of punk.


"Horizon Divides" is a dynamic offering that brings both high intensity, full throttle fuzz alongside calmer moments. The musical arrangement ebbs and flows carrying explosive bursts of more aggressive heavy instrumentation that are interjected across the track. Heavy riffs, dissonance, and fierce harsh vocals succeed in conveying a dark and emotive sound. 







Formed in 1999, the Pittsburgh, PA, quartet, Negative 13 (once known as Negative Theory), disbanded in 2003 having released their self-titled debut. Reforming two decades later, in 2021, original members drummer Chip Reynolds, vocalist Scott Fisher, and guitarist Edward Banchs, were joined by bassist Mary Bielich. Subsequently completing their second album, Mourning Asteri, in late 2021, Negative 13 released their first live album, Live From Black Forge, in November 2023. The band are continuing to grow with the new 2024 single "Horizon Divides". 


Musically, Negative 13 draws creative influence from the likes of EyeHateGod and Vision Of Disorder, alongside Rush and Helmet. The outfit describes their sound as post-punk infested stoner/sludge/doomcore, ultimately leaving the genre gates wide open to produce their own distinctive brand of heavy metal. 


 

Texas metal quintet Lockjaw are ready to hit the ground running in 2024. Propelled by the strength of their debut studio album, Relentless, the band has released a heavy hitting cover of the iconic Alice In Chains hit “Them Bones” – along with the announcement of their first US tour. The band will embark on “The Relentless Tour”, alongside fellow Dallas / Fort Worth metal act Dispositions, in Corpus Christi, TX on January 27, and concluding in Ocean Springs, MS on March 2.


Speaking about his personal reverence for AIC, Lockjaw guitarist Jeff Ogle shares, “Alice In Chains was always one of my favorite bands, especially from the Pacific Northwest. That scene was so huge in the '90s, and so many great bands came from there. When I was about 13, I got my first CD player in my room, and my grandad took me to the pawn shop one day and my very first CD was Jar Of Flies. I wore that thing out. Every song was just amazing to me.”


Further addressing what led the band to cover “Them Bones”, Ogle adds: “I think the reason I pushed so hard with the guys to do AIC as our first cover, and 'Them Bones' in particular, was it was just the heaviest grungy song ever. When we recorded Relentless, we found we were doing a ton of back up harmony vocals, and as it was happening in the studio, I just kept thinking of Layne and Jerry. So I wanted to tap into that vibe or spirit when we were recording. Needless to say, Relentless ended up being something we are all very proud of, and now we wanted to pay tribute to one of the bands that was very inspirational to us.”







Catch Lockjaw on The Relentless Tour 2024 with Dispositions at the following shows:


January 
27 – Corpus Christi, TX - House Of Rock *


February 
22 – Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street
23 – Fort Worth, TX - Haltom Theater (Havoc Fest)
24 – Memphis, TN - Hi Tone
25 – Nashville, TN - The Cobra
26 – Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
27 – Gainesville, GA - Blackstrap Rock Hall
29 – Birmingham, AL - The Nick


March 
1 – Fort Walton Beach, FL - Downtown Music Hall
2 – Ocean Springs, MS - The Juke Joint


* = Lockjaw only





 

Smoking Snakes, the electrifying sleaze metallers hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, will unleash their debut album, Danger Zone, on February 9 via Frontiers. Pre-order the album here, and watch a video for the new single, "Angels Calling", below:





Smoking Snakes are known for their high-energy performances and a sound that pays homage to the golden era of rock while infusing a contemporary edge. With their upcoming debut album, Danger Zone, the band aims to solidify their place in the sleaze metal genre and captivate audiences around the globe.




The band states: "It's our aim to start writing a new chapter for the music we love. We aren't trying to reinvent the wheel, but at the same time, we are using our own experiences and passion for the sleaze genre and are committed to keeping it alive"


Produced by Jakob Herrmann, known for his work with acclaimed acts such as Anthrax, In Flames, and Machine Head, Danger Zone promises to be a sleaze metal masterpiece. Herrmann, who honed his skills with Hardcore Superstar, lends his signature touch to the album.


In 2022, Smoking Snakes made a thunderous entrance onto the music scene, grabbing attention with a self-released demo that cranked up the volume to 11. Their distinctive blend of powerful old-school rock with a modern edge garnered acclaim, drawing inspiration from iconic artists such as W.A.S.P., Ratt, Dokken, and KISS. Recognizing their potential, Frontiers Music eagerly welcomed Smoking Snakes onto their roster.


With a perfect blend of raw energy, infectious melodies, and a commitment to the essence of sleaze, Smoking Snakes are poised to make a significant impact on the global music scene with Danger Zone.





Tracklisting:


"Angels Calling"
"Sole Survivors"
"Run For Your Life"
"Lady Lucky"
"Excited"
"Restless And Wild"
"Sorrow, Death And Pain"
"There Is No Tomorrow"
"Who Am I"
"We Are Alive"
"Rocking To The Morning Light"


"Sole Survivors" video:





Smoking Snakes are:


Brett Martin - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Andy Delarge - bass, backing vocals
Stan Ricci - drums, backing vocals
Leo Razor - lead guitar, backing vocals

Two weeks before the release of their new studio album, Charcoal Grace, Australian progressive metal outfit, Caligula’s Horse, release "The Stormchaser".


"The Stormchaser" comes with a thrilling music video that tells a moving story that underlines the emotional facetted of the song. Watch below.


Lead guitarist Sam Vallen says about the new track: "'The Stormchaser' is about the divide we all saw through the pandemic. How, rather than banding together to overcome the challenge of those years, many chose to serve themselves at the expense of their community and their society. Watching this, as we all did, was a humbling and infuriating experience, and it has lingered in all of us. Musically, 'The Stormchaser' is quite different from those we've revealed so far from Charcoal Grace, emphasising space, dynamics, and timbre with a particular focus on the emotional range of Jim Grey's vocal.”







Charcoal Grace is the 6th studio album of the band, and it combines raw rock power with immense emotional depth. Charcoal Grace is borne of the static hopelessness that the pandemic forced upon the band and, indeed, much of the world, these past few years. It is an album reckoning with the experiences and outcomes of this time geared, ultimately, towards catharsis - moving towards a more hopeful future.


Charcoal Grace will be available as Ltd. CD Digipak, CD Jewelcase (US only), Gatefold 2LP in various colours & Digital Album. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


“The World Breathes With Me”
“Golem”
“Charcoal Grace I: Prey”
“Charcoal Grace II: A World Without”
“Charcoal Grace III: Vigil”
“Charcoal Grace IV: Give Me Hell”
“Sails”
“The Stormchaser”
“Mute”


"The World Breathes With Me":





“Golem” video:





(Photo - Jack Venables)

In the video below, EMG artist Rob Cavestany of San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans DEATH ANGEL remembers hearing METALLICA for the first time. Rob also shared some great stories about meeting METALLICA, opening for them and having the band take the young DEATH ANGEL under their wings.

Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The first time I heard METALLICA… Well, I can't define the exact first time; it was probably in somebody's car while we were partying in the backseat. But the first album and era was, of course, 'Kill 'Em All'. And we were fortunate enough to meet METALLICA when they did this meet-and-greet thing at the Record Exchange in Walnut Creek, California. So, we met them there. They were very nice to us. They ended up mentoring us. [METALLICA guitarist] Kirk Hammett ended up producing our demo that got us signed. So it's very, very, very meaningful and it definitely led to where I am today."

Rob went on to say that METALLICA's second LP, "Ride The Lightning", is "probably my favorite of their albums till this day. I was about to say I could remember the first time I heard that. We were skating in a parking lot in Concord and some dude was playing it, a friend of ours was playing it out of his car, but I think that was 'Master Of Puppets'," he corrected himself. "But anyway, 'Ride The Lightning' is very significant to me as well for the fact that that was one of the biggest gigs we had ever played at that point of time in our career at that point of time. We were basically still a local band. I don't even think our first album was out yet. No, it wasn't. But we got the call [in March 1985] and I remember I was just at my parents' house and my mom was, like, 'Phone for you. Something about a METALLICA show.' I was, like, 'What?' And I got on the phone, and it was Toni Isabella [who worked for Bill Graham Presents]. And she said, 'Does DEATH ANGEL wanna open up for METALLICA at the Kabuki [Theater in San Francisco]?' Two nights — 'Ride The Lightning' tour, I said 'yes.' We had those gigs. They were amazing. We actually almost missed the first night because the van that was taking me to the show broke down on the freeway. And my dad came to the rescue, and we threw the stuff in his van, and I made it to the show to play the last three songs. I was bumming. We were all bumming, and they were pissed. But the next night was great. We played our whole set."

Back in January 2018, DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda spoke to RadioactiveMike Z about how his band ended up getting Hammett to produce its first demo, 1985's "Kill As One". He recalled: "[Kirk] took us under his wing when we were very, very young, prior to being signed. We would give him tapes of new songs. We'd see him at Ruthie's Inn or any of those local clubs and we'd give him cassette tapes of new stuff we'd written. It was literally in our rehearsal room. So what we'd do is we'd get our tape recorded or boom box, hit 'Play' and 'Record', stick it in a carboard box and throw a jacket over it and put it in the middle of the room, and that's how we'd record these new songs. And I'd give 'em to Kirk when I'd see him at these shows, just hoping he'd listen. Next time I'd see him at a club, he [would be like], 'Hey, I really dug that new song you wrote.' And eventually he approached us and was, like, 'I'd really be interested in producing a demo for you guys.' How are you gonna say no to that? So it was brilliant. We recorded that up in Glen Ellen, California, which is up in the Wine Country. We went up to the studio there, and over weekends, when we weren't at school, we would go up there and stay at the studio and just record on the weekends. And we did that for about three weeks — three or four weeks even — and it worked out great. And eventually, that's the demo that got us signed to Enigma that released our first two records."

Cavestany told Metal Refuge that working with Hammett was a "totally inspiring" experience, "because at that point in time, 'Ride The Lightning' had just come out, and so we were just freaking out that we were going to be doing this demo with the guitar player who was on 'Ride The Lightning', for God's sake! Basically, we were already kind of somewhat friends anyway, from just around the scene here and there. This was before METALLICA was untouchable. At that point in time, they were actually our local mentors in the scene, and we had just done some shows, either we were just about to do the shows, or we just did a couple shows with METALLICA at this place called the Kabuki nightclub in San Francisco. It was actually METALLICA, ARMORED SAINT and DEATH ANGEL. It was a great time. Kirk came in and basically just brought his experience to the recording studio with us, and also took his vibe and energetic and enthusiastic way that he was. It was just extremely thrilling for us at the time."

In recent years, Hammett has joined DEATH ANGEL on stage to perform the the METALLICA song "Trapped Under Ice" and the BLACK SABBATH classic "Heaven And Hell".

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

To mark their 40-year anniversary, industrial / EBM / alternative rock legends KMFDM will release their 23rd studio album (out February 2), previewed by the title track "Let Go", offering a potent mix of driving techno, dance, and funk-infused thrust. The band presents their signature onslaught of pulse-pounding rhythms, scorching electronics, blistering guitars, and vocals full of grit, growl, and grind addressing the social, political, and cultural ills of a world in perpetual turmoil. March also sees KMFDM tour the USA - tickets are already available for pre-order.


KMFDM continues to bridge the gaps between genres, coalescing into what we know and love as the Ultra Heavy Beat. About this album, The Spill Magazine writes, "Emphasizing the band’s roots while showcasing their output in a modern milieu, welcome to your must-have early 2024 soundtrack for the cognizant and conscientious alternative music lover." 







Rising up lean and mean, KMFDM is doing it again, celebrating 40 years of conceptual continuity in grand style! Let Go marks the group’s 23rd studio album, the core lineup of Sascha “Käpt’n K” Konietzko, Lucia Cifarelli, Andy Selway and Andee Blacksugar presenting their signature onslaught of pulse-pounding rhythms, scorching electronics, blistering guitars, and vocals full of grit, growl, and grind addressing the social, political, and cultural ills of a world in perpetual turmoil.


The first taste of their new record is the title track, "Let Go", the first of the 11 tracks on the album.


Stylistically diverse as ever, KMFDM continues to bridge the gaps between genres, coalescing into what we know and love as the Ultra Heavy Beat! “Never let them know your next move,” says Käpt’N K, laying down the band’s primary philosophy on this record, commanding you to let go of precept and pretense, to hold on tight, leave your worries behind, and get ready to rock!


From the driving techno, dance, and funk infused thrust of '"Let Go" to the airily melodic and swirling vibes of "Airhead" and "Touch", the grooving revolutionary oratory and percolating spaghetti western guitar and glitch-laden synth leads of "Turbn The Light On", to the sneering and seething riot grrl fury of "When The Bell Tolls", the sinister hip-hop injected "Next Move", the downright cinematic and Teutonic electro of "Erlkönig", and the virulent dub warcry of 'WW 2023' – KMFDM continues to break down barriers and immerse audiences in a bold new reality.


Konietzko and Cifarelli prove as vicious a team as ever, equally sharing vocal and lyrical duties, with longtime associate MC Ocelot appearing to give "Next Move"an extra touch of raucous rap energy. All the while, Blacksugar’s prowess on six-strings continues to awe and astound, backed by Selway’s dynamic drumming, meshing with Konietzko’s masterful programming.


Mixed and mastered by Benjamin Lawrenz (VNV Nation, Deep Purple, Saga, Mono Inc., Lord of the Lost), at Chameleon Recording Studios in Hamburg, Let Go signals KMFDM’s 40th anniversary loudly and proudly, with Aidan "Brute" Hughes’ distinctive cover artwork mirroring the album’s breakneck power. After four decades, the Ultra Heavy Beat simply refuses to rest in pity and regret, raising a sharpened middle finger at a world in chaos.





Tracklist:


"Let Go"
"Push!"
"Next Move"
"Airhead"
"Turn The Light On"
"Touch"
"Erlkönig"
"When The Bell Tolls"
"Totem E. Eggs"
"WW 2023"
"Fillet Manchego Claret & Blow"





Photos by Bobby Talamine

Legendary rock guitarist, Steve Hackett, will release his new studio album, The Circus And The Nightwhale, on February 16 via InsideOut Music. A rite-of-passage concept album with a young character called Travla at the centre of it, The Circus And The Nightwhales’ 13 tracks have an autobiographical angle for the musician who says about his 30th solo release: “I love this album. It says the things I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.”


Today, Hackett premiers the music video for the new song, "Wherever You Are". Check it out below.


Of the track, Steve comments: “’Wherever You Are’ is a song of love winning through, shattering the chains of the physical world… Light obliterating darkness. A new universe has opened up with the hope that such a strong love could even survive death. The dreams of childhood realised, there is a sense of everything coming around full circle… Even the three part harmony guitar at the end of Genesis’ The Musical Box is revisited in spirit with the joy of celebration during this song.”







The Circus And The Nightwhale is Steve’s first new music in over two years. It follows the beautiful acoustic LP Under A Mediterranean Sky from January 2021 - which rose to #2 in the UK Classical chart - and, in September of that year, his metallic masterpiece Surrender Of Silence, which hit the UK Top 40. His 2023 live album, Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton, reached #2 in the Rock & Metal Chart. Steve’s new LP promises ballads, blues, blistering progressive rock… and healthy measures of theatre and fantasia.


Recorded between tours in 2022 and 2023 at Siren studio in the UK - with guest parts beamed in from Sweden, Austria, the US, Azerbaijan and Denmark, the lineup for The Circus And The Nightwhale includes some familiar faces alongside Steve on electric and acoustic guitars, 12-string, mandolin, harmonica, percussion, bass and vocals. Roger King (keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Craig Blundell (drums) and Amanda Lehmann on vocals. Nick D’Virgilio and Hugo Degenhardt return as guests on the drumstool, engineer extraordinaire Benedict Fenner appears on keyboards and Malik Mansurov is back with the tar. Finally, Steve’s brother John Hackett is present once more on flute.


The new album is available to pre-order on several different formats, including a Limited CD+Blu-ray mediabook (including 5.1 Surround Sound & 24bit high resolution stereo mixes), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180g Vinyl LP & as Digital Album. All feature the stunning cover painting by Denise Marsh. Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"People Of The Smoke"
"These Passing Clouds"
"Taking You Down"
"Found And Lost"
"Enter The Ring"
"Get Me Out!"
"Ghost Moon And Living Love"
"Circo Inferno"
"Breakout"
"All At Sea"
"Into The Nightwhale"
"Wherever You Are"
"White Dove"


"People Of The Smoke" video:





Summing up The Circus And The Nightwhale, Steve says: “It’s a lovely journey that starts dirty, scratchy and smoky and becomes heavenly and divine. How can you resist it?”


Steve is currently on tour in North America, continuing his Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights run. Next year he will tour the world extensively, including a brand new UK tour under the name Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo (that will see him return to the legendary Royal Albert Hall), as well as a return to the US for additional Foxtrot At Fifty shows from March 1 through April 13. For the full list of dates, head here.


(Photo - Tina Korhonen)

Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz and former Delain singer Charlotte Wessels have checked in with the following update:


"Please enjoy this release, 'Fool's Parade' - a collaborative track inspired by Oscar Wilde's Ballad of Reading Gaol. We initially released this song on October 13th, 2022, to our patrons, but after over a year as a patron-exclusive track, it is time to send Fool's Parade into the world!"







Head over to the Patreon.com/AlissaWhiteGluz and  Patreon.com/CharlotteWessels Pareon pages for more music.


Alissa and Charlotte performed Fool's Parade live in Utrecht, Holland on October 23rd, 2022. Check out fan-filmed video below.

It's fitting that Ponte Del Diavolo are named after the "Bridge Of The Devil". The Italian band weld doom and black metal into a towering force that's as cruel and unforgiving as the infamously steep road that medieval peasants had to cross on the way to their home country.


With the announcement of their very first album, Ponte Del Diavolo cast a delightfully gloomy shadow over the holiday season. Today, they're letting the bad times roll into the new year by unveiling their second single “Covenant”.


"Covenant" swears off the conventional wisdom that sometimes less is more. After all, what's better than a dark and doomy bass line? How about two dark and doomy bass lines that swarm like a sky full of thunderclouds.




"Covenant is a hymn to nature, a pact with the elements, a reconciliation with death," Ponte Del Diavolo says. "The video is a tribute to Turin, which we believe encapsulates all this in its magical and often decadent romanticism. It's the song that has more 'forays' than the other tracks on the album. Theremin, synthesizers and clarinet (played by Lucynine, Andrea L'Abbate and Vittorio Sabelli respectively) can be heard between dark wave-inspired and typically doom parts. It is the first song born during the composition sessions and its refrain contains the lyrics that gave the album its title."


Fire Blades From The Tomb is out February 16 via Season Of Mist.


Available formats:


- Digital Download
- Deluxe CD Digipak
- 12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
- 12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Gold & Black Marbled


Pre-save here, pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Covenant"
"Red As The Sex Of She Who Lives In Death"
"La Razza"
"Nocturnal Veil"
"Zero"
"The Weeping Song"


"Covenant" video:





"Demone" video:





Lineup:


Elena Camusso (as Erba Del Diavolo) - Vocals
Alessio Caruso (as Krhura) - Bass
Andrea l'Abbate (as Kratom) - Bass
Stefano Franchina (as Segale Cornuta) - Drums
Rocco Scuzzarella (as Nerium) - Guitars


Guest musicians:


Andrea l'Abbate - Synth on "Covenant"
Lucynine - Theremin on "Covenant"
Vittorio Sabelli - Clarinet on "Covenant", "Red As The Sex Of She Who Lives In Death" & "Nocturnal veil"
Davide Straccione - Vocals on "The Weeping Song"

DISTURBED's David Draiman has gone public with his new relationship, less than a year after announcing that he had split up with his wife.

On Wednesday (January 10), the 50-year-old singer took to his Instagram to share a photo of him with Sarah Uli, and he captioned it: "My lady @sarah_uli". He also added a red heart emoji, which is typically used for expressions of love and romance.

Several female rock singers took to the comments section to congratulate Draiman on his new relationship, including HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale, who wrote: "David, you are such a beautiful soul. Im so glad u have found someone who makes you happy".

NEW YEARS DAY's Ash Costello added: "She's beautiful!"

STITCHED UP HEART singer Alecia "Mixi" Demner commented: "Jaw dropper!!!"

According to TheOrg.com, Uli — who, like Draiman, resides in Miami, Florida — has over 12 years of work experience, starting in 2005 as a sales manager at TNT Powersprot. Sarah then worked as a senior nightlife manager at GMR Marketing from 2011 to 2015. Afterwards, Sarah joined Young's Market Company as a sales representative from 2015 to 2017. Sarah then worked as an independent marketing contractor from 2009 to 2017, handling marketing and promotional projects for various companies including Samsung, JBL, and Marlboro. In 2017, Sarah became a territory sales manager at Reynolds American Inc. and worked there until 2020. Sarah then joined AstroNova, Inc. as a regional account executive from 2020 to 2021. Sarah's next role was at secure staffing as a model account manager from 2020 to 2022. Currently, she holds the position of senior sales account manager at JDI Distribution since April 2022. Sarah's most recent work experience is as an account executive at eSpeakers since January 2023. Acccording to eSpeakers, she is passionate about being healthy and living life to its fullest. She loves to travel and see new places. She also enjoys being in the sun, at the beach, and spending time with her puppy, Raya.

Last May, Draiman said he deleted his account on Tinder, calling it "an absolute shitshow". One week after he confirmed that he had been using the dating app to find "the right woman" following his recent divorce, Draiman offered an update on his search for romance, writing on Twitter: "Holly fucking dumpster fire Batman, @Tinder was an absolute shitishow. Scammers, grifters, fakes and phonies abound. What a colossal fucking nightmare. Deleted it. Dear lord."

On May 5, 2023, one of Draiman's Twitter followers shared a screenshot of what appeared to be the singer's Tinder profile, and he wrote: "Lol dude you see this?! I'm tagging you bc I believe it's fake @davidmdraiman". David quickly responded: "Not fake lol. It's me". This prompted the fan to write, "My bad bro for assuming", to which Draiman replied: "All good. You'd be surprised. It's hard for a guy like me to meet the right woman. I'll tell you, it's been weird so far. Lots of scammers. Trying to figure out how to navigate this new terrain."

Another fan also chimed in on Draiman's presence on Tinder, writing: "Read: David Draiman can't get laid anymore." Draiman fired back with: "I can get laid anytime I want if I'm willing to drop my standards, but my standards are quite high, and I won't dishonor myself that way. Looking for the RIGHT woman, not just ANY woman. Oh. And btw? You're a dick".

In April 2023, Draiman confirmed that he recently finalized his divorce from his wife of 11 years, Lena Draiman.

The singer opened up about his split in an interview with Kyle Meredith. Speaking about why DISTURBED continues to make music and stay creative after being together for nearly 30 years, David said: "Therapy. [Laughs] It's as pure and simple as that. Right now for me it's the most effective form of therapy.

"I'm very much looking forward to the performance end of things, which is coming up shortly, but the creative end is the perfect way to come to terms with your demons, and I'm definitely stocked up," he explained. "I need this, and I need the music — creating it, performing it, living it — right now more than I ever have.

"I just recently finalized my divorce. I just recently said goodbye to my Akita [dog], my best friend of 14 years. There's gonna be plenty of inspiration for the next body of work. Battling depression, battling all the demons that normally come along with it. And I know that music — our music, other music like it and different types of music in general — is just the perfect means of therapy for so many other people. And it really is my saving grace. I don't know what I would do without it."

Draiman touched upon his divorce again later in the interview when the conversation turned to the DISTURBED song "Don't Tell Me", which appears on the band's latest album "Divisive". A duet with HEART's Ann Wilson, the track was inspired by DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan's own recent divorce. "Mine hadn't been finalized yet [when the song was written]," David revealed. "And to be honest, when I wrote the song, I didn't realize how prophetic it was going to be. I kind of hate that shit. [Laughs] It ended up becoming not just about Dan's divorce, unfortunately. It wasn't exactly the same situation, but I definitely have added reverence for the song, and it has added meaning and power to me, especially now."

When David first announced his divorce on his Facebook page in February 2023, he described himself as "heartbroken" and "very lost" and revealed that there was "no infidelity" involved in the split. He went on to say that there was "no bad blood" between him and his now-ex-wife and added that they would "continue to be the best parents" we can be to their son Samuel, who was born in September 2013. "Lena is still the best mother I could ever hope for, so we've got that going for us," he wrote at the time. He added: "I will continue to try to be the best father, and frontman that I can be, and I hope that Sam can forgive me one day for my part in this failure."

In November 2022, Donegan told the Z93 radio station that DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren also "went through a divorce early on in the pandemic."

Almost two years ago, Draiman and his then-wife and son moved to Miami, Florida after living in Honolulu, Hawaii for a few years.

Draiman first announced his family's decision to relocate to Miami in February 2022, explaining on his Facebook page that he and his then-wife "gave it our best shot, but between the extraordinarily long travel times for business, island fever, and a bunch of other factors, we've decided to move on." He also shared a link to a video tour of his then-Honolulu home which had just been listed. That house has since sold for more than $6 million, according to public records.

In September 2023, Draiman sold his house in the Miami suburb of Pinecrest for $5 million. David bought the modern Spanish-Moroccan villa for $5.22 million in March 2022 and first listed it for $5.75 million in January 2023. It was last asking $5.19 million.

"Divisive" came out in November 2022. The LP was recorded earlier that year with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.
For one simple reason.

To make sure everyone knows and respects boundaries.

That’s it.

— David Draiman 🟦 (@davidmdraiman) January 11, 2024



Posted by Sarah Uli on Wednesday, January 10, 2024

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Draiman (@davidmdraiman)

ACCEPT will perform at all European festivals in 2024 and the South American tour in May with Joel Hoekstra.

Hoekstra will be standing in for Phil Shouse, who will remain with the band as their permanent live guitarist for all other gigs.

New York-based Joel Hoekstra is best known to fans as a current member of the legendary band WHITESNAKE and is part of TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. He has also played with Cher, NIGHT RANGER and FOREIGNER, to name just a few of his numerous collaborations.

ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann comments: "It is a great honor for us to be on stage with Joel Hoekstra. Joel is an exceptional guitarist and I have huge respect for him. The whole band is really looking forward to playing with this string magician."

Hoekstra added: "I'm super honored and excited to riff out and rock out with Wolf and the guys! I'm really looking forward to meeting all the ACCEPT fans in South America and Europe! Let's rock!!"

ACCEPT recently completed work on a new studio album for a 2024 release via the band's new record label home, Napalm Records..

Last June, Wolf said in an interview with Cassius Morris about the progress of the recording sessions for the follow-up to 2021's "Too Mean To Die" album: "Well, we have this place in Nashville that we have made the last five albums in. And we basically do drums at a place — it's not quite sure where we're gonna do it this time. And then guitars are usually happening here in Nashville and mixing happens in England. Nowadays, with technology, we don't really need to be together in the same place for four weeks at a time; we do it here and there and everywhere. But it's still important to know that we're doing it kind of together; we're not just sharing files over the Internet. 'Cause that has never worked for us. So, in other words, [longtime producer] Andy [Sneap] has to be in the room, if possible, and then whoever gets to record their tracks, and then a bunch of others are usually around. So it's a group thing, for sure, but it's not [like] everybody's there the whole, all the time together."

In the fall of 2022, ACCEPT completed a North American tour with support from NARCOTIC WASTELAND. The band played a career-spanning set of new and classic tracks, including mega-hits "Balls To The Wall", "Princess Of The Dawn", "Fast As A Shark" and many more.

In February 2022, it was announced that ACCEPT had inked a worldwide deal with Napalm Records.

"Too Mean To Die" came out in January 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was the group's first without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, the aforementioned Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during 2019's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

"Too Mean To Die" was recorded in Nashville with Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH),who has been responsible for the studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.

Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original lead singer, Udo Dirkscheider. He can be heard on ACCEPT's last five studio albums, "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017) and "Too Mean To Die".

Photo courtesy of Frontiers Music Srl / REVOLUTION SAINTS

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MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5 has told Illinois Entertainer in a new interview that he and his bandmates are continuing to work on fresh material. "We have recorded some songs with [longtime MÖTLEY CRÜE producer] Bob Rock," he said. "Just the other day, Nikki [Sixx, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist] called me and he was playing guitar over the phone and he'll play a riff, and he'll sing this melody, and it sounded like it could be something off of [MÖTLEY CRÜE's debut album] 'Too Fast For Love'. It's just natural for him to write these songs that I have loved and lots of other people have loved. I think we're always going to make new music, because, man, this guy is pumping out amazing lyrics and great music. When we all get together, it's pretty magical."

In December, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee told Desert Sun about the three new songs he and his bandmates recorded early last year with Rock, including "Dogs Of War" and a cover of BEASTIE BOYS' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)": "Wait until you hear it. It's insane. It's not a full album, but that might be down the road a bit. We're always writing and doing stuff, so that's always a possibility down the road. But we just went to the studio not too long ago and recorded three insane tracks and one of them is called 'Dogs Of War'. We're just finishing up the video for it. For those jonesing for some new CRÜE, people are going to bug out. John 5 is playing on it, the guitar work is incredible and it sounds sick."

In September, John 5 told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the new MÖTLEY CRÜE music: "I don't know when it's gonna come out, but everything is a plan. Everything is mapped out and structured, and everything is, 'We're gonna do it here and there,' and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So the songs are recorded, mixed, mastered. And they're so good. I can't wait for them to come out. They're so good. I'm really excited about 'em."

He continued: "Who knows what's going to happen? I don't know if we'll just release singles or an album. It's up to those guys, so I don't know. We just record and see what happens. But these songs that we recorded are so good; they're heavy and the melodies and everybody's just killing it on these songs."

Asked how much how much input he had during the songwriting process, John 5 said: "We all sat in a room and did it together. 'Cause me and Nikki have written for years and years and years together. So it was nothing new. And me and Tommy worked in the studio together many times as well. So it was nothing new being in the studio, but it was new with Bob Rock.

"What was so wild was we got in a room… It was like total old school, man," he explained. "You get in the live room and there's my amp and there's Nikki's amp and there's Tommy's drums, there's a mic… 'Cause I'm so used to just playing in the control room. And it's, like, 'Oh no, no, no. We're all gonna get in this room and we're gonna play.' And that's how we recorded. It was incredible. I've never recorded that way. And it was maybe one of the best experiences I had recording. It was so fun. It was a blast. I had to, like, make notes and all this stuff, and we just played through it. It was incredible."

Last spring, John 5 told Sirius XM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about recording with Rock: "Bob would come in and [say], 'Okay, let's try this here, and that here and this here. It was one of the most incredible experiences ever… I'm thinking, 'We've got so much great technology today'… but we got in that room and it was like being in a garage working on a song when you were in high school… It was incredible, and we documented a lot of it too."

Regarding the musical direction of the tracks he and the rest of MÖTLEY CRÜE have recorded so far, John 5 said: "The songs are fucking heavy. I sound like a little excited kid right now, but they're heavy and they're mean. I can't wait for them to come out. I'm just so excited."

When host Eddie Trunk asked John 5 whether the new MÖTLEY CRÜE music can be compared to the band's breakthrough second album, 1983's "Shout At The Devil", the guitarist said that some of the new riffs are "heavier than anything" on that LP. "All I can tell you is that it's heavy and it's aggressive, and I think people are going to dig it because, talking as a fan, it's fucking badass," he said.

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

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

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

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in early April 2023 the now-72-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin (courtesy of Live Nation)

In a new interview with Guitar World, Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper, Demi Lovato) explains why she loves Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page's playing, from his incredible ear to his innovative arrangements. An excerpt follows...


Guitar World: When you hear the name Jimmy Page, what is the first thing that comes to mind?


Nita Strauss: “The first thing I think of when I hear that name is ‘innovator’. On guitar there are so many things that one person did first and a lot of the time that person is Jimmy Page. Whether it’s the crazy bow technique that he occasionally used or those really interesting song arrangements that deviated from your traditional verse/chorus/verse/chorus/solo/out. He pioneered ‘being different’ really early on for us guitar players.”




GW: Is there a favorite Page riff for you?


Strauss: “It’s hard to pick just one, but I guess there’s a reason why 'Whole Lotta Love' is the classic. Actually, if I remember correctly, they even asked me to play that song as part of my audition for the Alice Cooper band!  It’s such a classic straightforward riff that every guitarist can appreciate and play - it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or very advanced, you will be able to sit down and play that riff as well as really enjoy it.”


Read more at GuitarWorld.com.


Nita Strauss will be a special guest on the first leg of Mammoth WVH's Mammoth II Tour 2024 across the United States. The first leg - scheduled for February 21 to March 10 - will make stops in Kansas City, MO (February 23), Detroit, MI (February 28), Huntington, NY (March 6) among others before wrapping up in Albany, NY on March 10. Dates below.





February
21 - St. Louis, MO - Red Flag ^
23 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman ^
24 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee ^
27 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room at Old National Centre ^
28 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall ^


March
1 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart’s ^
2 - Joliet, IL - The Forge ^
5 - New Haven, CT - Toad’s Place ^
6 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount ^
8 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Roxian Theatre ^
9 - Charles Town, WV - The Event Center at Hollywood Casino ^
10 - Albany, NY - Empire Live ^


May
4 - Bethlehem, PA - Wind Creek Event Center *
5 - Portland, ME - Aura *
7 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen *
8 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa *
10 - Cherokee, NC- Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center *
12 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution Live *
14 - Chattanooga, TN - The Signal *
16 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl *
17 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom *


^ Headline Show - Special Guest Nita Strauss
* Headline Show - Special Guest Interval

Turbulence, the progressive rock/metal powerhouse hailing from Lebanon, unveils their latest sonic masterpiece with the release of the new single "Hybrid" today. This marks the prelude to their upcoming album, Binary Dream scheduled for release on March 8, 2024. Preorder here.


The band states: “Binary Dream is a narrative wrapped in layers of groovy, technical progressive metal, with nods to Djent and jazz fusion. It's an exploration, a questioning, and an awakening. Dive into the journey of 8b+1, a robot at the centre of an experiment called Binary Dreaming. Across nine tracks, we're taken through a meticulously crafted story of consciousness awakening. From 'Static Mind' to 'Ternary', each piece is a blend of technical skill and emotive storytelling, reflecting the band's growth and ambition”.


Since its inception in 2013 by the brilliant composers Alain Ibrahim (guitar) and Mood Yassin (keyboard), Turbulence has become synonymous with a dynamic and innovative musical experience. The band's evolution now includes the exceptional talents of Omar El Hage on vocals, Sayed Gereije on Drums, and Anthony Atoui on bass adding further depth to their already remarkable line-up.




As Turbulence stands on the brink of a new era in their musical journey, Binary Dream promises to be a revolutionary addition to their discography. Following the success of their sophomore release, Frontal, the band continues to showcase their ability to weave intricate musical narratives, merging modern sounds with progressive elements.


The musical journey of Turbulence began with a serendipitous collaboration between Alain Ibrahim and Mood Yassin, resulting in a fusion of prog-loving influences that creates a sound that is both technically proficient and emotionally resonant. Turbulence's mission has always been to bring their unique style of progressive music from the Middle East to a global audience.


Signing with Frontiers, a globally renowned label, has provided Turbulence with a platform to reach an even broader audience. The band is thrilled about this partnership, citing the influence of many of the label's roster bands on their own musical upbringing.


As the release of Binary Dream approaches, fans can expect another emotional and sonic roller coaster from Turbulence. The album is poised to feature a diverse range of musical elements, from intricate rhythms and polyrhythms to ambient soundscapes, highlighting the band's growth and versatility.


With their sights set on the future and a commitment to pushing creative boundaries, Turbulence continues to be a stunning revelation for prog metal enthusiasts worldwide. Stay tuned for the release of Binary Dream in spring 2024, as Turbulence leaves an indelible mark on the global progressive music scene.





Tracklisting:


“Static Mind”
“Theta”
“Time Bridge”
“Manifestations”
“Ternary”
“Binary Dream”
“Hybrid”
“Corrosion”
“Deerosion” 


“Hybrid” video:





Turbulence are:
Omar El Hage - vocals
Alain Ibrahim - guitars
Mood Yassin - keyboards
Sayed Gereige - drums
Anthony Atwe – bass

Portland, Oregon-based progressive sludge metal outfit Lord Dying today unleashes their monolithic new single, “The Universe Is Weeping,” alongside its accompanying video. The track comes by way of the band’s upcoming studio album, Clandestine Transcendence, set for official release on January 19 via MNRK Heavy.


Pre-save / pre-order your copy now at this location.


From the earliest rumblings of their debut demo and self-titled EP (both issued in 2011), through the piledriving force of 2013’s Summon The Faithless and devastating despair of 2015’s Poisoned Altars, Lord Dying has composed masterfully melancholic music for the misanthropic, with grit and grime.




In 2019, the band delivered Mysterium Tremendum. The heady and adventurous existential reflection on death of that record served as the impetus to a trilogy, and that story continues in 2023 with an increasingly ambitious follow-up, Clandestine Transcendence.


On Clandestine Transcendence, Lord Dying cofounders Erik Olson (guitar, vocals) and Chris Evans (guitar) are joined by Alyssa Mocere (former bassist for Eight Bells) and Kevin Swartz (current drummer of Tithe). Produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou (High On Fire, Code Orange, Kvelertak) at his God City Studios, the twelve-track opus steps even further into the great unknown, filled with riffs and vibes.


Woven throughout the songs, that story and its rich thematic material inform a wholly immersive listen. Tension, drama, and atmosphere abound all over songs like “Unto Becoming” and latest single, “The Universe Is Weeping.”


Comments Olson, "We are very psyched to premiere the opening track and video for ‘The Universe Is Weeping’ off our upcoming album. This song picks up directly where our previous album leaves off. Post death. Blazing beyond the cosmos and outside the realms of consciousness. Total dissolution of the self. Into Clandestine Transcendence.”


Adds Maucere, who directed and produced the video, “When asked to direct the video for ‘The Universe Is Weeping,’ I couldn’t help but tackle the concept of the Cosmic Calendar. For instance, the Universe’s birthdate is January 1st. Life on earth = Sept 30th. Human history is Dec 31st at 23:59:57. We consume everything in our path as our sources of energy, some of which have been on earth for over 600 million years. If the past can tell us anything about life, a new life form could come along one day that decides that they can house us, raise us, and overfeed us to become their most preferred source of energy. Or we could just destroy each other before that day may come, which seems more likely to me.”


Clandestine Transcendence will be released on January 19, 2024 via MNRK Heavy on CD, LP, and digital formats.


Clandestine Transcendence artwork and tracklisting:





"The Universe Is Weeping"
"I Am Nothing I Am Everything" 
"Unto Becoming"
"Final Push Into The Sun"
"Dancing On The Emptiness"
"Facing The Incomprehensible"
"A Brief Return To Physical Form"
"A Bond Broken By Death"
"Break In The Clouds (In The Darkness Of Our Minds)"
"Soul Metamorphosis"
"Swimming In The Absence"
"The Endless Road Home"


"The Universe Is Weeping" video:





"The Endless Road Home" video:





(Photo by Neil DaCosta)

Greg Prato reporting for Ultimate-Guitar.com:


Has shred guitar been taken as far as it can possibly go in the modern age? By listening to such artists as DragonForce and Polyphia, it certainly appears so. But by focusing so much on the technical aspect of the instrument, have such important components as tone, phrasing, and feel been sacrificed?


One of shred's forefathers, Uli Jon Roth, recently spoke with Ultimate Guitar – including what fans can expect at his 2024 Sky Academy – but also, gave an extremely thorough response to the question, "Do you think that rock guitarists of the '70s had more feel in their playing than many of the modern-day shredders?" Below is his entire reply.




"Absolutely yes. Quite unequivocally, yes. And you know why? I cannot tell you in one sentence – I need to make a slightly bigger curve here in order to explain that."


"First of all, in the '70s, the rock guitar – whatever you want to call it – which came out of the blues and a little bit out of the jazz, was still very much in its infancy compared to what you find nowadays. So, the field was wide open."


"Because I remember it very, very well – I've been on stage since 1968. And what was around in 1968 was very different from what was around in 1974 or '75. There's a huge development – technically and sonically – on the electric guitar between those seven years. In '68, you're at the peak of Jimi Hendrix with 'Electric Ladyland,' and then there was Eric Clapton, there was Jeff Beck, there was Jimmy Page, and there were several others. Ritchie Blackmore was just emerging."


"But then in the '70s, it was kind of a 'hybrid thing.' More players started to discover dexterity and different kinds of scales away from the blues – a little bit more towards the classical scales. And everything became a little smoother. The danger zone was when Jimi Hendrix was there, and Eric Clapton in the early days of Cream – nothing like that had ever happened. That was such a new beginning for rock music. Kind of the ultimate 'power template.' What they didn’t do was they didn't explore the guitar from a technical point of view. They didn't go much further than what the blues vocabulary was."


"That happened slightly later – starting with people like Ritchie Blackmore, then you had Jan Akkerman, then you had Michael Schenker, and… yours truly. And there were some others – Gary Moore. It was a new generation coming up – building on that. But that generation played with sound and feeling. Because everything was still so new. It was completely uncharted territory. It was very exciting."


He goes on to say:


"Too many things are nondescript at the moment. We need more uniqueness, we need more expression, more depth, more message. Jimi Hendrix was not by nowadays standards a great technical player. But what he played was always good enough for what he wanted to express – that was just that time. The time of arpeggios had not yet arrived. But within what he did, every note – whether it was good or bad – had a meaning. A real meaning. Just like a sentence in a great novel has a meaning."


"And too many players play without meaning. They just play phrases. And they're empty. An arpeggio up and down is empty – there is no meaning in it. Unless you've got something to say."


"So, this is your answer to your question from my point of view. I took about five minutes to get there, but to me, what I just said makes sense. I'm not just saying it because I'm 'the elder statesman' who is nigh on 70 years old. When I was 15 or 20, I remember exactly what that was like, and I can still judge music on the same kind of level. It has nothing to do with this generation, that generation, this generation, that generation."


"The journey of the electric guitar is fascinating. At the moment, we're at a point where something has gone missing – that's all I'm saying. And there's enough talent out there – there are so many gifted young players and that's great. All I'm saying is, 'How about if we start looking at things slightly differently?' Look towards the past in the sense that what was great then, maybe take some of that, bring it into the future. That's great. Because of course, the past is no better than… the bottom line is it's all just a reflection of the zeitgeist."


After five long years, Uli Jon Roth is finally returning to North America with a rescheduled 30-date tour in April/May 2024. This isn't just an ordinary concert - it's an invitation to join the Interstellar Sky Guitar tour, a captivating 3-hour show of music and excitement.


The integrated multi-media show unfolds in two parts:


Part I: An intimate evening with Uli Jon Roth, featuring a selection of both new and older pieces composed by Uli, including excerpts from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Uli’s Metamorphosis Concerto. It will also include a brief ‘TED Talk’ by Uli, introducing his new book In Search Of The Alpha Law.


Part II: Uli navigates through his musical history, performing hits from the early Scorpions and Electric Sun years, with the support of his band.


Find more tour and ticket information at ujr.info.





Dates:


April
2 - Mesa, AZ The Venue - The Canyon
3 - Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
4 - Ramona, CA - Ramona Mainstage
5 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House
6 - Concord, CA - Vinnies
7 - Santa Rosa, CA - The Flamingo Resort
12 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
13 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
18 - Hobart, IN - Hobart Arts Center
19 - St. Charles, IL - Arcada Theater
20 - Chicago, IL - Reggies
21 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
24 - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater
25 - Fall River, MA - Narrows Center for The Arts
26 - Derry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall
27 - New York, NY - Iridium
28 - New York, NY - Iridium


May
1 - West Yarmouth, MA - The Music Room

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has warned against disseminating false or unverified information online, saying that it causes immense "damage" to the world.

Earlier today (Monday, January 1),Stanley took to his account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to write: "Happy New Year. Let's stop with 'I'm entitled to my opinion'. If you haven't done your own credible fact based research or parrot what you've heard or been told, YOU are part of the problem and the damage it causes. We all deserve more from each other".

Back in August 2022, Stanley slammed American mainstream media outlets for only reporting one political side of the story with bias. The KISS frontman, who recently completed the band's "End Of The Road" farewell trek, took to his X to share the logos of several major cable news networks — specifically Fox News, CNN and MSNBC — and he included the following message: "WANT TO HAVE A MORE UNIFIED COUNTRY? Have a more unified news! Not poisonous bickering & slanted distortions on BOTH sides. How can we form educated points of view when we're not getting the unbiased truth? We don't need networks pushing opinions. We need ACCURACY. We need FACTS."

This was not the first time Stanley had been critical of the way the American media reports its stories. Back in January 2020, Paul wrote on X: "The divisive and dangerous climate in America is in large part the result of 24 HOUR 'NEWS' CHANNELS WHICH ARE IN FACT SKEWED AND BIASED POLITICAL OUTLETS . Any point of view can be backed up with some sort of documentation and 'expert' analysis and that is the key problem. News?!? No. We are watching slick entertainment channels pushing their own agenda and a reality which then becomes yours."

In June 2019, Paul tweeted out the BBC News logo along with the following message: "If You're Ready For News With Far Less Of The Game Show Slickness And Bias Of Our 24 News Networks You Might Try One Of The BBC Outlets. Less Exciting? YES! But Filling 24 Hours Is An Unnecessary Challenge That Has Turned Outlets Into Biased Fast Food Providers."

In August 2018, Stanley said that he did not believe the press is the enemy of the American people, presumably in response to then-U.S. president Donald Trump, who has regularly derided the media as such.

Stanley offered his opinion in two separate tweets, writing: "JOURNALISTS And The Media Are NOT The Enemy Of The People. Without the opportunity to hear all points of view we can't find the truth. Those who want to silence opposition and questions or turn the public against them ARE The Enemy Of The People And Of Freedom.@CNN @FoxNews"

He added: "Because ALL media coverage of politics is clearly biased now, we should accept that EVERYONE is participating and NOBODY is innocent. THAT is all the more reason we need to hear it all."

While he was president, Trump frequently took issue with outlets like CNN and The New York Times for publishing critical stories about his administration and has continued to call journalists "the enemy of the people," despite criticism and fear that he was stoking tension and violence.
Happy New Year. Let’s stop with “I’m entitled to my opinion”. At what cost to this world? If you haven’t done your own credible fact based research or parrot what you’ve heard or been told, YOU are part of the problem and the damage it causes. We all deserve more from each other

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) January 1, 2024