In a new interview with Kevin McKay of Florida's 99ROCK WKSM radio station, HELMET frontman Page Hamilton elaborated on how the world events of the last few years — including the global pandemic and political unrest — have provided him with the inspiration to create some of the songs on the band's upcoming album "Left".

"I feel like there are so many destructive forces politically in our country," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I have every right to express my opinion. I pay taxes.

"I wanted a bike at the age of 10 years old, and my dear dad, may he rest in peace, and mom and dad, brother [and] sister, all Republicans, dad was, like, 'Oh, you want a bike? Oh, well, we'd better get you a job.' And he taught me how to do my taxes and everything at the age of 10, 11 years old.

"We always have to be able to discuss things," Page continued. "Discourse is so healthy. And when did this divisive tone develop?

"Anybody that disagrees with [former U.S. president Donald Trump] is a terrible person that should be… General [Mark] Milley should be hung for treason. Come on, man. This guy serves our country, U.S. military. [Editor's note: Last month, Trump wrote on his social-media network, Truth Social, that Milley's phone call to reassure China in the aftermath of the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was "an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH."]

"The Republicans [in Congress], I don't know what they're doing, but it's dangerous right now — it's really dangerous," Hamilton added. "We need to get it together, man. I feel like there's a huge contingent that they just want… It's probably a pretty cushy job. You got a half-million-dollar-a-year travel budget, and people in your office, in an office, and you make all this money. And it's like a good job, so they don't wanna lose their jobs. So they're doing what they think will help them keep their jobs. Well, that's not what we pay you for. We pay you to govern and to make sure that the citizens of our country, myself included are taken care of. 'Cause I don't know how to pave roads or do stomach surgery or whatever.

"I believe that we outnumber people that don't believe in the country — I honestly do… So as a singer in a quote-unquote heavy metal band or hardcore, post-hardcore, whatever we're called, indie rock, I can sing pretty loud."

Earlier this month, Page told 518Scene.com that the changes in the political climate in the U.S. inspired some of the lyrics on "Left".

"I can't speak for other countries — I know Hungary has a fascist guy too, and there are neo-Nazis popping up and they've always been around — but they were a little more underground before Orange Douche Face made it okay to be a racist douchebag," he said, apparently referencing Trump. "That stuff really had an effect on me. I have a trans godson, for example. I have nieces and nephews. I have two other godsons. I would like to leave a better world behind when I go for them, than the current state of divisive, caustic [beliefs] and whatever is going on in this country."

Hamilton also discussed the song "Gun Fluf", which specifically targets the gun lobby. He said: "I feel I have a right to express myself. I'm happy to sit down and have a conversation with any gun owner. I own guns. I grew up owning guns. I grew up in southern Oregon. I got a 12-gauge shotgun when I turned 12 from Grandpa Bones, and I hunted. I'm all for it, but I'm not all for there not being tighter restrictions on who can purchase a gun.

"Automatic weapons are unnecessary for a citizen population," he explained. "They're not for hunting; they're not for recreation. They are for killing human beings.

"Every time there's another mass murderer shooting, it affects me deeply. That's just heartbreaking. What we are saying is, yes, we have the right to bear arms, but we also have children who have a right to go to school and not fear for their lives, or go grocery shopping — as in Buffalo — and not worry that somebody's going to come in with an automatic weapon that can shoot 200 rounds in however many minutes. So that song poured out of me. It makes me angry that people are not more responsible."

"Left" will be released on November 10 via earMUSIC. The LP sees HELMET — comprising Hamilton, drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman and bassist Dave Case — carve out a musical landscape that is taut, muscular, and direct.

Guided by Hamilton alongside co-producers Jim Kaufman and Mark Renk, and mastered by Howie Weinberg, the 11 songs on the new album are leaner and meaner in their execution than previous aural throwdowns. "Left" is powered by unbridled determination, a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to create more new dialects within the musical language Hamilton invented via his use of drop-D tuning.

To coincide with "Left"'s release, HELMET will undertake a European tour the same month. The trek will kick off on November 8 in Prague, Czech Republic and make stop the Germany, Scandinavia, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and France before concluding on December 13 in London, United Kingdom.

For a complete list of tour dates, visit HelmetMusic.com.

HELMET's first official live album, "Live And Rare", was released in November 2021 via earMUSIC. It was made available on heavyweight black vinyl as well as a CD digipak edition and digital.

Although HELMET disbanded in 1997, Hamilton revived the band in 2004, and the group has continued to tour and record.

"Dead To The World" was released in October 2016 via earMUSIC. The effort was produced by Hamilton and mixed by Jay Baumgardner.

In 2021, HELMET released a cover of GANG OF FOUR's 1981 song "Into The Ditch". The track was recorded for a tribute album to GANG OF FOUR's guitarist Andy Gill, "The Problem Of Leisure: A Celebration Of Andy Gill And Gang Of Four".

Photo courtesy of earMUSIC

Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley appeared last night (Friday, October 13) at this year's Kiss Cancer Goodbye II fundraiser for the American Cancer Society on Harvest House campus in Sarasota, Florida.

Fan-filmed video of Frehley's performance, during which he was joined by TRIXTER's Steve Brown, among other musicians, can be seen below.

Last month, Ace spent time mixing his new studio album for a tentative early 2024 release via MNRK Music Group (formerly known as eOne Music). Assisting the 72-year-old musician with some of the new LP's songwriting and production has been Brown, who took to his Instagram on September 22 to share a photo of him and Frehley, along with producer, engineer and mixer Bruno Ravel, who is best known for his role as bassist in DANGER DANGER. Steve wrote in an accompanying message: "This is a Rockin' Team right here. 8 tunes mixed and it sounds stellar @brunoravel mix/master general for the new @acefrehleyofficial @mnrk_heavy #recordingstudio #mixengineer #acefrehley #newalbum …and yeah I’m really short next to these guys".

Frehley spoke about the recording process for his new album this past March during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". At the time, he marveled at the amount of material he was able to complete, saying: "Within six days I had written and recorded five new songs, which is unprecedented for me."

Ace went on to say that he has also been working on his new LP with Peppy Castro of the BLUES MAGOOS. He added: "Back in the '60s, [the BLUES MAGOOS] had the big hit '(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet'. I grew up with him in the Bronx. He inspired me to become a rock star. I remember going to Orchard Beach in the Bronx, and all of a sudden I hear Peppy's song on the radio. I go, 'Jesus Christ. If he can do that, I can do it. I'm better looking than him.' [Laughs] He actually taught me how to play bar chord in the basement of an apartment building… But we've been friends ever since, and we've followed each other's career. And he's been in my studio a half dozen times. And he also hooked me up with Tommy Denander. He wrote three songs for me that I'm probably gonna rearrange at least one or two of them and add vocals. But me and Steve have been doing a song a day. It's insanity."

According to Ace, his upcoming LP will include at least one cover song.

"If my memory serves me correctly, the last two studio records I did both had one cover on them and one instrumental," he said. "I have two or three songs that can be instrumentals or I could add lyrics to it. I'm just deciding which one is gonna be the best one for an instrumental, because if I don't do an instrumental, my fans are gonna be upset, because every one of my studio albums have had an instrumental track on it. It all started with 'Fractured Mirror' in 1978."

Peppy previously collaborated with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons as a songwriter and performed on Frehley's and KISS frontman Paul Stanley's solo records.

Ace's next all-original album will be the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

Frehley's latest release was "Origins Vol. 2", the sequel to his 2016 collection of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

"Origins Vol. 2" featured cover versions of THE BEATLES' "I'm Down", DEEP PURPLE's "Space Truckin'", LED ZEPPELIN's "Good Times Bad Times", THE ROLLING STONES' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", THE KINKS' "Lola" and THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE's "Manic Depression", among others. A cover of the 1975 KISS tune "She" also appeared as a bonus track. Guests on the set included CHEAP TRICK's Robin Zander, Lita Ford and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Simmons's bass playing.

Frehley left KISS after the band's 2002 "Farewell Tour" dates, saying afterwards that he took the word "farewell" seriously. Drummer Peter Criss has claimed that his contract with KISS wasn't renewed in March 2004. Both charges have been disputed by Paul Stanley and Simmons.

Simmons and Stanley have chosen to have the rest of the current KISS lineup — guitarist Tommy Thayer and longtime drummer Eric Singer — dress up as Criss's and Frehley's respective "Spaceman" and "Catman" personas.



Posted by Lori Rodrigues on Saturday, October 14, 2023

During an appearance on Knotfest.com's "Nu Pod" podcast with hosts Joshua Toomey and Ro Kohli, COAL CHAMBER bassist Nadja Peulen reflected on the time she got to jam with one of her musical heroes, legendary punk icon Iggy Pop. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I'm really good friends with his then-guitar player Whitey Kirst. I've known him since I was about 18 years old, I believe. And I'm a huge STOOGES fan, I'm a huge Iggy Pop fan. And when I met Whitey, he was, like, 'Well, when you wanna come to one of the shows, I'll introduce you to Iggy Pop,' and I always said, 'No. I really don't wanna meet him, because if he's a dick and I don't like him, then I'm never gonna listen to the music the same way. So I'd just rather keep it separate.' But he was, like, 'No. He's super cool.' And anyway, years go by and I never met him. And then one day Whitey called me, and this is after a bunch of COAL CHAMBER tours and stuff. 'Cause I've known him way before COAL CHAMBER or me playing music in L.A. And he goes, 'Hey, I'm at the Swing House [studios]. I'm here with some cats. We're like jamming some music. Why don't you come down and bring your bass and jam with us?' And I wasn't really feeling up to it, 'cause I was, like, 'Nah, I don't really feel like going down there and playing with some people I don't know. I don't even know what this is.' And so he kept bugging me and calling me, and I was, like, 'No, bro. I'm not gonna come down there.' And then eventually I got this call, and it was Iggy, and I recognized his voice. And he was like, 'Hey, Nadja, this is Iggy. I hear a lot of good things about you. Come down. Be here in 15 minutes or fuck it.' And I said, 'whoa.' And I got really nervous. I mean, what am I gonna say? No. I'm not gonna… I didn't know he was there. I thought it was just Whitey and some people hanging out. So I took my bass and I went down there and I jammed for a little while. And it was very nerve racking. And he was a very nice guy. He's like the real deal… It was a very pleasant surprise, 'cause he was super chill, down to earth, very cool. And [it was] really something I'll never forget."

Nadja originally joined COAL CHAMBER in 2002 as the replacement for Rayna Foss, who left the band to focus on motherhood. In addition to her work with COAL CHAMBER, Peulen has recorded on additional projects such as "Roadrunner United - The All-Star Sessions". CYPRESS HILL featured Peulen on bass in their hit video "Rock Superstar" and "What's Your Number?" alongside Tim Armstrong (RANCID).

Born of German and Polish decent, Peulen grew up in the Netherlands. She came to America at the age of 18, landing in Los Angeles.

"I didn't come to L.A. to be anything like an actress or musician, but to party," she previously explained. "I fell in love with the city and decided to stay. The next thing I knew, I took drum lessons… then someone gave me a bass and the rest is history."

Peulen designed her upcoming signature bass with Schechter Guitars, which will go public later this fall. Peulen also created CruelTees, a gothic apparel company that was carried exclusively by Hot Topic from 2002 to 2007 and can still be accessed on www.crueltees.com. Peulen is currently focusing on developing graphic novels using her onstage persona, alongside other strong women of rock, as superheroes.

ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna's JOURNEY tribute band called BEYOND FRONTIERS (formerly JOEY BELLADONNA'S BEYOND THE BAND and JOURNEY BEYOND) performed at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan on Friday, October 13 as part of its fall 2023 U.S. tour. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below, courtesy of the Front Row Bobby YouTube channel.

In a recent interview with Ernest Skinner of Canada's Border City Rock Talk, Belladonna was asked if he was serious when he said that he would love to sing with JOURNEY one day. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been around [the JOURNEY] guys, my wife and I.. God, I know Deen [Castronovo, JOURNEY drummer], and I've had dinner with Neal [Schon, JOURNEY guitarist], and soundchecked with the crew. I mean, I'm so far into knowing the whole band and crew that I always would have loved to have done that. 'Cause I just like the music. The music is really appealing to me. I love all the melodic [aspects of it]. I love the musicianship. There's so much there. Without really outright looking for that gig, without asking, you know what I mean? Yeah, I love the music and that's why I put we put BEYOND FRONTIERS together because I've always thought it would be a fun night and I like singing the music."

Joey went on to say that he and rest of BEYOND FRONTIERS are currently working on "studio versions" of their "whole set. And it sounded pretty good," he said. "It just hasn't really been mixed yet to where I want it."

Last month, Belladonna was asked point blank by Mike Hsu of the 100 FM The Pike radio station what he would say if he was contacted right now and asked to front JOURNEY. Joey responded: "You know, I would definitely be really interested in doing that. That would be great. Not that I think that that's gonna happen, but, yeah, it would be great. I'd love that challenge. It would be great."

Regarding why he chose to launch a JOURNEY tribute band, Belladonna told 100 FM The Pike: "Well, I've been singing JOURNEY stuff throughout the years, but never had a band that I thought that would be, you know, willing to do it correctly and lengthy like where I could keep it going. I've always liked the music so much. I've owned all the music. I liked JOURNEY long before Steve [Perry] even came. I have all those records, so I was really into the band a lot. But of course, when Steve came along, I was down with singing that live somewhere. And [I] just put it together and said I wanted to do a whole night of it. I just thought it would be fun, and it looked like a blast. And we do have a blast doing it."

Belladonna's JOURNEY tribute also features keyboardist Doug Carter, bassist Paul Arntz, guitarist Matt Basford and drummer Justin Ward.

In an April 2020 interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Belladonna stated about his approach to singing material that was originally written and recorded by Steve Perry: "Obviously, when you do [something like this], there's always open ground for [people to say], 'You didn't do that part, 'You didn't do this.' [But] I didn't wanna copy it note for note. Sometimes I just like to do my own thing with it. Represent it and do what you can, but I love to mess around with things. Not so much to try to be too different, but just make it cool and do it your own way versus trying to get every note. I'm sure some guys study every second of it. Even with ANTHRAX, I do songs different a lot of times. It's just fun that way. To do things off the cuff is fun for me versus trying to follow everything… I can study it all day, but I just don't feel like doing that. I wanna have a little fun doing my own thing with it."

Belladonna's JOURNEY tribute made its live debut in March 2020 at The Beacon Theatre in Hopewell, Virginia.

In a 2005 interview with MusicDish, Belladonna was asked about the rumor that he came to the table with a JOURNEY tune during his 1985 audition for ANTHRAX. "Actually, what happened was I went into the room and they said, 'Just go on in,' and they hadn't heard me sing," he said. "They'd heard of me and they asked me to come in, but we were going in to start tracking and stuff, to get the mic set up and all that and they said, 'Let's get you in there and get you warmed up.' I hit the mic and belted out some JOURNEY… I think it was [the song] 'Lights'. I didn't know what the hell I was getting into in the first place. I just wanted to lay some vocals or something. Just to kinda give an idea and that's what happened. It wasn't really anything more than that. I just kinda belched it out. I think I did 'Oh Sherrie' [written by Steve Perry], too, or something. I dunno why, but I just did. It was something off the top of my head I could do a cappella and it was kinda challenging. I thought maybe in range or something that would be kind of intriguing. It was definitely one they weren't expecting."

ANTHRAX's 2013 EP "Anthems" EP included the band's cover version of JOURNEY's "Keep On Runnin'" alongside classics by RUSH, THIN LIZZY, AC/DC, CHEAP TRICK and BOSTON.

Posted by The Machine Shop on Friday, October 13, 2023

Fan-filmed video of FEAR FACTORY's October 9 performance at the Rockhouse Kitchen & Bar in El Paso, Texas can be seen below.

As previously reported, FEAR FACTORY has recruited SCATTERED STORM's Javier Arriaga to play bass on the veteran Los Angeles-based act's October 2023 U.S. shows as well as some European dates.

Arriaga, who plays drums for SCATTERED STORM and has previously served as FEAR FACTORY's guitar and drum tech, is filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime bassist Tony Campos, who is currently on the road with STATIC-X.

On September 28, Arriaga shared a photo of him in the rehearsal studio with FEAR FACTORY, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "I can announce now since [FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares] mentioned it in an interview today for KLAQ. Im gonna be playing bass with FEAR FACTORY for the whole US run and some dates in Europe while Tony catches up with us. Today we practiced and it felt like a fucking dream. Someone pinch me please. Maybe not. I don't want to wake up."

FEAR FACTORY played a one-off show on September 17 at the Metal Injection Festival where the band performed a very special "Demanufacture" and "Obsolete" set. FEAR FACTORY the launched a five-date headlining "DisrupTour" with special guests LIONS AT THE GATE. This has been followed by the band heading out on the "October Dawn 2023" tour with headliners LACUNA COIL and openers LIONS AT THE GATE. The 10-date trek began on October 13 in Atlanta and will make stops in Louisville, Oklahoma City, and Houston before concluding in San Antonio, Texas on October 24.

FEAR FACTORY will embark on a European tour this fall. The 44-date trek will mark the band's first European shows since 2016. Joining them on this run are BUTCHER BABIES from the USA and IGNEA from Ukraine.

FEAR FACTORY's next album, which is tentatively due in late 2024, will be the band's first with vocalist Milo Silvestro, whose addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in late February.

The Italian-born Silvestro joined FEAR FACTORY as the replacement for the band's original singer Burton C. Bell.

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

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

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

In a recent interview with ADK Metal News, Reviews, Reactions & Interviews, Dino hinted at a "big" two-month early 2024 U.S. tour with another band as part of "a fucking killer package."

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Posted by Rockhouse Dive Bar Kitchen Venue on Monday, October 9, 2023

Ghost performed at  Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile on SEptember 27th as part of  Re-Imperatour Latin America 2023. Fan-filmed video of the enrire show can be viewed below.


Setlist:


"Kaisarion"
"Rats"
"From the Pinnacle to the Pit"
"Spillways"
"Cirice"
"Absolution"
"Ritual"
"Call Me Little Sunshine"
"Con Clavi Con Dio"
"Watcher In The Sky"
"Year Zero" 
"He Is"
"Miasma"
"Mary On A Cross"
"Mummy Dust"
"Respite On The Spitalfields"




Encore:
"Kiss the Go-Goat"
"Dance Macabre"
"Square Hammer"





Ghost’s “Mary On A Cross” single has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) for reaching one million certified units. One equivalent song unit is equal to a single digital song sale, or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams.





“Mary On A Cross” was released in 2019 as a two-track single with “Kiss The Go-Goat”. In the Ghost band lore, the two songs were recorded by Papa Nihil with an earlier version of Ghost in the late-‘60s and the 2019 issue of the songs were a 50th anniversary rerelease.

In a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, DOKKEN frontman Don Dokken weighed in on MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars's decision to no longer tour with the legendary rock act because of his long struggles with degenerative disease ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine joints and ligaments and can lead to stiffness over time, according to the National Institute Of Arthritis And Musculoskeletal And Skin Diseases.

"I really love him and I feel terrible, because my brother, who's 18 months younger than me, has ankylosing spondylitis," Don said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "So your spine fuses together. It's very painful. And I don't know how he got through that farewell MÖTLEY tour. I saw him four times. He had his own bus, but they got morphine bags. He had a private nurse. It was like a hospital room in his bus. And I really had to… Even when I think about it now, I started getting teary eyed. It choked me up, 'cause I loved Mick, and I was, like, 'Man, this sucks. This just sucks.' He would go on stage and he'd say, 'Well, the good thing about my ankylosing spondylitis is sometimes your neck's like this frozen [looks up], or [to the left], or [to the right], or down. And he goes, 'Luckily, my head turns down, so I can see the [guitar] neck.' And that's how he got through the tour, 'cause he could see his neck. And that's the truth. He said, 'My neck was frozen down, so I could still play guitar.'"

Dokken, who says that he has known Mars for more than four decades, since he was in the pre-MÖTLEY CRÜE band VENDETTA, went on to call Mick the "most underrated guitar player. Forget about chops. Forget about fucking hammer-ons and Eddie Van Halen copies. His rhythm playing, man, it's the shit," Don explained. "Mick Mars wrote a ton of MÖTLEY CRÜE songs. He is an amazing rhythm guitar player, and he wrote all those great rhythms in MÖTLEY CRÜE.

"Nobody talks about Mick because he's a very private person," Dokken added. "Anybody ever says [MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist] Nikki Sixx wrote all the songs, and [MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] Tommy Lee… Fuck you. Mick Mars was a huge factor in MÖTLEY CRÜE's cool, groovin' cool riff uptempo songs. It was Mick."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, the 72-year-old guitarist has since filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting. In his lawsuit, Mars also alleged that he was the only bandmember to play 100 percent live on their most recent tour, claiming bassist Nikki Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour."

Mars said that when he refused to sign the papers reducing his share of touring royalties to only 5%, the band commenced an arbitration. His original filing said the group took it to arbitration "rather than a public lawsuit so that the public would not be aware of the deplorable manner in which they treated their 'brother' of 41 years."

After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

In an April 2023 interview with Variety, CRÜE's manager of 29 years, Allen Kovac blasted Mars's recent live performances, saying: "Mick is not the same. He hasn't been the same for a long time… [Mars] caused a train wreck up there, because he would play the wrong songs and the wrong parts, even with the guide tracks. When he played the wrong song, it wasn't Nikki Sixx that had a tape; it was the soundman bringing it into the mix so the audience could hear a song, even though the guitar player was playing a different song." He says audiences "would hear it at first, but (sound engineers) would fix it so that we could keep the song going. I heard it. I'd go to the soundboard."

According to Variety, Mars's attorney said he was warned by the band's lawyers that "if your client rejects the severance package that was graciously offered to him by the band, he will get next to nothing. I suggest you think about the repercussions of this decision… There is undisputed legal cause here for Mick's removal. Mick is unable to perform as a full-fledged band member. Among other things, as demonstrated during the last tour, he repeatedly forgets his chords, does not play the right song, plays chords of a different song while on stage, and so on."

Mick's filing claimed that MÖTLEY CRÜE filed an arbitration case against him in February, "essentially suing him" to prove that it had the right to fire him from the band.

"They clearly commenced an arbitration, rather than a public lawsuit, so that the public would not be aware of the deplorable manner in which they treated their 'brother' of 41 years," lawyers for Mars wrote in the petition.

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band KK'S PRIEST played the final its five-date U.K. headlining tour this past Thursday night (October 12) at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

The setlist was as follows:

01. Hellfire Thunderbolt
02. One More Shot At Glory
03. The Ripper (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
04. Reap The Whirlwind
05. Night Crawler (JUDAS PRIEST song)
06. Sermons Of The Sinner
07. Burn In Hell (JUDAS PRIEST song)
08. Beyond The Realms Of Death (JUDAS PRIEST cover)
09. Hell Patrol (JUDAS PRIEST song)
10. Brothers Of The Road
11. Metal Meltdown (JUDAS PRIEST song)
12. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
13. Breaking The Law (JUDAS PRIEST song)
14. Victim Of Changes (JUDAS PRIEST song)

Encore:

15. Raise Your Fists
16. Strike Of The Viper

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

KK'S PRIEST released its sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", in September via the Austrian rock and metal empire Napalm Records.

With "The Sinner Rides Again", the powerhouse heavy metal amalgamation of iconic JUDAS PRIEST alumni and Grammy Award-winning/nominated musicians Downing and Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals),along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE),double down on the ripping melodic force of their debut, which Metal Hammer U.K. dubbed "hugely enjoyable" and Metal Injection cited as boasting "catchy hooks and plenty of guitar wizardry". "The Sinner Rides Again" wields nine tracks of pure hellfire, produced and written by Downing and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen.

A haunting introduction of dual guitars carries the listener into the thundering "Sons Of The Sentinel", winding across a wasteland of burning riffs and a deftly dynamic guitar solo to kick off the record with relentless energy. The undeniably catchy anthem "Strike Of The Viper" proves itself as one of the album's most unforgettable tracks, before "Reap The Whirlwind" crashes in with a classic heavy metal power thrust of soaring leads, hair-raising harmonics and earworm vocal hooks. First single "One More Shot At Glory" raises its sword high, instantaneously calling for battle with its opening riff and beckoning verses. Heroic chants and unrelenting double bass set the stage for a galloping midsection as a spine-tingling guitar solo commands the song. Striding "Hymn 66" commands with sultry, slow and low metallic punches and a bluesy gait, while massive title track "The Sinner Rides Again" straddles balladic passages and sinister, head-bobbing choruses. Beginning with ominous bells, "Keeper Of The Graves" rounds the final bend of the album with roaring cascades and a dynamic performance from Owens, before charging "Pledge Your Souls" and rollercoaster closer epic "Wash Away Your Sins" rise as the final embers of a certified burner — proving itself as a must-hear metal album of the year by the greatest to ever perform the genre.

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

"Sermons Of The Sinner" was released in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

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

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

In a recent interview with Ernest Skinner of Border City Rock Talk, Owens spoke about the sophomore album from KK'S PRIEST. He said: "It's really good too. I like it better [than the debut LP]. It's a little heavier, a little edgier on the vocals — and even music, I think."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two years ago, Downing said that he had no problems with fans making comparisons between PRIEST and KK'S PRIEST. "It's absolutely fine, because it's who I am and what I am and what I do and how I do it," he told Brazilian journalist Igor Miranda. "It's too late to change; I can't change. I can't go out and buy different guitars and different amplifiers and start to write differently and think differently. I have to do things the way that I like them to be done. And that's what I did in JUDAS PRIEST for all those years to the best of my ability. But even now that I don't have to consult with anyone else, really, then I feel a lot more freedom to be able to do this.

"I think I can do what I do better now than I did before, if that makes any sense," he continued. "Because I'm working and writing and putting things together for me — and, obviously, of course, the rest of the members in [KK'S PRIEST] as well. But I was on my own, for the most part, in the lockdown doing this. But there was a lot of things I wanted to say and get off my chest.

"The [KK'S PRIEST] album's full of emotions, sentiments and messages and also rejoicement. It's a lot of things, all in one package. And it was very important for me to be able to express myself through this album.

"I know that people will make comparisons, but that's fine. I either succeed or fail, like everyone else in life. But I'm a fan of this wonderful style of music, and if I like it, I'm hopefully sure that the fans will like it too. And I really hope they do. And I'm very much looking forward to the feedback from everybody all over the world.

"Towards the end for me in JUDAS PRIEST, it wasn't as energized as it was in former years, and I missed that. I remember the days when Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] used to come offstage and he used to empty his boots out, and the water — which was sweat — used to just pour out of the boots. And it was the same for all of us. It was like we ran a marathon or something. So, hopefully we deliver that up. So I'm looking forward to doing that. I'm definitely gonna do my best, put it that way."

In September 2021, Owens said that there was no competition between JUDAS PRIEST and KK'S PRIEST. "I don't think we look at it [like that]," he told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn in an interview. "There's one JUDAS PRIEST. They're JUDAS PRIEST. If [K.K. and I] wanted to take that angle, we would have called [our new band] KK'S JUDAS PRIEST. But I think fans are happy 'cause they know they do have two things that are the same vein, and they have K.K. back. I went nowhere — I've been putting music out like crazy — but they have Ken and I back together again. So there's no competition. I mean, how awesome would it be if we do shows with them? I don't care. I really don't. I love the guys in PRIEST. Rob's [Halford, PRIEST singer] my idol. And Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] and I are friends. But this isn't a competition. We're not trying to make it a competition or another JUDAS PRIEST. That's why we put an album out first; that was the difference. If we were trying to make it that, we would start touring right away, doing the back catalog."

Asked if KK'S PRIEST is really open to touring with JUDAS PRIEST, Tim said: "I'm open to anything. I've never burned bridges. From the sounds of it, it's never gonna happen. 'Cause it never happened with me. I tried to get BEYOND FEAR to support JUDAS PRIEST on tour. Wendy Dio was my manager, and they were, like, 'Absolutely not. You're not gonna support us.' But we're all friends. I mean, I'm speaking for me — I'm not speaking for Ken. But, yeah, listen, I always look at it as how much fans would love stuff. How cool would it be if that happened?"

ORGY has released a new song called "Ghost". The band's second release of 2023 is a heavy hitter geared towards active rock stations. This collaboration was built from a track created by John Sustar of Star Precision Music, Ralf Dietel of KRASHKARMA, Joey Scream, Carlton Bost and Jay Gordon.

ORGY will continue working on new music in 2023 for 2024 releases.

ORGY will play the Whisky A Go Go on Friday, December 1 supporting the "Ghost" single release. 2024 is full of great stuff stay tuned for the formal 2024 announcements and press release.

ORGY frontman Jay Gordon says: "'Ghost' is one of my fav ORGY songs of all time. It's aggressive and heavy AF. Our homie John Sustar (who also wrote songs with MOTIONLESS IN WHITE for their coveted 2019 'Disguise' release) co-wrote the track. Ralf Dietel did some writing as well and did the majority of the vocal production. As for the song's message, it touches on some very dark subject matter concerning losing some friends, how they are still here watching over us, and what they might see while watching over us. Kinda creepy and cool at the same time.

"I find myself pondering the validity of spirits in the afterlife. Still, enough strange and unexplainable phenomena have occurred that make me believe they must be right here alongside the rest of us. Hope the fans get into it as much as the band loves it."

ORGY spawned from the late 1990s goth music scene with its remake of NEW ORDER's "Blue Monday". Upon release, the track sold over one million copies and has sold more than two million copies to date. In late 2005, after the release of "Punk Statik Paranoia" via D1 Music And Associates, their independent DVD "Trans Global Spectacle" via D1 Music / DLC Records and a promotional tour, the band went on a hiatus to work on their side projects. In 2011, after seven years of demand from fans for new music and a tour, founding member Gordon decided it was time to kick things back up and begin recording and touring again in support of ORGY's fans. Jay, Carlton Bost and Nic Speck have been the ORGY core since 2011.

After several years of releasing singles to the masses, ORGY has proven its long-lasting potency with a refreshed lineup and sound. The modern incarnation of ORGY has been transformed and sees the band poised to re-establish themselves in the EDM, industrial and hard rock scenes.

ORGY is: Jay Gordon, Carlton Bost, Nic Speck, Ilia Yordanov and Tommy Rockoff.

Rock band NEW YEARS DAY invites fans to join them in the world of "Vampyre" with a brand new video game-style music video. The ferocious single — a message of strength and resilience in the face of those who would drain you of both — was released late last month, marking NEW YEARS DAY's first new music since 2022's "Hurts Like Hell".

NEW YEARS DAY vocalist Ash Costello comments: "'Vampyre' possesses a grandiose quality, as if it were the score for an intense battle sequence in a majestic vampire film. This has always been my vision — a blend of 'Underworld' and 'Blade'! To bring this concept to life, we enlisted the remarkable talents of Matteo Santoro, a visionary in the realm of cinematic CGI. Together, we crafted the most monumental music video ever created by NEW YEARS DAY. The underlying theme of the song is that the vampyre we confront symbolizes a narcissistic monster in our lives. Accordingly, the video mirrors this notion as I valiantly combat colossal vampyre creatures in order to liberate myself from their tyrannical grip. Ultimately, I emerged triumphant."

Costello previously stated about the lyrical inspiration for "Vampyre": "'Vampyre' is a song for anyone who has battled or is battling a malignant narcissist, which, essentially, is a certain kind of person who tries to suck the life out of you. Since I have personally experienced living with this type of monster, I wanted to write a song specifically for anyone else going through something similar in hopes it may help them discover some strength or help give them power to overcome it. So this is a song for anyone who has dealt with this type of person. It insists, 'You're not going to drain the life from me.'"

Fans can look forward to seeing the new song live this fall as new years day hits the road in the U.S. They'll be joining IN THIS MOMENT and ICE NINE KILLS on the "Kiss Of Death" tour, kicking off November 3 in Gary, Indiana. Additional stops include Kansas City, Milwaukee, Orlando, Atlanta, New York City, D.C., and more.

Kerrang! magazine counts NEW YEARS DAY among an elite handful of bands inspiring the next generation. Led by "the vibrant force of nature that is frontwoman Ash Costello," NEW YEARS DAY unleash anthems of discontent and empowerment, delivered with gothic flair and theatrical bombast. It's a sound that crashed into the Mainstream Rock Top 40 for the first time in 2019 with a Top 15 rock radio charting single "Shut Up" followed up by the cathartic "Hurts Like Hell", which finished 2022 as one of SiriusXM Octane's Top 25 songs of the year. Each successive victory is a celebration of hard-fought creative freedom, unstoppable determination, and dedicated fans. Throngs of diehards and newcomers alike sing and sweat along with NEW YEARS DAY, at festivals, in clubs or on tours with HALESTORM, FALLING IN REVERSE, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, ICE NINE KILLS and IN THIS MOMENT.

NEW YEARS DAY is:

Ash Costello - Vocals
Nikki Misery - Lead Guitar
Jeremy Valentyne - Guitar
Brandon Wolfe - Bass
Trixx - Drums

Photo credit: Matt Akana

Almost 25 years have passed since the release of Stormlord's legendary debut album, Supreme Art Of War, and now it's time for a juicy reissue.


Due on November 10, the album, completely remastered, will be available on CD digipack, vinyl, limited vinyl, cassette and boxset. And obviously the t-shirt couldn't be missing!


Quantities are limited. Head here to pre-order your copy. Let the battle begin!

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has released a new video message in which he offered a bit more information about his upcoming tour of South America and Mexico in support of his new solo album, due in early 2024 on BMG. Titled "The Mandrake Project", it sees him reunited with long-time musical collaborator and producer Roy "Z" Ramirez.

"The Mandrake Project" will be Dickinson's seventh solo album and his first since "Tyranny Of Souls" in 2005.

Bruce said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Hello everybody in Brazil, South America, Mexico. So here we all are about to start the countdown to the only shows I'm gonna be doing in South America with the solo tour next year. All right, so these are the only gigs. I know the one in São Paulo is getting well on the way to being sold out already.

"But just to let you know about the band. Well, it's gonna be pretty… Obviously, Roy Z and I have been working on the record. It's gonna be great to bring Roy out. Basically, most of the people that played on the record, I'm hoping, are gonna be the band. In fact, they've all said yes, so I can't see why we wouldn't do that. So we're gonna have a fabulous rock and roll band. And we're gonna be doing stuff from, not just from the new album — it's gonna be stuff from… 'Cause let's face it, we haven't been there for a while. So 'Accident Of Birth', 'The Chemical Wedding', all that kind of stuff, all those albums absolutely to play for. So we'll be playing the classics. We couldn't play Brazil without playing 'Tears Of The Dragon'. But you'll sing it for me anyway, I know that — probably better than me. So, looking forward to coming.

"It's gonna be amazing," he added. "So, these are all my headline shows. We're not doing any festivals. We're not doing anything else around it. These are the only shows in Brazil. That will be it for now."

In a previous video message, Bruce said about "The Mandrake Project": "Of course, it's music. But, it's also much, much, more. More than that, I'm not gonna reveal for now, 'cause it will become self-explanatory and self-evident as we go through and reveal more layers of the onion for you all."

He continued: "But, yeah, 'The Mandrake Project'. We've been working on this since 2014, when it wasn't called 'The Mandrake Project'. And it's had time to grow and mature. And, oh my God, has it ever. I think you will be really, really excited. And, I hope you love everything that we've created for you."

When "The Mandrake Project" was first announced in September, Dickinson said in a statement: "This album has been a very personal journey for me and I am extremely proud of it. Roy Z and I have been planning, writing and recording it for years, and I am very excited for people to finally hear it. I'm even more excited at the prospect of getting out on the road with this amazing band that we have put together, to be able to bring it to life. We're planning to play as many shows as we can in as many places as possible, for as many people as we can! As for what 'The Mandrake Project' actually is… all will be revealed soon!”

"The Mandrake Project" tour dates:

April 18 - Diana Theater, Guadalajara, Mexico
April 20 - Pepsi Theatre, Mexico City, Mexico
April 24 - Live Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil
April 25 - Pepsi On Stage, Porto Alegre, Brazil
April 27 - Opera Hall, Brasilia, Brazil
April 28 - Arena Hall, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
April 30 - Qualistage, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
May 02 - Quinta Linda, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
May 04 - Vibra, Sao Paulo, Brazil

In March 2022, Bruce told Consequence about his next solo album: "I've been working on it, on and off, since 'Tyranny Of Souls'. But between lockdowns and albums and MAIDEN tours and everything else, I'm looking for a clear space to actually nail and say, 'Okay, this is what it's gonna be,' and get Roy to put some backing tracks down. And then we can do it. So we're at the point now where we've already got — I don't know — anywhere between 50 and 70 percent of the material for the album, depend[ing] on what we pick, from things we've already got. And I think we'd like to tweak it a little bit."

Back in December 2017, Dickinson said that his next solo LP would likely include a reworked version of "If Eternity Should Fail", the opening track on IRON MAIDEN's 2015 disc "The Book Of Souls". At the time, he said that he had about "half" of his seventh record already written and he also confirmed that "If Eternity Should Fail" was originally penned as a Dickinson solo track.

He told Finland's Kaaos TV that the original plan was for his next solo record to be "a whole concept album, which was gonna be called 'If Eternity Should Fail'. And 'If Eternity Should Fail' was the title track to my new solo album," he said. "And a bit like [Dickinson's 1989 solo song] 'Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter' [laughs], it got commandeered for IRON MAIDEN. So if I did do another solo album, which I think I will, I might just stick to my original plan and have that as the title track. I mean, I did write it — it was the first track that I wrote for it. So, yeah, I'd probably still include that song. But it would be… the feel would be slightly different — not very much, though — from the MAIDEN version."

In 2015, Dickinson told France's Hard Force magazine that "If Eternity Should Fail" ended up being used by IRON MAIDEN after bassist Steve Harris heard the demos that Bruce was working on for what was supposed to be his next solo album. "And [Steve] went, 'That's a really cool song. Can we use that? That's gonna be the opening song on the album,'" he recalled. "And I went, 'Yeah, okay.' And he was already writing, I think… He was already thinking of 'The Book Of Souls' as being the title, so he told me about the Mayan thing. And I'm, like, 'Yeah, that's cool. Okay. Yeah, I see where you're going.' But in my case, that song was written as part of a story. So the spoken word at the end is the beginning of a story that goes through the whole album. And one of the characters is Dr. Necropolis; he's the bad guy. And the good guy is Professor Lazarus; he raises people from the dead. So that introduces Necropolis in the spoken-word thing. And I asked Steve… I said, 'Look. Okay. I get having the song…' 'Cause it opens up with, 'Here is the soul of a man.' 'Yup. Get that. But what about the end?' I said, 'Will people understand what this is about? Because this is nothing to do with the Mayans or anything. This is to do with… I'd come up with a concept album that doesn't happen.' [Laughs] And he [went], 'No, no, no. It's just talking about souls and everything, and it sounds great.' I went, 'Okay.' [Laughs]"

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith. Since then, Dickinson has only released one more solo album (the aforementioned "Tyranny Of Souls") but has previously said that his solo career is not over.

During an appearance on the first episode of the "Totally 80s" podcast with host Lyndsey Parker, Ann Wilson offered an update on the previously announced HEART biopic. The movie about the Seattle rock greats is being written and directed by Carrie Brownstein, of SLEATER-KINNEY and "Portlandia" fame, and is being produced for Amazon by Lynda Obst, who has produced more than 20 movies and TV shows, including "Interstellar", "Contact", "Sleepless In Seattle", "The Fisher King", "Flashdance"; Amazon's "Good Girls Revolt", TVLand's "Hot In Cleveland", SyFy's "Helix" and NBC's miniseries "The '60s".

Ann stated about the status of the HEART biopic: "The pandemic kind of slowed them down a little bit, but it's in the works still. Carrie Brownstein's writing it. I've seen a couple of drafts of the script. It's good. She's a great writer. If anybody can capture the story of a couple of women in rock, it's probably Carrie, 'cause she's been there herself. And Lynda Obst is one of the producers."

Asked if she knows yet who is playing her and/or her sister Nancy, Ann said: "There've been a few things bandied about, but nothing solid yet."

Pressed about whom she would like to play her, and if she wants it be someone "who can sing," Ann said: "I'd like somebody who could sing, and then they could sing some, I could sing some. I think that my preference would be somebody young and brand new and fresh — somebody who's really got their shit together in terms of being into the script."

One actress who was interested in playing Ann in the film is Anne Hathaway, "but I don't think she's exactly right for it," Ann said in a November 2020 interview with the SiriusXM show "Volume West".

The movie will begin in the Wilson sisters' childhood and end in the '90s.

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.

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

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.

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.

Ann has just released a new album with her band TRIPSITTER, "Another Door". A record of all-original material, the LP marks the first time since the 1970s that Ann has written a full-length album collectively with a band. TRIPSITTER features Tony Lucido (bass),Ryan Wariner (guitars),Sean T Lane (drums),and Paul Moak (guitars and keyboards). Tom Bukovac (guitars) was also a primary contributor.

Long-running SoCal band (HED) P.E. has released a new single, "Too Late", from the band's upcoming album "Detox".

Frontman Jared Gomes comments: "The new song 'Too Late' is about taking shit for granted and by the time you realize it's too late. I spent more time on this record than every record before. I wanted the best hands on it so we sent it off to be mixed and mastered by Ulrich Wild, who is a heavy metal god. He's worked with everything from DEFTONES to PANTERA. The guy is a genius and his mixing and mastering on this record really brought out the best of the music. Fans are definitely feeling the new/old sound blend of 'Detox' so far and it's Ulrich's mixes and mastering that brought the shit to life."

(HED) P.E. has also dropped the animated graphic novel/music video for "Too Late", which forms the second installment of the "Detox: Planet Earth" story that takes each song and blends together the art of Jim "Taz" Evans and a post-apocalyptic story about corporations and the government conspiring against the people to line their pockets. Each song is another chapter of the story and if being released as a visual complement to the album. The video showcases the artistic brilliance of Evans, who has designed concert posters for NINE INCH NAILS, RAMONES, SMASHING PUMPKINS and FOO FIGHTERS. Each track on the album being accompanied by an animated video, contributing to the narrative of the story of "Detox: Planet Earth" that will later be released in its entirety.

The creation of "Detox" took place in Gomes's private studio, with Remy Dovianus partnering in production and songwriting, while Ulrich Wild handled mixing and mastering duties. The album pays homage to (HED) P.E.'s G-Punk roots, capturing the frenetic energy and signature elements of their distinctive sound. Wild's mixing and mastering expertise seamlessly melds raw aggression, swaggering hip-hop, and unadulterated hardcore, delivering a sonically cohesive experience.

Gomes shares a personal perspective on the album, saying: "Some of my music is written from an outside perspective, but 'Detox' is very extremely personal. Like many people, the pandemic really fucked me up. Trying to make ends meet was a constant hustle and it put us all in a weird headspace writing this record. The fallout from losing the ability to tour and earn a living while trying to provide for my family had me drowning in a bottle of red wine to say the least. I managed to pull myself out and 'Detox' amidst the chaos of having a newborn and a teenager. Hopefully 'Detox' can speak to anyone who is trying to figure out how to live in this new world."

"Detox" marks a triumphant return to the cherished G-Punk sound cherished by (HED) P.E. enthusiasts. The album exudes the quintessential (HED) P.E. essence — an unvarnished, honest narrative that compelled Gomes and the band to embrace their bold, provocative history, setting it in stark contrast to more sanitized releases. While previous works like "Only In Amerika" from 2005 were intentional reactions against radio-friendly conventions, "Detox" boldly raises its middle finger to mainstream norms.

(HED) P.E. stands as trailblazer in the G-Punk genre, a unique fusion of punk-rock, metal, hip-hop, and reggae. With a career spanning over two decades, the band has graced stages worldwide alongside rock titans like PAPA ROACH and LINKIN PARK, hardcore legends SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, and the iconic Ozzfest tour. Their partnership with Suburban Noize Records in the early 2000s contributed significantly to the thriving underground music scene.

(HED) P.E. will join NONPOINT, SUMO CYCO and VRSTY for "The Million Watts Tour 2023" across America this December.

In the new issue of Classic Rock magazine, legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen addresses why he no longer hires singers, preferring instead to take on vocal duties himself in recent years.

"I need to explain something to you," he says. "The way I work is different to everybody else. I can wake up in the middle of the night and hear a perfectly completed song — including the production. Therefore I don't need producers, outside writers, and I no longer need singers.

"When I had singers, I wrote the vocal melodies the way I heard them in my head and taught them to [former ALCATRAZZ bandmate] Graham Bonnet or whoever. Until I came to the States, I was the singer, guitar player and writer, all I needed to do was hire a bass player and drummer. Over my career there was only a small [period of time] when I used singers. It's just easier to do it myself."

A year and a half ago, Yngwie elaborated on his issues with vocalists when he was asked by Tigman of WPDH Radio 101.5 FM in Poughkeepsie, New York to name the best of the three singers he worked with early on in his career: Jeff Scott Soto, Mark Boals and Joe Lynn Turner. He responded: "Here's the way I look at this. So I came to America in 1982 and I joined a band called STEELER. And then I formed a band called ALCATRAZZ. In January 1984, I signed a record deal as a solo artist. So from the point of January 1984, it was never a band — never. There was never a band called RISING FORCE. My first solo album was called 'Rising Force'. I had a band called RISING FORCE in Sweden in '79. And when I hired people for my solo stuff, I would write the bass parts, the drum parts, the guitar parts — obviously — the keyboard parts, the vocal parts and the lyrics. So like an ensemble, like an orchestra or whatever, or even for a performance on Broadway, there's a written piece and the performer is hired to perform the piece. If they, for some reason, don't work out, you put someone else in there.

"For some strange reason, somebody seemed to think that a) it was a band, and b) the guy that was supposed to be the singer at the time was Elvis Presley or something," he continued. "No. So I therefore, [in] 2012, decided I'm not gonna hire singers anymore and I sing myself. I said, 'Good luck to you, guys. See you. Bye.'"

When Tigman noted that none of the singers Yngwie hired over the years "worked out" in the long run, Malmsteen said: "Well, they seem to think because they're the singer and not the keyboard player they're Elvis Presley. And they will soon find out, in my outfit they're notElvis Presley and they will have to move on.

"It's an Yngwie Malmsteensolo career," he explained. "And even now, for the last album I even played all the instruments as well.

"Listen, it's not like, oh, yeah, I minimize these guys — they're all great; whatever — but the thing is that I'm like an artist like a painter or something. Leonardo Da Vinci didn't call someone, like, 'Hey, dude, can you come over and finish half of my painting?' And that's how I work — I paint the whole painting. That's how I work."

Malmsteen previously floated the Elvis Presley comparison in reference to his former singers during a 2018 press conference in Malaysia. Asked why he chose to handle lead vocals himself on his then-latest album, 2016's "World On Fire", he said: "When I started out when I was a kid in Sweden, I had a band called RISING FORCE, I was the singer. Then I came to America and I was playing with STEELER and ALCATRAZZ, they [had their own] singers.

"I always thought that singers have the Elvis Presley syndrome — they think they're Elvis Presley," he continued. "They're not Elvis Presley. Because I write the music, I write the lyrics, I write the vocal melody lines — I write everything. Just because I let somebody sing something doesn't mean they're more important than the bass player or the keyboard player or the drummer. Because I write all the parts — I write the drum parts, the bass parts, the keyboard parts, the guitar parts and the vocal parts — like a classical composer. And I really kind of got tired of dealing with their bullshit, really. So I decided to sing myself."

In 2017, Malmsteen gave an interview to Metal Wani in which the iconic axeman said that he had no interest in collaborating with vocalists like Jeff Scott Soto, Joe Lynn Turner and Tim "Ripper" Owens ever again. "I'm very comfortable singing myself, first of all," Yngwie said. "Secondly, there's a certain disconnect when you write the song and you have someone else sing it for you. And it's kind of like a fakeness about it. I always wrote everything — I wrote all the lyrics, I wrote all the melodies, everything; it's just somebody else sung it. And to me, the singer is nothing else than a different… like a bass player or a keyboard player — they're not more important than any other musician. And they, unfortunately, seem to think that they are. And I've kind of had it with their sort of… self-absorbed sort of way, and I'm very much against it. No. I don't like that. I don't like any of those people, and I don't like to do anything with them ever again."

In the days after Yngwie's original interview with Metal Wani was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, several of the guitarist's former singers — including Soto, Turner and Owens — responded on social media, with Turner describing Malmsteen's statements as "the rantings of a megalomaniac desperately trying to justify his own insecurity." This was followed by a retort from a member of Yngwie's management team, who wrote on Malmsteen's Facebook page that the three vocalists "came out enraged, spitting insults and profanities" at the guitarist because "Yngwie said something that they didn't like." The management representative added: "It's very unfortunate that these past hired vocalists must resort to mudslinging and insults to elicit any kind of media attention towards them. Such classless, puerile words are ungentlemanly at best and absolutely disgraceful at worst."

Malmsteen's latest album, "Parabellum", was released in July 2021 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. Only four of the songs on the LP feature vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Brian Wilson.

British melodic rock band, Nitrate, have released their fourth studio album, Feel The Heat. A video for the title track can be found below.


“We can’t wait for everyone to hear the new album,” explains bassist/founder Nick Hogg. “There is a real buzz of excitement within the Nitrate camp like never before! We can’t wait for the album to finally hit the stores. This is ‘hand on heart’ the best album we have written and recorded, and Tom and James have devoted every waking moment over the past year to make the production the very best it can be.”


Nitrate’s new album, Feel The Heat, boasts 11 anthemic hook filled tracks. Produced and mixed by Martin Bros Productions (Vega), it features a duet and backing vocals by female rock artist Issa, backing vocals by rock legend Paul Laine (Danger Danger/The Defiants), along with a song co/written by legendary song writer Bob Mitchell (co-writer of the Billboard #1 song Cheap Trick’s “The Flame”). There are also backing vocals by Leon Robert Winteringham (LRW Project), Alan Clark (Change of Heart), and a couple of co-writes by Rob Wylde (Midnite City/Tigertailz).




After the success of their last album Renegade (their most successful to date, with well over 1 million streams on Spotify), they return in 2023 with their fourth album, working again with Tom and James Martin (Vega), vocal Swedish sensation Alexander Strandell (Art Nation, Crowne), along with Alex Cooper (Devilfire) on drums and Richard Jacques on guitars.


Formed in 2015 in Nottingham, England by bass player Nick Hogg, Nitrate is a melodic/AOR rock band heavily inspired by the late ‘80s rock scene. Influenced by the likes of Def Leppard, Europe, Journey, and Bon Jovi, they have three critically acclaimed albums already to their name.





Feel The Heat tracklisting:


"Feel The Heat"
"All The Right Moves"
"Wild In The City"
"Needs A Little Love"
"One Kiss (To Save My Heart)" (featuring Issa)
"Live Fast, Die Young"
"Haven't Got Time For Heartache"
"Satellite"
"Strike Like A Hurricane"
"Big Time"
"Stay"


"Feel The Heat" video:





"All The Right Moves" video:





"Wild In The City" video:





Lineup:


Nick Hogg - Bass Guitar
Alexander Strandell - Lead Vocals
Tom Martin - Guitars
James Martin - Keyboards
Alex Cooper - Drums
Richard Jacques – Guitars

Edge Of Forever have released their sixth studio album, Ritual. Check out a video for "Freeing My Will" below, and order/save Ritual here.


Edge Of Forever has never been so active since the 2019 reunion, returning to the scene with two strong albums: Native Soul and the critically acclaimed Seminole (2022).


The new lineup, consisting of Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Sweet Oblivion) on guitars, Nik Mazzucconi (Labyrinth, Sunstorm) on bass, and Marco Di Salvia (Hardline) on drums, and rounded up by singer, keyboardist, and founder Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Jorn, Revolution Saints), has become a true force of nature after the numerous tours and headlining shows that brought the band to successfully open for the likes of Skid Row (Belgium, The Netherlands), FM (Italy, Switzerland, Germany), and participating at Festival with Eclipse, Mike Tramp, and many more. They brought their music to thousands of people and multiple stages across Europe in the 16 months and 30-plus concerts supporting Seminole.




The new musical path made of heavier guitars, epic choruses, and the finest and richest arrangements has brought the band to a much bigger crowd, expanding their spectrum from a mere Hard Rock band.


The motivational lyrics, infused with positive mental attitude and stoicism, all under the Native American spiRitual culture, are now a trademark of the band and with Ritual, when you thought you couldn't dig deeper into these subjects, the band explores and even goes straight to the core matter that afflicted a minority: the residential schools tragedy.


Ritual tells the story of the last two indigenous people speaking a language soon to be forgotten. The twins, a boy and a girl, were sent to two different residential schools and were told that there was no one else left from their Nation and they needed to forget everything they might remember from it, either language or culture. Secretly, they continued practicing their idiom, hoping to escape and find their twin somewhere in the world. The boy ends up escaping school and starts a lifelong journey which leads him to meeting his sister on his bed of death. The album tells a story of pride, strength, pain, but also ultimate joy and fulfillment in being who you truly and deeply are.


Alessandro Del Vecchio: "Ritual is not just our next album, but it's the record that makes Edge Of Forever, a much stronger band. I'm so grateful that Aldo, Nik, and Marco have brought their songs, ideas, and personality to the table making this album our best and more personal one. While talking about what happened at Residential Schools and trying to channel every bit of pain, sadness, and terror that Native Americans had to endure during those years, I, as always, tried to bring a positive message where resilience and pride meet encouraging all of us to be the best that we can really be, while never forgetting our roots, culture, and, definitely, who we really are.”


While Seminole was created around the title track mini-suite, Ritual brings strong progressive elements, intricate arrangements, and multi-layered vocals front and center on the 21-minute suite of the same title, which ends the story at the highest peak of the band's creation.


Alessandro Del Vecchio's crystal clear production brings every detail upfront and makes the whole band's delivery powerful while throwing the listener into the center of the band's own sound.


Ritual sees the whole band writing and working as a full unit bringing new elements where melody, power, depth, and heaviness all meet together in an album that makes Edge Of Forever a unique case in today’s musical environment.





Ritual tracklisting:


"Where Are You?"
"Water Be My Path"
"Freeing My Will"
"The Last One"
"Love Is the Only Answer"
"Forever’s Unfolding"
"Ritual Pt. I"
"Ritual Pt. II Revert Destiny"
"Ritual Pt. III Taunting Souls"
"Ritual Pt. IV Baptized in Fire"
"Ritual Pt. V Ride the Wings of Hope"
"Ritual Pt. VI Cross My Eyes"
"Ritual Pt. VII Reconciliation"


"Freeing My Will" video:





"Ritual Pt. I" video:





Lineup:


Alessandro Del Vecchio - Vocals, keyboards
Aldo Lonobile - Guitars
Nik Mazzucconi - Bass
Marco Di Salvia - Drums

Swedish power metal warriors, Brothers Of Metal, performed "Theft Of The Hammer" during their set at Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival 2023. Watch the performance video below:





Brothers Of Metal will support Gloryhammer and Beast In Black on their co-headline tour in 2024. Aptly named Glory And The Beast, this tour promises to be a monumental experience for metal enthusiasts worldwide.




Glory And The Beast - Double Headline Tour 2024 will kick off in January/February 2024, igniting stages across Europe with its unstoppable force. This is an opportunity for metal enthusiasts to witness two of the most exciting bands in the genre coming together for an unmissable spectacle.





Dates:


January
10 - Stockholm, Sweden - Arenan Fryshuset
11 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
12 - Roskilde, Denmark - Epic Fest
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Edel Optics Arena           
14 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013 Poppodium    
16. - Zurich, Switzerland - Volkshaus
17 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
19 - Munich, Germany - TonHalle
20 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra Red Stage
21 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Sports Hall Datart
23 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
24 - Krakow, Poland - Studio
26 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
27 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
28 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
30 - Paris, France - Olympia


February
1 - Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
2 - Geiselwind, Germany - Eventhalle
3 - Stuttgart, Germany - Wagenhallen
4 - Saarbrücken, Germany - Garage
6 - London, England - O2 Forum Kentish Town

Scorpions have dipped back into the past to release a rare performance of the Animal Magnetism album's title track, filmed in Houston, Texas on June 27, 1980. The footage has been carefully restored from the band’s archives.





Watch previously released footage of the band performing the Animal Magnetism track, “Don’t Make No Promises (Your Body Can’t Keep)", from the same show:

Death metal overlords, Dying Fetus, performed at the 2023 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Below you can watch professionally-filmed footage of the band performing the songs "Subjected To A Beating", "Grotesque Impalement", and "Compulsion For Cruelty":





Dying Fetus recently released their new album, Make Them Beg For Death. Recorded in Baltimore with longtime producer Steve Wright and mixed by Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse), Make Them Beg For Death contains every Dying Fetus hallmark. The veteran death metal band’s ninth album is fast, intense, and brimming with unstoppable grooves. Find a full album audio stream below.




Order the new album here.





Make Them Beg for Death tracklisting:


"Enlighten Through Agony"
"Compulsion For Cruelty"
"Feast Of Ashes"
"Throw Them In The Van"
"Unbridled Fury"
"When The Trend Ends"
"Undulating Carnage"
"Raised In Victory / Razed In Defeat"
"Hero’s Grave"
"Subterfuge"


Album stream:





“Raised In Victory / Razed In Defeat” visualizer:





"Feast Of Ashes" video:





Dying Fetus have announced the "Make Them Beg For Death" US Tour, with support from The Acacia Strain, Despised Icon, Creeping Death, and Tactosa. The 26-date trek will make stops in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Chicago before concluding in Baltimore on November 18. Tickets on sale now.





Dates:


October
17 - Cincinnati. OH - Bogarts    
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre
19 - Philadelphia, PA - Brooklyn Bowl
20 - Richmond, VA - Canal Club
21 - Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
22 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
24 - Orlando, FL - The Beacham
26 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
28 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
30 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre
31 - Phoenix, AZ - The Marquee


November
1 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
2 - Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco
3 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
4 - Sacramento, CA - Ace OF Spades
5 - Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
7 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
9 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
10 - Lawrence, KS - The Granada
11 - Minneapolis, MN - The Lyric At Skyway
12 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
13 - Detroit, MI -  St. Andrew's Hall
14 - Cleveland, OH - House Of Blues
15 - Rochester, NY - Water Street Music Hall
17 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
18 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live

Modern metalcore project, Oni, have released their third full-length album, The Silver Line. Produced, mixed and mastered by Spiritbox bassist Josh Gilbert and Joe McQueen (As I Lay Dying, Light The Torch, Bad Wolves), 'The Silver Line' pushes the metalcore genre forward into the light of mainstream accessibility with enormous hooks and a balanced dose of colossal riffs and catchy melody.


Discussing the album, frontman Jake Oni states:  "This album is different completely from anything I’ve done before. It’s the new direction for Oni sonically with Josh Gilbert and me at the helm writing and Joe McQueen mixing and getting the best vocal takes from me. It’s banger after banger from heavy tracks like 'Cyanide' to melodic uplifting songs like 'Aura', this album will have something for everyone to enjoy!"


Today, Oni also unveiled a music video for the record's latest standout track, "Spark", which features celebrated rapper/singer, Sueco. The VFX masterpiece was created by acclaimed director Jensen Noen (Bring Me The Horizon, Jay Z, Spiritbox).




Commenting on the collaboration with Sueco, Jake states: "'Spark' is an awesome song and Sueco is a super chill cool dude to work with. Overall we made a banger of a song. A real Josh Gilbert masterpiece."


Sueco adds: "Working with ONI was a cool experience, the music video was really nuts. Probably one of the craziest videos I’ve been a part of. Excited for it to finally be out!"


Watch the video below.





Tracklisting:


"Silhouette"
"Spark" feat. Sueco
"Underneath My Skin" feat. Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens)
"Silence In A Room Of Lies" feat. Jared Dines
"Cyanide"
"The Dread" feat. Justin Hill (Sikth)
"Aura" feat. Howard Jones (Light The Torch) & Josh Gilbert (Spiritbox)
"Armageddon" feat. Michael Lessard (The Contortionist)
"Burns My Soul"


"Spark" video:





"Aura" video:





"Silence In A Room Of Lies" video:





"Underneath My Skin" lyric video:





(Photo - Jonathan Weiner)

Texas Hippie Coalition have released a video for "Hard Habit", featured on their new album, The Name Lives On, available via MNRK Heavy. The band's seventh studio effort is a hard-hitting, riff-heavy sonic assault from beginning to end.


The video was directed by David Parada, and sees the band enjoying the spoils of touring, including a stop at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally earlier this year.







Texas Hippie Coalition is often compared to the many great southern rock and Texas bands that came before them. But they are proving to the world that THC is not just following in their footsteps, they are leaving giant footprints. THC has etched out a place for themselves in the multi-genre fields of music, and have also created their own genre, "Red Dirt Metal." You have to hear it to understand it. Words are not enough to convey how powerfully big their sound is.





Tracklisting:


"Hell Hounds"
"| Come From The Dirt"
"Built For The Road"
"Scream"
"Hard Habit"
"Believe"
"License To Kill"
"Keep My Name Out Of Your Mouth"
"| Teach Angels How To Fly"
"The Name Lives On"


"Hell Hounds" video:





(Photo - Colt Coan)

Kill The Lights, the five-headed metal behemoth which features former members of Bullet For My Valentine, Throw The Fight, Threat Signal, and Still Remains, released their debut album The Sinner, in 2020 via Fearless Records. Today, they've dropped gargantuan new single, "Scapegoat", and its official video.





Classic and modern metal styles collide head on in "Scapegoat." The band storm out of the gates from the opening note, with galloping, intricate riffs kicking the song into high gear. Guttural, savage roars give way to clean, melodic vocal sweeps with seamless ease, the contrast of light and dark effectively showing just how brutal Kill The Lights can be and just how far they've come. It is a monster of a track.




"'Scapegoat' discusses the feeling of being trapped in your own head, believing that there is no escape or place that you can turn to for help," the band explains. "The constant cycles of self-doubt, anger, and depression eat away at your confidence and willingness to make changes. It's like you're setting yourself up to fail - always choosing the path with the most negative outcomes or most toxic situations."


Listen here, and watch the official video below:





Earlier this summer, Kill The Lights unveiled new single "Broken Bones," bursting with pulsing riffs, racing solos, and unforgettable melodies that make for one helluva fist-pumping anthem to incite moshpits the world over. The band perfectly executes their classic yet modern metal sound.


"'Broken Bones' tells the story of someone who is in the depths of loss, heartbreak, and tragedy," the band states. "Frozen with fear, they are forced to watch their life play out like a bad movie. Only hope keeps them from drowning in their own struggle with mental health. Every breath a struggle, each day a battle. On hands and knees, they fight just to get through the day."





Follow up metal banger, "Hear You Scream" was equally well received. A flawless marriage of shreddy, finger-slicing riffs, with ferocious solos, and modern vocal harmonies, it also weaves in screams that have ascended from the bowels of hell and two utterly seismic breakdowns.


"'Hear You Scream' is about being trapped in a toxic relationship and not knowing how to escape," says singer James Clark. "You convince yourself over and over that things will get better, but all along, you are being used. When the mask of 'fake love' is peeled back, the web of lies and deceit are unveiled. You slowly and strategically bide your time and exact your revenge."

Canadian rock legends RUSH have reacted to the deadly conflict triggered by Palestinian group Hamas's shock attack on Israel.

In response to Palestinian militants in Gaza firing a deadly barrage of rockets and sending gunmen into Israeli territory, Israel launched strikes on what it called Hamas targets in Gaza. The combined death toll on both sides of the war has climbed over 3,000.

On Friday (October 13), RUSH released the following statement via social media: "We are sickened by news of the brutal atrocities and monstrous acts of cold-blooded murder committed by the terrorist group Hamas - an organization dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state and the extermination of its people. Our hearts break for the people of Israel and for Jews around the world as they process these horrible events. These are dark acts of barbarism for which there can be no justification. Our hearts also go out to all innocent souls in Gaza that have lost their lives, been injured or put in jeopardy as a result of the actions of this inhuman terrorist regime."

Israel's military said Hamas's attack and ongoing rocket fire from Gaza had killed more than 1,300 people and left at least 3,200 wounded as of Friday. In Gaza, the Health Ministry that the Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 2,215 people, including 724 children, and left more than 8,714 others wounded.

On Tuesday, U.S. president Joe Biden called the Hamas assault "an act of sheer evil".

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In the world of heavy metal, there are iconic bands, and then there's GHOST. The enigmatic Swedish metal act has been captivating audiences worldwide with their unique blend of theatricality, melody, and darkness for over a decade. One of their most notorious releases, the "Phallos Mortuus" ritual box set, originally unveiled in 2013, is making a triumphant return as a 10th-anniversary edition. This collector's gem, laden with mystique and a heavy dose of humor, is once again available for GHOST enthusiasts and metal aficionados to savor.

The "Phallos Mortuus" ritual box set is a testament to GHOST's artistic daring and an unapologetic exploration of their controversial themes. The "X Anniversary Edition" preserves the essence of the original, housed in a bible box adorned with gold embossed artwork and lined with sumptuous red velvet. As a hallmark of authenticity, the package includes a customized GHOST foil emblem on a divorce paper scroll. The GHOST brushed metal logo pin is yet another intriguing addition, marking this box set as an indispensable addition to any true fan's collection. And just like the original version the most eyebrow-raising inclusions in the "Phallos Mortuus – X Anniversary Edition" is the bronze-effect metal butt plug with a molded "Grucifix" logo base. GHOST has always been notorious for pushing boundaries and exploring unconventional themes in their music and merchandise, and this element of the box set undoubtedly reinforces their commitment to the bizarre.

However, the pièce de résistance of the box set is a sculpted black dildo, shaped in the likeness of none other than Papa Emeritus II, the iconic and enigmatic vocalist of GHOST. For fans of the band, this provocative addition serves as a tangible connection to the theatricality and eccentricity that has come to define GHOST's stage presence. It's a collector's item that goes beyond the typical band merchandise, making it a talking point and conversation starter for those who dare to display it.

The "Phallos Mortuus – X Anniversary Edition" is not just a box set; it's a conversation piece, a statement of loyalty, and an artifact of a band that has consistently challenged convention. Priced at $225, it's an investment in the lore and mystique of GHOST. For die-hard fans, it's a must-have addition to their collection, serving as a reminder of a decade of devotion to this enigmatic musical entity.

For those who missed out on the initial release in 2013 or are looking to upgrade their collection, the "Phallos Mortuus – X Anniversary Edition" is currently available in the official GHOST store. However, it's advisable to act quickly to secure a piece of metal history.

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Kobra And The Lotus vocalist / founder Kobra Paige releases her first solo single, "Love What I Hate", today (Friday, October 13th=. The song is now available via digital platforms found here.


Check it out below.







Kobra recently issued the following update: "I’m SO excited to launch my new website! There are so many moving pieces happening for my upcoming single release, and I'm excited that this hub is ready to share. Check it out through kobrapaige.com."


Kobra Paige is a Canadian artist, creating through the medium of music and song writing. She is the founder of two time, Juno Nominated Hard Rock project Kobra and the Lotus. Kobra is currently gearing up for the launch of her second project (2023), heavily focused on topics of social change. Through song and deliberate visuals, this next body of work aims to encourage self-liberation without abandoning the world.


Kobra And The Lotus was formed in 2009. They have released six albums and one EP to date: Out of the Pit (2010), Kobra and the Lotus (2012), High Priestess (2014), Words Of The Prophets EP (2015), Prevail I (2017), Prevail II (2018), and Evolution (2019).

Orange County, CA-based classic metal band, Leatherwolf, have released their latest video/single, "Only The Wicked", off their most recent full-length album, Kill The Hunted, mixed by legendary studio whiz, Randy Burns (Megadeth, Kreator, Suicidal Tendencies). The video can be viewed below, and the track is available on Bandcamp and all digital platforms.





The "Only The Wicked" clip was filmed at a West Los Angeles CA location with award winning Spanish director Eric Boadella of Nlight Productions whose credits include L.A. Guns, Black Swan, and Revolution Saints.




"'Only The Wicked' is one of the songs off Kill The Hunted that's been receiving the most positive feedback and it's a personal favorite of mine as well," states drummer/founding member, Dean Roberts. "In another era, this would've probably been our lead-off single - it's got a strong chorus and definite radio potential. The thought of doing a video and hopefully giving the song some extra attention had actually been lingering for a while so I'm glad we made it a reality. We had a blast shooting with Eric and his dedicated crew and we're all pretty stoked how it turned out. Hopefully the fans will dig it as well."





Leatherwolf recently issued a limited edition double vinyl version of Kill The Hunted, including a bonus track remake of their 1989 Street Ready classic, "Thunder". Retitled "Thunder (MMXXII)", the song features a lead guitar special guest appearance by Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Iconic, Trans-Siberian Orchestra). Copies are available on the band's Big Cartel store, here.


Concurrent with the release of the "Only The Wicked" video/single, the full Kill The Hunted album will be made available on all streaming services, including Spotify.


Lineup:


Keith Adamiak - vocals
Rob Math - guitars
Luke Man - guitars
Wayne Findlay - guitar & keys
Dean Roberts - drums
Brice Snyder - bass (live)
Barry Sparks - bass (studio)

In a new interview with Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!, legendary rock producer Tom Werman was asked if working with MÖTLEY CRÜE in the band's early days was exactly as it had been portrayed in the official CRÜE biography, "The Dirt - Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band", and the subsequent Netflix film adaptation of the book. He responded: "[The portrayal in the book was] pretty fictitious. There's facts, but it's always stretched. And I was relieved not to be in that book and that movie. Nikki [Sixx, CRÜE bassist] slagged me in [his book] 'The Heroin Diaries'. Nothing he said I agreed with. We both recalled things differently. He said he wound up producing most of Vince's [Neil] vocals. Not true. Other things like that. [He said that] I was on the phone all the time. … You know, if I was that bad, how did I get 23 gold and platinum records? Or why didn't they fire me instead of having me do a second and a third album? It isn't easy having done stuff. They take shots — they take shots at you. I'm not saying it's perfect. I'm not saying it was perfect. I partied with the boys. But 'The Heroin Diaries' specifically was probably subject to inaccuracy because it was written by a guy who was on heroin. It figures."

Werman is promoting his new book "Turn It Up! My Time Making Hit Records In The Glory Days Of Rock Music", which will arrive on November 21 via Jawbone Press.

Back in 2008, Werman fired back at Sixx after Nikki responded to Werman's letter to The New York Times calling Sixx's memoir, "The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star", "totally deluded" and "stunningly inaccurate." Werman took issue with Sixx's claims that the bassist did all the work in the studio on the CRÜE albums "Theatre Of Pain", "Shout At The Devil" and "Girls, Girls, Girls" while Werman chatted on the phone.

Sixx said in his response in part: "Tom Werman being worried about what I said in my book about him is just so narcissistic and self-centered. I'm sorry if he got his feelings hurt but I feel that I was kind to Mr. Werman by withholding things from the book that would have jeopardized his marriage and his job security with Elektra at the time...if Mr. Werman wants me to publish a complete accounting of the facts, I'll gladly write a nice short story in the form of a blog that will expose his actions during all the MÖTLEY CRÜE sessions that would make very interesting reading for his wife."

A short time later, Werman released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET in which he said: "So let me get this straight: Nikki Sixx is threatening to squeal on me to my wife about partying in the studio 23 years ago? And he's doing this because I called into question his recollection of our recording sessions? Is this the same Nikki Sixx I once knew? Sure doesn't sound like him.

"How about this one: 'I feel I was kind to Mr. Werman by withholding things from the book that would have jeopardized his marriage and job security at Elektra.' Sounds to me like a lawyer, or maybe an editor, but not Nikki Sixx. I wasn't aware that he was that familiar with my 40-year marriage. As for Elektra, Nikki Sixx knew very well that I never held a job at that label during any of our three recordings. By saying he was kind, perhaps he's implying that I should be grateful to him for his allegation that I spent most of my studio time on the phone and for labeling me a 'whiny little fucker?' I can see Nikki Sixx writing that, but calling my letter 'narcissistic?' Come on…. Indignant? Maybe. Self-righteous? You bet. But 'narcissistic??' Who is this guy?"

Werman continued in his 2008 statement: "In the '80s sex, drugs and rock & roll was the name of the game. Tom Werman did it. Nikki Sixx did it. Everybody did it. It's a bit like having yet another reporter ask Barack Obama about his former cocaine use. Yes, he did it. Yes, that was back in college. Yes, he's 44 now. Next question, please.

"Show me a musician or anyone who worked in a recording studio for a living during the 1980s who claims never to have done meaningless, indiscreet things under the influence, and I'll show you a liar. Some people's judgment was so poor they even became addicted to heroin!! The notion that Mr. Sixx feels so defensive about my letter that he would issue this kind of threat and deal in this kind of innuendo might as well be the plot line from a bad screenplay.

"Isn't it curious how they say they love you while they're selling millions of records, but a couple of decades later you didn't capture their sound, you didn't work hard enough, you didn't pay enough attention, you talked on the phone all the time, you partied too hard, and, in fact, you're personally responsible for everything in their lives that they've failed to achieve?

"If his recollection of my behavior in the studio is accurate, isn't it curious that I was able to produce 20 additional gold and platinum records without his assistance? If I was so useless, why didn't he just can me after the first LP? Or at least after the second? After all, he was the leader of that band. More to the point, why didn't he express his dissatisfaction with my performance in the studio candidly, face to face, on the job? Apparently it's more convenient to wait 23 years and establish a couple of thousand miles between us in order to take a swipe at me. This is the same guy who slapped me on the back, called me 'Pops,' hung with me at his Sherman Oaks house, snorted coke with me, drank Jack with me, and went out for sushi with me.

"MÖTLEY CRÜE's support staff jumped through flaming hoops for these guys. Doc McGhee and his people did everything they humanly could to keep the band healthy, functioning and out of prison. The lawyers, the accountants, the publicists, the managers, the agents, the labels, the drug counselors….and similarly, I can assure you that it's no easy task to make a hit record with artists who are actively shooting heroin. And we made three of them! Mr. Sixx's take on this is simple: everyone was just taking advantage of him. Every individual mentioned in this book shares the blame for most of what was wrong with Nikki's life, as seen from his heroin-distorted perspective.

"I really do recall most of my time with this band as quite pleasant — even my relationship with Mr. Sixx. I enjoyed working with Mick, Vince, and especially Tommy, who is a very positive guy. What I object to, what comes as such a surprise — and what is such a deep disappointment — is this gratuitous historical revision, employed solely to insult people. Mr. Sixx calls this whining, I suppose.

"I guess I was just being unrealistic to have expected any better from any of them, but the hypocrisy is still pretty damn disappointing. Enough said."

Werman also lashed out in 2004 at TWISTED SISTER over comments the band made regarding his contributions to their breakthrough 1984 album, "Stay Hungry".

The producer retired from music in 2002 and opened a bed and breakfast in Massachusetts.

Back in 2021, Reservoir announced the acquisition of Werman's producer catalog. The deal included 100% of Werman's producer rights for all of his works including the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by POISON.

In addition to "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", some of Werman's evergreen productions include POISON's "Nothin' But A Good Time", TWISTED SISTER's "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock", MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Girls, Girls, Girls" and CHEAP TRICK's "Surrender", among many others.

Posted by Tom Werman on Thursday, September 7, 2023

International power trio THE CARDS, featuring original, founding SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn, has released a new single, "King Kong". The track is taken from the band's upcoming second album, "Generation Jukebox", which will arrive on November 10.

The group, also featuring American singer/bassist Harrison Young (of DORO and U.D.O.) and Dutch drummer Koen Herfst (of VANDENBERG) previously announced plans to tour with PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS in the U.K. this November.

"This album and tour will see us heading into a new but familiar realm," says Quinn. "It's more rock than the last, but I guess that makes sense, considering our backgrounds."

Regarding the album title "Generation Jukebox", Young says: "We tried to touch on as many different eras of rock music as possible, because it's what we all grew up with, together but separately, generationally and geographically, from Motown to metal. So that's what it means to me. That we, as THE CARDS, are sort of a Generation(al) Jukebox."

Quinn made waves in the hard rock and metal world earlier this year when he announced his departure from SAXON after an astonishing 48 years of heavy metal service, citing the burdens of heavy touring as his main reason.

Quinn and his former SAXON bandmates remain on good terms, with Paul playing a farewell show this past summer at Barcelona Rocks festival. There have also been hints from both sides that he will continue to appear in some capacity on SAXON's new albums. Meanwhile, Paul continues to make his own kind of music and play shows on his own terms, as evidenced by this latest output with THE CARDS.

Pre-order "Generation Jukebox" and listen to the new single "King Kong" now at this location.

THE CARDS formed in 2016 when Quinn and Young began meeting weekly to write songs. Soon, they were joined in the studio and onstage by Herfst. Joining them on the upcoming tour, however, will be U.K.-based drummer Rod Fearnley, best known for his work with Paul's former SAXON bandmate Graham Oliver.

In March, Quinn thanked fans for their "outpouring of love and respect" after his announcement that he was "stepping back from touring".

In a recent interview with Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind, SAXON frontman Biff Byford spoke about Quinn's decision to retire from the road. The singer said: "Yeah, it's gonna be a change. The thing is it wasn't a surprise. It was talked about for a few years now that he might retire. And the thing is the band are getting bigger, and we're busy and we're doing longer tours and bigger venues. I just think he wants to rest now. So it wasn't really a shock. We talked about it a few times, the fact that he gets very tired quite quickly. There's a lot of pressure on you when you're touring in a band. So, he's gonna be around. He's gonna doing the new album with us. So pretty much he will be there, but not there, if you know what I mean."

Quinn was replaced in SAXON's touring lineup by DIAMOND HEAD's Brian Tatler.

Photo by Leon Hodiamont

New Jersey’s symphonic metal band, Everdawn will release Venera on December 8th, their follow-up to 2021’s Cleopatra and their first on Frontiers Records. The first single and lyric video from the album, “Cassiopeia”, are out today.


Of the new single, the band says, “It's really fascinating to think about the fine line between confidence and arrogance and who it is that gets to decide when we go too much into the latter. How much of ourselves are we allowed to put on a pedestal? Indeed many of us try to find the balance between self-respect and pride, and this song is all about using the myth of Queen Cassiopeia as an allegory for exploring the fragile relationship between the two. It begs the questions: just how far are we allowed to go when it comes to the belief in our own power, before the world will try to take it away? How far are we willing to go before we lose everything and everyone dear to us for the sake of our pride? Just like Queen Cassiopeia, we must learn from her and reflect upon whether we are willing to reap the consequences of our hurbis— and worse yet, watch as others suffer by that same hand.”







Venera artwork and tracklisting:





"Cassiopeia"
"Century Black"
"Silver Lining"
"Karmic Partner"
"Northern Star"
"Justify The Means"
"The Promise"
"Crimson Dusk And Silver Dawn"
"Venera"
"Orion’s Belt"
"Images Everlasting"
"Samsara"
"Truer Words Ever Spoken"
"Beneath The Well"


Pre-add / pre-save Venera here. For further details, visit Everdawn on Facebook.