Washington, D.C. quintet DARKEST HOUR will release their tenth album "Perpetual | Terminal", on February 23, 2024 via MNRK Heavy.

The official music video for the LP's title track can be seen below.

"This is a whole DARKEST HOUR album in one song," the band says. "It felt like the perfect album opener, eventually became the title track, and therefore is the perfect place to start as we present this new album to the world. Lyrically, it touches on all of the themes of the record — an album centered around the duality of survival and rebirth. Or, you could just say, some new music from old friends who just won't ever give up."

"Perpetual | Terminal" track listing:

01. Perpetual | Terminal
02. Societal Bile
03. A Prayer To The Holy Death
04. The Nihilist Undone
05. One With The Void
06. Amor Fati
07. Love Is Fear
08. New Utopian Dream
09. Mausoleum
10. My Only Regret
11. Goddess Of War, Give Me Something To Die For

DARKEST HOUR will embark on a tour tomorrow with EXODUS and FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY.

DARKEST HOUR, as a whole, have weathered time, trends, and tides of change and stand stronger nearly three decades since their formation. Their unique sonic style incorporates death metal exorcisms, thrash recklessness, hardcore punk attitude, and melodic catharsis at the speed of a circle pit.

"The record's theme centers around the duality of survival while embracing rebirth," says guitarist Mike Schleibaum. "We keep killing parts of ourselves to make new parts and survive. The story of the record is the story of the band. We're still here, and we're giving the world a body of work that's representative of our music today. We've realized relationships, tours, good times, everything that seems to give life meaning, is terminal — and will inevitably end. Nevertheless, we're 46-year-old dudes who love this music enough to put up with the trials and tribulations of being artists in a touring band."

DARKEST HOUR clawed their way out of the DMV area in 1995. Throughout the ensuing years, they tallied tens of millions of streams and quietly built a diehard fan base. Canvasing the globe, they packed thousands of shows and touched down on every continent, save Antarctica. Along the way, they notably notched five Top 3 debuts on the Billboard Heatseekers albums chart. 2017's "Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora" marked the group's third No. 1 bow on the latter in addition to crashing the Top 10 of the Top Vinyl Albums chart. It also represented a creative and critical high watermark. Beyond praise from Revolver, Exclaim! and more, MetalSucks rated it a rare perfect score of "5 out of 5" and hailed it as "the best album DARKEST HOUR have ever made." New Noise cited it as "one of the best of 2017," and Metal Hammer dubbed it "a monumental return." PopMatters crowned it "a masterclass in following your beliefs no matter where they might take you."

METALLICA was nominated for the very first "Hard Rock/Metal Performance" Grammy in 1989, but famously lost to JETHRO TULL, a band distinguished mainly by its heavy use of flute. Fans — and even some audience members — were rightly outraged, though TULL's record label tried to make light of the faux pas by placing a Billboard ad that read, "The flute is a heavy, metal instrument."

In a recent interview with VRP Rocks, ex-JETHRO TULL guitarist Martin Barre, who was in the group for 43 years and performed on 11 gold and five platinum albums, including the Grammy-winning "Crest Of A Knave", was asked about why and his bandmates did not accept the Grammy Award in person. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. Well, the record company didn't think we'd get it. And they said that we stood no chance. And they said, 'Don't go.' I mean, I really wanted to go. Even as a loser, I wanted to be there. So I have to say it was their mistake and their lack of confidence in the band. But, yeah, what a shame, 'cause at the biggest moment possibly ever in my career and maybe Ian's [Anderson, JETHRO TULL leader] and the others', it was lost forever and it didn't come across well that we weren't there. It just looked really bad."

He continued: "But despite that, I'm proud of it, and it's a big, big deal. It's a big deal for me because essentially it was me, Ian, and Dave Pegg that wrote, arranged and recorded that album. So I feel a big, big part of it. And yeah, dare I say I deserve it. I don't have a problem with it. Because to me it doesn't just represent one album; it represents years and years of a band putting something into the system. And I think that year, whoever it was, recognized that we needed a little bit of a nod. And it was a good album to choose."

Barre joined JETHRO TULL in 1968 and made his recording debut with the band on its classic second album, "Stand Up". He departed in 2011. His unique sound and style contributed to album sales exceeding 60 million units.

This past May, Anderson was asked in an interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station where he keeps his Grammy. He said: "Well, my son actually found it a few years ago. It disappeared for about 20 years, and he stumbled upon it. He came down [and said], 'What is this?' And I said, 'That's the Grammy. Where did you find that?' And he said, 'Oh, it was in one of the bedrooms upstairs, in a cupboard somewhere.' And I said, 'Well, there you go.' And since I have not seen it advertised on eBay, I must assume that he actually returned it to the cupboard that it came from. But I haven't seen it again since. I haven't gone looking for it."

Regarding why he doesn't display his Grammy Award at his house, Ian said: "I am not disparaging or negative about peer-group accolades. It's very nice to have people enjoy your work, especially when it's the five thousand voting members of the National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences. But it's not something that I want to revel in. I am not a trophy hunter. You don't find Grammies in my house displayed or gold albums on the wall or the head of a moose that I have shot with a large-caliber rifle. I'm just not that kind of a guy. I don't do trophies."

A year and a half ago, Ian was asked in an interview with the St. Louis, Missouri radio station KSHE 95 if he ever got a chance to "to rub in the face of METALLICA" the fact that his band won a "Hard Rock/Metal Performance" Grammy over the San Francisco Bay Area heavy metal giants. He responded: "Well, I think METALLICA were actually very gentlemanly. At the time, they did say, when they did win the Grammy next year, as I predicted they would, they took out a page in Billboard thanking the record company, their friends and family for supporting them, the dog — I mean, they thanked everybody, including JETHRO TULL for not releasing a new album that year. They had a sense of humor about it. They took it on the chin even though everybody was busy telling them they were gonna win a Grammy and then, unfortunately, that year they didn't. But they were the hot new act, and surely they were gonna win it the following year, and, of course, they did."

Four years ago, on the 30th anniversary of that fateful day, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich took to his Instagram to reflect on his band's first Grammy loss, writing: "Today 30 years ago, February 22 '89, we played the Grammys for the first time and that was quite a mindfuck!!

"First time we were in front of a mainstream TV audience. First time mainstream America was exposed to whatever the hell it is we do. First time they had a hard rock/metal category on the Grammys. First time we were Grammy losers, since JETHRO TULL, somewhat unexpectedly to most people, walked away with the win.

"But all was not lost. The expressions of disgust from most members of the audience (other than Iggy!) is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. And I was rocking some pretty crazy hair that was edging dangerously close to a mullet! Happy days indeed!!"

After METALLICA lost the 1989 "Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Recording" Grammy to JETHRO TULL, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS),parent company of the Grammys, separated the two genres in 1990 by creating categories for "Best Hard Rock Performance" and "Best Metal Performance". METALLICA won the "Best Metal Performance" award the next year, for "One", and has earned nearly a dozen so far.

When METALLICA's "Black" album won another "Best Metal Performance" Grammy in 1992, Ulrich "thanked" JETHRO TULL for not releasing an album in that year.

In a 2012 interview with Powerline, Anderson recounted that historic day when his band was given the award for best hard rock/metal performer.

"I probably get [the question] a lot more when I'm talking to American writers than I do [at home in England]," Anderson said. "It's not really a big deal over here. It was in a year where it was a new category for 'hard rock' forward slash 'metal' and that category still exists today … and we were, for some strange reason, nominated. And at the time, no one paid any attention to the fact that we were nominated. There was not a peep out of anyone. Because they thought there's no way JETHRO TULL are gonna win it. Nor IGGY POP, nor JANE'S ADDICTION. It's going to be METALLICA because they were the huge, new, straight-out-of-the-box, enormous, hit talent that year and everybody took it for granted that METALLICA were gonna win the Grammy, including METALLICA themselves. And when it was ordered to JETHRO TULL, to a barrage of boos and hisses and gasps of disbelief, I'd like to think that it wasn't that the six thousand voting members of the National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences were voting for JETHRO TULL as a heavy rock band or a heavy metal band. They gave us the award because we were a bunch of nice guys who never won a Grammy before. And sad to relate, even after all these years, there is still no category for best one-legged flute player. Otherwise, I'd be winning it every year."

All-Canadian rock band Toque, featuring Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz - both of whom play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators - along with Cory Churko (Shania Twain) and Shane Gaalaas (Michael Schneker Group), have released a new, original song called "Forever In A Day":





Catch Toque live in concert at the following shows across Canada:




November
17 - Century Casino - Edmonton, AB
18 - Deerfoot Inn & Casino - Calgary, AB


December
29 - Turvey Convention Center - Regina, SK - SOLD OUT 
30 - Club Regent Event Centre - Winnipeg, MB


For further detais, visit Toque on Facebook.


 

During an appearance on the latest episode of "Drinks With Johnny", the Internet TV show hosted by AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ, David Ellefson reflected on his most recent exit from MEGADETH, which happened two and a half years ago. The 59-year-old bassist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Being in a band is… We go through seasons of getting along, not getting along, being burned out on the road together.

"You build a family together and your offspring are your songs and your records," he continued. "And that's what you will always share forever. And let's face it — our songs will outlive us. They will live past us. So to some degree, that's what you leave behind as you sail on to the next universe after you die. We've created something that's bigger than us. And I guess that's probably the challenge, is the best you can while you're here on planet earth, try to be a good steward of it, take care of it, as you have your differences, try to resolve them.

"It's funny. When I saw my friend K.K. Downing leave JUDAS PRIEST, and I became friends with him. I was friends with him and then rekindled a good friendship with him here in more recent years," Ellefson added. "And we did a show together over at his [KK's] Steel Mill [venue] over in Wolverhampton and it was great to get him back on stage, and he was excited to be playing. Then he put KK'S PRIEST together. He's got records out again. He's back as a recording artist and touring again. I just said to him, I said, 'You're not done, dude. Get your fucking guitar. Let's go.' … There's no way Johnny Christ, David Ellefson and fucking K.K. Downing are sitting around the house not playing music anymore. That day's never gonna happen. Till the day we die, this is what we fucking do — whether full time, part time, once in a while, or... whatever."

Asked if he still keeps in touch with anybody from the MEGADETH camp, Ellefson said: "I don't. Kiko's [Loureiro, MEGADETH guitarist] been a good friend. He and I have chatted a couple of times. He reached out to me. And Kiko's not afraid of anything. He's a grown-up. Look, he's run ANGRA. I shouldn't say 'run.' But he was the rock-star guitar player of that band. So he's owned bands.

"Once you've been doing this a while, it's not like you're just a musician, you're like a business owner," David explained. "Pretty much every band I've been in, I've been a founding member. I started them, I put the corporations together, I've done the press packages, I call the agents and the managers, I invest my own money in them. So to me, it's just constantly recycling the funds back into the next endeavor. And that's how I roll, man. That's what we do. I buy real estate. I do various things. Another band? Yeah. Why not? And I learned that from my dad. Farming was very entrepreneurial, especially to run a big agricultural business. And the bands are the same way. Feast or famine, right? We have hit records, we have not-so-hit records. Suddenly the world loves heavy metal, and then sometimes they don't."

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

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

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

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

This past June, Ellefson told Andrew McKaysmith of the "Scars And Guitars" podcast that he was prepared for his latest exit from MEGADETH.

"When my departure from MEGADETH happened, a lot of people were hitting me [up and saying], 'Oh my God. It's so terrible. It's so terrible,'" he recalled. "[And I said], 'Yeah, believe me, it's not.' [Laughs] It really isn't. I was ready for it. I didn't think it was gonna go down that way; I didn't see that coming. But the fact that it happened, I was not sad about it. I was okay with it. Because I knew there's another journey ahead, and that journey wasn't gonna start until I was out of the old one.

"When you're in a group, you're in a setting, you've gotta play company man and you kind of go along with the narrative that's been set forth.

"There was a lot of things, a lot of the narrative in that band that I never agreed with," Ellefson admitted. "A lot of that band was started on a grudge and a hardship of the firing [of Mustaine] from METALLICA. That was never my story. I was always a METALLICA fan and I became friends with those guys. I have nothing but gratitude for that group and those gentlemen for what they've done for all of us, and I think they deserve the biggest applause. So it was hard to be in a band that always had this saltiness around that whole narrative, because it was never my narrative. So I went along to get along, but now I don't have to do that. And now I can be on my own path. These are my words; it's my story now. And maybe the events that happened a couple of years ago, I needed to have my own story to tell. 'Cause when you quit a band, everyone's pissed at you; they hate you: 'Oh, fuck you. You quit. You quit my favorite band.' But when you get tossed out… And I'm not looking for the sympathy card. You don't have to feel sorry for me; you don't have to do any of that. But it's interesting that, I guess the way it happened… it went down in a way that it was certainly visible enough and on a level that… It was sort of, like, okay, well, what's gonna happen next? And I just tried to be faithful to just following my heart, following the path."

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

Photo credit: Maciej Pieloch (courtesy of Napalm Records)

The Dead Daisies have released a video recap from Week 2 of their current European tour.


Says the band: From Lyon France to Tilburg Netherlands it’s been a rockin' ride!🤘🤘 Packed houses have been incredible & we’re having a ball!⚡😊⚡Check out some of the going’s on… you gotta laugh🤣🤣 DON’T MISS the last shows of the November Resurrected Tour this week!" 🚀🚀







Watch a Week 1 recap video below:





The Dead Daisies' next show is November 14 at Pumpehuset in Copenhagen, Denmark. Their complete live itinerary can be found here.

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


The pair have announced an upcoming new studio album, Medusa, to be released January 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. To kick off the announcement is the first single, "Next In Line", which showcases Jack's stellar vocals and Tracii's always clear and catchy riffs and is the first shot at showing just what a powerhouse Russell / Guns is to contemporary hard rock. Watch a video for the track below.


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




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


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


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


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





Tracklisting:


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


"Next In Line" video:





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


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


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

Season of Mist is partnering with the musicians of Savage Lands. Through this partnership, they'll bang our heads together with members of Megadeath, Sepultura, Obituary and other legends of metal to support forests in Costa Rica. This is the first time a record label will be partnering and releasing the music of a non-profit organization. Watch the video for "The Last Howl" below.


After seeing first-hand how deforestation threatens Costa Rica's ecosystem, two angry metalheads started their own non-profit organization. Named after their joint passion for savage heavy metal and wildlife preservation, Savage Lands was founded in 2022 by Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and musician-turned-activist Sylvain Demercastel, who's a Costa Rica resident.


"Hearing the chainsaw on a daily basis, because of a recent real estate fever destroying Costa Rica's ecosystem, we thought it was time to start a new type of action", says Sylvain. "We are reaching out to this great active community of metalheads."




Today, Savage Lands are debuting their first single. "The Last Howl" features Andres Kisser (Sepultura) and John Tardy (Obituary). 100% of the song's royalties will go toward protecting threatened lands from deforestation.


Listening is already donating directly to the forest preservation effort. An extra step can always be taken by directly donating to the cause through savagelands.org/donation/.


Savage Lands raises money for reforestation & the creation of sanctuaries free of human destruction. Using their own royalties, donations and other fundraising efforts, the organization builds nature sanctuaries, establishes green zones and other land preservation projects. They partner with other non-profits, scientists and forest engineers, as well as Decibel Magazine and Season of Mist.  


"If you want to make a difference, take action! Our greatest hope with Savage Lands is that it will inspire you to join us, and if you can, to start your own initiative to help preserve animals, forests, and our planet", says Dirk.


Learn more about Savage Lands here.





Lineup:


Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth) - Drums
Sylvain Demercastel - Guitar
Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) - Guitar
John Tardy (Obituary) - Vocals
Poun (Black Bomb A) - Vocals
Etienne Treton (Black Bomb A) - Bass

Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen has checked in with an update on his next musical venture:


"Hi all! This year I’ve been working on a new album… with old songs! I’ll explain. In the early '90s I formed a band with singer Robert Soeterboek called Plan Nine. But those were the days of grunge, so it wasn’t the right time for us. But now, 30 years later, we have re-written and re-recorded 13 songs with the help of lots of great musicians that you all know. And, if I say so myself, it turned out really cool! The album will be called The Long-Lost Songs and it will be released early next year by Mascot. Robert will play live with Plan Nine next year. More updates soon! (Oh… sorry for the cheesy photo… hey, that was more than 30 years ago!)"







Ayreon played live again in Tilburg, Holland at 013 on September 15th, 16th and 17th, 2023, performing the album 01011001 in full. Lucassen recently checked in with the following update on a planned live release:


"My dear Ayreonauts, now that I’ve finally caught my breath after the Ayreon live shows and the smoke has cleared, I want to send a huge and heartfelt thanks once again for your unwavering support! It's astounding that 15,000 of you from over 60 countries made the journey to see us. The whole Ayreon team and I totally recognize how special and unique this is. I know it’s a cliché, but truly, you are the best fans ever. You are what keeps me going.


To those who wanted to come to the shows but couldn't make it happen, we missed you! But there’s a silver lining - we’ve begun working on the live Blu-Ray and CD, and I can assure you, they're going to be fantastic. I’m brimming with pride for all the amazing musicians involved!


And yes, between you and me, we just might already be secretly scheming for..."





01011001 - Live Beneath The Waves featured the following performers:


Original 01011001 cast:


Hansi Kürsch
Tom Englund
Daniel Gildenlow
Jonas Renkse
Anneke van Giersbergen
Simone Simons
Wudstik
Marjan Welman
Liselotte Hegt
Maggy Luyten
Phideaux Xavier
Arjen Lucassen (yeah, sorry for that)


Special guests:


Damian Wilson
Brittney Slayes
Michael Mills
John Jaycee Cuijpers


Backing vocals:


Marcela Bovio
Irene Jansen
Jan Willem Ketelaers


Band:


Marcel Coenen - guitar
Timo Somers - guitar
Johan van Stratum - bass
Joost van den Broek - keys
Ed Warby - drums


Ensemble:


Ben Mathot - violin
Jurriaan Westerveld - cello
Jeroen Goossens - woodwinds

Rolling Stone is reporting that Guns N’ Roses and its management team are facing a new lawsuit filed by photographer Katarina Benzova, filled with allegations of copyright infringement and workplace sexual harassment.


Benzova’s suit argues that GnR and its management company, Team Brazil, “falsely claim[ed] ownership” over a number of her photographs, leading to “widespread” infringement and unauthorized uses in print and digital media, ad campaigns, and other outlets.


Benzova also claims that GnR’s manager, Fernando Lebeis, made “numerous unwelcome sexual advances” toward her. The suit alleges he committed “consistent pervasive sexual harassment” in a “workplace environment that was completely devoid of any sexual harassment policy, sexual harassment handbook, sexual harassment training, and human resource department.”




The lawsuit comes several weeks after Guns N’ Roses filed its own suit against Benzova, claiming she “improperly registered” her photos of the band with the Copyright Office and has “falsely alleged copyright infringement against various persons and entities.” The band is seeking a declaration that Benzova’s registrations are “invalid” and that she has “no ownership interest in the copyright to the subject photographs and videos.”


Read the full report at RollingStone.com.


(Photo credit: Guns N' Roses)

Swedish metallers EVERGREY have put out a call for their fans to be a part of their forthcoming studio album by contributing backing vocals on their new song "One Heart".

Never shy of writing great anthemic songs, the members of EVERGREY have yet again written a masterpiece and this time they want their fans to help them and be a part of the gang vocals in the song's chorus.

"One Heart" will be available globally on all the usual digital streaming platforms along with the new album. However, physically "One Heart" will only be available on a special vinyl version of the album that will be available worldwide exclusively via Sweden Rock Magazine.

To be a part of this very special song, you need to choose one of the following options:

* Record your vocal part on your phone, computer (or other device) and send it to: [email protected]

* Join the members of EVERGREY and record with them on one of the following dates: Stockholm, Sweden on Friday, November 24 at 6:00 p.m. and in Gothenburg, Sweden on Saturday, November 25 at 6:00 p.m. (To attend one of these events, you need to send an e-mail to [email protected] and say which city you want to attend. You will receive an e-mail back with the exact location.)

Anyone who orders this version of the physical album will also get their name on a special art print that will be signed by the members of EVERGREY. This version is available to everyone worldwide.

See video below of EVERGREY frontman Tom S. Englund showing everyone how to sing the chorus of "One Heart" and get a first glimpse of the band's forthcoming album.

On December 15, EVERGREY will celebrate 30 years of metal mastery with a very special treat to be released via Napalm Records: an anniversary album titled "From Dark Discoveries To Heartless Portraits".

"From Dark Discoveries To Heartless Portraits" will be available in various formats, including an extremely limited 112-page hardcover book and 1CD digisleeve bundle (including rare photos and imagery, behind the scenes stories and exclusive liner notes from the members). It wraps up three decades of EVERGREY's journey, carries some very special treats along with it, and cements their position as one of the most genre-defining bands of our time. "From Dark Discoveries To Heartless Portraits" unites EVERGREY's past and present and paves the way for the band's next chapter.

In addition to live versions of recent tracks like "Call Out The Dark" and "Where August Mourns", the record travels down memory lane with "My Allied Ocean", "A Touch Of Blessing", "Recreation Day" and "King Of Errors". The second half of the offering contains soulful piano vocal versions of four songs from the latest full-length ("Save Us", "Call Out The Dark", "Blindfolded" and "Midwinter Calls"),and demo versions of the same tracks, topped by a instrumental version of "A Silent Arc".

Since their very first record, 1998's "The Dark Discovery", the Swedish entity led by founder, singer and guitarist Tom S. Englund — one of the most distinctive vocals in metal — has enthralled fans and critics alike with their matchless skill in merging progressive heaviness with intense melodic metal topped by gripping lyrics that run shivers down one's spine. To date, the band has gathered numerous worldwide chart positions with 13 studio albums in total, and in 2022, the five-piece proved again — even after 30 years of existence — that their creativity sees no bounds with the release of "A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)".

EVERGREY is:

Tom S. Englund - vocals, guitars
Henrik Danhage - guitars
Rikard Zander - keys
Jonas Ekdahl - drums
Johan Niemann - bass

Photo credit: Patric Ullaeus

Penelope Spheeris has confirmed that her unreleased Ozzfest documentary "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll" will finally see the light of day.

The 77-year-old director, whose best-known works include the trilogy titled "The Decline Of Western Civilization", each covering an aspect of Los Angeles underground culture, and "Wayne's World", her highest-grossing film, discussed the status of "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll" in a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I did go to the Motion Picture Academy Museum [in August] because they screened 'We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll' recently, which is a movie that I did with Sharon and Ozzy [Osbourne] 20 years ago. And it was never released. And it has BLACK SABBATH, original BLACK SABBATH, and SLIPKNOT, ROB ZOMBIE, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, it's got GODSMACK, FEAR FACTORY, blah, blah, blah, blah, 10 bands in it, with Buckethead playing guitar in a cemetery. And it's a great film. And Sharon says she's going to release it now. After 20 years."

Regarding the premise for the documentary, Penelope said: "It's like you are going on tour on the Ozzfest and you're seeing all these bands. I went on a tour bus and went to, like, 30 cities and filmed all the 10 bands. And I respect the bands. SLAYER is in the movie. Whatever city we went to — like, for example, San Francisco, we were there. And I went, 'Oh, where can I film SLAYER? Ah, Alcatraz.' Okay. 'Oh, SLIPKNOT. We're in D.C. Where can I film SLIPKNOT? Ah, the National Monument.' So you see SLIPKNOT walking around at the National Monument in front of Abraham Lincoln. I put them in different locations and I went backstage with all the bands and Ozzy; I did a lot of stuff with Ozzy backstage."

Spheeris went on to say that she "worked three years on that movie and it never got released. I used to wake up in the morning, lay in bed, cry for a half an hour before I get out of bed because I never got the movie released. And now, I mean, it's a historical document at this point of 1999 Ozzfest."

Calling "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll" her second-best documentary, behind "The Decline Of Western Civilization III", the 1998 film that chronicles the gutter punk lifestyle of homeless teenagers, Penelope stated about the Ozzfest documentary's release: "I don't know [exactly how and when the film will be made available] because I hesitate to bother Sharon right now. She's got a lot of things on her plate right now. I am gonna get in touch next week, though, and do whatever I can to help her get the movie out."

The 90-minute "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll", which was shot in the late 1990s, includes interviews and live footage with SLIPKNOT, STATIC-X and SYSTEM OF A DOWN, along with plenty of backstage action. The is also a lot of focus on BLACK SABBATH as Ozzfest 1999 was billed as the band's final-ever performance in the United States.

"We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll" was screened at a number of film festivals more than 20 years ago but has never seen wide release after being held up in what has been reported as "music copyright issues."

Back in 2008, Sharon Osbourne commented on the status of "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll" in response to an article that was posted on Todd Martens' "Extended Play" blog on the Los Angeles Times web site. At the time, she wrote in an e-mail: "We would love for 'We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll' to eventually be released. We didn't invest over a million dollars in the movie to keep it locked away. In reality, we were unable to secure the necessary music licensing and talent releases from all of the bands that participated in the documentary. We needed a substantial amount of money to secure these releases so as a business proposition it just didn't make sense to pour even more money into the project. We all tried to find an independent backer to come in, but were unable to find anyone.

"As far as not allowing Penelope Spheeris to show the documentary at film festivals, please see below the list of festivals where I know that the film was shown (and there may have been more).

* Sundance Film Festival (2001)
* SXSW Film Festival (2001)
* Melbourne International Film Festival (2001)
* Sydney Film Festival (2001)
* Singapore International Film Festival (2001)
* Silver Lake Film Festival (2001)
* Chicago Underground Film Festival (2001)
* San Francisco Independent Film Festival (2002)
* Boston Underground Film Festival (2002)

"I also arranged for two industry screenings in Los Angeles and London that I totally financed at great expense in an attempt to find a distributor for the film.

"Tell me, what sense does it make for us to invest one million dollars in a film to let it sit? I truly wish that Penelope had found us an independent backer so we could have finished the project. Let her find us a backer to complete the project and we'll do it."

When it was first screened in 2001, "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'N' Roll" won "Most Popular Documentary" at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
View the unreleased @TheOzzfest 1999 movie “We Sold Our Souls for Rock ‘N’ Roll” featuring @BlackSabbath, directed by Penelope Spheeris https://t.co/63vaHa0Xpgpic.twitter.com/Tg7VnejQMH

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) August 11, 2023

In a recent interview with Mary Anne Hobbs of BBC Radio 6 Music, Corey Taylor was asked a series of either-or questions, including this one: "SLIPKNOT or solo?" He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Interesting. I'm going to say solo, only because I'm starting it right now. And I'm really starting to kind of find myself in it. 'Cause it really essentially started as an experiment. I had all these songs that I wanted to share with people, and I really couldn't give them to either band. So it was, like, 'Okay, well, we're just gonna have to create a third option.'"

He continued: "SLIPKNOT is something that can never be replaced in my heart, can never be replaced in my life, and I sincerely hope that I'm a part of it until I hang the mask up. But the solo thing, there's so much that I can play with, and I'm afforded the freedom and the luxury to be able to create, song-wise, that it's exciting to me every time I think about it. And maybe that's just because I've spent 25, 27 years now, in SLIPKNOT that I am so excited about this shiny new toy or whatever. But I've explored so much in SLIPKNOT and it excites me to think about what's next for SLIPKNOT. But when it comes to this, it can be even more personal than I've allowed myself to be with SLIPKNOT. And it could be just because of my age as well. I've gotten to the point where I've tried almost everything, and yet here I am, 25 years ostensibly after my first real release, and I'm still trying to break new ground musically and doing it in a way that doesn't feel forced, doing it in a way where the song is still king and really try to put my heart into it. And I think my solo career is going to be responsible for that. And I think that's going to inspire me to open up even more in SLIPKNOT down the road. As I get older, I'm less likely to hold things back and more likely to try — and not just to kind of overpower people with it, but to share it. Which is completely different."

Two months ago, Corey, who will turn 50 in December, told Rock Feed that he can't see himself performing with SLIPKNOT into his 60s. "I've already said that physically I maybe have five years left, but at the same time I go out of my way to really try to take care of myself," he said. "Now I have a lot of fucking miles on me. It's hard for me. People don't realize this, but when I walk, I'm almost in constant pain. It's the knees, it's my feet. I have a broken toe on this foot. I have gout across my feet. It gets up into my joints and shit. Yeah, it's tough. I'm not as nimble as I used to be. I'm not 35 anymore. It's hard. But there are ways to do shows that don't require being that crazy now."

Corey continued: "The travel doesn't lend itself to being healthy, because, at that point, it's not like being home. You've got all your stuff. You're kind of at the mercy of what's there for you. So you're gonna eat like shit, you're gonna sleep like shit, you're gonna feel like shit, and nine times out of 10, you're gonna play like shit. We don't want that. So it's tough. Even a guy at my level, it's not always laid-out catering and the best food and the best people. Sometimes it's a soggy sandwich at 12:30 in the morning, and you're looking at it, going, 'If I put this in my body, I'm gonna throw up.' People don't fucking get that. You know why they think that? It's because that's all they see on Instagram, on TikTok, on this and that, and you're seeing the commercials. There have been times we've gotten off stage, we've gone right to the airport, flown out. We don't sleep until seven the next day. And now we're just all [exhausted]. Our crew gets it even worse, 'cause they have to fucking go in, make sure everything's good, and then they can go fucking take a nap. So it's not gravy all the time, man. It's tough. It's hard fucking work. Even at our level, it's hard work."

Taylor previously talked about the possibility of retirement this past June in an interview with Germany's Rock Antenne. At the time, he said: "As long as I can physically do it, and as long as there are people there to see it, man, I'll continue to do it. Now, if the quality starts to fail, then I'll know it's time to hand it in. And I've already thought about it — I've already thought about, maybe I've got another five years left of physically touring like this. I try to take care of myself. I work out when I can. The travel out here [in Europe] is exhausting; the food [on the road] is horrible; so it makes it hard to do that. But as long as I can keep at it, that's at least what I wanna do. So, yeah, it is what it is."

Asked if his bandmates feel the same way about the end of SLIPKNOT as he does, Corey said: "If they wanted to continue and I wanted to retire, I would help them find somebody, to be honest. This band has always been bigger than the sum of its own parts. And it was hard moving on without Paul [Gray, late SLIPKNOT bassist]. It was hard moving on when we had to part ways with Joe [late SLIPKNOT drummer Joey Jordison]. It's always been hard when the original nine ceases to be the original nine, but at the same time, the ones who are here are here because we love it, and we've always gotten something out of it.

"I've said it since day one — if I didn't want to do SLIPKNOT, I wouldn't do it," he continued. "And I think I've proved that. The reason I stick around is because I want to do it. There's still something in my heart and my soul that needs it. I don't know if that's good or bad. Obviously, psychotherapy will help me out with that shit. But at the same time, it's… it's once in a lifetime, man."

Asked if he feels a responsibility to the SLIPKNOT fans to be there with his bandmates, Corey said: "I do. But at the same time, I don't expect them to be there. I mean, there are songs that they love; there are songs they don't love. There are times I love this band; there are times I don't love this band. But I still wanna be here. And when I physically can't do it anymore, that's when I'll hang it up. I might not retire from performing period; maybe that's when I go and I do my acoustic thing. But when I can't go out there and give it at least my one hundred percent, that's when I'll hang it up. And me and Clown [SLIPKNOT percussionist and visual mastermind Shawn Crahan] have talked about this, man. He's older than all of us, and he's broken just as much crap as I have. I mean, Christ, he hit the keg with a baseball [bat] and ripped his bicep clean off the bone, and then went, got surgery and came back.

"We're psychos, dude," Taylor added. "I went out three weeks after my fucking spinal surgery — 'cause I'm a psycho. It's just we don't know our limitations until they catch up with us. So that's what I say. I mean, yes, there's a responsibility to the fans, but there's also a responsibility to me and my family. And I don't wanna be the one trying to pick up my grandkids and my legs don't work. I just don't wanna do that — I refuse to. I want my quality of life to be better than that — at the end."

SLIPKNOT has spent most of the last year and a half touring in support of its latest album, "The End, So Far", which was released in September 2022 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to "We Are Not Your Kind", it is the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

Image courtesy of Resurrection Fest

They played the song together on "Saturday Night Live" last month, and now they're each releasing their own versions: Today FOO FIGHTERS proudly announce the Friday, November 17 digital release of a double A-side single featuring a reinterpretation of "The Glass" by American R&B singer and songwriter H.E.R. alongside the original version from the FOO FIGHTERS' universally acclaimed "But Here We Are".

H.E.R.'s newly recorded solo version of "The Glass" is nothing short of a revelation — a stunning and singular vocal/guitar performance that wrings new sonic and emotional dimensions from the original.

"But Here We Are" was recently nominated for three Grammy Awards ("Best Rock Album", "Best Rock Song" and "Best Rock Performance"). Like "But Here We Are" staples "Rescued", "Under You" and "The Teacher", "The Glass" has quickly become a new highlight of the FOO FIGHTERS live juggernaut — which shows no signs of slowing, with a November 18 "Austin City Limits" TV appearance and a sold-out Australia/New Zealand stadium tour on the immediate horizon, as well as stadium dates and festival headlines across the U.S. and Europe going well into 2024.

Last month, FOO FIGHTERS confirmed a massive run of summer 2024 U.S. stadium dates. The newly announced leg of the "Everything Or Nothing At All" tour will kick off with the band's return to New York's Citi Field for the first time since 2015 for a July 17 and 19 doubleheader and will see FOO FIGHTERS host 12 rock 'n' roll marathons at 10 stadiums, including a pair of shows August 9 and 11 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Support on the various dates will come from PRETENDERS, THE HIVES, MAMMOTH WVH, AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS, ALEX G and L7.

"But Here We Are", unanimously hailed as one of the band's strongest to date, has become its tenth album to break the Top 10 of the US Album chart. "But Here We Are" also marks FOO FIGHTERS' sixth U.K. No. 1, ninth Australian No. 1, with additional No. 1 spots in Switzerland and New Zealand, and Top 5 debuts in nearly a dozen more territories.

Released June 2 on Roswell Records/RCA Records, "But Here We Are" landed at No. 8 in its first week on the Billboard 200, while entering at No. 1 on the Alternative and Hard Rock album sales charts. The new album's Top 10 debut continues a trend that began with the back to back Top 10 positions achieved by "The Colour And The Shape" (1997) and "There Is Nothing Left To Lose" (1999),and has since included the No. 1-charting "Wasting Light" (2011) and "Concrete And Gold" (2017),as well as the Top 3 placings of "One By One" (2002),"In Your Honor" (2005),"Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" (2007),"Sonic Highways" (2014) and "Medicine At Midnight" (2021).

FOO FIGHTERS played their first official concert with new touring drummer Josh Freese on May 24 at Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion At Meadowbrook in Gilford, New Hampshire.

Freese was most recently drumming for Danny Elfman but was recently replaced by Ilan Rubin. Freese was also touring with THE OFFSPRING up until last year, with former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Brandon Pertzborn stepping in to officially replace him.

Freese replaced longtime FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins, who tragically passed away in March 2022 at the age of 50.

Freese previously played with the FOO FIGHTERS at the tribute concerts to Hawkins in 2022.

Freese is a veteran session drummer who has performed with GUNS N' ROSES, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PUDDLE OF MUDD, NINE INCH NAILS, WEEZER, PARAMORE, THE REPLACEMENTS, Sting and THE VANDALS, among many others. He has also played more than 300 recordings ranging in genres from pop to rock to country.

BLACK STONE CHERRY drummer John Fred Young found himself in the middle of the pandemonium during a shooting at Oak Park Mall late Sunday afternoon (November 12) in Overland Park, Kansas.

Two suspects were reportedly taken into custody after a single shot was fired during a struggle between three plainclothes officers and two unidentified male suspects who were being apprehended for shoplifting.

Late Sunday, BLACK STONE CHERRY vocalist/guitarist Chris Robertson posted the following message on the band's social media: "We are feeling incredibly extra THANKFUL and BLESSED tonight.

"We were enjoying a day off at Oak Park Mall outside Kansas City. Our days off are always usually at a mall to decompress, walk, and check out the stores. Today was different. One minute you're looking around a shop, the next you hear screaming, chaos, and what sounded like a stampede. There had been shots fired inside. People were running everywhere and you could hear and see panic on every innocent face. It was truly terrifying.

"I texted our band group and told everyone wherever you are, to get out immediately," he continued. "I found a top level parking lot exit and came out and saw people tripping over road cones, parents holding their children while running…just pure chaos. Like a movie.

"John Fred was in lockdown inside a store with about 15 other people. The rest of us that were inside had made it to the bus. We texted with JF back n fourth giving updates. Thankfully, the local PD did a great job and apprehended two suspects and thankfully, nobody was hurt.

"This isn't a post for sympathy for us, but more of a post to say we are just so incredibly thankful. So incredibly blessed.

"This was the first time our group had been in a situation like this while on the road, doing something we do every single day off.
We embraced each other multiple times after this experience. If you've been involved in something similar, we completely sympathize with you.

"We love you all so much. We love each so much. You just never know…take time to tell those you love them. You just never know…

"Wichita, KS and the rest of this tour will be even more special and even more thankful to be able to play.

"We love our families. We love you. We are so thankful this season."

Officials with Oak Park Mall released the following statement regarding the incident on Monday: "We take these situations very seriously. In addition to our full-time third party security provider, we maintain a close working relationship with Overland Park Police Department. Our security program is 24/7 and covers the interior and exterior of the property. We evaluate our protocols on an ongoing basis, making adjustments as necessary.

"The mall was placed on lockdown as a precaution and mall management was in continual communication with stores via our tenant notification system, to advise of the status of the situation as it evolved. Once cleared of the lockdown, the mall did not reopen since it was close to the normal closing time of 6 p.m."

The Overland Park Police Department is asking anyone who was present near the food court and recorded video of the incident to share it with police.

BLACK STONE CHERRY's eighth studio album, "Screamin' At The Sky", came out on September 29 via Mascot Records.

Photo: Jimmy Fontaine

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In a new interview with Long Island Weekly, RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, who is currently promoting his upcoming memoir "My Effin' Life", was asked about the possibility of making more music in the not-too-distant future. He responded: "I recently discovered a couple of songs that had been left off my solo album [2000's 'My Favourite Headache'). Listening to them was really quite fun and I decided that I wanted to see about fixing those up and just breathing some fresh air into them. And that experience reminded me of how much fun I have in the studio. So of course, my lifelong buddy and bandmate Alex [Lifeson, RUSH guitarist] and I would like to get back into the studio together and see what might happen. I have ideas that I'd like to flesh out on my own too. Once I finish all this crazy crap that I agreed to do — the book tour and the TV show and find some space for myself — I'd certainly like to start playing something. But I can't tell you right now because I'm just book touring it until I drop. And then I'll see where I land after I have a nice holiday with my wife and we'll go from there. I don't like to plan too far ahead anymore. I was scheduled up the wazoo with my partners in RUSH for over 45 years. Now, I have to prioritize other things."

To date, Lee has only released one solo album, the aforementioned "My Favourite Headache". The disc was recorded during a time when RUSH's future was uncertain. The band was in the midst of what would be a five-year break from the road following the tragic deaths of drummer Neil Peart's daughter and wife in 1997 and 1998, respectively.

In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Lee spoke about reuniting with Lifeson for last year's star-studded tribute concerts — one in London, one in Los Angeles — to pay tribute to late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins. They enlisted a few drummers — TOOL's Danny Carey, Omar Hakim, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Chad Smith and Dave Grohl — to join them at the gigs. At the after-party, Paul McCartney congratulated them and urged them to get back on the road.

"It had been a taboo subject, and playing those songs again with a third person was the elephant in the room, and that kind of disappeared," Lee told The Washington Post. "It was nice to know that if we decide to go out, Alex and I, whether we went out as part of a new thing, or whether we just wanted to go out and play RUSH as RUSH, we could do that now."

Geddy also revealed that in October 2022, for the first time in years, Lee and Lifeson went down into Lee's home studio and jammed.

Although Lifeson was "excited as offers rolled in after the Hawkins shows," he ended up undergoing surgery in July for his long-standing stomach problems.

Asked if he plans on nudging his pal to get back onstage, Lee told The Washington Post: "He needs to feel good and feel healthy and strong. And then maybe we have a discussion."

A year and a half ago, Lifeson told Guitar World in an interview that he hadn't ruled out making new music with Lee. "We're not putting any pressure on it or anything," he said. "We had a lot of good years together and we still love each other very much. I talk to Geddy every other day — we're best friends. There's more to our life together than just writing music. So if it happens, it happens. And it'll happen when it happens."

Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

"My Effin' Life" is due for release on November 14 by HarperCollins. The book, which was edited Noah Eaker, will be 512 pages and be available as a hardcover or as an e-book.