METALLICA has shared professionally filmed video of "The Unforgiven" performance from the band's first-ever concert in Saudi Arabia, which took place on December 14. The heavy metal giants headlined the opening night of the three-day Soundstorm festival in Riyadh.

METALLICA's setlist was as follows:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Wherever I May Roam
04. The Memory Remains
05. Lux Æterna
06. Too Far Gone?
07. Fade To Black
08. Fuel
09. Orion
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Sad But True
12. The Unforgiven
13. Seek & Destroy
14. One
15. Master Of Puppets
16. Enter Sandman

Other artists who appeared at the event included Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown, H.E.R., BLACK EYED PEAS, J Balvin and Anne-Marie, as well as DJs Tiesto and David Guetta.

More than 600,000 people reportedly attended last year's Soundstorm.

Soundstorm, organized by Saudi music giants MDLBEAST, has been attracting some of the biggest acts in the region and the globe to Riyadh since its launch in 2019.

The festival site spans more than five and a half million square meters with park life areas for food outlets and street performers keeping festival goers entertained between sets at what's been dubbed "the loudest week in Riyadh".

METALLICA made its Middle East live debut in 2011 at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Park. They played the same venue two years later.

Before METALLICA performed in Abu Dhabi in 2013, drummer Lars Ulrich told The National: "When we were here a year and a half ago, it was really magical. Now, I don't say that everywhere… there were so many different nationalities — a great energy and shared experience.

"When we started playing, there were so many parts of the world where the type of music that we were doing was not really accepted. There were a lot of places where people didn't know what we were doing or didn't have enough infrastructure to support a band like us. But it's opening up. It's changing and the world is shrinking. It's great to be in the front lines."

In October 2022, Saudi melodic death metal band IMMORTAL PAIN became the first group to perform heavy metal at a large public event when it played at Comic Con Arabia.

Back in October 2019, Saudi Arabia's grindcore band CREATIVE WASTE played what is believed to have been the first public metal concert in the kingdom's history. At the time, CREATIVE WASTE frontman Fawaz Al Shawaf told Metal Injection: "Leading up to the show, people, especially bands, were skeptical for the longest time, because they existed in the old generation. A lot of them were being conservative. They were worried. No one's ready to take the risk. But, I mean, the ones who organized the show are actually basically newcomers and young. They didn't even know what grindcore or death metal was. So they weren't into extreme music, but they asked us, and I thought the idea was so crazy that I accepted it because it's a part of the change."

In early 2022, Saudi metal artist Meshari Sangora, who goes by the name "Dusk", told Mille about the metal scene in the kingdom: "Yes, there was and still is a metal scene all over the kingdom — from bands that were formed in the late '90s to the early 2000s and even up to today. Recently, places like Syrup in Riyadh and The Music Space in Jeddah have given the opportunity for indie musicians, including metal artists like myself, to express themselves. With all the changes that are happening and the continuous engagement on social media, more people are getting exposed to the genre. Which makes me see a great future for the metal scene and metal music in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia."
#Metallica's setlist on their first Saudi Arabia show on Dec. 14, 2023.#Soundstorm23pic.twitter.com/GDRWXMxfUH

— MarieFranceRemillard (@MFRemillard) December 14, 2023



We’re not done with 2023 just yet, as an amazing opportunity has just come our way to perform at a major festival that...

Posted by Metallica on Monday, November 27, 2023

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "BREWtally Speaking" podcast, ATREYU bassist Marc "Porter" McKnight spoke about his recent decision to move from Alabama, where he was born and raised, to a small town in Germany, where his wife's family resides. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a big choice. It really was a big choice. [My wife] Julia and I kind of talked about it in May of this year. And we had started to have the feelings of, do we really wanna live in Alabama forever? And it wasn't the home and it wasn't my family and it wasn't the property. It was… Uh, I hate being political.

"America is in an interesting place," he continued. "And I think that for a while now, I felt living where we lived especially, I felt the attempt to be poisoned on all fronts. With the mentality of the way that American government and policies and culture is — with the food, it's absolute fucking garbage that we can get our hands on and it's poisoned and laced in chemicals and all this bullshit, and to get the better versions of stuff, it's unaffordable. And it's hard to afford to exist there. It's hard to fucking thrive and have any sort of good life there. It's hard to pay rent. It's hard to pay utilities. It's hard to make money. It's just fucking hard. Then we started talking a lot about life here [in Germany] and [how] different it could be.

"When we went to Europe in January, February and March earlier this year — we supported BULLET [FOR MY VALENTINE] — and I came over with Julia and [our dog] June early in January and stayed with her parents, which are about three and a half minutes that way past the church that was built in the early 1400s, and it was just beautiful out here and very calm and very wonderful and we just had a fantastic time. And we heard what they paid for their house, and it was an interesting thing and it kind of reminded us… 'cause we spent — Julia especially, 'cause I was on tour for a big chunk of that, but she spent a lot of time here — and so we just talked a lot about how different life could be and the pros and the cons.

"We thought that would be my 'forever home' in Alabama," Porter added. "And it still is — it's still in my family and I still wanna spend as much time as I can there, and who knows what the future holds; we could be back there eventually. But when we started thinking about the pros of being here with… Health care is affordable, life is affordable. From the first week I was here, I went to their version of like a CVS or a Walgreens called DM, and I bought the exact same things that I would at Target or any of those things, and I did a price comparison and it was literally double for the exact same product in the States — same amounts, same everything. And I was, like, 'Holy shit.' It's not the same brand. But I was, like, 'Holy shit.' And then you go to the store, you go buy bread, and you get this big fucking loaf of the best bread you've ever tasted to make these lovely sandwiches that you have two slices of fucking bread with some meat or some cheese or some fucking, some jelly or some spread or some Nutella or some butter and honey or whatever you put on it, it's all delightful, and you're full. Like, that's a meal. You have two pieces of bread in the States… We saw this meme last night with this guy that moved from the States to Berlin, and he's, like, 'You have two pieces of bread in the States, you're poor.' [Some is] asking [him], like, 'Yo, what the fuck's up? Let me give you five dollars. Get a real meal.' You won't be satiated. So simple things like that.

"Don't get me wrong: Germany has its issues, Europe has its issues, everywhere has its fucking issues. Let's be clear," McKnight continued. "But this culture with the government [in Germany] is based on allowing their citizens to find happiness and to find space for themselves and their families, and they help provide that. And it's fucking night and day than what we can comprehend in the States, 'cause they don't give a fuck about us in the States, and they never have. And I've never felt safe and I've never felt secure. And I'm not afraid of getting fucking shot up every two seconds. If we do procreate, we can send our kids to a school right down the street and we can just let them fuck off and walk by themselves. You don't have to be afraid of that. There are so many perks. And we're by her family. We're in the fucking mountains. We walk out our back door and there's massive, massive fields for June to go play in. Go further than that, there's woods. It's incredibly beautiful and incredibly calm and incredibly nice here. Not to mention this house — I don't wanna talk numbers, but we bought this house that has three fucking levels on it. We can live up top, we have room for art, we have room for a garden, we have room to grow creatively and as a family and whatever, and have friends come over and stay whenever they want. And this place costs less than it would for a one month, like per month studio fucking apartment in L.A. — or almost anywhere these days. It's mad. So all of those things and all of those factors kind of just were, like, 'Fuck.' And also, to be perfectly selfish and frank, I love living here. I love being close to a church from the 1400s. I love seeing the architecture. I love seeing old shit. I love being able to take a fucking 30-euro flight to Barcelona if I wanted to, or go drive to Amsterdam or go get on a train and go to Munich or Berlin and whatever. I love being able to go to these fucking places that all of my life seemed so exotic, and now it's just in my backyard. It's incredible for me."

A few years ago, Porter spoke to Creative Live about how he ended up joining ATREYU, which is based in Southern California, in 2004. he said: "I was born and raised in southern Alabama. It's a wonderful little pocket of artist communities. When I was 17, I went to college at Chapman University in Southern California. I went there for graphic design, and to play soccer. So I went, and the soccer team were a bunch of dicks, the coach was a jerk, and it was just a completely negative environment, and so I quit. I hate quitting, but I had to, and that pushed me back into music. I played shows at Chain Reaction and all the local venues, met the ATREYU guys, and after my other band fell apart ATREYU asked me to play with them and the rest is history."

ATREYU's latest album, "The Beautiful Dark Of Life", came out on December 8 via Spinefarm.

Warbell has shared a new music video for the song "Melancholical". It's the second song from the upcoming EP album Ruin that will be released on April 1, 2024.


The lyrics and music video was inspired by Sotha Sil, a half-god from The Elder Scrolls series, and everything (the production, mixing, video shoot, editing) was made by the band.







Warbell is a female-fronted melodic death metal band from Wrocław, Poland. Their roots goes down to Gothenburg style, but with every release they search for their own sound.
They released two LP albums - Havoc and Plague, and played around 150 concerts in 10 countries. Warbell also performed at some summer festivals like Pol'and'Rock Festival 2018 (Poland), Occultfest 2017 (Netherlands), Metal Madness Open Air 2020 (Czech Rep.), MOSH Open Air 2022 (Germany) and others.

"Roads To Madness: The Touring History Of Queensrÿche (1981-1997)" is now available for pre-order at nwmetalworxmusic.com. The book will be published in March 2024.

QUEENSRŸCHE is one of the pioneers of progressive heavy metal. "Roads To Madness" covers the band's beginnings in the 1980s as an opening act for titans such as DIO and METALLICA to QUEENSRŸCHE's heralded days as a headliner in arenas and amphitheaters throughout the 1990s. The book is a deep dive into all the concert dates that feature QUEENSRŸCHE's original lineup of Chris DeGarmo, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield, Geoff Tate and Michael Wilton.

The oversized tome spans over 450 pages, and includes verified setlists, tour history essays, fan commentary on shows, stage banter, live photos, show memorabilia imagery, and much more.

Three versions of the book are available:

* A full-color, limited hardcover edition, signed by the authors, featuring a glossy dust jacket and an 11x17 poster of the front cover. Only 200 copies of this edition are available. ($74.95 pre-order price.)

*A full-color, standard paperback edition. ($49.95 pre-order price.)

* A full-color, electronic edition as a high resolution .pdf. ($14.95.)

"Roads To Madness" was authored by QUEENSRŸCHE biographer and historian Brian J. Heaton and Pacific Northwest metal music archivist Brian L. Naron. The duo previously collaborated with James R. Beach to write "Building An Empire: The Story Of Queensrÿche", which was published in October 2021.

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Fellow original QUEENSRŸCHE members Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate's replacement, Todd La Torre, has released four albums thus far with QUEENSRŸCHE: 2013's "Queensrÿche", 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance".

For the past seven years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for Rockenfield, who stepped away from QUEENSRŸCHE's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against the band's fellow original members Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That case has since apparently been settled. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.

Roads to Madness: The Touring History of Queensrÿche Available For Pre-Order!

LONGVIEW, Wash. – Roads to Madness: The...

Posted by Roads to Madness: The Touring History of Queensrÿche on Tuesday, November 21, 2023

In a new interview with The News-Herald, Zakk Wylde touched upon his ongoing involvement with the reformed PANTERA. He said: "The PANTERA thing is beautiful every night. I'm really happy the fellas put it together so people can still hear [late PANTERA members] Vinnie [Paul Abbott] and Dime's ['Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] greatness."

The current lineup of PANTERA — featuring the band's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),along with Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) — is headlining a number of major festivals across North America, South America and Europe and staging some of its own headline concerts. They are also supporting METALLICA on a massive stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

It was first reported in July 2022 that Anselmo and Brown would unite with Wylde and Benante for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by Dimebag and Vinnie Paul's estates, as well as Brown, who in 2021 said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

During the question-and-answer portion of last month's Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp's "Metalmania III" in Los Angeles, Wylde was asked if he is planning to continue playing with PANTERA "permanently". He said: "Yeah. I told the guys [Anselmo and Brown] whenever… as long as they wanna do it. I don't know why you would wanna end it, 'cause all you're [doing is] going out there and you're just celebrating the fellas. I think it's a beautiful thing and I get to hang out with my buddies."

Zakk, who was close friends with late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, was also asked about his relationship with Vinnie Paul, who was Dimebag's brother. He said: "Oh, Vinnie was great too… With Dime and Vinnie, every night was Friday night or Saturday night. 'Cause it wouldn't be Sunday. And even if it was Sunday, it would be Sunday Night Football. You know what I mean? Every night was Friday night, man. I mean, it just literally was. I always say it, if you [were hanging out with] Dime and Vinnie, there was zero time to get depressed. If you were bummed out, it's, like, 'Zakk, call the fellas up. We're gonna have a party.' You could either be depressed or you could be loving life and whooping as much ass as possible. They were always about having a good time. I mean, Dime would walk in a room if somebody was depressed as could possibly be, [and] he would just light up a room. Same thing with Vinnie, man."

Anselmo and Brown spoke about PANTERA's return to the stage during an appearance on the seventeenth episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA. Philip said: "It's empowering. It is incredibly beautiful, and you feel so much love when you're up there. And if you take it in, it's a great feeling, man. These days, man, that's where me and Rex, you know, we get to dig the shows more."

He continued: "When we were younger, we were at war and when we were on stage; we were just angry and at war, man. Now it's — the songs are there. I can concentrate on singing the fricking songs, number one. Geez, that's a relief for me, man. I don't have to break my fricking body in part anymore."

Anselmo and Brown also talked about Charlie and Zakk being part of the PANTERA team. Philip said: "Them two dudes, so enthusiastic. And they got their damn thing and they got their own damn legacy, both of them, without us. It's an honor to play with them. They're the nicest frickin guys in the world, man. I'm just so... [Laughs] Zakk, he's a crack-up, man. He's a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we've known Charlie since '87, man. It's a long time."

Rex chimed in: "The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie's parts is uncanny. I don't think there's any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did. I would close my eyes, because I was trying to get tight, and sometimes if I close my eyes, I can hear a little better; I think I can. And there'd be a tear of joy just coming down, because that was so close to what Vinnie and I used to play. So you have the foundation."

Philip concurred, saying: "The low end sounds so PANTERA, man. It's freaking me out."

When the interviewer suggested that PANTERA in 2023 has Vinnie Paul and Dimebag's "spirit inside it", Philip said: "Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down. They would want the PANTERA brand or the legacy to go on. And I don't know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it."

Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who was Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

In an interview with TellUs Rock, FEAR FACTORY's new singer Milo Silvestro was asked about what it's like to be on tour with an internationally acclaimed metal act like FEAR FACTORY for the first time and whether it's as much of a "party" lifestyle as a lot of people believe it is. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I can speak for my own experience, which is... I'm not a party guy. I like to hang out, talk with people. I may come across as a shy person, but when I feel comfortable with someone, I like to talk a lot. So I like to talk. I'm not into alcohol, but just drinking anything, just hanging on the bus after the show. I'm not into drugs or alcohol at all, so I'm not that kind of a rock star… Our drummer Pete [Webber] is into gummy bears… [Laughs] Pete, our drummer, he's been a bartender as well, so sometimes on our days off, he gets us some jalapeño margaritas, which are Dino's [FEAR FACTORY guitarist and main songwriter] favorites. I pretty much almost never got hammered so bad with alcohol in my life because I'm not a alcohol person. So, when he makes us margaritas, I ask for a light one, so I can still join the party. I had a little bit of acid reflux which alcohol doesn't make any better. And acid is bad for your voice, so I try to stay away from it."

Milo continued: "But, yeah, another reason why I like this camp and the band vibe in general is because nobody does drugs. And nobody gets hammered so bad. It's just fun hangs, fun hangouts — maybe a few beers, stuff like that, but it's not like getting wasted and fucking pass[ing] out on the floor."

In October, FEAR FACTORY kicked off a European headlining tour with support from BUTCHER BABIES from the USA and IGNEA from Ukraine. The 44-date trek marked FEAR FACTORY's first European shows since 2016.

FEAR FACTORY and MACHINE HEAD will join forces for the "Slaughter The Martour North America 2024" tour in January and February. Additional support on the trek will come from Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.

Dino recently confirmed plans for FEAR FACTORY to make a new studio album in 2024. The effort will mark FEAR FACTORY's recording debut with the Italian-born Silvestro, whose addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in late February.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and Webber on May 5 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Earlier in the year, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber has been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who is unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."

Bay Area thrash legends, Death Angel, returned to the stage for their 8th Annual X-Mas Shows with special guest Forbidden, and openers Frolic and Tornadic at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA on December 21 and 22. 


Both shows were livestreamed - hosted by Toronto rocker Danko Jones - and are now available for rewatch until December 30th. Go to the band's official website at www.deathangel.us to check them out.







Fan-filmed video from the December 22nd show can be veiwed below.


Setlist:


"The Ultra-Violence / Thrashers"
"Voracious Souls"
"Truce"
"Relentless Revolution"
"Buried Alive"
"Execution - Don't Save Me"
"Immortal Behated"
"The Moth"
"Humanicide"
"Blue Christmas" (Elvis Presley)
"Help!" (The Beatles)
"Disturbing the Peace"
"Bored"
"Kill As One"

Drumeo has shared a new video featuring Sepultura drummer Eloy Casagrande. Check it out below.


Drumeo: "Take a sneak peek into the mind of Eloy Casagrande! Watch as he listens to 'Christmas In L.A.' by Vulfpeck for the very first time and attempts to play along. What is he listening for? How does he immediately craft an appropriate drum part? Tune in and find out!"







Sepultura recently issued the following statement...


"Sepultura has reached the end of the road and has chosen to depart via a conscious and planned death. Throughout the next 18 months we will celebrate 40 years of existence together along with our loyal fans on a farewell tour across the entire globe. It will be a celebration of the past and the present for one final time.


"After 4 decades filled with ups and downs, having visited 80 countries and countless different cultures, we’ve had the chance to become Brazil’s messenger to the world and spread our colors and rhythms worldwide. With our latest studio album Quadra, a highlight of our career, we added an unforgettable chapter followed by the SepulQuarta experience that helped us to overcome the difficult times of the pandemic together. We will unite our forces for one final, strong farewell. And all of you can be a part of it.


"During this 40th anniversary tour, we will record 40 live tracks in 40 different cities and release a massive compilation of our best, most energetic moments on stage.


"We are happy and very grateful for everything we could witness within the past four decades. We have released great albums and played unforgettable shows, cultivated friendships, met our idols, contributed to placing Brazilian metal on the world map, and therefore feel that we can leave the music scene with a sense of duty fulfilled.


"We’ve always had the best fans in the world, who supported us with praise and criticism, who were demanding and intelligent, who grew together with the band and have always been loyal. Without you, none of this would have been possible. This album and this tour are for you. Dear SepulNation - we love you and always will!


"Euthanasia, the right to a dignified death. The right to choose to live free and to choose when you die!"


Europe, Sepultura will celebrate with you for one final time together. As special guests, Ukrainian progressive metal highflyers Jinjer will join them on all 20 dates, alongside old-school death metallers Obituary and Philadelphia’s Jesus Piece.


Tickets will go on sale through all outlets on Wednesday, December 13 at 10 AM, CET via here.





European dates:


October
30 - Paris, France - Zenith Paris - La Villette
31 - Offenbach am Main, Germany - Stadthalle


November
1 - Hamburg, Germany - Edel Optics Arena
2 - Cologne, Germany - Palladium
3 - Den Bosch, Netherlands - The Rock Circus
5 - Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
6 - Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg - Rockhal
8 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Academy
9 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
10 - Belfast, UK - Telegraph Building
11 - Glasgow, UK - Barrowland Ballroom
12 - London, UK - Hammersmith Apollo
14 - Zurich, Switzerland - The Hall
15 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - MHP Arena
16 - Munich, Germany - Zenith
17 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
19 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
20 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
21 - Katowice, Poland - Spodek
22 - Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
23 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Universum





Sepultura are:


Andreas Kisser - guitars
Derrick Green - vocals
Eloy Casagrande - drums
Paulo Jr. - bass

Jarbas "Jabá" Alves, original bassist for Brazilian crossover legends RATOS DE PORÃO (Portuguese for "Basement Rats"), has died at the age of 60.

RATOS DE PORÃO announced Jabá's passing in a social media post on Tuesday (December 26), writing: "Rest in peace friend Jarbas".

Jabá's cause of death has not been revealed, but he had been dealing with liver issues for quite some time.

Jabá was part of the original lineup of RATOS DE PORÃO from 1981, before singer João Gordo joined the group. The bassist left RATOS DE PORÃO in 1993.

Jabá appeared on the classic RATOS DE PORÃO albums "Crucificados Pelo Sistema" (1984), "Descanse Em Paz" (1986), "Cada Dia Mais Sujo e Agressivo" (1987), "Brasil" (1989), "Anarkophobia" (1991), as well as "RDP Vivo" (1992).

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Throne Of Thorns has released their first single and music video for the song “Underworld”.


“As the first single of the album, this song is based on personal experiences, highlighting the difficult struggle faced by many due to the contemporary lack of empathy within an increasingly individualistic society. It focuses on the impact of bullying and the conflicting emotions experienced by victims,” Throne Of Thorns comments.


With power and precision, Throne Of Thorns, a new Belgian metal band, masterfully forges harmonious melodies and dynamic vocals over a solid foundation of captivating guitar riffs. Founded by guitarist and songwriter Thomas Jethro Verleye, the band has assembled a talented lineup of musicians, including the Ostrogoth vocalist Josey Hindrix, Wim Rotthier on keyboards, Guy Vercruysse (Reject The Sickness) backing vocals, production, mixing, and Baruch Van Bellegem on drums.




Throne Of Thorns crafts a unique sonic journey by seamlessly blending melodic, heavy, power, and progressive metal, appealing to a diverse audience… for fans of Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Fates Warning, Avantasia, Stratovarius, and Helloween. Their full-length debut album Converging Parallel Worlds is a musical rollercoaster, dealing with the pressing issues of global injustice, delving into the seductive grip of capitalism, power abuse and self-indulgence. The album's title serves as a metaphor for the dwindling time left to alter our destructive course, preventing Earth and humanity from succumbing to the ravages of relentless prosperity. With soaring melodies and memorable choruses, Throne Of Thorns creates music that lingers in the mind, revealing new layers with each listen.


The mastering of the album was entrusted to Jacob Hansen, an internationally acclaimed Danish producer known for his unwavering commitment to sonic perfection.


Converging Parallel Worlds will be released on February 16, 2024 as Digipack CD and digital streaming / download format. Preorder at roar.gr.





Tracklisting:


“Rise”
“Storm Maker”
“Atomic Retribution”
“Black Diamond”
“Converging Parallel Worlds”
“Underworld”
“Throne Of Thorns”
“Fire And Ice”


“Underworld” video:





Throne of Thorns are:
Thomas Jethro Verleye – Lead & rhythm guitars, bass, orchestral arrangements
Josey Hindrix – Lead & backing vocals
Wim Rotthier – Keyboards & piano
Guy Vercruysse – Backing vocals
Baruch Van Bellegem – Drums

In a new interview with the Tulsa Music Stream, WARRANT guitarist Joey Allen spoke about the absence of bassist Jerry Dixon from some of the band's recent concerts. Filling in for him at the gigs has been Robbie Crane, who has had stints with Vince Neil's band, RATT and LYNCH MOB, before joining BLACK STAR RIDERS as a full-time member.

Joey said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, Jerry has been in this band since the beginning. He's played every gig for 35 years. It's not foreign to anybody that travels and does 125 to 150 flights a year, you can get burnt out on doing that. You can get tired of hotels, you can get tired of planes, and Jerry just needs to take a break. He's healthy. He's coming in and playing the shows at the end of every month. There's nothing wrong with Jerry. There's nothing wrong with the band. Robbie Crane, who is an amazing bass player and an amazing person, has been playing bass pretty much for this band since COVID got over with and we came back out. And he brings a whole another set of tools to this band that's made everybody in the band step their game up. So, for us, even though we'd love to have Jerry there 24-7, he's not. Will he ever be again? I don't know. We'd love that. But if not, we've got a family member in Robbie. Robbie's known the guys in the band since before I was in the band in '84. Robbie grew up in Hollywood, so he's been a part of the music scene in L.A. for a long time. And it is what it is. But that's the dirt."

Joey also addressed drummer Steven Sweet's health issues which forced him to sit out some shows earlier this fall. "Steven missed a few gigs 'cause Steven had a heart… He had some… We're all getting older, man, and he just had a little bit of pain in his chest," he explained. "And this is all online, so everybody knows this that cares to know it. He had a a 98 percent blockage in his left ventricle artery, like the widowmaker [heart attack] waiting to happen. And thank God [WARRANT singer] Robert Mason's got good doctors — the healthiest guy in the band, Robert Mason; he'll like that I said that — he's got great doctors in Arizona, and he turned Steven on to his doctor and and Steven got a stent put in and he's healthy. So at the risk of sounding like old, broken-down men, which we're not, father time always wins, and we're just trying to take care of ourselves and be healthy."

In a recent interview with Robert Miguel of Uvalde Radio Rocks, WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner expressed uncertainty over whether he and his bandmates will release a follow-up to 2017's "Louder Harder Faster" album. "We're not sure what we're gonna do as far as new music," he said. "It's just been a little bit — there's just been some stuff going on where we haven't really been doing any new music. We have some riffs [being thrown] around. We have some half-finished songs going on. Due to some personal stuff going on, we're just kind of on hold as far as the new record goes. Nothing horrible, but just band stuff."

This past March, Allen told Mankato, Minnesota's "The Five Count" radio show that he and his bandmates were "actually writing right now for a record. So people are sending riffs around. You can do it on the Internet nowadays," he explained. "We just have a cloud-based files system where we just upload ideas. And somebody will take an idea, a music idea, and put some lyrics to it, and we'll start to craft our songs. So maybe by this fall we'll dig into the studio again and [record] the follow-up to 'Louder Harder Faster', which came out, I think, six years ago this year. The recording process takes about four or five weeks, so maybe early next year we'll have something new out for everybody to listen to and back on the road we will go to support that."

More than two years ago, Mason told the "Thunder Underground" podcast that there wasn't "a defined schedule" for WARRANT's next studio album, but he added that he and his bandmates are "always writing."

In 2020, Turner told the "Talking Metal" podcast that WARRANT was "throwing some ideas around" for a new LP. He said: "I've been sending Robert some riffs, and Robert's been working on songs. I've got a song going with Jerry. So it's a slow, long process for us, but the seed of a new record has been started. Now, that doesn't mean the seed will grow into a record. We've got a long way to go. We don't have one finished song. We've got a couple of things cooking, and we're actually sending ideas around back and forth to each other."

"Louder Harder Faster" was released in May 2017. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Mason replaced original WARRANT frontman Jani Lane in 2008 and has brought a degree of stability to the band after Lane's unceremonious departure and subsequent 2011 death.

This little tiny hole has spared my life (or at least given me the chance to extend my timeline).
I hadn’t been feeling...

Posted by Steven Sweet on Friday, October 20, 2023

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna was asked to name a "perfectly written" song that somebody else wrote where he just goes, "God, I wish I wrote that song." He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think everybody knows maybe one of the most perfect songs ever written in the world for rock music is [LED ZEPPELIN's] 'Stairway To Heaven'. It just is. It is what it is. And even if you did rip off that beginning riff, Jimmy [Page], I don't give a fuck. You did a good job with that shit. And it wasn't — listen, I even heard the original piece that they talked about that was a copyright infringement, and it literally is a speck of that entire epic ballad that ZEPPELIN put together. So he heard a melody within a few notes of someone else's song, and he was inspired by it and created this whole amazing legendary rock song. And as a writer, I have to respect that, because maybe he could have changed the key or changed a couple of notes, but it really is a very, very, very small part of the intro to that song."

He continued: "If you think about that song, I mean, a gorgeous, beautiful acoustic opening, and then John Paul Jones comes in with these really beautiful flute lines and the melody is gorgeous, the lyrics are mysterious and captivating. And then it just keeps ramping up and up and up until it gets to this incredibly powerful guitar solo and jam at the end where they're all kind of reaching for this finale. For it all to just kind of explode and go back down to where it started in the beginning, to me, that truly is a masterpiece."

Erna added: "As much fun people make of that song, 'cause it's probably the most overplayed song on rock radio in the world, there's a reason why it's overplayed. That song is a fucking masterpiece. Especially now, being a seasoned songwriter, I listen to that again and I go, man, I would still love to have written that song. That's the song I'd be proud of to this day, only because as I've grown, it hasn't been about a very narrow-minded kind of rock music. Our earlier music, we were just learning. I was trying to figure out how to write music. So it was very simple. And maybe that's part of what made it work. But it was also very — I don't know — for me, it wasn't very experienced sounding. But as I've grown into my later years and become more experienced as a writer, and the solo stuff and all that, I like the orchestrated, more epic versions of stuff. And that, to me, fits right in that category."

In March 2016, LED ZEPPELIN won a long-running copyright dispute over the opening riff in "Stairway To Heaven".

Page and the rest of ZEPPELIN were accused of stealing the riff from a song called "Taurus" by U.S. psych-rockers SPIRIT, recorded three years before the release of the album "Led Zeppelin IV", which contained the classic ZEPPELIN track.

Michael Skidmore, the trustee of "Taurus" songwriter Randy "California" Wolfe's estate, had brought the claims more than four decades after "Stairway To Heaven" was released.

In June 2016, a Los Angeles jury deliberated for about five hours before deciding unanimously in favor of LED ZEPPELIN. The case was revived in 2018 before a court of appeals upheld the original verdict in 2020. In October 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, definitively ending it.

Asked "what sort of experience" it was to have to testify at the 2016 trial, ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant told "Loose Ends": "What can you do? I just had to sit there. I was instructed to sit directly opposite the jury: 'Don't look at them, but just don't look at anybody. Just sit there for eight hours.'

"As much as I am musical, I cannot comment on anything musical. I just sing," the LED ZEPPELIN frontman continued.

"There are zillions and zillions of songs that are carrying the same chord progression, so it was very unfortunate, and it was unpleasant for everybody."

Plant testified in court that he had no recollection of ever hearing "Taurus" before. "I didn't remember it then, and I don't remember it now," he said. Page also testified that he had not copied any part of "Taurus" even though he owned five discs by SPIRIT among his collection of 4,000 vinyl records.

Enrico Bonadio, a senior lecturer in law from City University London, told Newsweek in April 2016: "I don't think that it is appropriate to consider the act of devising a tune that simply has the same 'feel' and 'groove' as another as copyright infringement. This is how music creativity often works. Musicians frequently build upon earlier arrangements and styles, and so the increasing occurrence of cases such as these should give us pause."

After the 2016 trial, plaintiff's attorney Francis Malofiy claimed he lost his case on a technicality, insisting that it was unfair the jury was unable to listen to the sound recording of "Taurus" and instead was limited to hearing an expert performance of the registered sheet music.

Malofiy received over a hundred sustained objections and "multiple admonishments" during the ZEPPELIN trial, with the band's publishing company Warner/Chappell Music filing documents asking the judge to order the plaintiffs to pay over $613,000 in costs for defending against the lawsuit.

In a new interview with Brazil's Heavy Talk, German metal queen Doro Pesch was asked if she is spending the holidays recharging her batteries or if she is already planning her activities for 2024. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, lots of touring and festivals. And then, of course, I wanna play the new album, like the best songs. I'll let the fans choose which songs they wanna hear. And, of course, all the best songs of the last 40 years. But actually, I never took a vacation. I don't really recharge my batteries. Maybe I should, but I never really do it. There's always so much stuff to do, so much work."

She continued: "Yeah, we are gearing up for the next year, touring a lot. I'm doing a couple of movies. So, yeah, so there's all kinds of stuff. And, yeah, there's a new DVD in the making, and there we wanna put on … the Wacken [Open Air] show, and we have the Düsseldorf [40th-anniversary] show [from this past October] and and some special things. Somebody sneaked me some bootlegs, so I have some footage from old, old stuff when I was working with Lemmy years and years ago. And we all really looked like little kids. It was with Udo Dirkschneider and Lemmy there. And we actually were rehearsing for my 20-year anniversary, which feels like it was just a couple of years ago, and now it's tons of years ago. So it will be a great DVD and Blu-ray and live record. So that's what we are working [on]. And it will probably come out end of next year. And then I probably write some more new songs and then eventually, yeah, working on a new album in the next couple of years. But first I wanna promote this one, the 'Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud'. I think there are 20 killer songs on it."

Last week, Doro announced the digital release of "True Metal Maniacs", an exceptional song that tells about the deep connection with her fans. It comes along with a very special video with live footage from Wacken Open Air, the Monsters Of Rock festival in Brazil and her anniversary show in Düsseldorf.

"True Metal Maniacs" is one of the five bonus tracks from the recently released album "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", so far only been released on the physical products, and is included in the digital EP "Conqueress - Extended", which will be released on March 1, 2024.

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" came out on October 27 via Nuclear Blast. The LP is described in a press release as "the result of intensive hard work that took the incomparable singer and songwriter back to studios in Miami, New York and Hamburg, amongst others. The album presents Doro at the height of her creative powers."

This past June, Doro released "Time For Justice", the first single from "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", along with a "Mad Max"-style video. The clip was filmed with director Mirko Witzki.

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" arrived one day before Doro's 40th-anniversary concert at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf.

In a recent interview with Australia's AndrewHaug.com, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser spoke about how making music and touring around the world has helped him deal with adversity. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Everything in my life is music related. It's been a part of my life since very early, since I was born, actually. My family was very musical, not in the professional level, but listening to music. My mom could play a little accordion. I started music with my grandma's acoustic guitar. She used to sing folk songs from Austria and Germany and Slovenia. And plus Brazil is a very musical country.

"I think, for me, I'm here because of music, really," he continued. "It was never because of fame or to grab girls or to drive fast cars and all that stuff. I'm here because I love what I do, and something that I always remind myself. It's where I came from, a garage. I mean, dreaming about, to play out, to play in a concert or to record an album, to have a band logo and stuff like that. I went to the school, and of course dreaming and writing and drawing KISS figures and dreaming about my own bands and stuff. And here I am, because I really believed that I could do it and [it was] possible, and I prepared myself, I studied music and I tried to find the best partners. And SEPULTURA came into my life in a very special moment, which I didn't know what to do. My band in Brazil was not really working and school was crap. I didn't have a girlfriend. It was horrible. And then SEPULTURA came and everything started to fall in place. And I found guys with Max [Cavalera, former SEPULTURA guitarist/vocalist], Igor [Cavalera, former SEPULTURA drummer] and Paulo [Xisto Pinto Jr., SEPULTURA bassist] that had the same urge or the same aim and the same goals and the same objective. And we did what we did together. And, of course, the changes with Max leaving. Not only the singer, but we lost management, we lost the label, basically, we lost the music producers of the album — we lost everything. And that's why we are here today now, stronger than ever, because we learned how to deal with our shit. We faced our problems. We're challenged by them. And we learned how to deal with business, we learned how to fix all the economic problems and to build a very strong company that we have today. And I'm very thankful that we went through all of that. I wouldn't change anything in my life."

Kisser went on to say that facing obstacles in life is when you get to "know yourself and the people around you. That's exactly the type of situation that people are really truthful and you really know who they are and who [you are]," he explained. "You learn about yourself a lot, and then you have new possibilities and new ways to grow. And art in general is fantastic because you can express yourself through music and through lyrics and to the concerts and stuff, and it's very healthy to deal with stuff in your mind. A lot of people listen to music to try to deal with their things, and we have this privilege to be musicians, so it definitely helps."

Earlier in the month, SEPULTURA announced that it will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe. Starting in March 2024, SEPULTURA will spend 18 months celebrating the band's past and the present one final time.

In the works for two years, SEPULTURA's final tour, titled "Celebrating Life Through Death", will start with dates in Brazil, and will include shows in Latin America and the United States, with the promise of additional dates to be revealed soon.

SEPULTURA comprises Kisser, vocalist Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

Andreas's wife, Patricia Perissinoto Kisser, passed away in July 2022 after a battle with colon cancer. She had just turned 52 years old one day before her death.

Andreas and the couple's three children, Giulia, Yohan and Enzo, announced Patricia's death in a social media post. They wrote: "It is with deep sadness that we have to share that Patricia Perissinoto Kisser passed away this morning. She will remain in our memories forever."

Andreas and Patricia had been together for 32 years after first getting together in 1990. They married in 1994.

During a recent appearance on the "Black Oxygen Inspiration" podcast, Matt Sorum reflected on his time as the drummer for GUNS N' ROSES. The drummer said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It got scary. In retrospect, maybe, being a little bit older, I would have handled it differently, but it got a little bit out of control because it became so big. We were moving fast. There was a lot of people around us. There was a lot of — I can't say confusion, but… I don't know. I was starting to kind of get out of sorts because we were the biggest band in the world at that time. There was nothing bigger, and it was intense because there was a lot of people coming at you, like old friends, just like infiltrating. And thank God I didn't have a cell phone or text in those days. Like imagine like if you had a text."

He continued: "And I'll admit it. I fell into too much drinking. And the band was pretty famous for that. So, in a way, I felt obligated to do it because we were — and I've explained it before, I always said that I felt like a pirate on a pirate ship. There was just this sort of gang mentality amongst us, and I wanted to be part of the gang. I didn't have one tattoo when I joined GUNS N' ROSES. It's almost like when you're a kid in school and you're hanging with some other guys, this is how that feels. It's, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna go get the tattoos. I'm gonna drink.' I always drank. But my point is things got a little bit confusing only because it was just so big. And there was a lot of kind of Hollywood sycophants around, a lot of what I call — I used to call them spot welders. And some of it I liked. And it was weird, because… I'd say to any young musician that gets successful, watch out for your ego. Just be careful, because that's what happened. And it's cliché — it's very cliché."

Sorum added: "I talk to young bands and I say, 'Hey, man. How's it going? How's your head?' Success can be daunting — when you're very successful — because things just change. I mean, family — I wasn't as close to my family. I was enjoying the ride; I really was. But it was a little bit kind of rock and roll bubble. I was in this big bubble and we were rolling through the world. And I really felt like I just wanted to have every part of that adventure, but it started to kind of affect me musically. I started to enjoy the party a little bit more than the music. [Laughs] And in retrospect, I'd say to myself, would I do it any different? No. [Laughs] I think I would have maybe — with the way I am now as an older guy, the way when you learn through life how to react to things, I've learned a lot more about how to sort of deal with things that I didn't understand, if that makes sense."

Matt went on to say that it was important for him to be honest in his book about how he handled being in GUNS N' ROSES at the height of the band's commercial success.

"I don't want any people to believe that it was just squeaky clean," he said. "If they read my book, the train came off the tracks a couple times. But where I am now in my life is a completely different circle of the people I keep around me. I don't really have time for anyone that needs to — I don't know. It doesn't make sense. I'm very, very content. Like, people will say — this is a Hollywood thing — 'So, what are you doing lately?' I love that question because I'm, like, 'I've done plenty and I'm just chillin'.'"

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Sorum was among the GUNS N' ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan attended the ceremony, while singer Axl Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

The 63-year-old musician, who has also played with THE CULT, VELVET REVOLVER and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, is not involved with GN'R's hugely successful reunion tour, which features Rose, Slash and McKagan alongside drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Sorum's autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", arrived in May 2022 via Rare Bird Books.

Photo credit: Michael Segal

In a new interview with Czech Republic's Project Backstage, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera spoke about his tendency to occasionally address societal and political issues in his music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I'm gonna start by saying I hate writing lyrics. I never liked it. It's like homework. I like riffs. I'm a guitar player. When I'm with my guitar, I can go for hours, and it's great, just jamming. But making lyrics is like torture, a little bit, but good stuff comes out of it. And I became, through the years, a little bit more political and more aware of the world and so I started making more political records, maybe like [SEPULTURA's] 'Chaos A.D.', 'Roots', the SOULFLY stuff, talking about slavery, talking about superstitious stuff, prophecies and things like that. Yeah, I don't like to do it. I do it like in a torturous way, but I like the result, because when you hear the crowd singing, it's there and you got the message across. But it's not my favorite thing to do. My favorite thing is riffs."

He continued: "If you pay attention to the lyrics… A lot of people, they just wanna rock out, and that's okay too. But I come from… My background, I grew up listening to a lot of punk stuff, and a lot of punk stuff had a lot to say; they're very politically charged. And I think because of that, some of my stuff became kind of like that. But it's also simple. I don't try to be something I'm not. I write in a very simple way that anybody — it's direct, it's very direct, so anybody can understand. There's not really a lot of metaphors and stuff like that; it's right to the point. But hopefully some people get the message and be inspired by it, by the message that is on records like 'Totem' and 'Ritual'."

Max previously talked about his lyrics in a November 2020 interview with the "Scars And Guitars" podcast. At the time, he said: "I still enjoy political messages, and some of them are quite strong. If you look at an album like [SEPULTURA's] 'Chaos A.D.', even though it was done [30 years] ago, it seems like a lot of those songs fit the world right now perfectly — like a glove — even more than when it was written. Or [Max's 1990s side project] NAILBOMB. NAILBOMB [is] the perfect example. We were doing a tour [where we performed the songs from] NAILBOMB two years ago, and it was fantastic, and kind of creepy, how those songs that were 20 years old, they fit the times now better than they did when we wrote them in the first place.

"I probably would do more of that kind of stuff, 'cause I do enjoy having a voice," he continued. "There is the right things and the wrong things out things, and there's a lot of wrong messages being portrayed. The problem, I think, is that you have the Internet and everybody has a platform, and you have all this brainwashing, especially here [in the U.S.]."

Max, who was born and raised in Brazil before relocating to Phoenix, Arizona in the early 1990s, touched upon the rise of right-wing populism around the globe, saying that Donald Trump used the weight of the most powerful office on Earth to give the movement legitimacy.

"What Trump did here was really just taking the mask off and just exposing all the ugliness that was underneath America," Max said. "But now the masks are off. And it's fucking crazy."

SOULFLY's twelfth album, "Totem", came out in August 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2018's "Ritual" was recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino and Arthur Rizk with assistance from John Powers. Produced by Max Cavalera alongside Arthur Rizk (KREATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, CODE ORANGE),the LP boasts guest appearances from John Powers (ETERNAL CHAMPION),Chris Ulsh (POWER TRIP),and John Tardy (OBITUARY). Rizk was also responsible for playing lead guitar on the record. The artwork for the album was created by James Bousema.

SOULFLY's current lead guitarist is Mike DeLeon, who joined the band in early 2023. Prior to hooking up with SOULFLY, DeLeon had been a member of PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo's solo band PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, which he joined in 2015 as the replacement for Marzi Montazeri. More recently, Mike filled in for Zakk Wylde at the first rehearsal for the fall 2022 PANTERA shows.

In August 2021, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares played guitar for SOULFLY on the band's 2021 and 2022 run of shows.

Former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson has weighed in on bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.

In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.

Speaking to the The Logan Show, Jeff was asked for his opinion on rock bands who use pre-recorded tracks. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the problem about it is that people don't mind it anymore. Think about just — what? — 30, 34 years ago or whatever, MILLI VANILLI lost their career over it, and I would say one of them probably committed suicide as a result years down the line. So look at how far people have come in the acceptance of it. And that, to me, is — I wouldn't call it a problem, but it's an indicator that people have accepted this kind of glamorized version of live music that's really about replicating a recording than it is about giving you an organic live performance."

He continued: "And what is my feeling on it? Well, my feeling is I've insisted from day one, since I became the musical director of FOREIGNER, no tracks — absolutely no tracks. And I'm really glad we've done that, because I do believe that one of the reasons that FOREIGNERhas been successful is that, yeah, we're a great band, I've gotta say, with an amazing catalog of songs. But because we're real, I think people pick up on that. And that's why we've continued to grow over the last 20 years, and I really feel that's a lot of it. We have dedicated fans and a lot of times they'll say, 'Man, the fact that you guys go up there and do it for real, that's what's great.' So I think there is a market for it. I think it's a benchmark that bands should shoot for, and I hope they do."

Pilson added: "I've heard some bands very tastefully use tracks. I mean, I have. And it can be done in a way that I think is cool. It's just that when I wanna see a rock band, I wanna see a rock band — the more dirty and nasty, the better. And tracks, I can hear the record. That's just my feeling. But, again, I think the fact that FOREIGNER's never done that and never will while I'm connected with it, I think that speaks volumes for the integrity that playing live for real gives you. And maybe there will be a backlash on that after a while too. I don't know. I hope so. I hope there's a total rebellion to AI, to playing tracks, to all that crap. But it would have to happen… Some young band has gotta come out who is just raw as GUNS N' ROSES and THE STOOGES or something, something really raw that comes out that's very real, that's very anti all that stuff, but they're amazing writers and they write amazing songs. If that happens, there could be a backlash. So let's start looking for that band."

KISS frontman Paul Stanley, who has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's recently completed "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] tracks."

This past March, KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee defended Stanley's vocal performance on "End Of The Road", explaining that the "Star Child" "fully sings to every song" at every concert. He explained: It's enhanced. It's just part of the process to make sure that everybody hears the songs the way they should be sang to begin with. Nobody wants to hear people do stuff that's not real, that's not what they came to hear."

When McGhee was asked to clarify if he was "actually saying there are backing tracks that [Paul is] singing to," Doc said: "He'll sing to tracks. It's all part of a process. Because everybody wants to hear everybody sing. But he fully sings to every song."

In March 2020, SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers said that "90 percent" of rock artists use at least some pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. He told Rock Feed: "It bothers me that it bothers people. I'm, like, 'Why does this bother you?' It's the way it is. People have been doing this since the '80s. And we want the sound to be the best it can be. Could we go up there, just the four of us, and put on the best rock show ever? Of course. But that's not how we wanna do it."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."

In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."

One musician who has been open about his band's use of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

In the newly released sixteenth episode of the revived "The Osbournes" podcast, Ozzy Osbourne blasted YouTube channels which have allegedly created several death hoax videos involving him.

"[They have YouTube clips saying] 'People who have died today'. And they put it on that I died," Ozzy said. "The thing on YouTube, it's got 'celebrities who have died today', and there's a picture of me. And I go, 'I'm not dead. I'm not really dead. Just a little flesh wound.'"

Ozzy later insisted that he still has a few things left to accomplish during his time on this planet.

"I'm not dead," he said. "I'm not going any-fucking-where. And I'm gonna go up and do some more gigs before I'm finished anyway."

Last month, the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer, who has struggled with a number of health issues in recent years, 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 last month, 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 74-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 next year, 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."

This past 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.

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.

In a new interview with Australia's "Everblack" podcast, OBITUARY frontman John Tardy spoke about how he and his bandmates have managed to expand their fanbase in recent years. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dude, there has been more young kids and more girls than I can ever remember at an OBITUARY show. I mean, it was a long-running joke of just nothing but guys at heavy metal shows. But now all those guys are married and they've got kids, and all those kids are showing up. But also just the influx of girls that have been showing up, it's just been awesome. Our shows have had a great array of people showing up, and it's been awesome. I mean, you can't just show up to the same old people every time and think that your fanbase is going to grow without younger kids showing up. So, it's really cool to see these young kids and just to see them and their 'Slowly We Rot' stuff and they know the old music. Some dads have been doing a good job. [Laughs]"

Tardy went on to say that having younger fans getting into the music is "so vital just for the whole scene. It needs that to survive," he explained. "So it's really good to see. And we've been real fortunate. We've just been really lucky with the new record. It's done really well. It's opened a lot of cool doors for us. We're getting a lot of big tours. The AMON AMARTH and CANNIBAL CORPSE tour [of North America for 2024] just got announced. But we've been just getting lots of good offers, lots of good spots on festivals and things like that. And it's just a good feeling. It really lets you have fun with what you're doing, for sure."

OBITUARY's latest studio album, "Dying Of Everything", came out in January via Relapse Records.

Last year, Decibel Books released "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary", the fully authorized biography of OBITUARY. The book was written by David E. Gehlke, author of "Damn The Machine: The Story Of Noise Records" and "No Celebration: The Official Story Of Paradise Lost".

Earlier this year, OBITUARY drummer Donald Tardy told Kerrang! magazine that the extended hiatus he and his bandmates went on in 1997 was a positive experience.

"Hindsight is 20/20," he said. "At the time we didn't know if that break was going to be one year, two years, six years or whatever it was. But, looking back, it was fantastic for us to step away and recharge, to get away from the music industry and that scene at the age that we were. And we were gone for long enough that we were hungry again when we got back onstage. It's weird to look back at how long ago that was. Our 'second career' has lasted longer than a lot of bands' entire existences."

The Bloodstockfestivals YouTube channel has uploaded professionally filmed video of KK'S PRIEST performing the song "One More Shot At Glory" on August 13, 2023 at the Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, United Kingdom. Check it out below.

KK'S PRIEST features former JUDAS PRIEST members K.K. Downing (guitar) and Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals),alongside guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST will embark on its first-ever U.S. headlining tour in early 2024. The trek will kick off on March 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will feature support from L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES. The tour will be the first of at least a two-leg USA run of shows, planned to continue later in 2024.

KK'S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6 at Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

KK'S PRIEST kicked off a five-date "Priests, Killers & Witches" U.K. tour on October 7 at O2 Institute in Birmingham. Special guest on all dates was former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul Di'Anno who performed a full set of classics straight from the first two MAIDEN records, and opening up the bill was BURNING WITCHES.

KK'S PRIEST's sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", came out in September via the Austrian label Napalm Records.

The art for "The Sinner Rides Again" was created by talented artist Andy Pilkington.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

KK'S PRIEST released its debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s.

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony last November at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis played a full set of AC/DC covers this past Friday (December 22) at Elevation27 in Virginia Beach, Virginia with the East Coast-based AC/DC tribute band LIVE WIRE. Video and photos of the performance can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

Set 1

01. Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be
02. Shoot To Thrill
03. Thunderstruck
04. Live Wire
05. Dirty Deeds
06. Girls Got Rhythm
07. Bad Boy Boogie
08. Hells Bells
09. Sin City
10. Back In Black
11. Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

Set 2

01. Riff Raff
02. Rock 'N' Roll Damnation
03. You Shook Me All Night Long
04. Have A Drink On Me
05. Whole Lotta Rosie
06. It's A Long Way To The Top
07. Night Prowler
08. TNT
09. Let There Be Rock
10. Highway To Hell
11. For Those About To Rock

The 62-year-old Travis, who was born in Norfolk, Virginia, joined PRIEST after an audition in Spain in November 1989.

Scott's long and very influential drumming career has also included acclaimed work with FIGHT and RACER X.

Travis's mother went to Juilliard and his brother, who is 10 years older, exposed him to THE BEATLES on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and Elvis Presley through an extensive record collection.

In a 2018 interview with NJArts.net, Scott stated about his influences: "I was always around music growing up and I vaguely remember some things, but I remember seeing a drum set and I liked the look of it, the metal and the chrome, and thinking, 'Yeah, that's kinda cool,' and then you see the actual movement of a drummer, whether it be Ringo [Starr] or anybody else…

"Influences? I'm gonna answer that but I find it … well, I guess everybody wants to know but it's always the same guys if you're a rock drummer. We all love [John] Bonham and Neil Peart and Alex Van Halen, Tommy Aldridge, Ian Paice. It's always the same guys, and, of course, Ringo. Ringo was the first commercial rock drummer, long before Tommy Lee or any of those guys. I mean, that is the rock drummer who you look at and say, 'Wow, that looks like a cool gig.'"

LIVE⚡WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience! Shoot to Thrill w/Scott Travis

Live clip of AC/DC's "Shoot to Thrill" with special guest drummer Scott Travis of Judas Priest from our show this past Friday night, December 22 at Elevation27 Virginia Beach!⚡ #acdc #acdcexperience #livewire #acdcfans #acdcfamily #shootothrill #letthereberock #judaspriest #judaspriestfans #classicrock #brianjohnson #angusyoung #malcolmyoung #cliffwilliams #philrudd #bonscott #acdcforever #acdclovers #acdclive #acdcband #theacdcexperience #backinblack #hellsbells #dirtydeeds #thunderstruck #highwaytohell #highvoltage #acdctributeband

Posted by LIVE WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience on Monday, December 25, 2023

LIVE⚡WIRE - The ULTIMATE AC/DC Experience! Have a Drink on Me

Live clip of "Have a Drink on Me" from Friday night 12/22/2023 in Virginia Beach (Elevation 27) with special guest Scott Travis on drums! Thanks once again to everyone who came out and have a great holiday weekend!⚡ #acdc #acdcexperience #livewire #acdcfans #acdcfamily #haveadrinkonme #judaspriest #judaspriestfans #classicrock #brianjohnson #angusyoung #malcolmyoung #cliffwilliams #philrudd #bonscott #acdcforever #acdclovers #acdclive #theacdcexperience #backinblack #shoottothrill #hellsbells #dirtydeeds #thunderstruck #highwaytohell #highvoltage #acdctributeband

Posted by LIVE WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience on Saturday, December 23, 2023

LIVE WIRE - The ULTIMATE AC/DC Experience! Riff Raff

"Riff Raff" from the AC/DC "Powerage" album performed live at Elevation27 in Virginia Beach, VA last night 12/22/2023 with special guest drummer Scott Travis of Judas Priest ⚡
#acdc #acdcexperience #livewire #acdcfans #acdcfamily #riffraff #powerage #judaspriest #scotttravis #judaspriestfans #classicrock #brianjohnson #angusyoung #malcolmyoung #cliffwilliams #philrudd #bonscott #acdcforever #acdclovers #acdclive #acdcband #theacdcexperience #backinblack #shoottothrill #hellsbells #dirtydeeds #thunderstruck #highwaytohell #acdctributeband

Posted by LIVE WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience on Saturday, December 23, 2023

Virginia Beach, representin’🤘Elevation27 LIVE WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience #virginiabeach

Posted by Scott Travis on Saturday, December 23, 2023

A very special thanks to Scott Travis of Judas Priest for performing with us at Elevation27! We had a blast! And to each...

Posted by LIVE WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience on Friday, December 22, 2023

Photo gallery from our show at Elevation27 Virginia Beach last night 12/22/2023 with special guest drummer Scott Travis⚡...

Posted by LIVE WIRE - The Ultimate AC/DC Experience on Saturday, December 23, 2023

Looking for somewhere to spend that Xmas bonus money?
Tired of hearing stories of yore from your drunk uncle about his days at the Playboy mansion?
Wanna see/hear a kickass Brian Johnson?
Then make your way!…🤘

Posted by Scott Travis on Thursday, December 21, 2023

In a new interview with Australia's AndrewHaug.com, Corey Taylor spoke about the status of his long-running STONE SOUR project, which hasn't performed live or released any new music in more than five years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We call it indefinite hiatus. It's one of those. I talk to Tooch [Christian Martucci, guitarist for STONE SOUR and Taylor's solo band] about this all the time. It's just one of those things where you just don't see it coming back anytime soon. They're just kind of irreconcilable differences with certain people, and a lot of things that… Obviously, I don't wanna… I'm not gonna run anybody down or anything, but it's just one of those things that for me I can't compromise anymore for different reasons. If I'm gonna do music, I wanna do it full-tilt. It's the best thing for me to be able to do [my solo project]. And STONE SOUR is what I did. And I'm proud of it. I'm proud of what we did."

This past September, Corey told Grammy.com that he was "being held back" in STONE SOUR "because of certain people in the band. But with [my solo project], there are no limitations, and I can do music carte blanche as far as genre goes and performance goes. I have a band that can play anything, which is just criminal. It's really, really cool. I'm just really fortunate to be in the place where I am right now."

Three months ago, Corey told Saby Reyes-Kulkarni of Paste magazine about his decision to put STONE SOUR "on indefinite hiatus" and launch his solo career by releasing 2020's "CMFT" and 2023's "CMF2" albums: "When STONE SOUR first started, not only was I playing guitar constantly, but I was also the lead guitarist and main writer. Honestly, one of the reasons why I was very adamant about starting my solo thing is that there was a weird misconception around who was writing what for what band. Maybe this is where my ego comes into play, but I felt like I wasn't getting the credit for the things I was actually writing. With STONE SOUR, it was fairly obvious, but there were a lot of songs that I wrote that people thought [guitarists] Jim [Root] or Josh [Rand] wrote where that wasn't the case at all. And then, with SLIPKNOT, there was a lot of stuff that either wouldn't have been written without me, or that I wrote that other people gave [themselves] credit [for]. As someone who takes great pride in sitting down and creating something from nothing — just from my imagination — that stuck in my craw."

He continued: "I've never shied away from giving credit to the people who deserve it. I've never taken credit for anything that I didn't do, and I've always been the first to shine the spotlight on anybody else. I don't necessarily get that in return. So this, for me, is setting the record straight and changing the narrative. Showing people that, 'Oh yeah, he does write heavy shit. And country shit. And acoustic shit. And piano shit. And rock shit. Hardcore shit' — the gamut."

In June, Taylor told Germany's Rock Antenne that it is easier for him to make solo records than it is to work with a band. But he clarified: "It's not that I don't miss some of the guys in STONE SOUR; I still talk to them. But at this stage, I refuse to compromise my vision and my art because of certain people's hindrances. And that's all I'll say."

In August 2022, Corey told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "nothing" had changed with regard to STONE SOUR months after he said in a previous interview that the band was on hiatus. Pressed about whether STONE SOUR is something he still might revisit at some point in the future, Corey said: "I don't know. The solo thing's more where my heart is, to be honest."

Corey, who was actually in STONE SOUR before he joined SLIPKNOT, continued: "To me, I've done the time doing stuff in a — for lack of a better term — band situation. And the reason I stick with SLIPKNOT is because that, to me, is the one that kind of started everything. But STONE SOUR, there's still so much drama and issues [between the members]. To me, it's just not something I desire to do. And songs in STONE SOUR that I want to play are the ones that I wrote in the first place. So to me, I would rather go out with a group of dudes who I've known forever and have a great time playing these songs and have the audience enjoy it because they see a bunch of dudes up there enjoying it than try to force issues on an audience that nobody really wants to be a part of, let's put it that way."

Asked it has been difficult for him to shelf STONE SOUR considering the amount of work he put into the band, Corey said: "It's been a bitter pill to swallow, but I've also reached an age where I refuse to waste any time with people who I don't enjoy being with, let's put it that way. And that's saying more than I actually should be saying.

"When it comes to my bands, I know in the past I've been very open to talking about it," Taylor continued. "But I'm very reticent about talking about things that deal with people who I care about. And whether there are issues or not, I still care about them. So it's tough. I have to rein myself in 'cause I'm not gonna throw anybody under the bus because nine times out of 10 I could be the problem too.

"I just know that at this point in my life I have more reason to love the solo thing than I do to try and do something with STONE SOUR," Corey added. "Now, am I saying that it'll never happen? No, because you never know. Something might come up and we could get an opportunity, and we could get an opportunity to do something for charity, and we all get together and we do something really, really cool. But my immediate plans right now — there's no STONE SOUR in the future."

STONE SOUR has been off the road and out of sight since completing the touring cycle for its last studio album, 2017's "Hydrograd". Taylor has been working with SLIPKNOT since then, as well as making his debut solo album, "CMFT", and a follow-up effort, "CMF2", which arrived in September. A STONE SOUR live album, "Hello, You Bastards: Live In Reno", came out in December 2019.

Last month, MOLLY HATCHET released a new song called "Firing Line", marking the first original tune from the southern rockers in 13 years. The track was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, United Kingdom. It was produced by MOLLY HATCHET guitarist Bobby Ingram, engineered by Chris Bolster (Paul McCartney, FOO FIGHTERS, Elton John) and mastered by Lucy Launder and Alex Wharton (Paul McCartney, THE ROLLING STONES).

"Firing Line" is the first single from MOLLY HATCHET's recently completed new studio album, due at the end of the first quarter or beginning of the second quarter of 2024 via SPV/Steamhammer.

In a new interview with Rock Bottom, Ingram stated about MOLLY HATCHET's upcoming follow-up to 2010's "Justice" LP (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just got our of Abbey Road Studios in London. We were in the actual BEATLES studio. And Chris Bolster — I was with him two days ago — Chris Bolster engineering it, and he's done Paul McCartney and Elton John. He just finished Eric Clapton's stuff. So what an honor it is for us to work with a wonderful engineer like that. And I'm lucky to produce it. I'm still producing after all these years, so that's a good thing."

Regarding his decision to take on the producing duties himself, Bobby said: 'Well, my first producer I learned so much from, it was Glyn Johns. That was when I was in my early 20s down at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. Glyn Johns did LED ZEPPELIN's first record, he did THE [ROLLING] STONES, he did THE WHO, he did THE BEATLES' 'Let It Be' and THE EAGLES all the way from the beginning up through 'Desperado'. And I was a 23-, 24-year-old kid down in the Bahamas and I'm working with this legendary producer. And I stuck to him like — man, I was sitting with him right every single… every time he hit the 'record' button every day, every minute, [I was] learning as much as I could about how to be an arranger-producer and an engineer-producer. And then I did a solo project with Karl Richardson, and he had the second-biggest selling album of all time, 'Saturday Night Fever'. And he also did the Clapton '461 Ocean Boulevard' [album]. So working with some really great producers, and I've been fortunate and blessed to be able to do that, I've picked up a lot along the way. And I figure, yeah, I could get other producers, but why not do it myself? Because I know what the band's supposed to sound like. I know the direction. I don't have to tell anybody how it's supposed to be, because I'm hearing it in my head. And it just makes things so much easier. But to work with a fabulous engineer at Abbey Road Studios, studio number two, where THE BEATLES did 95 percent of their hits, man, you wouldn't believe it. The first time we were playing in there, we were getting chills all over. Oh, yeah, it was just fantastic."

On the topic of the songwriting process for the new MOLLY HATCHET album, Bobby said: "Well, we've had a long time to put the record together. So we've been writing all through the pandemic and all through the different member changes, with the deaths that occurred with the group. So I continued writing, and I think I've written the majority of the songs on this album. So I think it's gonna be a good thing. And when everybody hears it, they're gonna go, 'Wow.' We have some pretty special surprises. I don't know if I can talk about it yet, but I'm gonna. We have David Gilmour's background singers that have come in to do a lot of the background singing on it. And we have some special, special surprises on this record. So I think everybody's gonna be very happy about the new release. And we're really happy about 'Firing Line'. That is burning it up everywhere."

He added: "I wanna thank everybody [for] supporting the new single from the new album. We've been just blown away by that. So thank you very much, everybody."

As for the musical and lyrical direction of the new MOLLY HATCHET material, Ingram said: "It's MOLLY HATCHET 2.0. It has the original foundational roots of the band. We talk about truth, honesty, friendship, the good Lord above, our families, military, but it's 2.0 version of that. We just went forward with it. We marched on. We brought MOLLY HATCHET into the next generation with this album."

When "Firing Line" was first released, Ingram said about the song: "Throughout history, humanity has fought to stand up for what is right and defend the wrongfully accused. 'Firing Line' depicts standing up for yourself on that fine line between the truth and being falsely accused by the system, and by doing so, standing up for yourself to protect your integrity and fight for what is right."

MOLLY HATCHET was formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1971, but Ingram didn't join the band until 1987.

Of the original MOLLY HATCHET lineup, all six members are dead, as are the band's second and third lead singers, Jimmy Farrar and Phil McCormack, respectively.

In June 2000, Ingram became the sole owner of the trademark MOLLY HATCHET, acquired from Pat Armstrong, the band's early manager.

"It's very resilient," Bobby told Savannah Morning News in a 2021 interview. "It's been a challenge, sure it has. But it's also been something that I like. I like hard work. I like challenges. The thrill of the challenge and the reward at the end. I didn't expect to do all this, but I saw that it needed it so I did it."

He added: "I'm the longest-standing member, consecutively. That means not veering from the mission, the vision, and the values of MOLLY HATCHET. I've stayed on course, on track, foundational, fundamental roots intact in creating new branches of the tree."

In a 2018 interview with Coachella Valley Weekly, Ingram said: "I have always felt a need and strong desire to keep the MOLLY HATCHET tradition, legacy, and spirit alive and well, and to keep it on the road, playing concerts, and recording new albums.

"I've seen every member come and go in the last [36] years," he added. "I feel fortunate to be able to do it for so long and so consistently. I've never faltered or stepped out on the group, so to speak. I never joined another band. This has been my baby for over three decades, and I'm proud of it. I know what kind of sacrifice it takes to make it happen. It's all worth it to see the joy of the fans, to see their faces light up, and see them jumping up and down and hollering and forgetting their troubles. That's the reward. That's the payoff."

MOLLY HATCHET 2023 is:

Bobby Ingram - Lead Guitars
John Galvin - Keyboards
Tim Lindsey - Bass
Shawn Beamer - Drums
Parker Lee - Lead Vocals

Earlier this week, it was announced that Tony Clarkin, guitarist, mastermind and main songwriter of the U.K. prog/pomp/AOR rock band MAGNUM, has been diagnosed with a rare and incurable spinal condition. As a result of his diagnosis, MAGNUM has canceled its previously announced spring 2024 tour.

In a new interview with link textFriday 13th, MAGNUM vocalist Bob Catley spoke about how he and his bandmates are dealing with the latest setback. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been having a few bad days, actually, if you wanna know the truth, with Tony and everything, and the tour canceling, having to be canceled, because he can't commit to that at this stage. But it's gonna get better soon, whatever they can give him."

Bob continued: "He's got a spinal condition that is quite rare, apparently, and it's been coming on probably since the last time we did some gigs last year, and then we've been recording the new album all through this year, and it's been getting gradually worse for him, and now it's, like, 'Oh.' He can't do anything. So touring, wearing a guitar on stage for nearly two hours and [being on a] tour bus — just the fact that you're on tour is a big no-no at the moment. And we're all, like, 'Oh, Tony.' But, of course, he's gotta heal now somehow, and the future will have to take care of itself. We can't talk about the future. It's way too soon. We just want him to be in a better place and for everybody to be kind and [to] understand his situation. And I know they will be, because they're MAGNUM fans and of course they will be kind and understanding. And I know Facebook's full of it, of sending Tony their best wishes. And it's all up on the Internet, [Tony's] statement there. So just read that, people. And I can't tell you any more than what the statement says."

Added MAGNUM drummer Lee Morris: "Tony will be gutted about the tour. Obviously, we're all very proud of this album. We really wanna get out there and play these songs live for everybody. So I know he's gonna be gutted about it. We just seem to be cursed when it comes to touring. This is the second tour — we had 'The Serpent Rings' tour canceled because of COVID, and now obviously with Tony's medical sort of issue now, it's the second tour which we've had to cancel, so we've done, like, two tours for the last four studio albums.

Bob chimed in: "We've been here before. We're getting déjà vu. I just don't wanna get used to it. This ain't the way it's supposed to be."

Lee continued: "At the day, Tony's health is the most important thing. At the end of the day, he's our captain, he's our friend. We've gotta make sure he's right. And I know Tony's a trooper, and he tried to commit to the tour, but it wouldn't be fair to put him through that. Being on a tour bus and carrying a guitar, it would have just been too much. It's the wise thing to do."

On December 18, Clarkin released the following message via social media: "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you guys. Over the past year or so I've been bothered by increasingly bad pains in my neck and head. For a long time the docs couldn't work out why, but now they've found out and it's gonna mean some changes.

"I have developed a rare spinal condition. It's not life-limiting, but it can be degenerative in some people, and sadly it's not curable. There are treatments that may help but we don't know how good they'll be.

"With the nature of touring and the weight of electric guitars this means there's no way I would be able to play the scheduled shows in the spring. We've taken the decision to cancel the tour, rather than mess anyone around trying to postpone in the hope things might get better in the short term. Bob didn't feel it would be right doing it with a dep at this time.

"This is not gonna be the end of MAGNUM, but the future might have to be a bit different, so please bear with us while we try and figure out what I can and can't do moving forward.

"I'm really sorry for everyone who'd already bought tickets, it goes without saying that I'm absolutely gutted that I'm not gonna be able to play for you.

"Cheers and I hope I'll be able to see you all again soon."

The rest of MAGNUM added in a separate statement: "We are obviously all extremely upset at this development, especially so close to Christmas. We can't thank you all enough for your support over the years and hope you'll stick with us through this too. We really hope you're all going to love the new album 'Here Comes The Rain' out on the 12th January 2024 and this won't spoil it for you.

"Please everyone contact your ticket reseller for a refund. We'll be back…"

Formed in Birmingham over 50 years ago by Catley and Clarkin, MAGNUM have cemented themselves as one of the U.K.'s finest hard rock exports, a largely American dominated genre.

With their unique melodic skill and tasteful instrumentation, the group have released 22 studio albums over the years, with their most recent, "The Monster Roars", arriving last year to great critical acclaim.

MAGNUM's current lineup consists of Catley, Clarkin, Rick Benton (keys),Dennis Ward (bass) and Morris.

A message from Tony Clarkin

“I'm afraid I have some bad news for you guys. Over the past year or so I've been bothered...

Posted by MAGNUM on Monday, December 18, 2023

In a new interview with RichardMetalFan, FEAR FACTORY's new singer Milo Silvestro addressed the fact that a lot of people think he sounds very similar to the band's original frontman Burton C. Bell. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, either if they mean it in a good or in a bad way, for me, it's a compliment, because first of all, Burt is my idol and I love him, I love his artistic job and legacy as a vocalist. And second, I'm singing for a band that it's iconic, and everything in FEAR FACTORY's sound — guitar, vocals, the synthesizer, the drums, the bass — everything is iconic. If you could listen to FEAR FACTORY stems, the separated tracks, you know that's the FEAR FACTORY guitar, you know that's FEAR FACTORY vocals. Everything is so iconic about FEAR FACTORY. And I think, and Dino [Cazares, FEAR FACTORY guitarist and leader] thinks also, that if you need to replace such an iconic singer, you have to nail the style. So it's not that I want to sound like Burt just because I like Burt and I want to — like some people say in a more hateful way — be a Burt copycat, which to me is still a compliment, by the way. I mean, it is what it is. They miss him and I get it. But it is what it is. There are people that enjoy having FEAR FACTORY moving on with a new guy."

He continued: "The thing is it's not that I want to be Burt copycat, but it's a matter of nailing the style. It's like if you came to filling in for, let's say, for Dino, for such an iconic guitar tone and playing style, of course you're gonna use his sound, his guitar, his pickups. You wanna create that tone. And the same thing goes with vocals. Dino was sending me a cappellas during the audition process. He sent me a cappellas from [the songs] 'Resurrection' and 'Timelessness'. And he's, like, 'I'm gonna send you a cappellas.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, okay, cool. What am I supposed to do with them?' And he was, like, 'Just listen and study his style.' Because, of course, he started to hit me up because he noticed that I have studied [Burt's] style, but he wanted me to study even more, like you have to nail it, not just sounding like him, but having his nuances, his leaks. Burt has a lot of leaks, a lot of typical Burt leaks and things he did with melodies and his voice, even the slide-off notes you hear in the records, that's all part of his sound. The beauty of his vocal is that he wasn't super precise and technical, but it was true, though. It had soul, and you have to nail that soul, not just with the technical aspect, but with the emotional aspect. You have to feel what he's singing. I think that's the very most hard, difficult part about singing FEAR FACTORY. You have to sing with that passion and that soul. And that's something that you can study as well. And I think that's the reason why — and I'm really glad that people are saying that — but that's the reason why people are noticing this similarity with Burt's voice. We don't have very similar voice when we talk, but we're baritones, so that, of course, that matters because you wanna pick up a guy that has the same vocal range. And I went through a lot — I studied surgically all his nuances on the records and with those a cappellas. So, I guess that's the reason why. I really studied his style because that's what I was asked to do, of course. And I think that is perfectly right and fair because you wanna pay justice to the vocal legacy of this band. You don't wanna just throw a completely different vocal style."

Milo also talked about when fans might be able to hear new FEAR FACTORY music with his vocals. He said: "We've been talking with Dino about new songs. Of course, fans want it and we want it, and it's gonna happen. We have laid down some scratch ideas with just Dino's riffs and programmed drums during spare time, and Dino has recorded with Damien [Rainaud], his producer, I think seven, eight songs. But it's just programmed drums and guitars on top of it, like demo guitars. So it's scratch ideas, but we have to really… Hopefully — I mean, don't quote me on that — but hopefully we should be able… Once we get back from Australia, because, as you probably know, we have a tour coming up with MACHINE HEAD starting January 18th, and it's gonna be USA and Canada first. Then, shortly after that, there's gonna be seven shows in Australia and New Zealand. So then after that, I believe in April, we'll be back in Dino's home in L.A. And that's probably the moment where me and him are gonna have some spare time to take care of those songs and maybe keep working on those songs. But then we have Sick New World fest in April, which is just one show, but it's gonna take a few days to drive to [Las] Vegas. Then in May, we have three shows, at least three shows — probably there are gonna be even more by that time — in South America. And in June, we have a bunch of festivals in Europe. So we'll probably have time to finish a single, I guess. It's all assumption right now; it's nothing sure. But we do want to finish at least one single and put out a new album by 2025."

In October, FEAR FACTORY kicked off a European headlining tour with support from BUTCHER BABIES from the USA and IGNEA from Ukraine. The 44-date trek marked FEAR FACTORY's first European shows since 2016.

FEAR FACTORY and MACHINE HEAD will join forces for the "Slaughter The Martour North America 2024" tour in January and February. Additional support on the trek will come from Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.

Dino recently confirmed plans for FEAR FACTORY to make a new studio album in 2024. The effort will mark FEAR FACTORY's recording debut with the Italian-born Silvestro, whose addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in late February.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and touring drummer Pete Webber on May 5 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Earlier in the year, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber has been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who is unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."