Ravage, the traditional heavy metal rockers from Boston, Massachusetts have returned with their first new music since the pandemic. The band has posted an official music video for the song "Manmade Ice Age" - the first single from their forthcoming full-length album Spider On The World, which is due out in early 2024 on a date and record label to be announced. 


Singer Al Ravage comments: "We put together a remote video during the pandemic, but this is our first attempt at an actual video since 2010's "Grapes Of Wrath" video. It was fun to work on. We'll have a few more videos coming out before and after the album release."







In regards to the new single, "I think this song is a good summation of what we've been working on for the last couple of years coming out of the pandemic. Lots of guitars, lots of melody and lots of attack. We brought in Pete Rutcho of Damage Studios, who mixed our The End Of Tomorrow album, to help give this latest record a crisp, modern, sound. But the guys in the band are pretty much slaves to the traditions of classic heavy metal, so I think we've achieved a good balance, and fans of killer melodic metal of all stripes will be pleased with it. This is just a taste of what we have in store for the full-length, which I think features the best material we've yet done. Crank it! Ravage The Earth and Ravage In Peace!"





"Manmade Ice Age" lyric video:





 

In a new interview with Daily Beast, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee reflected on the band's "Best New Artist" win at the 2004 Grammy Awards, where they beat out hot favorite 50 Cent. The rapper, who had released his multi-platinum debut album "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" the previous year, was widely favored to get the award. 50 Cent responded to the loss by walking onstage during EVANESCENCE's acceptance speech at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

"50 Cent hates my guts," Lee told the Daily Beast. "It's just one of those things… I mean, truthfully, we thought he was going to win too. It was such a wild night. People are like, 'What was it like to win a Grammy?' and I'm like, 'Stressful!' I mean, it's wonderful now, to have them, but it was surreal… I just remember thinking, 'I don't even think anybody in this room knows who we are.'"

50 Cent's walk to the stage at the ceremony, which was broadcast on a five-minute delay, still made the Grammy Awards broadcast. Lee watched, baffled, saying, "Oh what did I do? Thanks, 50," but 50 didn't grab the mic or say anything, instead choosing to just smiling and make his presence felt.

"You know when you're just in shock? He didn't do anything. He didn't grab the mic. It wasn't that bad," Amy recalled to the Daily Beast. "He just sort of, like, made an appearance. It was like Zoolander when he thought he won."

Asked if the rapper ever personally said anything to her after the fact, Amy responded: "No, he never said anything to me, but he likes to talk about me and how he was robbed. I don't want to start a beef with him. Thank you for saying I looked unfazed, I was so fazed. Everything around me was chaos and I was, like, 'I'm gonna stand here and see if this is real later, if I wake up or not.'"

Lee previously reflected on the 50 Cent encounter earlier this year during an interview with Metal Hammer. At the time, she said: "I was pretty sure that we weren't going to win, at least not 'Best New Artist'. I thought for sure that would be 50 Cent. We were 100% the dark horse. I felt like, 'People don't know who I am'... I'm a 21-, 22-year-old kid, trying to dress up like a grown-up and I had my shoes off when they called our name. I don't normally wear heels. They're very uncomfortable."

Three and a half years ago, 50 Cent complained about losing out on the "Best New Artist" award to EVANESCENCE as he received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

"You got the largest debut hip-hop album [but] you don't got no 'Best New Artist' trophy," 50 said of the 2004 Grammy Awards ceremony. "The 'Best New Artist', they gave that shit to EVANESCENCE.

"Can you find fucking EVANESCENCE? I ain't seen EVANESCENCE since that night. Since that night they gave them the trophy."

Lee is currently promoting the 20th anniversary of EVANESCENCE's debut album "Fallen", which was released as an expanded edition.

Amy Lee publicity photo by Nick Fancher, courtesy of Shore Fire Media

Swedish progressive rockers, Moon Safari, recently announced their new album, Himlabacken Vol. 2. Ten years in the making, their 5th studio album will be released on December 6 through Marquee Inc. in Japan and worldwide on December 8 through the band's own Blomljud Records Inc.


Moon Safari are now pleased to share the video for album's second single "Emma, Come On".


The band had this to say about the track: "Do people still have posters of their favourite artists or movie stars on the walls in their room? This song is about celebrity worshipping, the slightly unhealthy kind. All dressed up in swirling moogs and guitars, as if Genesis in the mid ‘80’s kept one foot in their past and didn’t care for airplay.  Which celebrity poster did you hang on your bedroom wall?”







About the making of the album: "It took us ten years, for a million different reasons. But we're not dead yet. We return with what we know is a worthy comeback album, filled with our own special brand of symphonic rock cultivated over 20 years as an antidote to the long, dark winters of northern Sweden, with those trademark vocal group-inspired harmonies, uplifting melodies and soulful romantic lyrics that our fans have come to expect. With the addition of ex. Black Bonzo drummer Mikael Israelsson to the band we've totally revamped and boosted the low end of our sound, tightened it up, and that attitude shift is felt through our entire arrangements.Tying it all together is the mix by the great Rich Mouser. He's been the go-to guy for the big boys in the genre for many years, and now we understand why. The mix is clear and punchy, booming and never flat. It just sounds expensive, and we couldn't be happier. You'll get almost 70 minutes of this heady brew, spread over nine tracks, with zero fillers. And of course there's the obligatory epic. The whole thing is a banger, and we're immensely proud of it."





Tracklisting:


"198X (Heaven Hill)"
"Between The Devil And Me"
"Emma, Come On"
"A Lifetime To Learn How To Love"
"Beyond The Blue"
"Blood Moon"
"Teen Angel Meets The Apocalypse"
"Forever, For You"
"Epilog"


"Between The Devil And Me" lyric video:





Moon Safari is:


Petter Sandström - Lead and Backing vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Simon Åkesson - Lead and Backing Vocals, Piano, Organ, moog.
Pontus Åkesson - Lead and Backing Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitar
Sebastian Åkesson - Backing Vocals, assorted keys, percussion.
Mikael Israelsson - Backing Vocals, Drums, percussion, keyboards, piano
Johan Westerlund - Lead and Backing Vocals, Bass Guitar


Special guest performance by Jamison Smeltz - saxophone on "Forever, For You"

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST have released the official music video for "Trial By Fire", the second single from their upcoming studio album, "Invincible Shield". Check it out below.

"Invincible Shield" will arrive on March 8, 2024 via Sony Music. The LP's first single, "Panic Attack", can also be streamed below.

The release date for PRIEST's follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" was announced on October 7 during the band's performance at the Power Trip festival in Indio, California.

After BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs" played as the intro to PRIEST's set, a graphic was displayed on the video screens announcing "The Invincible Shield".

The cover artwork for the CD and vinyl versions of "Invincible Shield" can be found below.

To pre-order "Invincible Shield", visit shop.judaspriest.com.

This past June, PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner told Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio that the band's new album was "sounding great. I was in Phoenix with [producer and touring guitarist] Andy Sneap and Rob a few weeks ago, putting the vocals down," he said. "And it's always exciting to hear new PRIEST tracks, because they become PRIEST tracks when Rob sings them. It's, like, the world hasn't heard them yet, but there's new PRIEST tracks that we're hearing for the first time. It's really exciting, hearing that characteristic voice that we've heard for decades singing new stuff. It's an incredibly exciting thing, so I can't wait for the world to hear it all."

Elaborating on the musical direction of the new PRIEST material, Faulkner said: "There are definitely a few more twists and turns on this record. There are a few more musical parts. So, there might be a bit of... As I said, there are twists and turns. I've used the word 'progressive' before, and the Internet ripped me a new asshole. But it is progressive in the sense that it's not like verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus-finish. It's musical part-verse-musical part. It might do a few twists and turns, musically. It veers from the path of it, a bit like 'Sinner' or 'Tyrant' or something like that. So, it's a bit more '70s PRIEST, which I welcome as a guitar player… It's '70s PRIEST, but it's not a retro album, by any means. It's the influence of '70s PRIEST in the progressive sense, but it sounds like PRIEST in 2023."

He added: "Every PRIEST album has kind of stood on its own, stylistically. It's had that DNA of JUDAS PRIEST, because the characters are so strong. But it's always been a little bit different — retaining that DNA but having its own character. So, this one's no different, really, in the sense that it's obviously JUDAS PRIEST, but it's its own animal; it stands on its own two legs."

Last November, Faulkner told Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules that some PRIEST fans misconstrued his previous comments about the musical direction of the band's upcoming LP. He said: "I think we've used the word 'progressive', and everyone thinks it's gonna become 'Nostradamus' [PRIEST's controversial 2008 symphonic heavy metal concept double album about Nostradamus], or RUSH, which is two different things. I've definitely used the word 'progressive' [to describe the new PRIEST material in previous interviews], purely because it's got a few musical turnarounds that 'Firepower' doesn't have. But that doesn't make it a RUSH record. It just makes it — instead of, like, a verse into a bridge into a chorus, there might be a couple of more musical passages in there to make it a bit more… interesting; might be the wrong word. I don't know. You've gotta be careful with the words you use these days. So it's not 'Firepower 2', but it's the same band a few years later, so there's obvious connections to the last record. But it's not 'Firepower 2' by any means."

Richie continued: "No PRIEST records have sounded the same, but it's got a common DNA. And you always try and make the next one sound a bit better — or whatever 'better' may be; 'better' is subjective. So, is it better written? Are the lyrics better? Does it sound better? And 'better' is always subjective. So it's hard to pinpoint, really. But it's a bit more of a musical adventure than the last one, I'd say. But then again someone might listen to it, when it does come out, and have a totally different interpretation of what it is. So it's always tough to sum up your own music without sounding up your own butt."

In February 2022, Halford was asked by Remy Maxwell of Audacy Check In if he agreed with Faulkner's comment that the band's upcoming album will be more musically "progressive" than "Firepower". He responded: "Yeah, the metal is there. But here's the thing: we've tried our best not to replicate anything that we've done. From 'Rocka Rolla' all the way through to 'Firepower', each record has had a distinctive character. And it's tough because fans go, 'We want another 'Painkiller',' 'We want another 'British Steel'.' And [it's, like], 'Dude, we've already done that.'

"Fans know that we're a band that is always full of adventure and trying new stuff," he continued. "And so, yeah, this has got probably some more progressive elements that we've never really delved into before. And that's exciting, because, again, it gives us and our fans another opportunity to see a different side of PRIEST. But it's still metal. There's just more of it. There are more notes than there were before."

Also in February 2022, Faulkner told Canada's The Metal Voice about the overall sound of the new PRIEST music: "Whenever you start a record, you never know how it's gonna turn out. So you might start with an idea of what it's gonna be, and as it kind of rolls on, it comes out something different. So you don't quite know. And also it's really hard to sum up your own music, I find, without sounding really pretentious. But I think this one — it's not 'Firepower 2', I don't think. It's its own thing, it's its own animal. If anything, I would say it's a bit more progressive in places, and in places it's got a bit more of that 'Killing Machine' swagger."

Faulkner added: "I know everyone says, 'Oh, is it the next 'Painkiller'?' or 'Is it the next…?' whatever… I don't know if they'd ever done it, but I know we've never done it when I've been in the band; we've never tried to recreate an album. It's always we try to create an album that stands on its own legs. So I think it's definitely a little bit more progressive than 'Firepower' and, as I said, in places it's got a little bit of that 'Killing Machine' angry swagger attitude going on."

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

CD cover:

Vinyl cover:

German hard 'n heavy metal band, CobraKill, recently signed to Frontiers and are set to release their second album, Serpents Kiss, on January 19.


The band has dropped the first single and accompanying video, for the track "Same Ol’ Nasty Rock N’ Roll". Watch the video below, and pre-order the album here.


The band show excitement for the upcoming album: “Serpent's Kiss’ is a testament to our musical evolution. Recorded in the studio, it showcases a remarkable diversity, giving birth to infectious earworms right from the initial sessions. The album is a testament to our growth since our debut, radiating with creativity and displaying a newfound maturity. With drummer Toby Ventura taking the reins in production, mixing, and recording, we had unparalleled freedom to sculpt our sound. "Serpent's Kiss" undoubtedly marks a significant leap forward for us."




Formed in 2020, CobraKill swiftly garnered attention for embracing the sound, attitude, and ferocity reminiscent of iconic artists such as Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P., Lizzy Borden, and Ratt. Their ambitious goal is to reignite the flames of heavy metal's glory days from the '80s and conquer the world with their unique music. Drawing inspiration from the likes of these legendary bands, the quintet, featuring Nick Adams on vocals, Randy White on lead guitar, Tommy Gun on rhythm guitar, Crippler Ramirez on bass, and Toby Ventura on drums, not only captures the essence of the '80s but embodies it in both sound and appearance.


CobraKill's rise to prominence has been marked by electrifying performances and meticulously crafted songs. Fans attending their shows often describe the experience as magical, with many likening the atmosphere to witnessing the young Mötley Crüe commanding the stage.


The band's debut album, Cobratör, released in 2022, achieved remarkable success, selling out its physical format within weeks - a testament to the band's rapid ascent in the music scene.


CobraKill's music seamlessly blends metal, rock, sleaze, and glam, creating a sonic landscape that not only pays homage to the glory days of hair metal in the '80s but also asserts the enduring vitality of rock n' roll in 2024. Serpent’s Kiss promises to be an infectious rock record that will undoubtedly set the tone for the musical landscape in the year ahead.





Tracklisting:


"Above The Law"
"Bazooka"
"Concrete Jungle"
"Razor Blade"
"Monstrous"
"Same Ol’ Nasty Rock N’ Roll"
"Torture Me"
"Hungry Heart"
"Seventeen"
"Silent Running"
"Ride My Rocket"
"Velvet Snakeskin"


"Same Ol’ Nasty Rock N’ Roll" video:





CobraKill lineup:


Nick Adams - vocals
Randy White - guitar
Tommy Gun - guitar
Crippler Ramirez - bass
Toby Ventura - drums

Elettra Storm has signed a multi-album deal with Scarlet Records.


Elettra Storm is the brand new power metal sensation brought to life in 2023 by SinHeresy co-founder Davide Sportiello. Featuring the talented singer and model Crystal Emiliani (Re-X) on vocals and supported by top-notch musicians, the band will start a glorious power metal ride at its finest, blending the magic of early 00’s genre superheroes like Stratovarius and Rhapsody Of Fire with the modern female-fronted approach of Unleash The Archers.


Be ready to be enchanted by tales of mighty archangels, moon goddesses and underground civilizations; an escapism from the daily-life fatigue, but also a reflection on humanity virtues and faults!




The Elettra Storm debut album is expected to be released in February 2024.


Lineup:


Crystal Emiliani - vocals
Francis D. Mary - guitars, vocals
Matteo Antoni - guitars
Davide Sportiello - keyboards, bass
Matteo Norbedo - drums


(Photo - Beatrice Demori/Oround Media)

Greek black metal legends, Rotting Christ, performed "Elthe Kyrie" at the 2022 edition of Norway's Midgardsblot Festival. Professionally-filmed video footage can be viewed below. "Midgardsblot Festival" is featured on the band's 2016 album, Rituals.





Rotting Christ's 15th album is expected to be released via Season Of Mist in early 2024. Stay tuned for updates.

On December 8, Pink Floyd’s Atom Heart Mother will be released as a special 2-disc package in a 7-inch gatefold sleeve, containing the Atom Heart Mother album on CD and a Blu-ray disc featuring footage of “Atom Heart Mother” (Suite) performed at Hakone Aphrodite Festival, Japan in August 1971 - originally released as part of The Early Years box set. The film has been upgraded from a recently discovered original tape of the time. It also includes a behind the scenes mini documentary.


Pre-order here, and watch an unboxing video below:







Originally only released in Japan in 2021, the set contains some unique memorabilia – a special photo book containing many rare, never-seen-before photos, reproductions of the pamphlet, the poster, the concert ticket, and the flier distributed at the event.


The only Pink Floyd footage at Hakone Aphrodite that exists is that of the 16-minute-long suite “Atom Heart Mother.” The details including whereabouts of the master film and how it was shot had been a mystery for a long time. However, after fifty years, the original 16mm film of this video was discovered in a fan’s garage. The meticulous processes of digitizing, restoring and remastering was undertaken and finally this enhanced video will be released outside of Japan.


Over 50 years ago, Japan’s first international outdoor rock festival Hakone Aphrodite was held at a specially built venue beside Hakone Ashinoko Lake on August 6th and 7th, 1971. Pink Floyd’s first ever concert in Japan was as headliner for the festival. Aspiring to be the Japanese Woodstock, The “Hakone Aphrodite” invited many international artists and became the first rock festival experience for many Japanese fans.


The set contains not only the original live footage (with audio taken from the gig at Hakone Aphrodite), but also behind-the-scenes footage of the band, travelling between the airport, the hotel, the press conference, the bullet train, the show set-up, and, of course, beautiful Japanese scenery.


At the time of the historic concert, Pink Floyd had just released Atom Heart Mother (in October 1970), and were yet to release Meddle, (released in November 1971). Pink Floyd appeared as the final act of the festival, and alongside "Atom Heart Mother", they performed another five songs including “Careful With That Axe, Eugene”, “A Saucerful Of Secrets” and “Echoes” from then-unreleased album Meddle. Sadly, official footage of these has not resurfaced. The band’s mystical and fantastic show, enhanced by nature’s unwitting stage effects of fog emerging from the lake when they played, was talked about for years to come. For the show, Pink Floyd used huge PA systems not yet commonly used in Japan back then, and it is widely believed that this show greatly influenced Japanese audio and stage production after that.





Tracklisting:


"Atom Heart Mother"
a) Father's Shout
b) Breast Milky
c) Mother Fore
d) Funky Dung
e) Mind Your Throats Please
f) Remergence
"If"
"Summer '68"
"Fat Old Sun"
"Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast"
a) Rise And Shine
b) Sunny Side Up
c) Morning Glory


The Blu-ray has two pieces of footage on it:


· "Atom Heart Mother" (Live: Hakone Aphrodite 1971) 16:08
· Scott & Watts (behind the scenes documentary clip) 3:11


Pink Floyd "Hakone Aphrodite" Japan 1971


7" paper sleeve containing:


- CD: "Atom Heart Mother" studio album
- Blu-ray: Filmed live performance of
- "Atom Heart Mother"
- Scott & Watts (Hakone Aphrodite B-roll)


Also includes:


- 60-page photo book with unreleased photos Replica of Hakone Aphrodite pamphlet
- Replica of venue map flyer
- Replica of Osaka show poster
- Replica of Hakone Aphrodite ticket


Preview video:

In a new interview with the 96.1 KLPX radio station, HEART's Ann Wilson, who has been working on solo projects, and in September of this year released the album "Another Door", billed as ANN WILSON & TRIPSITTER, spoke about her touring plans for the coming months. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been on tour with TRIPSITTER since June in the States and Canada. And we have one more leg to do in December before we turn things over to HEART again."

Asked if the three shows HEART is scheduled to play at the end of the year — December 27 in Highland, California; December 28 in Palm Desert, California; and December 31 in Seattle, Washington — are the only gigs she is planning to do with her sister, HEART guitarist Nancy Wilson, Ann said: "Well, we don't know yet. We're gonna see how it works with the HEART thing, whether it feels like a level up. If it does feel like a level up, then we'll keep doing it. But that's what it has to be. It can't just slide down into jukebox time… It's gotta be real. No going through the motions. No phoning it in. No just getting on some kind of circuit just to take people's money and play the old songs again and again and again. No, we're gonna make it cool, really make it cool."

Nancy made a surprise appearance during Ann's concert on October 10 in Santa Rosa, California.

Nancy joined her sister and TRIPSITTER on stage at the Luther Burbank Center For The Arts in Nancy's hometown to perform the HEART classic "Barracuda".

This past June, Nancy revealed in an interview with Joe Rock of Long Island, New York's rock station 102.3 WBAB that she was working on fresh music with Ann. The 69-year-old musician, who has spent some of the recent months on tour with her new band NANCY WILSON'S HEART, broke the news of her latest collaboration with Ann while discussing some of her current recording projects, including "Tomboy", which involves covering songs written by her male friends.

"I think right now I've been working on 'Tomboy' the most because I love the title, for one thing; it's almost like 'boy genius' or something," she explained. "But I've got a bunch of new ideas for songs. But I've also been writing new music with Ann too. So it's a real creative time. I think being on the tour right now, when I get home, I'm gonna really dig into the other projects, including finishing some new material with Ann. So it's really a good time to be creative. And I've got a new studio in my house, and so I can't wait to sort of run tape on stuff."

Asked if there is anything that she feels is really exciting because she feels it's something that's so different from what she's done before, Nancy said: "Yeah. Some of the stuff I've been working on with Ann is like that. I've also worked a bit with Sue Ennis, who used to work a lot with me and Ann for HEART music. And so I have some lyrics mainly that I worked on with Sue and took to Ann. And there's a couple of things that I'm really excited about. Very cool. Like stuff that you wouldn't have heard us do in the '80s. [It's] closer to what you would have heard us originally do in the '70s, late '70s. So it's really fun. It's just exciting and inspiring."

Nancy went on to say that she is really pleased to be collaborating on new material with her sister. "It's been a really nice kind of rediscovery of our relationship, working on music together again," she said. "So, yeah, I'm really happy about that."

In July 2022, Ann told Grammy.com that she and her sister had plans for the band to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023. "Yes, we do," she said. "I'm not at liberty to say exactly what they are yet because it's such early days, but sure. It will be next year. And we're doing a thing. Definitely. We're still formulating it now."

Ann's comments came three months after she denied rumors of a rift with Nancy. In an interview in the 300th issue of Classic Rock, Ann said that she was "not" feuding with her younger sister. "It's a myth," she insisted. "Nancy and I are okay with each other. We just have different ideas for what HEART should be, and we haven’t figured out a compromise yet.

"Fifty years on, I still want it to break barriers and rules, and she's more satisfied to ride the L.A. imaging thing and just do legacy stuff," Ann explained. "So that's a real split between us. Things like this will happen, though, but then they'll get better, and we'll love each other more."

Relations between the two sisters were considered to be at an all-time low after a much-publicized incident when Ann's husband was arrested during a HEART tour in 2016. But in a recent interview with Rock Candy magazine to coincide with the release of her new solo album, "Fierce Bliss", Ann said: "Things happen in families. And that was a really good example of something that happened within a family, and we worked it out. But the part that made it hard was that it happened in the public eye. If it had happened privately, we'd have got the family in a room and sat down and worked it out between us. Instead, the police were called, and this myth was born that Nancy and I were feuding, and we were at each other's throats all the time. And it's really not like that at all."

A proposed HEART tour fell through last year after the two sisters failed to agree on which backing band to use. Ann wanted her guys, Nancy didn't. But Ann later said that another HEART album, which would be the band's first since 2016's "Beautiful Broken", was a definite possibility, especially considering the fact that 2023 marks HEART's 50th anniversary.

"It depends on the songs," she said in her Rock Candy interview. "The songs lead everything. And I'm writing songs again now. I don't know if they'll be for my solo thing or for HEART. But yes, I would like to make another HEART album."

Ann previously said that HEART would celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023 "because next year's the 50-year [anniversary] of when we actually got together and got going," she told Liz Barnes of Planet Rock's "My Planet Rocks". "Nancy didn't join until '75, but the band got going in '73. So, yeah, we have a bunch of stuff planned for next year. So I can definitely see HEART doing something."

In February 2022, Nancy spoke to Joe Rock about why HEART had been inactive for most of the previous three years.

"HEART had a big offer on the table [in 2021] for a bigger tour, but Ann wasn't interested in going out with my lineup of guys that we were out with before," she said. "She has a new lineup of guys that she wanted me to join up with. And I sort of [thought] I don't really know them and don't have loyalty yet for anybody like that."

HEART toured North America in the summer of 2019 after the aforementioned nasty split that kept the Wilson sisters estranged for three years.

Ann and Nancy had a falling out during HEART's 2016 tour, when Ann's husband Dean Welter was arrested for assaulting Nancy's then-16-year-old twin sons in a backstage altercation at a gig near their hometown of Seattle. He pleaded guilty to two lesser assault charges to avoid jail time.

After completing HEART's 2016 tour, Nancy formed a new band called ROADCASE ROYALE and released an album, "First Things First". ROADCASE ROYALE featured three members of HEART along with Liv Warfield from Prince's NEW POWER GENERATION band and her guitarist Ryan Wilson.

In Nancy's new band NANCY WILSON'S HEART, she is joined in the group by her longtime collaborators, guitarist Ryan Waters, drummer Ben Smith, bassist Andy Stoller and keyboardist Dan Walker, along with powerhouse singer Kimberly Nichole.

Photo credit: Kimberly Adamis (courtesy of SRO PR)

KAMELOT drummer Alex Landenburg and MENTALIST guitarist Peter Moog have launched a new streaming service called ROKK.

ROKK is billing itself as "the first fair streaming service dedicated to rock and metal fans, with the aim of paying artists and bands more money for their streams."

The two musicians say they "are taking matters into their own hands to finally change music streaming for the better."

Landenburg explains: "The money of the rock and metal fans does not really go to the bands that they listen to; it goes somewhere else most of the time. We want to change that with ROKK."

Moog adds: "Metalheads, united we can make a difference. Please join the ROKK revolution to make streaming fair for bands and artists."

As part of ROKK's newly launched Indiegogo campaign, all backers will receive early access and have the chance to be among the first users of the service at a special discounted price.

ROKK is set to launch first in Europe on iOS/Android/web in January 2024, with North and South America, Japan and Australia to follow shortly after.

Many people still think Spotify doesn't pay the artists who are featured on its platform fairly.

In recent years, Spotify CEO and founder Daniel Ek has been trying to defend the company's payouts, telling CBS News in early 2023: "We don't pay artists directly. [Artists] have their deals with their record companies and their deals with their publishers, et cetera. And what Spotify does is we pay out to those record companies and these publishers, and don't know what individual deals these artists may have."

Two years ago, Spotify created a web site called Loud&Clear to clarify exactly who receives payments.

According to Forbes, "Spotify has been paying back nearly 70% of every dollar generated from music as royalties to rights holders who represent artists and songwriters. These organizations, which include independent distributors, publishers, performance rights organizations, record labels, and collecting societies, then pay the artists and songwriters based on their agreed terms."

Spotify boasts 574 million monthly active users as of September 30. The number of people paying for Spotify Premium currently stands at 226 million.

In the third quarter of 2023, Spotify posted a rare quarterly profit of $33.88 million, a stark contrast to last year's loss of $249.73 million.

Professionally-filmed footage of Epica's full live set from the Exit Festival in Serbia, recorded and broadcasted live on July 7, 2023, is available for streaming below.


Setlist:


"Alpha"
"Abyss Of Time"
"The Essence Of Silence"
"Victims Of Contingency"
"Unleashed"
"Martyr Of The Free Word"
"The Final Lullaby"
"Unchain Utopia"
"The Obsessive Devotion"
"The Skeleton Key"
"Code Of Life"
"Cry For The Moon"
"Beyond The Matrix"
"Consign To Oblivion"







Recorded in early 2023 at the band’s biggest Dutch headline show to date, Live At The AFAS Live captures the electrifying stage energy of symphonic metal titans Epica with some of their biggest hits.





Recently released on all digital platforms, this will be the final sign of life before the band returns to the studio to write their new album. Stream the full EP on all platforms now, here.


You can watch the live video for "Code Of Life" (Live At The AFAS Live) below.


Guitarist Isaac Delahaye comments: “It’s always a pleasure to play this fan-favorite track, and to take the crowd with us while we build up to the massive groove and have a headbang party together. Enjoy listening & watching 'Code Of Life' as performed earlier this year in Amsterdam!”





Watch "Beyond The Matrix" from the same show, below:

The sequel to the iconic mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap" is set to start filming in February 2024. Rob Reiner will return to direct and write, and original stars/writers Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer will reprise their roles as Nigel Tufnel, David St Hubbins and Derek Smalls, respectively.

Reiner, who will will once again star as the documentarian Martin "Marty" Di Bergi, said during an appearance on the "RHLSTP With Richard Herring" podcast: "We're making a sequel. We're going to start shooting in the end of February, and everybody is back."

Reiner also revealed that Paul McCartney, Elton John, Garth Brooks and "a few other surprises" would be making cameos in the film.

Last year, Reiner told Deadline about the decision to to release a new "Spinal Tap" movie: "For so many years, we said, 'nah.' It wasn't until we came up with the right idea how to do this. You don't want to just do it, to do it. You want to honor the first one and push it a little further with the story."

As for the new movie's premise, Reiner said: "They've played Albert Hall, played Wembley Stadium, all over the country and in Europe. They haven't spent any time together recently. The idea was that Ian Faith, who was their manager, he passed away. In reality, Tony Hendra passed away. Ian's widow inherited a contract that said SPINAL TAP owed them one more concert. She was basically going to sue them if they didn't. All these years and a lot of bad blood we'll get into and they're thrown back together and forced to deal with each other and play this concert."

Regarding his role in the upcoming film, Reiner said: "I'm back playing Marty DiBergi. The band was upset with the first film. They thought I did a hatchet job and this is a chance to redeem myself. I am such a big fan and I felt bad they didn't like what they saw in the first film. When I heard they might get back together, I was a visiting adjunct teacher's helper at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts. I drop everything to document this final concert."

"This Is Spinal Tap" has become a cult classic since its first theatrical run 38 years ago. The film was produced independently on a shoestring budget of $2.25 million by a company owned by the four creators, Reiner, Guest, McKean and Shearer. Two years in production, the film was released in 1984. It soon became a cult favorite and spawned a genre that has come to be known as "mockumentary," inspiring many subsequent filmmakers. Phrases from the film's script have entered the general lexicon, including "none more black" and "it goes to 11," the latter phrase exemplified by the Tesla car, whose audio system's volume control goes to 11, as does that on the BBC's iPlayer.

Its reputation as one of the 20th Century's most enduring comedies has increased exponentially in the ensuing years. The film has garnered international praise and acclaim, having been included in "best ever" lists such as The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made; Total Film's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list; Entertainment Weekly's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time where it appeared on the "Just Too Beloved to Ignore" list; and achieving the coveted No. 1 spot on Time Out London's 100 Best Comedy Movies list.

In 2002, the film's lasting appeal led the U.S. Library of Congress (the world's largest cultural collection),to designate it as a culturally, historically or aesthetically significant film.

Although "This Is Spinal Tap" was first released in 1984 in the U.S. and U.K., the band SPINAL TAP was actually created in the late 1970s. The band's rock musician characters "Nigel Tufnel" and "David St. Hubbins" were created by Christopher Guest and Michael McKean, with Harry Shearer creating bassist "Derek Smalls." SPINAL TAP's comedic sole claim to fame was as "one of England's loudest bands." Performing as their beloved stage personae in the company of a rotating cast of percussionists willing to risk the kit (as so many of their predecessors have been accident prone),SPINAL TAP has toured the world multiple times since the film's release. Hundreds of thousands of SPINAL TAP sound recordings have been sold over the ensuing decades and the film has been released on scores of video formats through the years.

In 2019, the band's creators concluded a new agreement with Universal Music Group. The band's recording of a full-length SPINAL TAP album featuring songs from the film is still available for physical sale, download and streaming today from UMG.

"This Is Spinal Tap" was released to little fanfare with some viewers convinced the bumbling dinosaurs — who had a knack of losing drummers in freak accidents — on screen were a genuine band. But word of mouth about the smartly observed film, which took a pop at bands such as STATUS QUO, LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH, spread and it became a sleeper hit.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, McKean, Guest and Shearer prepared several scenes with Reiner but then ad-libbed. At the end of filming, they had more than 40 hours of footage, which was edited down to a more manageable form.

When "This Is Spinal Tap" was released, not everybody got that it was a "mockumentary." U2's The Edge immediately embraced it, saying: "I didn't laugh, I wept. It was so close to the truth." Ozzy Osbourne didn't understand it, saying the first time he watched it, he thought it was a real documentary. Early home video versions of the movie reportedly even had a disclaimer at the start and finish of the movie stating the band didn't really exist.

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor has revealed that he was recently asked to score a movie for the first time.

The 49-year-old musician broke the news of his latest writing and recording project while promoting his recently released sophomore solo album, "CMF2". He told TellUs Rock (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm going to the studio to start recording a score for my first score for a movie that I'm involved with. And I can't tell you which one it is. I've been sworn to secrecy, and I'm actually saying more than I could. It's not a massive movie, but it's a movie that I was involved with, that I was able to be in. And I'm really excited. It's gonna be my first time scoring a movie. So I'm really excited, dude. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. And I'm really excited to get down to it."

Three years ago, Corey revealed that he had written five film scripts, including a script for a movie called "Zombie Versus Ninja". Speaking to Frightmare HQ about his vision for "Zombie Versus Ninja", the SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman said: "One of the things that I've always wanted to do is create a movie — write a movie and then see it from soup to nuts; from pre-pro to walking the red carpet. That's been one of my biggest dreams. And I've had the opportunity to really be put in touch with some great producers. And I'm talking to potential directors right now, actually."

Asked if he had any interest in directing "Zombie Versus Ninja" himself, Corey said: "It's not that I'm not interested; it's that I know that's not my forte. I'm honest enough with myself to realize that if I had wanted to be a director, I would have started learning a long time ago. And I know a lot of people with the kind of ego that they would step in and go, 'Well, it's mine. Blah blah blah.' I'm not that guy. I want it to be good. I want [people] to enjoy what I'm making, because I wanna enjoy it too. And sometimes it's the collaboration that creates something amazing. You have to be flexible enough to realize, like, 'I don't have the chops to do this.' However, that doesn't mean there's somebody out there that does. So, for me, as the writer and the producer, now I can find the right person to bring it to fruition and walk with them every step of the way as a collab. Let them do their thing, but also know that, in my mind, there's this idea of what I want it to be. And it's a gonzo horror comedy — it's the kind of fucking movie that I've always loved, and it's the kind of movie that I've always wanted to make. And if it goes off, man, it's the beginning of something rad."

He added: "I don't wanna make Oscar winners. I wanna make fun, crazy cult classics. That's all I care about."

In 2020, Taylor starred in the Halloween horror anthology "Bad Candy" from production company Digital Thunderdome. The film was written and directed by Scott Hansen and Desiree Connell, and also features Zach Galligan, the star of the "Gremlins" and "Waxwork" franchises.

Taylor also stars in another horror film called "Rucker". It is described as a genre-bending terror film about a serial killer trucker who attempts to salvage family relationships. Olympic College film professor Amy Hesketh serves as the film's director and fellow OC professor Aaron Drane produced the film. Both are credited with co-writing the screenplay.

A longtime fan of horror films, Taylor was featured prominently in the "In Search Of Darkness" documentary, which came out in 2019.

Corey told Syfy network's "Metal Crush Mondays" how he first got into horror movies: "My mom took me to see the 'Buck Rogers [In The 25th Century]' movie when I was a kid. I must've been four or five, but the trailer before the movie was John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. You've just got these incredible visuals, this sense of it's autumn, it's Halloween and there's just this dude in the background of every shot. I can remember as a five-year-old just being transfixed. Like, I suddenly didn't care about Buck Rogers. I think it was the one moment in my life that really galvanized my taste in what my young mind thought was cool. It was actually a couple years later that I actually got to watch it and to this day it's one of my favorite movies."

In a new interview with Real Music With Gary Stuckey, Michael Sweet of Christian rockers STRYPER was asked how he goes about working together in harmony with fellow musicians like Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS) who represent completely opposing viewpoints. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I've said this before. I just said it recently in a post. It comes down to respect. And I make mistakes. I blow it. I say things that might come across as disrespectful, so I'm not perfect. I'm not saying I am. But it comes down to respect. You either respect people or you don't. I see a lot of disrespect from all sides."

He continued: "I see disrespect towards Christians. I see Christians disrespect non-believers. I see Republicans disrespect Democrats, Democrats disrespect Republicans. I'm a Republican. I voted for [Donald] Trump first time around. I don't know who I'm voting for this time around. But when I say publicly, if someone asks me, 'Who'd you vote for?' I'm not gonna sit there and fidget and lie.

"I'm not a believer in you can't mix politics with music," Sweet added. "That's just stupid. It's part of your life. Talk about that. Be open about it. What are you so afraid of? And I said, 'Yeah, I voted for Trump,' and boy, I took a beating for that — some of my friends. Some of my friends were, like, 'Oh, what a moron. He's a Trumptard,' or whatever these disrespectful words are that you can use that you've heard. That's mindblowing to me, man. That's why we have so many issues in our world. Everyone talks about peace and a better world and being politically correct and being respectful of everybody, but yet people are more disrespectful now than they've ever been. It's insane."

Stuckey also asked Sweet why he thinks his public opinions on religious, social and political issues have made so many headlines in the rock and metal world in recent years. He responded: "I mean, honestly? Because of my faith, mostly. Because I take a bold stand for Christ. And that's an easy target. That's something that's funny, something that's easily mocked. 'Oh, my God. What a whack job. He believes in a genie in the sky. What a kook. Oh, my God. F this guy. They suck.' And then it leads to that. Like, we've got gold and platinum albums on the wall, but we suck because we stand for Christ."

He continued: "It's just so hypocritical and such a joke. But that's the world we live in. This is the way it's always been from the very beginning, and it's the way it still is. So all you can do is try to change it, try to be a light in the dark and try to inspire people and encourage people and always take the high road instead of the low road. And I fail at that. I totally fail at that, 'cause it gets under my skin, and I'll react the wrong way or say the wrong thing. But, man, I really try not to. I try hard to be a good guy and to spread love and light instead of negativity and despair. I'm working on it. I'm trying."

Three years ago, Sweet defended his support of Donald Trump, saying that the real estate mogul had "done a lot of good things for America."

Despite the fact that he is twice divorced and had faced over two dozen accusations of sexual misconduct, Trump was white Christians' preferred candidate for the 2020 presidential election, with some insisting that the president was a Christian hero who was standing up for religious rights.

Asked in an October 2020 interview with Slabber.net why he voted for Trump in 2016 and why he believes Trump is a Christian, Sweet said: "I have put it out there already that I voted for Donald Trump four years ago. I voted for him because I had really become fed up with politicians. I feel like most, if not all, politicians are there to tell us what we want to hear so they can get into office, and once they get there they don't deliver. So, when Donald Trump came around, I thought, okay, this guy is not a politician and he's going to be different, and that's why I voted for him.

"I don't think his delivery is often good," Sweet continued. "I wish he would stay off Twitter. The way he presents himself, the way he speaks, and some of the things he says get under my skin as much as anyone else. But I do feel Donald Trump has done a lot of good things for America, especially for the economy.

"I think it's very easy to blame someone for the economy tanking due to a pandemic that's not their fault. This pandemic would have come along regardless of who the president is, and the economy would have tanked regardless. No president in the world could stop the coronavirus coming but Donald Trump has been easy to blame. I don't feel that is justifiable and I feel that it's wrong.

"Joe Biden is an example of someone using Trump and this virus to suit his agenda of getting into office," Michael added.

"There's a lot of people out there who don't like their boss, but their boss is in the that position because they do a good job for the company they work for. That's kind of how I view Donald Trump. I don't love everything he says or does, but I voted for him. But by saying all of that, and being Michael Sweet of STRYPER, that opens the door for me to be attacked. I'm okay with that. I'm not gonna run from what I do or say. I'm not afraid to be challenged for my decisions."

Back in November 2016, Sweet drew criticism from some STRYPER fans for posting a picture of Donald Trump and congratulating the real estate mogul for "working his ass off for the presidency of the United States of America."

In March 2020, Sweet praised Trump's actions that served to ramp up the federal government's response to the COVID-19 epidemic — even after Trump was criticized by some parts of the media for downplaying fears about COVID-19 or actively spreading misinformation about its repercussions.

In May 2020, Sweet said that he would like to see his band represented by Trump's fourth White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany.

In October 2020, Sweet praised Amy Coney Barrett, who narrowly won confirmation to fill the vacancy left by the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for answering questions during confirmation hearings "with poise, grace, patience, humility and intelligence."

Barrett has close ties to People Of Praise, a charismatic Christian religious group which has conservative stances on the role of women in society and other social issues. Former members of the group say it teaches that wives must submit to the will of their husbands.

A few years ago, The Washington Post reported that 65 percent of Republicans are white Christians, but white Christians account for only 38 percent of Democrats.

Photo courtesy of Frontiers Music Srl

Sweden’s Siena Root have released a video for "Leaving The City", featured on the band's eighth studio album, Revelation, released earlier this year via Atomic Fire Records. Watch below:





Fittingly titled Revelation, the new album serves as the group’s most versatile offering of their long-spanning career, guiding listeners through a true journey rather than simply stringing together song after song. The eleven-track offering was recorded analogously at Silence Studio in Koppom, Sweden and Root Rock Studios in Stockholm, Sweden where it was also mixed. Mastering was handled at Stockholm’s Cutting Room.




Founded in the late ’90s, Siena Root are constantly working on something new. They’ve continually changed their approach and experimented with their sound — not only to keep their music fresh but to challenge themselves, which is among the main reason why the group’s relevance remains after all these years. Besides touring with acts such as Deep Purple and Dewolff, the quartet — founding members drummer Love Forsberg and bassist Sam Riffer with guitarist Johan Borgström and vocalist/keyboardist Zubaida Solid — have always brought an infectious performance to stages globally and consistently gaining new fans with every show.


Order Revelation at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Coincidence & Fate"
"Professional Procrastinator"
"No Peace"
"Fighting Gravity"
"Dusty Roads"
"Winter Solstice"
"Dalecarlia Stroll"
"Leaving The City"
"Little Burden"
"Madukhauns"
"Keeper Of The Flame"


"Dusty Roads" video:





"Keeper Of The Flame" lyric video:





Lineup:


Zubaida Solid - vocals, keys
Johan Borgström - guitars
Sam Riffer - bass
Love Forsberg - drums


(Photo -  Petter Hilber)

In a new interview with Classic Album Review, BUCKCHERRY frontman Josh Todd was asked about KISS bassist/vocalist's Gene Simmons's much-repeated lament that "rock is dead."

"I understand what he means by that as far as the bigness of what rock used to be, and I think that's what he means," Josh said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "But [rock is] alive and kicking. There's tons of rock bands putting out records and. But I understand what he means… I think it's just a much different platform for everybody. Information is just so spread out now. There's no controlled marketplace. There's no radio-driven stuff anymore. It's just everywhere. And so it's very hard for people to focus on you. So, yeah, what he's saying is completely correct."

He continued: "Let me just tell you something. I don't know if it was [around the release of BUCKCHERRY's] 'Hellbound' or 'Warpaint' [albums]. At 'Warpaint', we got sat down and said, 'Okay, you've got 20 seconds to get somebody's attention, and then that's it.' I'm, like, 'What? 20 seconds?' 'Yeah.' Guess what it is now. It's like five seconds. And so that's crazy. People are just flipping through stuff, and they just only watch what they see. So many people don't even know you put a record out. It's insane."

Todd added: "Everything's on streaming. In the States, there's no rock radio anymore. It doesn't mean anything. And so it's just a whole different thing. So it's all about promoting your stuff online, for sure, and streaming and all that, but it doesn't mean what it used to mean. And I think that's what he means."

Several years ago, Forbes reported that the chance of a song being skipped in the first five seconds on streaming platforms was nearly 25% and there was a nearly 50% chance of the song being skipped before the end. A skip is registered each time a listener abandons a song before the song has completely finished, either because the listener explicitly presses the skip button, they click on a different song or they search for and start another song before the current song ends.

Earlier this month, BUCKCHERRY released a new holiday song called "Tell 'Em It's Christmas".

BUCKCHERRY previously released another holiday song, "Christmas Is Here", back in 2010.

BUCKCHERRY's latest album, "Vol. 10", came out in June. The 11-song LP features 10 new BUCKCHERRY originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic "Summer Of 69". The album was produced by Marti Frederiksen and recorded at Sienna Studios in Nashville. The album was released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan, and by Earache Records for the rest of the world.

Frederiksen previously produced 2021's "Hellbound" as well as BUCKCHERRY's fourth album, "Black Butterfly", and co-wrote "Sorry", among other songs, with the band.

In the summer of 2020, BUCKCHERRY recruited JETBOY's Billy Rowe as its new guitarist. He joined the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July of that year.

In 2019, BUCKCHERRY enlisted Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on "Warpaint".

In a new interview with Chaoszine, Tarja Turunen spoke about what it was like to team up with her former NIGHTWISH bandmate Marko "Marco" Hietala to perform a cover of "The Phantom Of The Opera" during their special open-air concert in July at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. Tarja and Marko both played individual sets at the event, with their rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical coming during Turunen's portion of the show.

"I have to say that, of course, I was nervous," Tarja admitted (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I believe that he was nervous as well to meet up with me, but we were both very excited to go back to the stage and to sing the song. We sang 'Phantom Of The Opera' in Switzerland for the first time. Then we went over to Finland to perform it again, did a show together there — he with his band and me with my own. Wow. It was pure emotion. I think it was really beautiful, but it made me kind of… I was, like, 'I'm in peace,' sort of. The feeling was great. I think it was even more for Marko, because I saw him standing there after my concert, when I finished my set, and he came like almost in tears, saying that this was important. We reconnected, and it's great. Now I'm really looking forward to have this tour [with Marko] in South America in March, and I'm sure you will see something else happening also. Yeah, you'll hear."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marko came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Nearly two years ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's latest studio album, 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Tuomas elaborated on NIGHTWISH's reasons for carrying on, saying: "I think we still have something to give, and that's the main point. The music is still there. We felt that there's still so much music that needs to come out from this band that, 'Okay, let's give it one more shot.' And then finding the new bass player was really easy."

He added: "It's not like we do this just because we need to do it and there's nothing else to do. On a personal level, I feel that there's still so many stories and melodies that I want to share with the world with one lineup or another, so that's why you want to continue and keep on going.

"I've said this a million times, that a lineup change is the ultimate energy vampire, and that's how it really felt and still feels."

In June 2021, Jansen spoke about Hietala's exit from the band in an episode of her "Storytime" YouTube video series. She said: "That was a very sudden surprise that, of course, was not fun at all. But we understand — I understand — it was a necessary thing for him to do. And from there, we had to think of how to continue without him, and that also, in preparations towards the virtual show, that was a huge challenge."

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

In the summer of 2021, Holopainen said that NIGHTWISH would split up if the band's current singer Floor Jansen ever chose to leave. Holopainen, who formed NIGHTWISH in 1996 with guitarist Emppu Vuorinen and Turunen, made the comment while discussing the departure of Hietala.

Pressed by U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about his 2019 statement that NIGHTWISH would disband if another member opted to depart, Tuomas said: "That's how I felt back in 2019, and that's also how I felt when Marko left. I take my words back when it comes to that. But if it would be Floor leaving, that's it, it's the end of NIGHTWISH. Absolutely, 100%."

KILLING JOKE co-founder Martin "Youth" Glover has paid tribute to the band's guitarist Kevin "Geordie" Walker who died on Sunday (November 26) in Prague, Czech Republic after suffering a massive stroke. He was 64 years old.

Earlier today, Youth took to his social media to write: "Still in shock and hard to believe he is no longer with us.
Always seemed indestructible to me. Bullets bounced off him. He was truly destined to be.

"No man was cooler than Geordie, one of the very best and most influential guitarists ever. He was like Lee Van Cleef meets Terry Thomas via Noel Coward. Very charming, inscrutable and gracious, with a gentle effortless touch, ( both on the guitar and making you feel welcome) that is, when he wasn't shredding you with his razor sharp articulate shrapnel. He was a virtuoso gunslinger, both with his music and verbosity. He wouldn't hesitate to throw his flicknife into the mixing desk and demand a two bar count, not four, for his drop in, which always managed to focus the engineers attention ! He understood that the chemistry was the rub and that's actually where the magic and soul was ….in the conflict.

"He was my teacher, partner and at times a terrifying foe.
Eternally grateful for the stars colliding that brought our fates together. He is now flying high with The Valkyrie's, on his way to the halls of Valhalla, where his seat at the table of legends is most certainly assured. He defined a generation or three with his genius.

"I am personally honoured and privileged to have served with him and share a vision with him of what the band could become and then see it go way way beyond that and what any of us could have imagined.

"Thinking of his family, mother and loved ones, band mates, all the fans, gatherers and many musicians he has influenced with his visionary playing and writing.

"Honour The Fire

"KJ4ever".

On Sunday, KILLING JOKE issued a statement on Geordie's passing, writing: "It is with extreme sadness we confirm that at 6:30am on 26th November 2023 in Prague, KILLING JOKE's legendary guitarist Kevin 'Geordie' Walker passed away after suffering a stroke, he was surrounded by family. We are devastated. Rest In Peace brother."

KILLING JOKE emerged in the post-punk early 1980s, their eponymous debut album exhibiting funky heavy rock influences before electronic and synth-pop styles also filtered through their music. They would, in turn, influence later generations including METALLICA, NIRVANA and SOUNDGARDEN. "Love Like Blood" would give KILLING JOKE their greatest commercial success, a hit across Europe, peaking at No. 16 in the U.K. singles chart in 1985.

Walker and Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards) had been ever-constant members of the lineup and had been reunited with fellow founding members Paul Ferguson (drums) and Martin "Youth" Glover (bass) since 2008.

In a 2006 interview with MTV, Coleman stated about Walker: "Working with Geordie Walker — he's a magic player. It's my deepest pleasure to have spent more years with him and more time with him than my own blood[-related] brother."

A decade ago, Walker told Metal Assault about how his guitar playing style has evolved over the years: "I just found the right instrument pretty early in the game, which is a hollow body. It has a bit of a life of its own. I think I'm starting to play with a little less violence on the right hand, which has helped me a lot in definition, if you know what I mean, and not breaking as many strings either, touchwood. I used to snap the D strings and be spiteful with certain chords."

This past March, KILLING JOKE released a brand new single, "Full Spectrum Dominance", via Spinefarm to celebrate the band's sold-out headline show at London's Royal Albert Hall. The epic track was mixed by Tom Dalgety (GHOST, PIXIES, ROYAL BLOOD) and was accompanied by a remix from Youth and artwork by longtime designer Mike Coles.

Under the banner "Killing Joke - Follow The Leaders", KILLING JOKE performed its first two albums in their entirety at the Royal Albert Hall — 1980's self-titled debut LP followed by their second full-length, "What's This For…!"

This special event was preceded by four intimate warm-up shows, including an appearance at London's legendary 100 Club.

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ZAKK SABBATH, the BLACK SABBATH tribute band featuring guitarist/vocalist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE),bassist Robert "Blasko" Nicholson (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE) and drummer Joey Castillo (DANZIG, QUEEN OF THE STONE AGE),will release a new double album, "Doomed Forever Forever Doomed", on March 1, 2024. The set will contain ZAKK SABBATH's brilliant takes on the Birmingham Four's classic heavy metal masterpieces "Paranoid" (1970) and "Master Of Reality" (1971).

"Doomed Forever Forever Doomed" was recorded at the Black Vatican and Clear Lake Audio studios and was produced by Wylde, with engineering by Jay Ruston and Adam Fuller. Responsible for the artwork layout was Łukasz Jaszak.

"Doomed Forever Forever Doomed" track listing:

Doomed Forever

01. War Pigs
02. Paranoid
03. Planet Caravan
04. Iron Man
05. Electric Funeral
06. Hand Of Doom
07. Rat Salad
08. Fairies Wear Boots

Forever Doomed

01. Sweet Leaf
02. After Forever
03. Embryo
04. Children Of The Grave
05. Orchid
06. Lord Of This World
07. Solitude
08. Into The Void

"Doomed Forever Forever Doomed" is available as a 2CD digisleeve and as a gatefold 2LP on transparent red vinyl, on transparent purple vinyl, on black vinyl, and on tape cassette.

ZAKK SABBATH will embark on the "Tour Forever / Forever Tour" in December. Support on the trek, which will launch on December 5 in Sacramento, California and end on January 20, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, will come from THE NATIVE HOWL.

ZAKK SABBATH has been playing sporadic shows since 2014 with its take on the Birmingham four's early songs.

Zakk told Rolling Stone about performing SABBATH's classic material: "Going back to high-school keg parties, we'd be playing songs by RUSH, SABBATH, [Jimi] Hendrix, whatever [in a cover band], and one person would sing the RUSH stuff, someone could do THE DOORS, and I'd end up doing the SABBATH or Ozzy stuff. It's hilarious to me, because we were 17 years old playing keg parties at a friend's house and now I'm [56] years old and I'm still playing 'N.I.B.' and SABBATH songs at keg parties, except there's a couple more people."

In September 2020, ZAKK SABBATH released its spectacular tribute to the Birmingham four, a faithful yet supercharged rendition of BLACK SABBATH's first album, via Magnetic Eye Records.

Exactly 50 years later after the release of the original album, ZAKK SABBATH celebrated the first chapter in the SABBATH catalog with a reverently rendered tribute, simply titled "Vertigo". Faithfully recorded in the spirit of the original, live in the studio and with a film crew documenting the process, the session culminated in a new version of a landmark album that celebrates the greatest heavy metal band of all time and the record that started it all.

"We recorded a live EP and were wondering what we could do next as a cover band, so the 50th album anniversary came just at the right time", explained Blasko regarding ZAKK SABBATH's decision to go studio. "Compared to 'Paranoid', which is almost like a best-of record, the bulk of the material on 'Black Sabbath' is deep-cut, really experimental stuff that was never thoroughly explored, so that was a challenge, not to forget that we wanted to meet our own high standards."

Describing the DIY process as "very productive," the three respectfully added their own flair to make for a slightly different flavor, also revisiting various live renditions and "extending a solo here or slowing things down because that's what they tended to do on stage."

Photo courtesy of Magnetic Eye Records