Swedish rockers, tAKiDA, are ringing in the New Year with their brand-new single, entitled “Sickening”. The song comes off of their ninth studio album and Napalm Records debut, The agony flame, set for release on February 9. “Sickening” stands out musically and marks one of the most intense, heavier-leaning tracks on The agony flame, a record rich with dark, melancholic lyrics and heavy tunes all at once.                    


This new single arrives shortly after tAKiDA’s recent announcement of their 2024 Smoke & Mirrors Tour, including an extended run through several major cities in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Supported by the English band Those Damn Crows, the tour kicks off in Offenbach, Germany on April 2. Tickets are on sale now, so get them while they last.







tAKiDA on The agony flame: “The agony flame is our ‘now or never’-album and you’re free to interpret that however you want. Hope you’ll like it.”





The agony flame will be available in the following formats:
1-LP Gatefold marbled orange red Die Hard Edition (Cotton Bag + Slipmat + Record Butler)
1-LP Gatefold solid red           
1-CD Digisleeve + Shirt Bundle   
1-CD Digisleeve
1-LP Gatefold black     
Digital Album


Pre-orders available at the Napalm Records webstore.





Tracklisting:


“Third strike”
“The other side”
“Sacred spell”
“In time”
“Your blood awaits you”
“Nothing but a misplace”
“The loneliest hour”
“Sickening”
“Isolated (smoke & mirrors)”
“On the line”
“Second fiddle”


"Third strike" video:





“The loneliest hour” video:





(Photo – Jonathan Perlmann)

Renowned French black metal entity Merrimack continues to unravel the enigmatic tapestry of their upcoming album, Of Grace And Gravity, with the release of their second single, “Dead And Distant Clamors”.


Of Grace And Gravity comes out March 8, 2024. Preorder at the Season Of Mist webshop.


Diving into the abyss of existential questioning, “Dead And Distant Clamors” explores themes of cosmic disarray and the profound uncertainty that surrounds our existence. The intense lyrical journey confronts the forces that shape our world and the relentless struggles against the inevitable. Merrimack echoes a sonic barrier that mirrors the tumultuous nature of our lives, set against a backdrop of relentless black metal fury.




The lyrics, a poetic manifestation of cosmic chaos, delve into the mysteries of existence and challenge the established norms. Vocals lines like:


"Who proclaims, who decides, who announces the end of the orations?"


and:


"Captive of forms that vitrify again this side of reality."


serve as thought-provoking inquiries into the very fabric of our existence as a species.


“Dead And Distant Clamors” presents Merrimack's signature blend of atmospheric black metal, intricate compositions, and raw, unbridled energy. The track unfolds like a dark cosmic ballet, invoking emotions that range from despair to defiance.


The band comments about “Dead And Distant Clamors”:


"This song pays tribute to old-school black metal, embracing its desperate atmosphere and incorporating haunting, slow sections reminiscent of a depressive waltz. Guitars engage in a conversation around a hypnotic crescendo, while the vocals articulate the inevitable possibilities of decay. Expect nothing less than a pure homage to the essence of darkness."





Tracklisting:


“Sulphurean Symbols”
“Sublunar Despondency”
“Dead And Distant Clamors”
“Wounds That Heal”
“Starving Crowns”
“Under The Aimless Spheres”
“Embalmer’s Wine”


"Dead And Distant Clamors":





“Sulphurean Symbols” video:

Former Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro has uploaded a video showing the writing and recording of a song in one day with fellow guitarist Plini. Plini has done guest guitar work on Cynic’s Ascension Codes and Devin Townsend’s The Puzzle albums.





Loureiro, who was with Megadeth from 2015 - 2023, recently spoke with Guitar World about his departure from the band. He commented on his replacement, Teemu Mäntysaari - whom he found to fill his shoes in Megadeth -  and revealed that he made another suggestion to management during the scouting process.




Loureiro: "Actually, I even mentioned to management and Dave (Mustaine) that I thought bringing Marty Friedman back would be amazing. I have no idea if they’re talking about it or talking to him, but I did say that. But again, I have no idea beyond that, and I don’t want to make anything more complicated."


"The fans never said anything bad about me or complained, which was amazing, but I’m a fan, and I always understood that Marty was a part of those iconic albums like Rust In Peace and Countdown To Extinction. I understood that Marty was the guy who helped create that sound and style, you know? From the moment I joined Megadeth, I knew the fans could show me love, but I would never win their hearts over Marty." 


Read more here.

Extreme / black / doom / industrial metal band Siglos has released their new music video for “Soga De Los Muertos”.





Siglos features two-time Grammy nominated guitarist Sin Quirin (formerly of Ministry, Lords Of Acid, American Head Charge), and Pedro Sanchez of Transtorno.The pair blend their Mexican and Spanish roots into the lyrics, rhythms, and music, creating a dark atmospheric raw intensity.




Siglos will have their first show of 2024 on January 26 during NAMM at the Schecter Guitars Indie Party.


Stream/purchase Siglos’ debut EP on Bandcamp.

The Rolling Stones and Mercury Studios will release The Rolling Stones Live At The Wiltern on DVD + 2CD; Blu-Ray + 2CD, 2CD, 3LP (3 variants: Black, Gold (D2C Exclusive), and Black & Bronze Swirl (local retail Exclusive) on March 8.


One of the greatest box-office successes of 2002/2003, 117 shows grossing over $300 million, The Rolling Stones’ Licks World Tour - in support of their 40 Licks compilation - celebrated the band’s 40th Anniversary in splendid fashion, highlighted by this intimate November 22 Los Angeles show at The Wiltern. With its 2,000+-seat capacity, it would prove to be a welcome respite from the global stadiums and arenas. Fans knew they were in for something special when gems like “Stray Cat Blues,” “No Expectations” and “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” (complete with the co-author of this 1964 Soul Classic, Soloman Burke) rocked the house.


Over 80 songs were performed on this tour from all eras of the band’s glorious one-of-a-kind history. Mick Jagger played guitar, harmonica and keyboards at various stops. Keith Richards, stellar on guitar and vocals, provided both visual and musical highlights throughout the night. On stage right, Ron Wood’s complimentary guitar work weaves seamlessly with Richards’ playing. Drummer Charlie Watts [1941-2021], as always, was the heart’n’soul backbeat that drove the band forward. A-List musicians bassist Darryl Jones, keyboardist Chuck Leavell, saxophonist Bobby Keys and  backing vocalists Lisa Fischer, Bernard Fowler and Blondie Chaplin added immeasurable flourishes.




With Tom Petty, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Depp, Stephen Stills and Eddie Murphy in the audience, The Rolling Stones proceeded to raise the roof to put on arguably one of their best shows ever.


Ron Wood states “We couldn’t really go through a whole tour doing predictable shows. We’ve got to have songs out of the blue.” Adds Mick Jagger “…it makes it interesting for the audience and the band. I’ve got to think a lot more about set lists than I’ve ever done.” Enthuses Keith Richards: “Sometimes on the road, the weather’s bad and half the band’s down with something, but apart from those obvious blue days, there’s an amazing freshness about these guys.” (From Paul Sexton’s illuminating liner notes.)





3LP tracklisting:


Side A:
"Jumpin’ Jack Flash"
"Live With Me"
"Neighbours"
"Hand Of Fate"


Side B:
"No Expectations"
"Beast Of Burden"
"Stray Cat Blues"


Side C:
"Dance, Part 1"
"Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" (with Solomon Burke)
"That’s How Strong My Love Is"
"Going To A Go-Go"


Side D:
"Thru And Thru"
"You Don’t Have To Mean It"
"Can’t You Hear Me Knocking"


Side E:
"Rock Me Baby"
"Bitch"
"Honky Tonk Women"
"Start Me Up"


Side F:
"Brown Sugar"
"Tumbling Dice"


2CD tracklisting:


CD1:
"Jumpin’ Jack Flash"
"Live With Me"
"Neighbours"
"Hand Of Fate"
"No Expectations"
"Beast Of Burden"
"Stray Cat Blues"
"Dance, Part 1"
"Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" (with Solomon Burke)
"That’s How Strong My Love Is"
"Going To A Go-Go"
Band Introductions


CD2:
"Thru And Thru"
"You Don’t Have To Mean It"
"Can’t You Hear Me Knocking"
"Rock Me Baby"
"Bitch"
"Honky Tonk Women"
"Start Me Up"
"Brown Sugar"
"Tumbling Dice"


DVD & Blu-ray have the same tracklisting as both the 3LP and 2CD.

German hard rock legends SCORPIONS have commented on the passing of their longtime drummer James Kottak, calling the American musician "a wonderful human being" and a "loving family man".

Earlier today (Tuesday, January 9),the band released the following statement via social media: "Very sad news... our dear friend & Drummer for 20yrs James Kottak has passed at the age of 61.

"James was a wonderful human being, a great musician & loving family man. He was our 'Brother from another Mother' & will be truly missed.

"Rock'n Roll Forever

"RIP James".

Kottak's daughter Tobi told TMZ her father passed away Tuesday morning (in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, although further details about the exact circumstances weren't immediately available.

In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.

Kottak spoke about his alcohol issues in an April 2023 interview with Tulsa Music Stream. He said in part: "I've had a few bouts with booze over the years. But what people don't know is all the years that I was sober. 2008 to 2011. And here a year, and there a year. And when our kids [with his ex-wife Athena Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's sister and acclaimed drummer in her own right], were in the oven. I spent a lot of time not drinking. And then I had my moments when I did drink. And that doesn't mean I'm falling down drunk, walking around with a bottle around the house."

James, who said in a separate interview that he had been sober since October 2022, added that he hadn't been able to completely give up drinking. "Well, I'm not gonna say I haven't drank anything," he said. "When I go out [and] I see some guys playing, I'm standing there and everybody wants to buy me a drink. And I go, 'No, no,' and finally I take it and I have a couple of glasses of white wine. And then I'm pissed at myself. And so there you go."

He added: "I wish I could say, 'Oh, yeah, I've been sober for six years.' It hasn't worked like that for me. I've been in and out and in and out and in and out — and mostly 'in', meaning not drinking. But I've had my moments. And it's an ongoing process. It's progress, not perfection, as we say."

In a June 2022 interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell", Kottak denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Six years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Four years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes. It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."

Photo credit: Oliver Rath / B|W|R PR (2015 press photo)
Very sad news... our dear friend & Drummer for 20yrs James Kottak has passed at the age of 61. James was a wonderful human being, a great musician & loving family man. He was our „Brother from another Mother“ & will be truly missed. Rock‘n Roll Forever

RIP James
📸 Marc Theis pic.twitter.com/QoGMOo1rfi

— Scorpions (@scorpions) January 9, 2024

Integrity has announced All Death Is Mine : Total Domination, a collection of rarities and unreleased tracks from the last 7 years of Integrity’s DOMination! All Death Is Mine : Total Domination was mastered by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy, Code Orange) and includes covers of Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead, Misfits and more. 


Listen on all streaming services here and preorder on LP/CD/CS at Relapse.com.


Guitarist Domenic Romeo Comments:




“This compilation contains all the non-album songs I recorded with Integrity from 2017-2020. It’s a mixed bag of new songs, covers and reinterpretations with a fresh mix by Arthur Rizk.  


“It’s still wild to me that I got to make records and play guitar for my favorite band. Thanks to Dwid for always pushing me to play better (some of these tracks have my favorite solos I’ve ever put down). I hope everyone enjoys this collection. RIP Hector Flores. Holy Terror Forever!!!”


Integrity Mastermind Dwid Hellion Comments:


“I hope that you will enjoy this collection of Integrity singles and ep tracks that showcase the guitar wizardry of the amazing, Domenic Romeo.”





Tracklisting:


“All Death Is Mine”
“Making Love With Devil” (Zouo cover)
“Cradle To The Grave” (Motörhead cover)
“Bark At The Moon” (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
“Entartete Kunst vl”
“Skulls” (Misfits cover)
“Rites Of Love And Death” (Nothing cover)
“Scorched Earth”
“Flames Of The Immortal”
“Sons Of Satan” (Vermapyre cover)
“Document One” (GISM cover)
“Entartete Kunst vII”
“Night Of The Vampire” (Roky Erickson cover)
“Sweat Of A Nightmare” (Septic Death cover)
“Thaw” (Septic Death cover)
“Poison Mask” (Septic Death cover)
“Dream Silent” (Septic Death cover)
“Change” (Septic Death cover)
“All Death Is Mine” (Atsuki remix)

DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy has revealed to Drumeo that he was supposed to drum with NICKELBACK in 2022. In a newly released video portion of his recent interview with the leading online drum education platform, Portnoy said: "I got a call from NICKELBACK in spring of '22. Their drummer [Daniel Adair], I guess, was having surgery and they asked me to play a show with them. And I said, 'Yeah, that'd be a fun gig.' I was all set to play this gig with NICKELBACK — it was for a festival [in Vancouver, Canada] — and the festival ended up getting canceled. But I was this close to playing a gig with NICKELBACK."

In the video, Drumeo also asked Portnoy to play NICKELBACK's song "Burn It To The Ground", which he'd never heard before. He played it with lots of double kick and later admitted "I would've been fired immediately."

"[NICKELBACK frontman] Chad [Kroeger] sent me the setlist," Mike added. "My daughter and my wife were, like, 'You're gonna know every one of these songs,' and I was, like, 'I've never heard any of these songs.' I don't listen to the radio, so I don't know any NICKELBACK songs."

Elaborating on his knowledge about the multi-platinum Canadian band, Portnoy stated, "I know nothing about NICKELBACK but I know that as much as they are hated, they are just as loved even more and they were down with the PANTERA guys too, which is good enough for me."

After playing "Burn It To The Ground" for Drumeo, Portnoy said: "That was a good song, man. I could fine-tune that and make a really cool drum part, but I think it's better just the first impression."

He added, "I'm sure if I ever did end up touring with them it would be the most fun shows ever in my life. So yeah, I kind of regret that that gig didn't happen, but there's a little taste of what that could have been right here on Drumeo."

Back in 2020, Adair revealed that he had undergone surgery to treat a pinched nerve in his arm. He explained in an online post that he had been struggling to control his right hand on the drums for several years. After consulting doctors and specialists, Adair was diagnosed with radial tunnel syndrome, which is caused by compression of a nerve that runs through the forearm. He added that the condition led to muscle fatigue that made his wrist twist in a "mechanically inaccurate" motion.

Portnoy is a founding member of DREAM THEATER with whom he spent 25 years before leaving the band in 2010 (he has since rejoined the group). He has also played with THE WINERY DOGS, SONS OF APOLLO, ADRENALINE MOB, FLYING COLORS, TRANSATLANTIC and LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT and has also recorded and/or performed live with AVENGED SEVENFOLD, Neal Morse, OSI, HAIL!, STONE SOUR, FATES WARNING, OVERKILL, G3 and his four tribute bands with Paul Gilbert: YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD, HAMMER OF THE GODS, AMAZING JOURNEY and CYGNUS & THE SEA MONSTERS.

In a 2011 interview with Guitar World, Portnoy said that he approaches playing with each project differently. "I've worked with many different bands, and I've had different goals for them all," he said. "With DREAM THEATER I was one of the main writers, with TRANSATLANTIC I was one of the main collaborators, and then with something like AVENGED SEVENFOLD I was just a hired gun and I went in to play somebody else's music. So I'm able to shift from role to role in different environments and do what's called for… So I play different roles in different bands, and I'm comfortable with that. I have some bands that are full time bands, some are part time bands, some are side projects, some are hired guns, and you know, and some are tribute bands. [Laughs]."

Mike Portnoy photo credit: Travis Shinn

By Greg Prato


After a string of four albums that are considered to be heavy metal classics (1975’s Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, 1976’s Rising, 1977’s On Stage, and 1978’s Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll) and featuring two gentlemen that are rock legends (Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore), Rainbow should have remained on course as the ‘80s approached, right? Wrong. As you’ll read from an excerpt of a book of mine, The Other Side Of Rainbow, some people close to the band – and renowned admirers – explain what led to Dio parting ways with Blackmore. And just so you know, the book is still indeed available for purchase as a paperback version or a Kindle download.


Wendy Dio (Wife/manager of original Rainbow singer, Ronnie James Dio): “He got fired. You don’t have much choice there. I think Ronnie saw it coming.”




David Stone (Rainbow keyboardist (1977-1979)): “That was kind of sad. Ronnie was always a really nice guy - no ego, really easy to get along with. Just one of the guys. A regular guy from Upstate New York, really. Blackmore was…he liked to control everything. So I could tell he was telling Ronnie what to sing and what to sing about. It limited Ronnie I think, creatively, quite a lot. Ronnie was like me – ‘We’re working with a rock god here, so we have to accord him that kind of respect.’ I think Blackmore should have stuck with Ronnie. He should have probably let Ronnie have a little more leeway when it came to songwriting and creativity. And he had a great band around him - all he had to do was let the band be a band. But he was a real control addict, and there was going to be none of that.”


Wendy Dio: “I think that’s completely false [Ritchie’s claim in The Ritchie Blackmore Story DVD that Ronnie left after he was upset about a Circus Magazine cover photo that was of just Ritchie and not the whole band]. Ronnie was fired from the band - for not writing more commercial songs. I don’t think that would ever come up. It just sounds ridiculous.”





David Stone: “It was kind of a low-point. We had just finished doing like 60 dates in the States, supporting Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll. It was in the fall. And we were going through different singers and different bass players. And for a while there, we had a bass player from England, Clive Chaman, who was in one of Jeff Beck’s groups - with Max Middleton, Bobby Tench, and Cozy Powell. And here we are, rehearsing for a week with Clive Chaman, and I know Blackmore can’t stand the guy. All he’s doing is trying to keep Cozy happy, so Cozy doesn’t take off. And I’m like, ‘You want me to rehearse with a guy you can’t stand? And you’re not even into it? Oh my God…we’re so far from being a good band. What are we doing?’ I got so sick of it.”


Wendy Dio: “I don’t think so.” [In response to being asked if Ronnie and Ritchie ever spoke again after the split]


Craig Goldy (Dio guitarist, Dio Disciples guitarist): “The news of Ronnie leaving Rainbow was the same thing as the news of Ritchie leaving Deep Purple – ‘Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.’”


Tony Carey (Rainbow keyboardist (1975-1977)): “I didn’t know it and I didn’t care [regarding Ronnie leaving Rainbow] - I was already doing other stuff. I had moved to Germany in ’78, and I started the solo career. I wasn’t even aware that Ronnie had left. I had my first hit in 1981, and I had my first #1 in 1984. I made 40 albums and produced 50 more, and I produced Joe Cocker, produced John Mayall - I produced a lot of people and film soundtracks. I stopped paying attention after I left. Those two years are the only two years I had anything to do with hard rock music. I was gone and I wasn’t paying attention.”


Mark Clarke (Rainbow bassist (1977), Colosseum bassist): “No, nothing about Ritchie Blackmore ever surprises me, mate. When Ritchie is involved with anything, nothing surprises me. I was surprised that it lasted so long!”





Wendy Dio: “A little bit, yes, because Ronnie had hoped that he would continue managing him. [In response to the question, ‘Were there any hard feelings between Ronnie and Bruce Payne after Ronnie left Rainbow, and Bruce continued managing Rainbow?’] But he wasn’t inclined to. That’s actually when I started to manage Ronnie - through default. I didn’t even think about management - at all. When Ronnie left Sabbath [in 1982], he asked me to be his manager. I was scared actually, and said, ‘I think we should go and get another band first to try out.’ So we did - we got Rough Cutt, Alcatrazz, and a few other bands. It was a challenge. Especially at that time - there were very few managers that were women. But, it turned out great.”


Craig Goldy: “When you really think about it, Ritchie was disenchanted with Deep Purple, and he had played a huge part in what that band was and became. So when he formed Rainbow, it was his time to call the shots. And then when Ronnie joined Black Sabbath [initially from 1979-1982], after Ozzy leaving, there was a bunch of turmoil going on. So it was Tony’s time to call the shots. So when Ronnie formed Dio [in 1982], it was Ronnie’s time to call the shots. So every time somebody works with someone who it’s their time to call the shots - and especially if you have leadership quality within - with the exception of myself, there’s always going to be a little bit of animosity and a little bit of that alpha male/butting of the heads. But depending on your mood for that day, your memories are going to be the times you butt heads, or you’re going to remember what a wonderful, amazing contribution you guys made to the history of heavy metal.”


Wendy Dio: “I don’t think so, no. [In response to being asked if the lyrics to the Dio song ‘Rainbow In The Dark’ were about Ritchie] ‘Heaven And Hell’ was - ‘The world is full of kings and queens that blind your eyes and steal your dreams, it’s heaven and hell.’”


Charlie Benante (Anthrax drummer):  “It’s such a shame that those first three Rainbow records, you can’t go and see that band play. It’s a shame that it’s a moment in time that we’ll never get to see or hear again.”


Head to Amazon to order the book.














(Photos on book cover and backstage photo by: Richard Galbraith; top photo courtesy of YouTube)

Kings Of Thrash, featuring former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and guitarist Jeff Young, performed at the historic Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood, California on December 14. Watch the band perform Megadeth's "Looking Down The Cross", from 1985's Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! album, below:





During a recent interview with Metal Express Radio, Jeff Young revealed he and  David Ellefson are gearing up to release an album of all original material.




Young: "Everyone's saying Kings Of Thrash is coming out with an original album, and it's not Kings Of Thrash. Chaz (Leon) is our singer for doing the Megadeth stuff, but for the original stuff, Ellefson and I have been writing for over a year. We've been working on some (new) songs. We're using this guy from Brazil that's gonna blow you guys away. He sounds kind of like Dio meets Chris Cornell meets Rob Halford. He's got perfect pitch, so he never hits a bad note. It's crazy."

During a recent appearance on the "Die By The Click" podcast, guitarist James Murphy (ex-DEATH, TESTAMENT, OBITUARY) was asked if he has ever been approached to take part in the DEATH TO ALL (DTA) touring project, which features former members of DEATH celebrating the life and music of late DEATH leader Chuck Schuldiner. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): No, I never was. And without going into any details, I'm gonna chalk that up to a couple of things. Number one, I think they've got their lineup. I think they've slowed down on the floating different people in and out of it. I think they've kind of settled into a thing, and that's Bobby [Koelble, guitar] and Max's [Phelps, guitar/vocals] gig now. And I'm cool with that — that's their gig."

He continued: "Back when they were floating people in and out of it a lot, having different people on different tours — because I'm not really up on the history of exactly what all has happened, lineup-wise and everything with that project… In addition to the feeling that they've sort of settled on their lineup, somebody involved with it who's not involved with it anymore, but back when they were cycling through different people, there was someone who did not want me — at all. And so I suspect that that's initially why I never got a call. This is also part of the reason why a particular project that I was working on years ago got put on a shelf, because of the same individual. There's no point in naming names. It's no longer an issue on either front, but at some point there's damage done."

In addition to Koelble and Phelps, the current lineup of DEATH TO ALL includes Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT, DARK ANGEL, DETHKLOK) on drums and Steve DiGiorgio (TESTAMENT, CONTROL DENIED, SADUS) on bass.

Two years ago, Murphy joined former DEATH bassist Terry Butler to play two shows commemorating the 20th anniversary of Schuldiner's passing at Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida. Murphy and Butler performed DEATH's classic third album, "Spiritual Healing" (1990),in its entirety under the LIVING MONSTROSITY banner.

In October 2021, Eric Greif, former manager of DEATH and president of Perseverance Holdings Ltd., which manages Chuck Schuldiner's (DEATH, CONTROL DENIED) legacy, died. Greif also worked as an entertainment lawyer, representing bands like OBITUARY and MASSACRE. He was 59 years old.

In a December 2022 interview with Pod Scum, Murphy spoke about his plans to complete the long-awaited DEATH tribute album "Within The Mind - In Homage To The Musical Legacy Of Chuck Schuldiner" which he had started work on two decades ago. He said: "I still have all those tracks in the can. The bottom line is I stopped working on it for a number of reasons, one of them which was pretty pernicious but which has… that problem has gone away; it's resolved. Now, obviously, the moving parts that were in place to get that behemoth of a project moving forward and rolling when it did, those have all been at rest for a long time. So now it's a matter of getting the proper lubrication and fuel and impetus back into those moving parts so that it can roll again. And that's what I'm figuring out, if that's still wanted, desired and needed by everyone involved. And if it is, then I will get it done — now that the main hindrance and problem has resolved itself. I'm not gonna go into what that is — it wouldn't be fair to everyone involved — but a major hindrance came to a resolution. So that sort of leaves it open for the beast to be revived."

Murphy went on to say that the tribute LP is still a long way from being finished. "It's not as simple as flicking a switch; there's a lot of things to get done to make it happen," he explained. "So perhaps it will get done; I certainly hope so. But it was put to bed — it was put to bed quite some time ago. There's still a lot left to do. There's still some recording to do and there's all the mixing and mastering to do. There's some re-recording that will need to be done. And there's also a lot of clearances and permissions and stuff like that that will have to get done, because paperwork and clearances and permissions that were in place back in the day when we started are no longer valid. We've gotta redo a lot of that work, and we will."

"Within The Mind - In Homage To The Musical Legacy Of Chuck Schuldiner" was originally conceived by then-CKY guitarist/vocalist Deron Miller as a means to help Murphy raise money for his medical bills (Murphy was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor in August 2001).

Among the musicians who were scheduled to appear on "Within The Mind" when it was first announced were Miller, Murphy, Dave Culross (MALEVOLENT CREATION, SUFFOCATION),Richard Christy (ICED EARTH, DEATH, CONTROL DENIED),Matt Thompson (KING DIAMOND),Luc Lemay (GORGUTS),Patrick Mameli (PESTILENCE),Jean-Francois Dagenais (KATAKLYSM),Mick Thomson (SLIPKNOT),Paul Gray (SLIPKNOT),Brett Hoffmann (MALEVOLENT CREATION),Ross Dolan (IMMOLATION),Mike Chlasciak (PAINMUSEUM, HALFORD),Matt DiFabio (PISSING RAZORS, SINGLE BULLET THEORY) and Terry Butler (OBITUARY, DEATH, MASSACRE).

Veteran British metallers TANK have announced the addition of longtime DIAMOND HEAD drummer Karl Wilcox to the group's ranks. Wilcox will sit behind the drum kit for all of TANK's upcoming shows and will take part in the recording of the band's new studio album, which is scheduled for release later this year.

TANK guitarist Mick Tucker said: "Karl's drumming style fits perfectly with the direction we're heading in and he really understands our music. We all grew up listening to the same bands so we have that special connection when it comes to playing and creating music."

Added TANK guitarist Cliff Evans: "It's gonna be so powerful having Karl driving the band along on stage and in the studio. He's a hard hitter and knows how to hold down a groove."

Karl stated: "2023 turned out to be a year of change for us here in the DIAMOND HEAD camp. As you are aware Brian [Tatler, DIAMOND HEAD guitarist] was asked to tour with SAXON, as a fitting replacement for Paul Quinn. While he is exploring that musical avenue, I have some exciting news of my own. I have been given the opportunity to thump the tubs with rock/metal stalwarts/legends TANK. With a new album forthcoming later this year and tour dates to be announced very soon. All dates and info will be on www.tankofficial.com and all their respective socials.

"I am really looking forward to this challenge and the possibilities this new venture will bring. And I hope to see you all again very soon.

"In closing I wish to conclude by saying this: DIAMOND HEAD is not over, we will continue to make music, play live and do what we do!"

Karl completes this formidable TANK lineup which now features Tucker and Evans, Marcus Von Boisman on vocals and Gav Gray on bass.

TANK will return to the USA for the first time in 39 years to make a special appearance at the 2024 Hell's Heroes Festival in Houston, Texas on March 23.

Tucker said: "We're really looking forward to returning to the US after so long. TANK has always had a solid fanbase over there but we've just never had the opportunity to return until now."

Evans added: "We'll be treating the U.S. fans to some good old British powerhouse rock. We're really geared up for it now with this lineup."

Last May, original TANK frontman Algy Ward died at the age of 63. He reportedly passed away at a hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom after suffering from serious health issues for quite some time.

Firstly I would like to wish everyone “Happy New Year 2024”

2023 turned out to be a year of change for us here in the...

Posted by Diamond Head on Friday, January 5, 2024

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson has executive-produced the upcoming feature film "Bunker Heights". The 59-year-old musician, who also appears in the movie, says: "It's always such a pleasure working with Drew Fortier on any creative endeavor and his knack for making engaging horror films is second to none. I'm glad to be a part of this amazing new story."

"Bunker Heights" is a genre-bending farce that delves into the complexities of a troubled city facing a catastrophic crisis. Blending elements of crime, horror, and dark comedy, the film offers a gripping narrative that follows the lives of its citizens as they navigate the looming threat that jeopardizes their very existence.

Written and directed by Fortier under the production of Hannah Fierman ("V/H/S", "Dark Circles", "Siren"),the film boasts mesmerizing special effects crafted by Deryk Wehrley ("Late Checkout", "Crust"),alongside captivating cinematography courtesy of Gordon Cameron ("Her Name Was Christa").

Principal photography for the film took place in secret with a budget of $30,000 and is currently in post-production with no set release date.

As "Bunker Heights" enters its post-production phase, the suspense continues to build with anticipation, promising audiences an unforgettable cinematic experience. While the official release date remains undisclosed, the film's blend of gripping storytelling and ensemble cast guarantees a viewing experience that will captivate audiences.

"Bunker Heights" stars:

* Drew Fortier ("Dwellers", "Side Effects May Vary")
* Hannah Fierman ("V/H/S", "Siren", "Dark Circles")
* Chaney Morrow ("Wrong Turn", "Haunt")
* Paul T Taylor ("Hellraiser: Judgement", "Sin City")
* Floyd Ewing Jr. ("The Dead Next Door", "Robot Ninja")
* Douglas Esper ("Dwellers", "Trivial")
* James L Edwards ("Her Name Was Christa", "Side Effects May Vary")
* Daniel John Kearney ("Crust", "Watchdog")
* LC Holt ("You're Next", "V/H/S 2")
* Xander Goldman ("Macabre Mountain", "Massacre Academy")
* Christopher Robin Koch

The cast also includes various talent from the music world such as:

* David Ellefson (ex-MEGADETH, THE LUCID)
* Violent J (INSANE CLOWN POSSE)
* Vinnie Dombroski (SPONGE, THE LUCID)
* Lance Eric (ex-BANG TANGO, COLOR OF CHAOS)
* James Leg (BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES)
* Bass Amp (FIRST JASON)

A trailer is available below.

Ellefson previously produced "Dwellers", a found-footage horror film written, directed and starring Fortier. The movie has been described as "'C.H.U.D.' if it were shot like 'The Blair Witch Project'." The film stars Fortier, James L. Edwards ("Her Name Was Christa"),Douglas Esper ("The Nutshell") and Omar Baig ("Let's Make A Movie"). It also features cameos from Ellefson and former MUSHROOMHEAD vocalist Jeff Hatrix.

Bassist Becky Baldwin, who toured North America with Mercyful Fate in late 2022, has released the video below, performing a playthrough of "The Oath".


Says Baldwin: "'The Oath' - The first song I played with Mercyful Fate, both in rehearsal in Dallas and when the curtain dropped on my first show at their guest bassist back in 2022. In this track we are treated to a range of fun bass lines, with thunderous, unrelenting triplets, rapid fills, melodic counterpoint, harmonics, and a cheeky bass solo!


This playthrough stays as true as possible to Timi Hansen's original bassline from the 1984 recorded release. The only change made is the end of the bass solo at 3:54 I have borrowed a descending line that Joey Vera would play for his live shows for Mercyful Fate (I thought this change was really cool!)




This is my first recording for Youtube where I've had the pleasure of using my new Quad Cortex by @NeuralDSP which made the process much simpler by using the two XLR outputs to simultaneously record a clean and a distorted tone (usually I have to use a DI box to split the signal and achieve this). I'm using the tone preset that I built for my tour with Fury this Autumn. If you also use the QC, you can take a look at exactly what I'm using on the Cortex app (find my username - BeckyBaldwinBass)


Want TABs? Sign up to my Patreon to access full songs in standard notation and TAB."





Becky's previous playthrough videos for the Mercyful Fate tracks, "Melissa" and "Doomed By The Living Dead", can be viewed below:

Fourteen year-old Japanese drum prodigy Yoyoka Soma, who has become a YouTube sensation and attracted the attention of KISS icon Gene Simmons, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice, has shared a one-take performance of the Tool classic, "Forty Six & 2". Check it out below.





Tool make their highly-anticipated return to Europe this spring, with a month of dates slated for the 2024 trek, including outings at London's The O2 Arena, Stockholm’s Tele2 Arena and Paris' Accor Arena, as well as festival outings at Graspop Metal Meeting, Tons of Rock and CopenHell.




News of the band’s European tour follows a particularly busy time for the Los Angeles-based band, with the foursome featuring Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones and Maynard James Keenan, currently in the midst of a North American tour that extends into February. Over the last five months, Tool has headlined Aftershock, Welcome to Rockville, Louder Than Life and the Sonic Temple Arts & Music festivals, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime performance at Power Trip.





European dates:


May
25 - Hannover, Germany - ZAG Arena
27 -  Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
30 - Birmingham, UK - Resorts World Arena


June
1 - Manchester, UK - AO Arena
3 - London, UK  -The O2 Arena
5 - Paris, France - Accor Arena
8 - Berlin, Germany - Parkbühne Wuhlheide
10 - Wien, Austria - Wiener Stadthalle
11 - Kraków, Poland - Tauron Arena
13 - Budapest, Hungary - BudapestAréna
18 - Köln, Germany - Lanxess Arena
20 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
22 - Copenhagen, Denmark - CopenHell
25 - Stockholm, Sweden - Tele2 Arena
27 - Oslo, Norway - Tons of Rock


Tool's 2024 US tour dates are listed below.





January
10 - Baltimore, MD - CFG Bank Arena
12 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
13 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
18 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
19 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
21 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center
23 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
24 - Atlanta, GA - State Farm Arena
26 - Birmingham, AL - The Legacy Arena at The BJCC
27 - Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast Coliseum
30 - Corpus Christi, TX - American Bank Center
31 - Austin, TX - Moody Center


February
2 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
3 - Oklahoma City, OK - Paycom Center
5 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena
7 - El Paso, TX - UTEP Don Haskins Center
9 - Phoenix, AZ - Footprint Center
12 - Fresno, CA - Save Mart Center
14 - Los Angeles, CA - Crypto.com Arena
15 - Los Angeles, CA - Crypto.com Arena
17 - Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena
18 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena

Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has shared  a guitar playthrough video for  "If I Could Collapse The Masses", which can be viewed below. The track is taken from the band's 2003 debut album, Ember To Inferno,





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.

Unleashing their latest album, Grotesque, via Gore House Productions this past November, UK death grinders, Foetal Juice, have a new drum playthrough to brutalize the masses with.


The second track on their latest full-length, "Mountain Of Gore", features groovy drums over a simple riff. The band's style for this one is more Exhumed and Impaled influenced with rabid drum fills everywhere.


"We wanted to change a few things up on this album and include some slower, groovier sections than we have before. The intro to the song is a result of that. We think this one includes one of the fastest bomb blasts on the album too. It is a really groovy bouncy song throughout to keep a crowd energized at live performances," adds the band.




Watch the drum playthrough for "Mountain Of Gore":





Foetal Juice’s sound is a melting pot of influences, ranging from death metal and grindcore to black metal, gore, groove, thrash, and even Enya. Their evolution as a band has brought new dimensions to their music, incorporating diverse elements while staying true to their death metal roots.


Notorious for their catalogue of unpleasantries and musical vulgarities, this album promises to be heavier, catchier, faster, and more aggressive than anything they've ever done before. It's a relentless assault on the senses, and Foetal Juice is ready to claim its place in the annals of brutal death metal.


A relentless barrage of blast beats, horror and gore that will have you questioning your sanity, “Grotesque” is recommended for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, and Vomitory.


They comment on the new album: "Everything seems to have worked amazingly on “Grotesque.” It turned out far better than we ever imagined it would. Everyone has brought their A-game to the table with this one. Then Chris Fielding (Producer) put the cherry on the top with the outstanding mixing/mastering. He really has made this album sound incredible. Due to the lockdowns during Covid, Ryan, who is the main songwriter/Guitarist, has churned out hundreds of riffs and song ideas, which has meant we could be a lot more selective with choosing the final ideas than we would normally be able to. This has really helped us to find the best riffs and ideas to use on this album.


We always write the next song as if it has to be better than the last song we wrote. This really pushes us to impress one another when it comes to our individual parts. When we recorded the last album, Lewis had only been in the band for 2 months and pretty much had to copy the guitar parts with his bass lines. On Grotesque, he has really come into his own. The bass lines have added so much to each song as it’s not just the same as the guitar riffs.


With Foetal Juice, we push each other as far as we can to get the best out of each member. This is mainly because individually, we are all really difficult to impress, so when we have to impress one another, it really takes you to the next level of performance/writing.


We are so proud of everything about this album, from the artwork and songwriting to the performance, recording, and mastering. Even if no one likes it like we do, we can all hold our heads up high with this one.”


Order (Cassette / CD / Digital) here.





Tracklisting:


"Human Beach Master"
"Mountain Of Gore"
"Legion Of The Grotesque"
"Ghoul Amongst The Mouldering Dead"
"Two Bongs Don’t Make A Right"
"Cunt Of The Litter"
"Cemetery Leachate"
"The Walking Groin"
"Torn Apart"
"F. K. E. O."
"Gruesome"


"Ghoul Amongst The Mouldering Dead" video:





"Legion Of The Grotesque":





"Two Bongs Don't Make A Right":





(Photo - Karen Carley)

The Ed Morales and montopolisTHRASHER YouTube channels have uploaded video of WATCHTOWER's January 5 performance at Come And Take It Live in Austin, Texas. You can now watch the clips below.

WATCHTOWER played its first reunion concert with singer Jason McMaster on September 8, 2023 at Fitzgerald's Bar & Live Music Venue in San Antonio, Texas. This marked the progressive metal legends' first appearance with McMaster since the band's performances at Germany's Bang Your Head!!! festival in 2000 and Holland's Headway Festival in 2004.

McMaster is joined in WATCHTOWER's current lineup by bassist Doug Keyser, guitarist Ron Jarzombek and drummer Ric Colaluca.

Jason confirmed his return to WATCHTOWER in May 2023 during an appearance on the "Decibel Geek" podcast. He said at the time: "I rehearsed with WATCHTOWER recently, and we're doing some festivals next year… So, you know, well, you know, maybe I let the cat out of the bag. But those are not confirmed. But we have been asked to play some festivals. It's possible that we are to do some shows soon. But we have rehearsed a couple of times.

"It's weird playing songs very sporadically," he continued. "Because I've done reunion things with WATCHTOWER before, but the last one was 20 years ago. The last sort of reunion thing we did, we went to Amsterdam, and played a festival over there. And we did a couple of warmup shows around Texas before we got on the plane, kind of thing. And that was in 2004. So, singing songs that you wrote 40 years ago? It's crazy to think about that… And have them be legit. Play them, like, 'Holy shit.' And have all of the guys look around each other in rehearsal as old men and go, 'This shit is fucking hard to play.' But that's why people like it."

McMaster co-founded WATCHTOWER in 1982 and appeared on the band's 1985 debut album "Energetic Disassembly" before leaving three years later to focus on sleaze rockers DANGEROUS TOYS. Jason was replaced in WATCHTOWER by Alan Tecchio (formerly of HADES),who sang on group's second and most recent studio album, 1989's "Control And Resistance". A reunion with McMaster followed in 1999 and lasted for several years, only for Jason to leave again. Tecchio returned for new material intended for WATCHTOWER's since-scrapped third album "Mathematics" that resulted in the 2016 EP "Concepts Of Math: Book One".

Jason previously stated about WATCHTOWER's early musical direction: "By the end of 1983, we had a set of unbelievable, technical, fast, crazy, time-changing, sophisticated sounds coming out of the mill we had created, making a planet that we didn't feel had been fully instigated. All of the lyrics were socially aware and some strange fascinations with nuclear power and some sort of holocaustic world (that had been dreamt up by guitarist Billy White and bassist Doug Keyser). They equally weirded each other out with their lyrics. I had no problem with the stuff they were pumping out. It was so tasteful, but yet had urgency and was frantic about the topics, mostly apocalyptic and socially chaotic on news issues. These were crazy words to sing over crazy changes."

He added: "I had no map. This wasn't rock and roll. I wrote all of the melodies (I use that word loosely) for the songs, and that was my contribution to the sound and timber, even though later on a few critics would learn to hate the style of 'pissed off Geddy Lee' vocals. It seemed to be most of the death metalhead mags would say that they 'love the band, hate the singer'."

In April 2010, WATCHTOWER played its first live show with Tecchio on vocals in some 20 years as co-headliners of Germany's Keep It True festival in Lauda-Königshofen.

In a new interview with Guitar World magazine, KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer commented on the band's announcement that the legendary rockers will continue as digital avatars. The technology, originally developed for ABBA's "Voyage" show in London, will allow KISS to stay "on the road" in retirement.

"It's been interesting doing the avatars so far; it'll take some time to get the imagery where we want it to be," Tommy said. "I haven't really thought about what it all means in the big picture, but with technology evolving as quickly as it is, there's no doubt that this is the direction a lot of entertainment is going."

Last month, KISS revealed that fans will apparently have to wait more than three years to see the band's first avatar performance. On December 22, KISS released a short video announcing that "a show" featuring the KISS avatars "is coming" in "2027". The band captioned the clip: "50 years is a long time, and what the future holds is in the making."

The KISS avatars were created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and were financed and produced by the Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment, which is behind "ABBA Voyage".

Earlier last month, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons said that "about 200 million" dollars is being invested into the KISS avatar show.

Unlike the "ABBA Voyage" show, which recreates a 1970s-era ABBA concert in a custom-built London arena, KISS's avatars that appeared at the band's final concert in New York in early December will not be as grounded in reality as ABBA's digital replicas. According to BBC News, the KISS avatars will see the band appear as fantasy-based superheroes who are eight feet tall, breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers, while floating above the audience.

No further details have been announced yet for KISS's plan with the band's avatars. "We're going to figure it out after the tour," Pophouse CEO Per Sundin said prior to the final show at Madison Square Garden. "Is it a KISS concert in the future? Is it a rock opera? Is it a musical? A story, an adventure? These four individuals already have superpowers. We want to be as open as possible."

The avatars will now be available for live shows around the world and in digital online settings, which some people collectively refer to as the metaverse.

KISS will reportedly become the first American band to go fully virtual and stage its own avatar show.

JOCOUP Creative, an experiential design firm co-founded by former Universal Creative director Thierry Coup and BRC and Universal Creative alumni Johanna "Jojo" Atilano, is also involved in the project. Coup has been announced as creative director of the KISS avatar show.

Long-running Swedish death metallers GRAVE have parted ways with bassist Tobias Cristiansson and guitarist Mika Lagrén.

Earlier today (Friday, January 5),GRAVE guitarist/vocalist Ola Lindgren released the following statement via social media: "The past months have been quite overwhelming in the GRAVE camp. Two of our long-time members Mika Lagrén and Tobias Cristiansson have jumped ship and are no longer in the band. There is no bad blood between us and we wish them all the luck in their future endeavors. However this puts an enormous strain on the band and it's hard to see what the future holds and if there even is a future. At this moment nothing is for sure and nothing is taken for granted.

"A decision has been made to halt all live activities for 2024 since there really is no line up which makes necessary preparations impossible.

"The main focus for this year will be to restructure the band if possible and to hopefully write/record and release a long awaited new studio album."

Tobias said in a separate statement: "I want to inform everyone that I have left GRAVE. After much consideration I felt it was best for me to depart.

"I want to thank the band and the people that we have been working with over the years. I will however continue to play with NECROPHOBIC, DARKENED, IN APHELION and as a session player with other projects. I love to play and I love to be on stage, that's the most rewarding thing in my life and I never want to give that up and it's something I want to do as much as I can.

"I joined GRAVE in 2010 and it has been part of my life for the past 13 years. I have been fortunate to meet lots of fantastic people throughout the years and it has brought me to places around the world that I would never have had the chance to see if it wasn't for GRAVE, for that I am forever grateful.

"I want to express my deepest appreciation to every single person that have bought tickets to any of the hundreds of shows that we have done over the years. I hope to see you all in the future!"

One of the very first Swedish death metal bands alongside NIHILIST, MORBID and TREBLINKA, GRAVE released its first demo in 1986 under the band name CORPSE, before they switched to GRAVE in 1988. GRAVE's debut album, "Into The Grave", arrived in August 1991 through the then-young record label Century Media.

Lindgren told the "Swedish Death Metal" book by Daniel Ekeroth about how GRAVE landed its record deal: "We sent our third demo to just every label there was. A lot of them kept in touch, such as Earache and Peaceville. But Century Media was working faster than any of them, so we just went with them without thinking too much about it. Century Media invited us down to Germany to record that single ('Tremendous Pain'),and it was only after that we started to discuss a deal. It felt amazing for us to go abroad, so in a way they lured us into their roster! But it turned out well."

After Century Media and GRAVE parted ways after seven albums with the release of 2006's "As Rapture Comes", the band launched two highly acclaimed albums, "Dominium VIII" (2008) and "Burial Ground" (2010) through Regain, before reuniting with Century Media for 2012's "Endless Procession Of Souls" and 2015's "Out Of Respect For The Dead".

In 2019, GRAVE teamed up with Century Media Records to bring back the albums "Dominion VIII" and "Burial Ground" as classy, limited colored and black vinyl editions, hand-numbered digipak CDs limited to 3,000 copies each, and digitally. Remastered in 2019 by Lindgren and mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel of Temple Of Disharmony, these records offer crushing and savage GRAVE tracks that fully live up to the group's morbid legacy.

The past months have been quite overwhelming in the Grave camp. Two of our long-time members Mika Lagrén and Tobias...

Posted by Grave on Friday, January 5, 2024

In a new interview with Metal Hammer magazine, SLAYER's Kerry King revealed that the upcoming debut album from his solo project has been "done since June" 2023. Regarding the musical direction of his solo material, the 59-year-old musician said: "If I was ever to try anything different [from SLAYER], I guess that would be the time. But no, I really have no desire to do anything different. If I wasn't in SLAYER, I would be a SLAYER fan. So yes, I think it's an extension of SLAYER, and I think a lot of people will think it might have been the next record. I guess maybe 80% of it would have been, maybe it would have been exactly what I'm putting on this one. In my eyes, I think it's a definite extension, a follow-up to [SLAYER's 2015 final album] 'Repentless' for sure."

He continued: "There's definitely some fast stuff on it. It's not the fastest thing I've ever done, but I've done some pretty fast stuff. There's definitely some Herculean speeds getting achieved on this, but there's heavy stuff. There's punky stuff. There's doomy stuff. Pretty much any aspect of any kind of music we've done in our history, I think you'll find on this record."

Kerry added: "For me, the slowest [song] is similar in vibe to ['Repentless' track] 'When The Stillness Comes'. That one came out really cool and spooky. And then there was one where my entire intention was to write something like the SCORPIONS' 'Animal Magnetism' crossed with the 'chug' of 'Hell Awaits'. That one came together pretty early. I like that song a lot. I mean, I like all of them a lot, but that one, that one's got a different vibe for sure."

King did not name the rest of the musicians who appear on his upcoming LP, but he did say that it is "my intention that everybody that's on the record is going to be in the band, hopefully for its entirety."

More than three years ago, SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph revealed that he is involved in Kerry's new project. Paul told Australia's Riff Crew that the new band will "sound like SLAYER without it being SLAYER — but not intentionally so. I mean, Kerry's been writing songs in SLAYER his entire career, and he has a style," he explained. "And that style, as a songwriter, you just don't change your style because your band is done… So, all I can say is if you like heavy music and you like SLAYER, you'll like this."

Kerry's new band, called simply KERRY KING, has announced two U.S. shows so far: May 9, 2024 at the Welcome To Rockville festival at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, and May 16, 2024 at the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival at the Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

More than a year ago, Kerry said that he was angry over the prospect of SLAYER calling it quits when the subject was first broached. Asked in an interview with Metal Hammer magazine for his reaction when the conversation to end the band arose, the guitarist said: "Anger… what else? It was premature. The reason I say 'premature' is because my heroes from my childhood are still playing! I can still play, I still want to play, but that livelihood got taken away from me.

"But, anyway, on to the next chapter, I guess," he continued. "We were on top of the world, and there's nothing wrong with going out on top of the world, it's a good way to go out. So, bravo for that. But do I miss playing? Yeah, absolutely."

In the same interview, King also hinted that SLAYER fans will be happy with the musical direction of his yet-to-be-announced new band. "If you know my work, you know what it’s going to sound like."

Two years after he revealed that he had more than two records' worth of music written for his new band, King stated about the new material's direction: "You know me, so you know what it's going to sound like. I played this new song for a buddy, and I said to him, 'If there's anything I've written in the last few years that sounds like SLAYER, it's this.' And he said, 'That sounds like you could have pulled it off of any SLAYER record.' I actually made that riff up backstage at a SLAYER show. We were walking to the stage and I got my phone out and recorded it so I wouldn't forget it."

King went on to say that he expects his new band to start out by playing "much smaller" venues than SLAYER did at the end of its four-decade run.

"Had it have been up to me then I'd have been out in 2020," he said. "But that thing called the pandemic fucked everything up for everyone. You know, I waited on that, because it had to run its course. I didn't want to be the guinea pig; I didn't want to learn how to tour again. I already did my dues; I don't want to have to prove myself again.

"Have I been dragging my feet? Yeah, because I wanted this [pandemic] shit to get sorted. I won't be dragging my feet much longer."

One day after SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 in Los Angeles, Kerry's wife Ayesha King said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances. In August 2020, she once again shot down the possibility of her husband and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya sharing the stage ever again under the SLAYER banner.

After Ayesha shared three photos of Kerry holding their cat in slideshow-type Instagram post, a fan wrote: "No Tom, No SLAYER Kerry. Stop thinking SLAYER without @tomarayaofficial". Ayesha then replied: "don't worry, they'll never be SLAYER again! You can rest easy".

Just a few days earlier, Kerry told Dean Guitars that he had plenty of musical ideas for his upcoming project. "I've been very, very lucky with riffs in 2020," he said. "Maybe because I can't go anywhere — I don't know — but riffs have certainly not been a problem. And looking forward into the future, what that means for me is I'm gonna be able to cherrypick the best stuff. And it's good stuff. I've got more than two records' worth of music, but to be able to go through that and cherrypick the best 11 or 12 [songs]… That first record should be smoking."

When SLAYER first announced that it was embarking on its final tour back in January 2018, Ayesha assured fans that they would "always get music" from her husband.

King has said in previous interviews that his post-SLAYER musical efforts would not be much different from the sound fans have grown accustomed to hearing from him.

"If someone quit, I'm not going to go around with a made-up SLAYER," he told AZCentral.com back in 2010. "But my next band would sound like SLAYER, that's all I know."

SLAYER's final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band's intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, along with their children Jack and Kelly, have released the eighteenth episode of their revived podcast. Ozzy is joined by his friend Billy Morrison for an electrifying episode diving deep into the essence of rock 'n' roll. From heart-stopping tour tales to candid conversations about addiction battles and the ever-evolving music scene, this episode unearths the unseen facets of their storied careers. Get ready for rock 'n' roll revelations as they reminisce about iconic moments onstage and off, sharing the secrets behind legendary tours and reflecting on the changing landscape of rock music. Sharon Osbourne even makes a special appearance to shed light on managing the Ozzy legacy. With discussions ranging from touring today versus the '80s and '90s to poignant reflections on the future of rock, this episode is a backstage pass into the raw, unfiltered world of music legends gearing up for an epic return to the stage.

The legendary BLACK SABBATH singer, who has struggled with a number of health issues in recent years, offered an update on his condition, saying: "I'm not seeing so many doctors anymore. Now I've got Parkinson's [disease], [so] I have to see the Parkinson's doctor. But I'm not having surgery."

Reflecting on the last surgery he had in September 2023, Ozzy said: "When I came out of surgery, I said to Sharon, 'Whatever I'm gonna be at right now, that's it. I can't have any more surgery.' I had seven surgeries in five years."

He added: "It's a slow recovery. I'm not as young as I used to be, so the recovery [from] anything [takes longer than it did before]."

Ozzy also once again voiced his desire to get back onstage in 2024, saying: "I'm gonna try my hardest to get well enough to do a few gigs."

Last November, Ozzy spoke to Rolling Stone UK about the possibility of returning to the live stage. He said: "I'm taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will. But it's been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life. At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I've just gone, 'Well, maybe I've just got to accept that fact.

"I'm not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What's the fucking point in that? I'm not going up there in a fucking wheelchair. I've seen Phil Collins perform recently, and he's got virtually the same problems as me. He gets up there in a wheelchair. But I couldn't do that."

Ozzy went on to pay tribute to his fans who made it possible for him to have a five-plus-decade career, first with SABBATH and then as a solo artist.

"That's one of the things I've been the most fucking pissed off at: I never got the chance to say goodbye or thank you," he said. "Because my fans are what it's all about. If I can just do a few gigs… They've been loyal to me for fucking years. They write to me, they know all about my dogs. It's my extended family really, and they give us the lifestyle we have. For whatever reason, that's my goal to work to. To do those shows. If it's at Ozzfest or somewhere, or even a fucking gig at the Roundhouse [in London]

"If I can't continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, 'Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.' That's what I'm working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I'll die a happy man."

Nearly four years ago, Osbourne revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that progresses slowly in most people, and has no cure. Ozzy also previously suffered a nasty fall and dislodged metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003.

Earlier in November, Ozzy and Sharon's son Jack told The Messenger that his father's days of hitting the road are likely behind him. "I don't think he'll tour again," Jack said. "But he's gunning to do one-off shows — like festivals, gigs, things like that."

"He's not done yet," he added.

This past September, Ozzy opened up about his series of operations in an interview with Metal Hammer as he shared his hopes of making "one more album" and a return to touring.

"I've had all the surgery now, thank God," the 75-year-old said. "I'm feeling okay. It was just dragging on. I thought I'd be back on my feet months ago. I just couldn't get used to this mode of living, constantly having something wrong. I can't walk properly yet, but I'm not in any pain anymore and the surgery on my spine went great."

Osbourne also discussed his plans for 2024, saying: "I'm getting myself fit. I've done two albums fairly recently [2020's 'Ordinary Man' and 2022's 'Patient Number 9'], but I want to do one more album and then go back on the road."

Last July, the BLACK SABBATH singer canceled his appearance at the Power Trip festival due to his ongoing physical ailments.

Ozzy's health issues, including catching COVID-19 nearly two years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February 2023.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last year and a half, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

According to Metal Sludge, veteran rock drummer James Kottak, who is best known for his work with SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, has died. He was 61 years old.

In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.

POISON drummer Rikki Rockett reacted to his friend's death, tweeting simply: "RIP … James Kottak".

Another one of Kottak's friends, drummer Troy Patrick Farrell (WHITE LION, TANTRIC, GILBY CLARKE),who previously interviewed James for his "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" radio show, also confirmed Kottak's death, writing on social media: "Sad News to report, Alumni Guest of #TTTO and drum bud @JKottak James Kottak has passed. Sad News no doubt".

Kottak spoke about his alcohol issues in an April 2023 interview with Tulsa Music Stream. He said in part: "I've had a few bouts with booze over the years. But what people don't know is all the years that I was sober. 2008 to 2011. And here a year, and there a year. And when our kids [with his ex-wife Athena Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's sister and acclaimed drummer in her own right], were in the oven. I spent a lot of time not drinking. And then I had my moments when I did drink. And that doesn't mean I'm falling down drunk, walking around with a bottle around the house."

James, who said in a separate interview that he had been sober since October 2022, added that he hadn't been able to completely give up drinking. "Well, I'm not gonna say I haven't drank anything," he said. "When I go out [and] I see some guys playing, I'm standing there and everybody wants to buy me a drink. And I go, 'No, no,' and finally I take it and I have a couple of glasses of white wine. And then I'm pissed at myself. And so there you go."

He added: "I wish I could say, 'Oh, yeah, I've been sober for six years.' It hasn't worked like that for me. I've been in and out and in and out and in and out — and mostly 'in', meaning not drinking. But I've had my moments. And it's an ongoing process. It's progress, not perfection, as we say."

The musician, who missed some of KINGDOM COME's recent shows because he had been dealing with "health issues", told Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! that he "fell out of bed" in his sleep in July 2022 and "cracked, like, three or four ribs". He also said that he "cracked" his hip in the fall of 2022 after when he "tripped and fell on the pavement" in a completely separate incident.

In March 2023, KINGDOM COME singer Keith St. John, who joined the band in 2018 as the replacement for original frontman Lenny Wolf, told Italy's Poisoned Rock about Kottak's absence from the road: "James needed some time off from the band, 'cause he's had some health issues. I don't really wanna say too much about it, but he's got some personal health issues [that] he's been working on resolving and getting care and everything."

St. John also talked about KINGDOM COME's now-infamous appearance in June 2022 at Sweden Rock Festival, which was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest fuckup." Writer Peter Johansson singled out Kottak, saying that the drummer played "really badly, sluggishly" and at times failed to keep the tempo "worryingly throughout the concert". At the end of the show, Kottak "stumbled to the edge of the stage to bow with his bandmates," according to Rocknytt. Also critical of KINGDOM COME's performance was renowned Swedish music journalist and guitar player Janne Stark, who took to his Facebook page to share a photo of the gig and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "I've never seen a drummer fall asleep on stage before but James Kottak is pretty damn close. Drunk? He slows down every song to half tempo. KINGDOM COME, sorry guys but this is SHIT!"

Keith said: "That was the show… I hate to say this, but it's in the best interest of James and the band… I think James should have started working on his health and what was happening with him earlier than that, earlier in the year, 'cause he was already… But James, he has a youthful spirit, and he wants to keep on going. He's one of those guys that at the last breath of life is gonna be clawing and climbing up the cliff and playing drums and going out there and doing it. It was a hard situation, but at Sweden Rock the band wound up getting some negative reviews in the press, and it was largely because of the performance on the drums, I hate to [say it]," the singer admitted.

According to St. John, KINGDOM COME is in a good place right now, despite the fact that the band's recent shows have featured SLAUGHTER's Blas Elias behind the kit instead of James.

"I'm glad we are where we are, 'cause it needed to happen and James needs to get it back together so he's strong enough to play again," Keith said. "He was like next coming of [John] Bonham when he came out [in the 1980s], so he needs to be at his best. Even at an eight for James is a 20 for most people. Even if he's at seven or eight out of 10, then we can go and get that going. In the meantime, Blas is doing a great job. The band continues playing live."

KINGDOM COME played its first two shows with Elias in September 2022 in Texas. That same month, Kottak announced that he wouldn't play with his KINGDOM COME bandmates at their concerts in Texas. In the early hours of August 21, 2022, James took to his Twitter to write: "I will not be at the Kingdom Come Plano or San Antonio shows so don't waste your time thanks jams k [sic]".

In February 2023, St. John told Chris Akin Presents about Kottak's absence from KINGDOM COME recent shows: "James Kottak has had some health situations over the last year, and they've really been affecting his playing. Everybody in the band really wanted him to be able to continue and play, but he's just gotta sort some things out and wait for some stuff in his body to heal before he has the strength to play the songs [properly]."

Kottak publicly discussed KINGDOM COME's performance at Sweden Rock for the first time in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" conducted just days after the concert. Regarding what caused the show to fall short of expectations, James said: "I wanna say about eight or nine days ago, maybe 10 days ago, in the middle of the night, like four o'clock in the morning, I was in a dead sleep and I just rolled off the bed and I cracked three ribs on my left side. And I went to my chiropractor guy and he says, 'Oh, you have hairline fractures.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, great.' And dude, it's just been non-stop pain. It's not just my ribs; it's head to toe. That's why things were a little bit slower. 'Cause I took ibuprofen and the usual, Aleve or whatever, but, man, it was an uphill battle from the time we started. And it was just — I mean, not pain; I'm talking pain-pain, big-time stuff. That's no excuse, because the show must go on. But, yeah, I was a little slower than usual. But also we [usually] have a click track, of course, 'cause we might have a little bit of playback. Something was up with that, so we were flying solo… And [when] you don't have it, you go, 'Oh-oh. Okay. We'll do this.' It was just an off day, and there's nothing you can do about it."

According to James, there was "definitely no drinking" involved prior to the KINGDOM COME mishap at Sweden Rock. "Because that with the medication, it doesn't go good together," he explained. "And it was just an off day, man. I did everything to [make it better] — tons of tea, this and that, and all the usual things that I do — but, man, it was just too soon after falling that we went to play this gig. But it's Sweden Rock, and you don't wanna bail out on that."

Asked if alcohol contributed to him falling out of bed prior to the Sweden Rock performance, Kottak said: "I always sleep on the left side of the bed, and I just somehow, in my sleep, rolled off the bed and landed on my left side. I mean, that's really it. I wasn't drinking — nothing like that. Yeah, I have a few white wines here and there, but nothing like that. I just rolled off the bed. And that's the first time in my life that's ever happened where I actually fell off. I woke up and saw stars. It took me 15 minutes to get off the floor. These things happen sometimes, and there's nothing you can do. With SCORPIONS, going up my riser to get to my drums, there were, like, 14 steps, and I fell down those stairs at least five times, if not six times. Because I was like a dummy — I was always spitting this water. And I'd finish a song and I'd come down not thinking, and, just, 'Whoop', right on my ass."

James also denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Six years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Four years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes. It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."
RIP …
James Kottak

— Rikki Rockett (@RikkiRockett) January 9, 2024



Sad News to report, Alumni Guest of #TTTO and drum bud
@JKottak James Kottak has passed.

Sad News no doubt: ...

Posted by This That & The Other Radio Show w- TPF on Tuesday, January 9, 2024