Straight off the back of their run in Europe, Akilla reveals their brand new video. Taken from the debut album The Gods Have Spoken, this is "Blood & Bone". A full-on, groove-laden epic based on stories of Aztec ritual sacrifice that will have you wanting to mosh your arms off and roar your heart out in the space of five and a half minutes. 





"Blood & Bone" was written, recorded and mixed by Akilla. Drum recording and mastering by Jack Helliwell at DC Studios. Music video was filmed on location in Norwich, UK and edited by Ross Wilson, the band's vocalist and guitarist.




Akilla have already played shows with the likes of Heidevolk, Akercocke and Winterfylleth and have smashed stages as far away as Reykjavik in Iceland, Germany and Belgium, but on the basis of "Blood & Bone" and its accompanying album, it's clear they're only just getting started. Merging epic metal riffs with gorgeous, multilayered guitar melodies, propelled by frontman Ross Wilson's ferocious growls and lashings of atmospheric, symphonic flourishes, The Gods Have Spoken is a true journey of emotions: rage, sorrow and catharsis all channeled through lyrics that majestically tackle the ancient legends of the world. It's a true heavy metal saga in the greatest traditions. 





Tracklisting:


"Winds Of Winter"
"Serpent & The Son"
"Queen Of Heaven"
"Song Of The Seafarers"
"Blood & Bone"
"Cosmica"
"The Gods Have Spoken"
"Echo"





 

Renowned in the UK underground, the indomitable talents of Derek Carley (Burial, Wolfbastard), Ryan Whittaker, Rob Harris (Necronautical) and Lewis Bridges (Ond) form Foetal Juice, a band that delivers a seething, virtuosic, and violent audial assault. Their latest album, Grotesque, is more gruesome than ever with savage sound and remorseless lyrics, it will unleash a cataclysmic symphony of brutality that will leave the faint-hearted in tatters. Their single “Legion Of The Grotesque” delves into the macabre world of those who overuse cosmetic surgery, turning themselves into grotesque monstrosities. A disfigured tale of botched Botox and vanity gone horribly wrong is explained further by the band:


“This song was inspired by our love of Angel Corpse. Our guitarist wrote a riff that we loved so we thought, 'Why does it need to move to the next section every four bars?' So, we stay on the same riff for longer than we normally would with other elements of the song changing around it. Again, it’s something new that we have tried for this album and it works really well. We’ve thought it needed breaking up with something less blast-beaty in the middle as it has a lot of constant blasting in this one.”







Despite the stench of death surrounding Foetal Juice, their technical prowess should not be overlooked. This album is a sonic defecation that transcends the boundaries of the grotesque, creating a maelstrom of sound that will engulf and consume your senses.


Formed with a simple goal of bridging the gap between grind and death metal their music is a relentless, violent, and catchy brand of death metal that leaves no room for apologies. It's unapologetic sonic devastation, and it's what Foetal Juice does best. They are recommended for those with a strong stomach and fans of Vomitory, Napalm Death, and Terrorizer.


Grotesque is due out on November 17th, 2023 via Gore House Productions and is available for album pre-order (Cassette / CD / Digital) and pre-save at this location. 





Tracklisting:


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





(Photo credit: Karen Carley)


 

On December 1st internationally, Dominance Of Darkness Records will release the second album from Germany's Dethroned - A Bridge To Eternal Darkness, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.


Dethroned is one of the most cult entities in the rich (yet often overlooked) history of German black metal. The band's roots stretch back to 1991, with the band Mysticism, who released but one demo. From Mysticism's ashes came Dethroned in 1993, founded by the trio of Barkayal, BSoD, and Morgoth. Over the course of the next three years, the band would release a half-dozen demos, faithfully exuding the spirit of the mid '90s black metal scene. In 1998, Dethroned would release a live tape, Christentod, which would include a couple bonus tracks that were from an aborted 7" EP. They would retreat to the shadows for a full decade before emerging with Promo 2008, soon followed by the Dominance Of Darkness-released In The Sign Of The Pentagram, a retrospective compilation covering their '90s works. Another hiatus ensued until 2016, which saw Dethroned release a split album joined by fellow German hordes Sacrilegious Rite and Goatblood. At long last, in 2017 did they release their first full-length, Bluotrunst, thankfully sounding very much like the '90s never ended.


And so it goes (and, as expected, after some years of silence) with Dethroned's second album, A Bridge To Eternal Darkness. Something of a 30th anniversary release for the Germans, A Bridge To Eternal Darkness is truly titled: 47 minutes of trend-free olde-worlde black metal, serving as a portal to mysteries and mysticism beyond the mien of mortals. Like the mythical era from which they sprang, Dethroned here maintain a curious contrast between stark monochromatism and borderless songwriting - a throwback to the days when you immediately knew you were experiencing black metal, but each band offered unique twists in its make-no-mistake presentation. As such, A Bridge To Eternal Darkness is a deceptively dynamic listen. Aggression is certainly accounted for, but so is melancholia, and often within the same song; songwriting largely sticks to mid-tempos at once triumphant and sashaying, martial and reposed. Guitars are sharp and cold, of course, but actual bass guitar pushes those dynamics forward; foggy synths linger where they may, intermittent but always with powerful purpose. The production is superlative in its balance between effervescent rawness and crystalline clarity, altogether highlighting the very real (and very impassioned) playing across the album. Concluding in a manner most fitting is a cover of the scene-legendary Grausamkeit, ​honoring both tradition as well as BSoD and Barkayal's years in Dethroned.




Keeping matters DIY, guitarist John Never handled all artwork (exterior and interior) for A Bridge To Eternal Darkness. To celebrate this anniversary, Dominance Of Darkness will concurrently reissue Bluotrunst as a six-panel digipack CD with alternate cover art. 





Tracklisting:


"Come To Me"
"Vinum Creaturae"
"Disciple Of The Elders"
"Colour Out Of Space"
"Void"
"Ewig Fäulnis"
"Ruf Der Tiefe"
"Descent"
"A Bridge To Eternal Darkness"
"Im Zeichen Des Bösen" (Grausamkeit cover)


"Come To Me":

Portland death metal trio Thanamagus will unleash their Lie In Wait debut EP on October 27th via Carbonized Records in the US and Seed Of Doom Records in Europe.


Thanamagus is vocalist / guitarist Jonatan Quintana (Ritual Necromancy, Decrepisy), guitarist Nick Alosio, and drummer Charlie Koryn (Ascended Dead, Funebrarum). Forged in 2019 and inspired by the likes of Kreator, Dark Angel, Insanity, and Immolation, together the band set out on a mission to push their musical limits towards faster, darker, and more brutal directions. Following their two-track Incorporeal Passage demo, Thanamagus’ Lie In Wait EP brandishes a vicious, schizophrenic brand of death metal punctuated by lyrical themes centered around death worship, disembodiment, and the afterlife. Recorded at The Underworld Studios by Charlie Koryn and mixed and mastered at Subterranean Watchtower Studio by Damian Herring, the release features the band at its most savage and inhuman.


In advance of the EP’s release, Thanamagus has unveiled “Beneath Despondent Ash” for public appreciation. Issues the band, “The soul detaches. Bottomless, deeper, mystic. The gateway opens once more, the incorporeal passage. Even in the afterlife, you are not safe… Death is our master… We wonder whom else the darkness has consumed…”







Lie In Wait, which includes bass guitar performed by Vince Blank, cover art by Yuri Kahan, and additional art by Kim Jakobsson, will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats.


US pre-orders can be placed here. For European pre-orders, visit this location. 





Tracklisting:


"Procession" (Intro)
"Severed Spiritual Limbs"
"Unburied Whispers"
"Lowermost Dispiritedness"
"Beneath Despondent Ash"


For further details, visit Thanamagus on Facebook.


(Photo by Liana Rakijian)


 

In an interview with Rock Antenne conducted at this past summer's Summer Breeze festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz and singer Jesse Leach spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Atonement" album. Adam said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It's going] very slow, but we're taking our time with the demoing process. We're gonna start recording right after this tour, actually. So, I would like it to be done by the end of the year, but it will most likely be completed early next year. And then we've gotta wait for the vinyl, and you know how that works. And so it'll probably be like mid-to-late next year. It takes that long."

Regarding what fans can expect from the next KILLSWITCH ENGAGE LP, Jesse said: "I think it sounds like KILLSWITCH, but we're really pushing to do different lyrics, different themes, different sounds. None of it's gonna be phoned in. And that's why it's taken so long — just rewriting stuff and really just doing quality control."

Added Adam: "We made an effort to have everyone spend more time together writing instead of separately. Because we live so far from each other, it's hard for us to get together and jam. And we made an effort to all meet up and write music together this time. So there's that too. So it's gonna feel a little different, for sure. [It will be] more collaborative."

Last month, Dutkiewicz told TotalRock's Neil Jones that KILLSWITCH ENGAGE was "still at demo stages" for the upcoming album, "but we have quite a bit of demos. And Jesse's been writing and rewriting and going back to the little chopping block. We decided to have everybody in the band become a part of the lyric writing too. So Jesse will bring ideas. We say, 'We like this. We don't like this. This is the idea. Carry on with that.'"

Asked how the process of making a KILLSWITCH ENGAGE has evolved over the years, Adam told TotalRock: "In the past, I took a lot of it on my shoulders, to handle a lot of the duties. But I think the last record, in particular, everyone was just — they felt like a bit detached almost, because I was doing almost everything on my own. And I think they're just, like, 'We don't even feel like we made a record.' So they wanna be more of a part of the production process and the writing process. So I've made sure to keep everybody looped in and in the same circle. Communication's key to anything."

He continued: "I do my best to try to make something that we're kind of proud of. So, at the end of the day, it's up to me to make sure that everybody in the band is happy and we're all going in the same direction."

As for the musical direction of the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE material, Adam said: "We're still doing what we do. We're just trying to push the boundaries and shake it up a little bit and make it not the same thing we've been doing for 20-something years."

In a separate interview with Ore Bihovsky of TotalRock's "Louder" radio show, Adam said that he and his bandmates were still "demoing" and "writing" material for the next KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album. "We've been kind of busy with other side hustles and whatnot," he said. "But, yeah, [we've] just been taking our time and wanting to get Jesse in the right head space and get him comfortable. But we're pretty much ready to record now. We've just gotta wedge some time in between shows and tours and things going on within everybody's lives."

Asked if the challenges of staying productive during the coronavirus lockdown contributed to it taking this long for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE to come up with enough material for a new LP, Adam said: "Not necessarily. I've got a bunch of stuff going on. I've been writing a ton. But it was just more so pushing Jesse to get a little more, I guess just to vary it up a little bit more and maybe try to pull from other places for inspiration and just try to get some different lyrical content."

In August, Leach told The Razor's Edge that KILLSWITCH ENGAGE had 14 or 15 demos ready for the next LP. But he added: "We're gonna be tossing out, like, four or five of them already to redo some stuff and to rethink some stuff just to make sure that everybody in the band feels like we're doing the best we can, and it does sound fresh yet familiar. So it's a challenge… You wanna please your fans, but you also wanna please yourself as an artist and as a band. So we're focusing on us first. And then my hope is that the fans will in turn be pleased with what we're doing because we are putting the effort in to ensure that it's something that isn't just a remake of something we've done before."

Asked if Dutkiewicz will once again be in charge of the production of the band's new LP, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE drummer Justin Foley told Forever Loud: "Yeah. We're pretty sure that we're gonna do it with Adam and Adam's gonna be the producer. I mean, it just makes sense. He knows what we're doing. We know how to work with him. We all know how to work with each other real well, and he obviously gets the band and what we're trying to go for. So it just makes too much sense not to do."

In July, Leach told Oran O'Beirne of Bloodstock TV about the band's next album: "I think we made some headway. Definitely some good ideas, some good demos. I'm revisiting some ideas. We had a great little meeting where all of us got together and listened and talked, which, to me, has been a great process. And I think it's gonna make this album a lot different than what we've done in the past, 'cause everyone sort of has their voice. We're taking more time with it. So, yeah, it is taking a bit longer but it gives me hope that the end result will be that much better because it is taking a little bit more time to do it. But I'm stoked, for sure. There's some bangers on there already."

During the same chat, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio revealed that he wasn't feeling very inspired in the early days of the coronavirus downtime. "During the pandemic, for me, I kind of wasn't able to do much at all," he said. "You'd think that that would be the best writing process, to be nervous about your future and not sure what's gonna happen next. But I was just locked in some sort of a mode where I couldn't even do graphic design; for about six to eight months, I didn't do anything. But I think after that, it definitely seemed to start flowing. Especially when we did the live gig at the Palladium [in Worcester, Massachusetts], the livestream that we did [in August 2021], that kind of helped make the juices work a little bit more. We learned a lot of songs from 'Atonement' that we actually never played live together before, so that was an experience. And I think that's what kind of jarred us into, 'Okay, let's get this thing moving again.'"

In June, Leach told Pete Bailey of Primordial Radio that the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album was "taking a lot longer than, I think, any of us anticipated, because there's a lot of quality control going on. And making sure that it's fresh; we're not repeating ourselves," he explained. "So that process has been a little arduous but I think necessary because we don't wanna put out something that people are gonna go, 'Oh, yeah. Another KILLSWITCH record. Whatever.'"

Regarding where he and his KILLSWITCH ENGAGE are right now with respect to the writing process, Jesse said: "We're solidifying a lot, but there's still some back-and-forth and looking at parts and rewriting the music. And then I'm revisiting a lot of the lyrics. I've actually rewritten a bunch of stuff. 'Cause we all got together and had a meeting, and all of us just kind of gave our input on everything, and I took notes. It's the first time, really, I think we've done that. But, again, I do believe that it's necessary at our stage in our career to really just kind of get all of our heads together to make sure that this record is gonna be what we all feel is a good representation of who we are right now."

On the topic of the lyrical inspiration for the new KILLSWITCH ENGAGE material, Jesse said: "Initially, for me, I really wanted to put out something that was healing, something that could help people cope. But it's kind of turned into anger, it's kind of turned into frustration, it's kind of turned into seeing the greater deceptions of everything that's going on, the struggles of humanity. So I've kind of taken a turn for a little bit more of a darker topic than I initially had hoped for, but I think it's necessary. I think once I really sort of dug into myself, I realized that there was a lot that I was not tapping in to. And when I got honest with myself, I [said], 'You know what? There is a lot to be pissed off about.' And maybe that's the route; maybe that's the good therapeutic way to deal with it. You don't always have to sugarcoat things and let people know there's gonna be hope. Maybe it's just time to get your hands dirty and talk about some of the harder-to-deal-with topics, and that's kind of what I've been doing lately."

"Atonement" was released in August 2019 via Metal Blade Records in the U.S. and Sony Music Entertainment in the rest of the world. The disc featured guest appearances by former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones and TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy. It marked the band's third full-length release since the return of Leach, who rejoined the group in 2012.

In July 2021, Leach and Dutkiewicz released the second album from their TIMES OF GRACE project, "Songs Of Loss And Separation", via the band's own imprint label, Wicked Good Records, distributed by ADA Worldwide.

France's Duke TV has uploaded a video report on former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes's June 2023 tour of the United Kingdom. The 13-minute Antoine de Montremy-directed report, which includes footage of Chris's concerts in Northampton and London, can be seen below.

Holmes, who turned 65 in June, told Duke TV about a possible retirement (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "DEEP PURPLE's still going. They played some cruise; they played on it. They're getting up there in age. As long as people wanna see you play, you play. I personally don't know how long I'll be able to do this."

He continued: "There are some people that shouldn't be playing — there are some that just don't look the same. They don't look very good. They shouldn't be on stage."

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

Holmes last year completed seven weeks of radiation therapy in his battle with cancer in throat and neck.

In September 2022, Chris told Canada's The Metal Voice that he hadn't heard from W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless since his diagnosis. He said: "Blackie could have helped to pay for some of my treatment, but [he didn't]. But Nikki Sixx [MÖTLEY CRÜE] did. He gave me a lot of money. He was the first one; he forked over 500 bucks, and I love the guy for it. Thank you, Nikki. I love him for that."

A few hours after Chris's diagnosis was made public in February 2022, Lawless released a statement via W.A.S.P.'s social media in which he said: "The entire W.A.S.P. family are all optimistic of a positive outcome concerning the diagnosis for Chris. I certainly wish him the very best."

In 2021, Holmes told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that W.A.S.P. was "a group, a band" on the first LP. "And after that, the second album, it wasn't a group — it was a one-man show," he said. "And it's been a one-man show after that ever since. It's the way it is. Look at the records. It's the way it is in that band."

According to Chris, he, guitarist Randy Piper, drummer Tony Richards and Blackie were all part of W.A.S.P. initial management contract, but Blackie was the only one signed to the record label. "Everybody thinks we [all] signed to the label, but it wasn't [like that]," Holmes told "Trunk Nation".

Despite the fact that he only got songwriting credit on a couple of the songs on each of the first four W.A.S.P. records, Holmes was adamant that his input was essential to the band's overall sound.

"If I would have quit after the first album, the way I play guitar, the way I play is really important to writing those songs," he told "Trunk Nation".

"If I hadn't joined in the beginning, it would have never worked. Blackie told me that the first day, when he came and talked to me to play in W.A.S.P. He says, 'I've got this band. It's not gonna work unless you're in it.' He told me that to my face."

In February 2022, Lawless shot down Holmes's claim that the guitarist was "screwed" out of receiving royalties on the W.A.S.P. albums that he performed on. Lawless discussed Holmes's tenure with W.A.S.P. in an interview with "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked to respond to Holmes's assertion in Chris's recently released documentary "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" that he was financially taken advantage of during his time in the band, Lawless said: "I don't really know much about… I spoke to [former W.A.S.P. guitarist] Randy Piper a couple of years ago. I don't really know what's going on with the rest of the guys. And I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with Chris about not being paid.

"Chris, at two different points in his musical career, received settlements from this band; he signed documents as such," Blackie explained. "And he was paid quite well.

"I haven't seen what you're talking about. The answer I'm giving you right now is based on what you just said to me."

The W.A.S.P. frontman went on to confirm that he hadn't seen Chris's documentary and was once again asked about Holmes's claim that there is money and songwriting credits that he didn't get that he's due. Lawless said simply: "That is not true."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sorry."

Johan Kihlberg's Impera present "Fighter", the second single and also bonus track from the forthcoming live CD/DVD set, Scandinavium Alive, out on October 27 via Metalville Records.


In autumn 2022, Johan Kihlberg was asked by the producers of the feature film Black Hills (an action film that will be released in February 2024) if he could write the film music and if Johan Kihlberg's Impera could also contribute the title song, "Fighter". "Fighter" is an atmospheric hard rock song that fits perfectly into the plot of the film.







Ever since he heard KISS' Alive for the first time in 1975, Johan Kihlberg has been a huge fan of the American band, and everything he did professionally later on has always revolved around KISS somehow. For example, he worked for Polygram Records in the '80s and '90s and got to know the guys from KISS during that time. At that time, he was also asked to lead their fan club.


Later, Johan Kihlberg toured with Vinnie Vincent and had some guest appearances with Bruce Kulick, who also played on the Impera debut, Legacy Of Life, in 2012.


In 2017, Johan Kihlberg published the book Kiss Klassified, in which he talks about his life with KISS.


After the announcement that KISS would be coming to Europe for some shows in 2020, it was all too understandable that Johan Kihlberg immediately tried to get his band Impera to support him at a show in Sweden. And indeed, just one week later, they were confirmed as special guests at the KISS show in Gothenburg. But then Corona came, and the concerts were put on hold.


On June 6, 2022, the time had finally come, and Johan Kilhberg's Impera entered the stage of the sold-out Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg.


The lineup of this unique show consisted of Lars Chriss from Lion's Share on lead guitar; Mats Vassfjord, who has been with Impera since the beginning, on bass; Magnus Ulfstedt (ex-Eclipse) on drums; Jonny Lindkvist (Nocturnal Rites) as singer; and Johan Kihlberg as second guitarist.


The gig was a milestone in Johan Kihlberg's music career and also for the rest of the band, as all musicians who were onstage together that night are big KISS fans.


The setlist consisted mainly of songs from the latest Impera album, Spirit Of Alchemy, plus a few tracks from Age Of Discovery. The show was filmed in full length and is, besides the audio version of the concert, part of the soon-to-be-released CD/DVD set Scandinavium Alive.





Tracklisting:


"Nothing Will Last"
"Lost Your Life To Rock 'N' Roll"
"That's The Way That Life Goes"
"When Souls Collide"
"All About You"
"Fear"
"In Heaven"
"Fighter"*


*CD track only


"That's The Way That Life Goes" video:

With the holiday season fast approaching and two weeks until the release of his first-ever Christmas album, Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, author as well as founding member of hard rock bands ALTER BRIDGE, CREED and TREMONTI, Mark Tremonti has released the second song from "Christmas Classics New & Old". "The Christmas Song" showcases Mark's unforgettable vocals alongside a contemporary arrangement by producer Carey Deadman over the timeless holiday classic. The track is now available via all streaming partners and fans that pre-order the album digitally will receive an instant download of "The Christmas Song" and the previously released "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year".

"Christmas Classics New & Old" is Mark's interpretation of nine holiday classics and one original penned song from the acclaimed songwriter himself. After the success of his interpretation of songs Frank Sinatra made famous on his album "Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra", Mark decided to partner up with the orchestra from that album to work on the holiday album. The album is scheduled for release worldwide on October 27 and is now available for pre-order at www.tremontichristmas.com.

From the opening horns of "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" to the slow fade of the Donny Hathaway classic "This Christmas", Tremonti showcases the music that was the bedrock of his childhood holidays. Mark's interpretations of songs like "Jingle Bells", "The First Noel" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" find their place among the many great versions that preceded them. "O Holy Night" is one of Mark's personal favorites and finds new life in the inspired arrangement by producer Carey Deadman. Mark also took the time to create his own holiday composition called "Christmas Morning". Piano twinkles as a marching band drum roll picks up the momentum. As if changing from black-and-white to technicolor, horns herald a wonderfully warm picture on the track's finale, "My lady and me will make sure our children believe in the glory of Christmas morning."

"Christmas Classics New & Old" will sit alongside the most cherished holiday albums and continues to showcase the musical diversity inside Tremonti. Music from the album will be released in the coming months and a teaser video for the holiday album can be seen below.

"Christmas Classics New & Old" track listing:

01. The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
02. Jingle Bells
03. The Christmas Song
04. Christmas Morning
05. The First Noel
06. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
07. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
08. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
09. O Holy Night
10. This Christmas

As a Grammy Award-winning multiplatinum musician, Tremonti's dynamic musical career spans influential bands from ALTER BRIDGE and CREED to his own TREMONTI, leaving an indelible imprint on hard rock with over 40 million albums sold, chart-topping debuts, countless television appearances and magazine covers, sold out arenas everywhere, and dozens of other accolades. To say he broadened his horizons with 2022's "Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra" might just be the understatement of the century though. He paid homage to 14 Sinatra classics backed by surviving members of Ol Blue Eyes' band in addition to a cadre of A-list session players. Right out of the gate, it incited widespread audience and tastemaker applause. Beyond features from Billboard, CBS New York, Washington Post and many more, Carson Daly spotlighted the project on "Today" and raved, "Bar none the best Frank Sinatra cover I've ever heard." Donating 100% of the album's proceeds to the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) as part of his Take A Chance For Charity organization, NDSS notably honored Mark and his family at its annual gala and auction in 2023. Moreover, the album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, and he would go on to play a handful of sold-out shows in support of the album. However, he has yet to musically contribute to the happiest season of all — until now. Just in time for the holidays, he delivers "Christmas Classics New & Old" with nine renditions of holiday anthems and one original tailor made to "put a smile on your face, make you feel good, and get you into the Christmas spirit," according to Mark.

Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann

Death-doom band, On Thorns I Lay, will release their new self-titled album on Friday, October 13, via Season Of Mist.


The band deliver more of their legendary death-doom on their first album for Season Of Mist. With chugging riffs, ear-shattering wails of terror and eerily melodic funeral passages, their new self-titled LP is bound to crush your spirit.  


On Thorns I Lay are Greek titans. The band came up through the underground during the early '90s, in the wake of Nightfall, Septicflesh and Rotting Christ. But while those bands were swayed more by symphonic and black metal, these Athenians developed a taste for the gothic. Which makes sense. After all, they are named after a Shakespearean sonnet.




On Thorns I Lay is is dark and doomy. "Fallen From Grace" opens the album with a harrowing tribute to those who've suffered from wars and genocide, while "Thorns Of Fire" warns of environmental disasters with riffs that fall like acid rain, But on their tenth album, On Thorns I Lay push their gothic death-doom to great new heights. The melodic leads on "Newborn Skies" just keep on climbing, until they ascend into a heavenly choir.





Tracklisting:


"Fallen From Grace"
"Newborn Skies"
"Crestfallen"
"Among The Wolves"
"Raise Empires"
"Thorns Of Fire"


Album stream:





Current lineup:


Peter “Invoker” Miliadis: Vocals, bass (Dimlight, ex-Slaveatgod)
Chris Dragamestianos: Guitar
Nikolas Paraskevopoulos: Guitar (Dimlight, Yoth Iria)
Kostas Mexis: Bass (Aetherian, ex-Black Path)
Antonis Ventouris: Keyboard
Stelios Darakis: Drums (Dexter Ward, ex-Sacred Outcry, The Eternal Suffering, ex-Mortal Torment, ex-Lloth)


Recording lineup:


Peter “Invoker” Miliadis: Vocals, bass (Dimlight, ex-Slaveatgod)
Chris Dragamestianos: Guitar
Nikolas Paraskevopoulos: Guitar (Dimlight, Yoth Iria)
Antonis Ventouris: Keyboard
Stelios Darakis: Drums (Dexter Ward, ex-Sacred Outcry, The Eternal Suffering, ex-Mortal Torment, ex-Lloth)


Guest musicians:


Fanny Melfi - Fallen From Grace
Labros Kiklis - Fallen From Grace
Stavros Papagiannakopoulos - Thorns Of Fire, Crestfallen
Ilias Mantikos - Thorns Of Fire
Katerina Tzitzou - Fallen From Grace
Irina Dimaki - Fallen From Grace
Anna Thana - Fallen From Grace
Aris Karatzas - Crestfallen, Newborn Skies, Raise Empires, Among The Wolves

Today marks the release of the quasi-psychedelic visualizer for the newly remastered track "Dumb" from the upcoming 30th-anniversary reissue of NIRVANA's "In Utero". The clip, which can be seen below, was directed and created by RuffMercy from hand-painted Super-8mm film.

Also available is the digital single "Pennyroyal Tea (Live In Los Angeles)" + "Scentless Apprentice (Live in Seattle)". These live renditions of "In Utero" classics are the first of 53 previously unreleased tracks included in the three Super Deluxe editions of the "In Utero" 30th-anniversary multi-format reissues arriving on October 27.

To say that NIRVANA's third and ultimately final studio album "In Utero" was one of the most impactful records of the modern era would be an understatement. Originally released September 21, 1993, "In Utero"'s unadorned sonic rawness was received by critics and fans with equal measures of shock and elation, as Steve Albini's recording laid bare every primal nuance of the most confrontational yet vulnerable material Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl would ever record. And with its 1991 predecessor "Nevermind" having sold some 30 million copies and causing a seismic pop cultural shift, "In Utero" was essentially the first record NIRVANA would make with any expectations from the public. So from the opening quasi-shamble melodics of "Serve The Servants" through the bittersweet closing strains of "All Apologies", "In Utero" was the sound of the most incredible yet conflicted musical force of the era at the peak of its powers coming to terms with a generational spokes-band mantle they'd never seen coming — and ultimately surmounting these struggles to make the record they needed to make.

"In Utero" went on to mark NIRVANA's first No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified six times platinum in the United States.

Geffen/UMe commemorates the 30th anniversary of "In Utero" with several multi-format reissues. Configurations include a limited-edition 8LP Super Deluxe box set, 5CD Super Deluxe box set, 1 LP + 10” edition, 2CD Deluxe edition, and a Digital Super Deluxe edition.

The three Super Deluxe Edition releases comprise a total of 72 tracks with 53 previously unreleased tracks. Among the unreleased material, two full "In Utero"-era concerts, namely "Live In Los Angeles" (1993) and the band's final Seattle performance, "Live In Seattle" (1994),are included in addition to six bonus live tracks from Rome, Springfield, and New York. Seattle producer and engineer Jack Endino — who helmed the band's 1988 debut "Bleach" — reconstructed the live tracks from stereo soundboard tapes for this year's reissue. Additionally, "In Utero"'s original twelve songs, along with five bonus tracks and B-sides, have been newly remastered from the original analog master stereo tapes by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Services — who assisted Albini as the only other engineer at the original sessions.

The physical Super Deluxe Edition box sets also boast a removable front-cover acrylic panel with the album's iconic Angel; a 48-page hardcover book with unreleased photos; a 20-page newly designed fanzine; a Los Angeles tour poster lithograph by hot rod artist Coop; replicas of the 1993 record store promo Angel mobile, three gig fliers, two ticket stubs for Los Angeles and Seattle, an All-Access tour laminate, and four cloth sticky tour backstage passes: Press, Photo, After Show, and Local Crew.

Available exclusively at online stores at uDiscovermusic.com and SoundofVinyl.com and limited to 3000 units worldwide, fans who buy either Super Deluxe Edition will receive a NIRVANA acrylic stand to display their angel-on-acrylic panel included in both boxset configurations.

NIRVANA recorded "In Utero" over the course of six days in February 1993 at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota with Albini. Retrospectively, Pitchfork rated it a rare perfect score of "10.0" and wrote, "'In Utero' is the sort of painful shock that, paradoxically, reinstills the empowering sensation of feeling alive." Upon its arrival back in 1993, David Fricke wrote in Rolling Stone, "'In Utero' is a lot of things — brilliant, corrosive, enraged and thoughtful, most of them all at once. But more than anything, it's a triumph of the will."

Formed by friends Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, NIRVANA emerged from Aberdeen, Washington in 1987. The band's full-length debut "Bleach" was recorded in 30 hours for $606.17 and released in 1988 on Sub Pop, soon becoming the biggest seller in the label's history. Joined by drummer Dave Grohl, the trio delivered "Nevermind" in 1991, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, going RIAA diamond in the United States, and moving over 30 million copies worldwide as "one of the best-selling albums of all time," according to SoundScan. The 1993 follow-up "In Utero" bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum in 10 countries and gold in 9 more. The NIRVANA catalog is also highlighted in the U.S. by the newly diamond-certified single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", platinum "Incesticide" (1992),eight-times-platinum "MTV Unplugged In New York" (1994) and platinum "From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah" (1996). NIRVANA was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame during its first year of eligibility in 2014. Beyond selling a total of 75 million records globally, the band has collected one American Music Award, one BRIT Award, seven MTV VMA Awards, and two Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2023. Standing out as one of the most-streamed rock bands of the modern era, NIRVANA's music has endured through generations and eras at an unmatched level of influence.

In Utero: 30th Anniversary (8-LP Super Deluxe)

The 8LP Super Deluxe features 180-gram pressings of the album + 5 B-sides and bonus tracks newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog master tapes, 2 complete concerts from Los Angeles '93 and Seattle '94 plus 6 bonus live songs from the tour — 72 total tracks — 53 unreleased tracks. Bonus items: an Angel-on-acrylic panel; 48-pg book with unreleased photos; new 20-pg fanzine; L.A. gig poster litho; 2 ticket stubs; replicas of the promo Angel mobile, 3 gig flyers, all-access tour laminate & 4 backstage passes.

LP 1
In Utero
Original Album Remastered

Side 1

1. Serve The Servants
2. Scentless Apprentice
3. Heart-Shaped Box
4. Rape Me
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
6. Dumb

Side 2

1. Very Ape
2. Milk It
3. Pennyroyal Tea
4. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
5. tourette's
6. All Apologies

LP 2:
Bonus Tracks & B-Sides
Remastered

Side 1

1. Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip
2. Marigold
3. Sappy
4. Moist Vagina
5. I Hate Myself And Want To Die

Bonus Live 1993/1994

Side 2

1. Serve The Servants (Live in Rome)*
2. Scentless Apprentice (Live in Rome)*
3. Heart-Shaped Box (Live in Rome)*
4. Very Ape (Live in Rome)*
5. Milk It (Live in Springfield)*
6. tourette's (Live in New York)*

LP 3-5
Live In Los Angeles
Great Western Forum – December 30, 1993

Side 1

1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter*
2. Drain You*
3. Breed*
4. Serve The Servants*

Side 2

1. Come As You Are*
2. Smells Like Teen Spirit*
3. Sliver*
4. Dumb*

Side 3

1. In Bloom*
2. About A Girl*
3. Lithium*
4. Pennyroyal Tea*

Side 4

1. School*
2. Polly*
3. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle*
4. Rape Me*
5. Territorial Pissings*

Side 5

1. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam*
2. The Man Who Sold The World*
3. All Apologies*
4. On A Plain*

Side 6

1. Heart-Shaped Box
2. Blew*
3. Feedback Jam*

LP 6-8
Live In Seattle
Seattle Center Arena – January 7, 1994

Side 1

1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter*
2. Drain You*
3. Breed*
4. Serve The Servants*

Side 2

1. Come As You Are*
2. Smells Like Teen Spirit*
3. Sliver*
4. Dumb*

Side 3

1. In Bloom*
2. About A Girl*
3. Lithium*
4. Pennyroyal Tea*

Side 4

1. School*
2. Polly*
3. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle*
4. Milk It
5. Rape Me*

Side 5

1. Territorial Pissings*
2. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam*
3. The Man Who Sold The World*
4. All Apologies*

Side 6

1. On A Plain*
2. Scentless Apprentice*
3. Heart-Shaped Box*
4. Blew*

* Previously unreleased

In Utero: 30th Anniversary (5-CD Super Deluxe)

The 5CD Super Deluxe features the album + 5 B-sides and bonus tracks newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog master tapes, 2 complete concerts from Los Angeles '93 & Seattle '94 plus 6 bonus live songs from the tour — 72 total tracks — 53 unreleased tracks. Bonus items: an angel-on-acrylic panel; 48-pg book with unreleased photos; new 20-pg fanzine; L.A. gig poster litho; 2 ticket stubs; replicas of the promo angel mobile, 3 gig flyers, all-access tour laminate and 4 backstage passes.

CD 1
In Utero
Original Album Remastered

1. Serve The Servants
2. Scentless Apprentice
3. Heart-Shaped Box
4. Rape Me
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
6. Dumb
7. Very Ape
8. Milk It
9. Pennyroyal Tea
10. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
11. tourette's
12. All Apologies

Bonus Tracks & B-Sides
Remastered

13. Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip
14. Marigold
15. Sappy
16. Moist Vagina
17. I Hate Myself And Want To Die

CD 2 & 3
Live In Los Angeles
Great Western Forum – December 30, 1993

CD 2

1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter*
2. Drain You*
3. Breed*
4. Serve The Servants*
5. Come As You Are*
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit*
7. Sliver*
8. Dumb*
9. In Bloom*
10. About A Girl*
11. Lithium*
12. Pennyroyal Tea*

CD 3

1. School*
2. Polly*
3. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle*
4. Rape Me*
5. Territorial Pissings*
6. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam*
7. The Man Who Sold The World*
8. All Apologies*
9. On A Plain*
10. Heart-Shaped Box
11. Blew*
12. Feedback Jam*

CD 4 & 5
Live In Seattle
Seattle Center Arena – January 7, 1994

CD 4

1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter*
2. Drain You*
3. Breed*
4. Serve The Servants*
5. Come As You Are*
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit*
7. Sliver*
8. Dumb*
9. In Bloom*
10. About A Girl*
11. Lithium*
12. Pennyroyal Tea*

CD 5

1. School*
2. Polly*
3. Frances Farmer Will Haver Her Revenge On Seattle*
4. Milk It
5. Rape Me*
6. Territorial Pissings*
7. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam*
8. The Man Who Sold The World*
9. All Apologies*
10. On A Plain*
11. Scentless Apprentice*
12. Heart-Shaped Box*
13. Blew*

Bonus Live 1993/1994

14. Serve The Servants (Live in Rome)*
15. Scentless Apprentice (Live in Rome)*
16. Heart-Shaped Box (Live in Rome)*
17. Very Ape (Live in Rome)*
18. Milk It (Live in Springfield)*
19. tourette's (Live in New York)*

* Previously unreleased

In Utero: 30th Anniversary (2-CD deluxe edition)

The 2CD Deluxe Edition features the album newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog master tapes plus 14 previously unreleased live tracks from the '93/'94 "In Utero" tour. Each song on "In Utero" is represented with a live performance from Los Angeles, Springfield, Rome, New York and Seattle plus two cover songs widely played throughout the tour: THE VASELINES' "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam" and David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World". Housed in a softpak with newly designed 20-pg booklet.

CD 1
In Utero
Original Album Remastered

1. Serve The Servants
2. Scentless Apprentice
3. Heart-Shaped Box
4. Rape Me
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
6. Dumb
7. Very Ape
8. Milk It
9. Pennyroyal Tea
10. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
11. tourette's
12. All Apologies

CD 2
Live 1993/1994

1. Serve The Servants (Live in Rome)*
2. Scentless Apprentice (Live in Rome)*
3. Heart-Shaped Box (Live in Rome)*
4. Rape Me (Live in Seattle)*
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle (Live in Seattle)*
6. Dumb (Live in Los Angeles)*
7. Very Ape (Live in Rome)*
8. Milk It (Live in Springfield)*
9. Pennyroyal Tea (Live in Los Angeles)*
10. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter (Live in Los Angeles)*
11. tourette's (Live in New York)*
12. All Apologies (Live in Los Angeles)*
13. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam (Live in Seattle)*
14. The Man Who Sold The World (Live in Seattle)*

* Previously unreleased

In Utero: 30th Anniversary (Limited Edition 1LP + 10-Inch)

Pressed on 180-gram vinyl plus 5 B-sides & bonus tracks pressed on a 10-inch, all tracks have been newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog tapes by original album engineer Bob Weston. Original album artwork has been expanded to a premium tip-on gatefold jacket for the first time with new 10-inch jacket art.

In Utero Remastered - Side A:

1. Serve The Servants
2. Scentless Apprentice
3. Heart-Shaped Box
4. Rape Me
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
6. Dumb

In Utero Remastered - Side B:

1. Very Ape
2. Milk It
3. Pennyroyal Tea
4. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
5. tourette's
6. All Apologies

Bonus 10-Inch – Side A:

1. Gallons Of Rubbing Alchohol Flow Through The Strip
2. Marigold

Bonus 10-Inch – Side B:

1. Sappy
2. Moist Vagina
3. I Hate Myself And Want To Die

In Utero: 30th Anniversary (Digital Super Deluxe)

Disc 1
In Utero
Original Album Remastered

1. Serve The Servants
2. Scentless Apprentice
3. Heart-Shaped Box
4. Rape Me
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
6. Dumb
7. Very Ape
8. Milk It
9. Pennyroyal Tea
10. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
11. tourette's
12. All Apologies

Bonus Tracks & B-Sides
Remastered

13. Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip
14. Marigold
15. Sappy
16. Moist Vagina
17. I Hate Myself And Want To Die

Disc 2
Live In Los Angeles
Great Western Forum – December 30, 1993

1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter*
2. Drain You*
3. Breed*
4. Serve The Servants*
5. Come As You Are*
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit*
7. Sliver*
8. Dumb*
9. In Bloom*
10. About A Girl*
11. Lithium*
12. Pennyroyal Tea*
13. School*
14. Polly*
15. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle*
16. Rape Me*
17. Territorial Pissings*
18. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam*
19. The Man Who Sold The World*
20. All Apologies*
21. On A Plain*
22. Heart-Shaped Box
23. Blew*
24. Feedback Jam*

Disc 3
Live In Seattle
Seattle Center Arena – January 7, 1994

1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter*
2. Drain You*
3. Breed*
4. Serve The Servants*
5. Come As You Are*
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit*
7. Sliver*
8. Dumb*
9. In Bloom*
10. About A Girl*
11. Lithium*
12. Pennyroyal Tea*
13. School*
14. Polly*
15. Frances Farmer Will Haver Her Revenge On Seattle*
16. Milk It
17. Rape Me*
18. Territorial Pissings*
19. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam*
20. The Man Who Sold The World*
21. All Apologies*
22. On A Plain*
23. Scentless Apprentice*
24. Heart-Shaped Box*
25. Blew*

Bonus Live 1993/1994

26. Serve The Servants (Live in Rome)*
27. Scentless Apprentice (Live in Rome)*
28. Heart-Shaped Box (Live in Rome)*
29. Very Ape (Live in Rome)*
30. Milk It (Live in Springfield)*
31. tourette's (Live in New York)*

* Previously unreleased

Crossbone Skully - the exciting new multidimensional project led by mastermind Tommy Henriksen (guitarist and musical director for Alice Cooper’s band & member of Hollywood Vampires) - recently released their incendiary new single, “The Boom Went The Boom”, featuring Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen, across digital platforms.


The track is the second taste of new music from Crossbone Skully’s debut album due in 2024 via Better Noise Music.


Legendary producer Mutt Lange emerged from retirement to executive produce the album and was reunited with Collen on this track after having produced and co-wrote several of Def Leppard’s monumental albums.







“The Boom Went The Boom” is available digitally here, and an official music video can be viewed below.


Crossbone Skully also announced the first of what will be a series of limited-edition 7” vinyl singles. This first 7” vinyl will feature “The Boom Went The Boom" (feat. Phil Collen of Def Leppard) and a yet-to-be-announced B-side track and will be available exclusively to order through the band’s Spotify page here. Each will come with a limited-edition signed copy of Crossbone Skully’s “Thing #1” ashcan comic. Proceeds from the sale of the limited edition 7” vinyl will be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity MusiCares who offer preventive, emergency, and recovery programs for musicians and music industry workers in times of need.


Describing the new track, Henriksen says: “Like dynamite beneath deceit, 'The Boom Went The Boom' reveals the truth's explosive power in song, shattering masks and echoing the reckoning of lies, for when trust erodes, The Misfits Will Rise!"


“I love the Crossbone Skully record and I've always loved Tommy's voice, especially as we've got to sing live together a few times,” shares Collen. “I've always wanted to hear that voice on something like this, so here it is, finally! I'm totally thrilled to be a part of it!”


"The Boom Went The Boom" video:





"The Boom Went The Boom" lyric video:





Crossbone Skully’s debut single, “Evil World Machine”, was originally released on the soundtrack for the 2022 thriller The Retaliators (Better Noise Films) and its music video was premiered later that year at Fan Expo in San Francisco. Crossbone Skully also represents the band’s mascot and main character of their graphic novel and animated film, “Thing #1,” which were also revealed at Fan Expo. For the film, Henriksen enlisted several of his bandmates and friends for voiceovers on both the album and the upcoming film including A-list actor Johnny Depp and rock icons including Alice Cooper, Nikki Sixx, Joe Perry and Kane Roberts.





The forthcoming debut album features Henriksen on vocals and bass and was recorded by a sterling group of musicians including guitarist Tommy Denander (Alice Cooper), keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Seal), bassist Chris Wyse (Hollywood Vampires, Ace Frehley, the Cult, Ozzy Osbourne), drummer Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires), the late UFO bassist Pete Way and producer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (AC/DC, Cher, Aerosmith).


(Photo - Jason Mayer)

On the heels of the recent announcement of the new Los Angeles quartet The Effect, the band comprised of Trev Lukather (son of Toto’s Steve Lukather) on guitars, Nic Collins (son of Phil Collins) on drums, Steve Maggiora (Toto) on keyboards and newcomer Emmett Stang on vocals is releasing their first single to the masses.


The song, “Unwanted”, is an upbeat rocker that showcases the band’s ability to create memorable rock melodies with mainstream pop appeal. Steve’s keyboards give way to a driving guitar riff by Trev and Nic’s pulsing drum beat.


The song is propelled by Emmett’s stand-out vocals as he declares, ”Walls down, in the heat of the moment, I found out my love’s unwanted.”




The track was produced by Trev Lukather who has worked Halestorm’s gold-certified self-titled album and Dorothy’s #1 rock album Gifts From The Holy Ghost. The music video is a frenetic performance piece that was directed by Madison Leigh Lukather.


“Unwanted” is available via all digital service provider here, and the music video can be viewed below:





The Effect recently announced  their first show in Los Angeles on October 15. The band’s live debut will take place at The Knitting Factory in North Hollywood. The show will start at 8 PM  and feature a collection of songs that will become the backbone for their upcoming album scheduled for 2024. Limited tickets remain for the show and can be purchased here.


The members of The Effect—Trev Lukather [guitar, producer], Nic Collins [drums], Steve Maggiora [keys], and Emmett Stang [lead vocals]—found each other at the perfect moment. Beyond serendipity, similar experiences cemented an instant bond between these musicians. Each member had logged miles on the road and countless hours in the studio on his own. Trev shined as a solo artist and producer and writer for the likes of Halestorm and Dorothy, Nic held down the drums on tour alongside Phil Collins, Genesis, and Mike + The Mechanics, Steve crisscrossed the globe in toto, and Emmett exploded with consistent viral success. Taking the connection one step further, Trev and Nic each grew up as the sons of rock icons—Steve Lukather of Toto and Phil Collins, respectively. They forged a friendship in 2023 and decided to write and record together, welcoming Steve and Emmett to the fold shortly after. The musicians congregated at Trev’s home studio in Los Angeles for “band camp” and immediately gelled, rallying around a signature sound infusing stadium rock energy and spirit with pop palatability. Now, they come together as The Effect, introducing their vision with the single “Unwanted” and more to come.


(Photo - Madison Leigh Lukather)

Queen have released the 37th episode in their series, The Greatest Live. Watch below.


A message states: "A visual medley encompassing some of the most iconic venues that Queen have performed in. And what better song to guide us through that journey than the incomparable 'Bohemian Rhapsody' - a cornerstone of any Queen live set list."


 

In a new interview with Loaded Radio, VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen, who recently released the debut album from his ASINHELL death metal side project, spoke about his love of the early recordings from the influential Florida band DEATH, in particular that group's third LP, 1990's "Spiritual Healing". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I heard 'Spiritual Healing'… Of course, before that, I did hear [DEATH's debut album] 'Scream Bloody Gore' and [DEATH's second album] 'Leprosy', but something happened with 'Spiritual Healing'. You could suddenly hear the mighty talent of [DEATH mastermind] Chuck Schuldiner. You can hear the progress. It was like he took — not only did he take the death metal style to a certain level where you can... You know, there will always be that discussion: was it POSSESSED that started death metal or was it Chuck Schuldiner who started death metal? But I think to do it fair, I will say that POSSESSED planted the seed of death metal, but Chuck Schuldiner became the tree. So he kind of completed it somehow. And 'Scream Bloody Gore' was a great album. And the lyrics were more gory, and they're fun. And pretty much the same on 'Leprosy'. On 'Leprosy', you could actually start to hear that Chuck was getting into structure when it comes to how he was writing his songs. But on 'Spiritual Healing' suddenly there was more structure and the subject of his lyrics was just something you haven't heard about before in death metal. Suddenly it was relevant subjects, what was going on in American society, just what was going on in the world. And it makes you think, 'What the fuck is going on here?' And just the whole cover artwork. But I also think the songwriting was so solid. And I've also gotta give a lot of credit to [then-DEATH lead guitarist] James Murphy since he also wrote some material for that album and great solos. For me, that was just the essence of how I wanted death metal to sound like. When that record came out, it was like, 'Wow.'"

ASINHELL's debut album, "Impii Hora" (Latin for "Ungodly Hour"),arrived on September 29 via Metal Blade.

For more than 20 years, vocalist/guitarist Poulsen has been spearheading Danish rock and roll machine VOLBEAT, releasing eight full-lengths, selling millions of albums, and filling stadiums worldwide. Before fronting VOLBEAT, however, Poulsen formed death metal band DOMINUS, which recorded four fast, brutal albums in the mid-'90s.

When Poulsen was putting together songs for VOLBEAT's 2021 album "Servant Of The Mind", he wrote a bunch of death metal riffs and saved them on his phone. Then, when he was done with the VOLBEAT record, he reopened the rusty gates to Armageddon and started putting together songs for "Impii Hora", which is a tribute to Poulsen's favorite old-school groups. The songs are rooted in crushing riffs yet injected with strong guitar hooks and shout-along refrains.

While Poulsen sings in VOLBEAT and sang for DOMINUS, he didn't want to front ASINHELL. So, in March 2022, he called his old friend, ex-MORGOTH singer Marc Grewe (also of INSIDIOUS DISEASE) and invited him to join the party. They are joined in ASINHELL by RAUNCHY drummer Morten Toft Hansen.

David Coverdale was a relatively unknown 21-year-old singer-songwriter when he joined Deep Purple in 1973. He went on to record three classic albums alongside the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers before embarking on his musical journey a few years later with his band, Whitesnake.


Coverdale is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Deep Purple debut this year with a special version of The Purple Album, Whitesnake’s tribute to his three-year tenure with the legendary group. This newly remixed, remastered, and expanded edition of the 2015 album features previously unreleased recordings, including the very demo that secured Coverdale’s spot with Deep Purple.







The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition is out now as a 2-CD/Blu-ray set and a 2-LP set on resplendent gold vinyl. Order both versions here. The new remix of "Stormbringer" is available today digitally. Listen here, and watch a video below.


Coverdale recorded The Purple Album with guitarist Reb Beach, bassist Michael Devin, guitarist Joel Hoekstra (on his first Whitesnake album), and drummer Tommy Aldridge, reappearing on a Whitesnake studio album for the first time since 1989’s Slip Of The Tongue. The band cherry-picked gems from Burn (1974), Stormbringer (1974), and Come Taste The Band (1975), delivering inspired takes on fan favorites like “Lay Down Stay Down,” “Lady Double Dealer,” and “You Keep On Moving.”


The 2-CD/Blu-ray version of The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition goes beyond the original with the addition of live recordings and concert videos from The Purple Tour (“The Gypsy,” “Mistreated”), official music videos (“Sail Away,” “You Fool No One”), and an assortment of previously unreleased material, including six alternate mixes of album tracks. The Blu-ray also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the album’s making and a song-by-song commentary by Coverdale.





An exciting addition to the upcoming collection is the four-song demo Coverdale submitted to Deep Purple, hoping to become the band’s next singer. Recorded in 1972 with his former band, The Fabulosa Brothers, the reel-to-reel tape was extensively restored after Coverdale stumbled upon it among his late mother’s belongings. In the album’s liner notes, Coverdale says: “I had no idea my Mam had the tape…For me, to open my Mam’s trunk of personal items, 30 years after her passing, was a gift from Heaven.” The collection also features several demos Coverdale recorded while working on songs for Deep Purple’s 1974 album Stormbringer.





2-CD/Blu-ray tracklisting:


CD1: 2023 Remix


“Burn”
“Lay Down, Stay Down”
“Love Child”
“Holy Man”
“The Gypsy”
“Lady Double Dealer”
“Might Just Take Your Life”
“Mistreated”
“Stormbringer”
“Sail Away” (Interpolating “Elegy For Jon”)
“You Keep On Moving” – featuring the Hook City Strings
“Lady Luck”
“Coming Home”
“You Fool No One” (Interpolating “Itchy Fingers”) Dedicated in loving memory to Jeff Beck
“Soldier Of Fortune”


CD2: The Purple Tour Five Live


“Burn”
“The Gypsy”
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”


Alternative Mixes:


“Holy Man” (Unzipped) *
“Stormbringer” (Punch In The Nuts Mix) *
“Love Child” (Alternate Mix) *
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings *
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring The Hook City Strings *
“Soldier Of Fortune” (Instrumental) – featuring The Hook City Strings *


The 1972 DC Purple Audition Tape Featuring The Fabulosa Brothers:


“Everybody’s Talkin’” *
“Get Ready” *
“Lonely Town, Lonely Street” *
“Dancing In The Street” *
1974 DC Demo Ideas For The Stormbringer Album *


Blu-ray:


Purple Music Videos:


“Lady Double Dealer”
“Stormbringer”
“Sail Away”
“Soldier Of Fortune”
“The Gypsy”
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings*
“Soldier Of Fortune” – featuring The Hook City Strings*


Purplesnake Videos:


“Lay Down, Stay Down”*
“Holy Man”*
“You Keep On Moving”*
“You Fool No One”*


Live Clips:


“Burn” – Live “Atlantis” Video
“Burn/Stormbringer” – Live In The Still Of The Night
“Soldier Of Fortune” – Starkers In Tokyo


The Purple Tour Five Live:


“Burn”
“The Gypsy”
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One”
“Soldier Of Fortune”


The Purple Album: Behind The Scenes*
The Purple Album: Song-By-Song*


* Previously Unreleased


2-LP Track Listing


LP1:


Side One
“Burn”
“Lay Down, Stay Down”
“Love Child”
“Holy Man”


Side Two
“The Gypsy”
“Lady Double Dealer”
“Might Just Take Your Life”
“Coming Home”


LP2:


Side One
“Stormbringer”
“Sail Away” (Interpolating “Elegy For Jon”)
“You Keep On Moving”
“Lady Luck”


Side Two
“Mistreated”
“You Fool No One” (Interpolating “Itchy Fingers”) Dedicated in loving memory to Jeff Beck
“Soldier Of Fortune”


"Stormbringer" 2023 Remix video:





"Soldier Of Fortune" 2023 Remix video:





"Lay Down, Stay Down" 2023 Remix video:





"Burn" (Live) 2023 Remix video:

Named after their favorite Derringer album from 1977, SWTEVL (pronounced "Sweet Evil") is a new American rock project by the powerhouse husband & wife duo, Mick Murphy and Tairrie B. Murphy, formerly of My Ruin.


Vocalist / multi-hyphenate artist Tairrie B., who is also known for her previous bands (Tura Satana & Manhole) as well as being the first white female rapper (signed by Easy E of NWA) to release a full length solo album on a major label in the early 90's, met musical partner and multi-faceted instrumentalist / producer Mick Murphy (Neanderthal, Heavy 70's, Chevy Metal) at a party in the Hollywood hills in 2000 and have been making music in various forms together ever since.


"After 9 studio albums and years of touring, we decided to put My Ruin on a permanent hiatus and made the life-changing move from my hometown of Los Angeles, California to Mick's hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee where we spent 2022 into 2023 hyper-focused on making new music under a new moniker. We quietly wrote, recorded & produced 30 new songs (20 originals & 10 covers) in our home studio, The Magick Room. After 2022 came to a fitful end with two years of living through the chaos of a worldwide pandemic and the politics which accompanied it,  like most of America, we were mentally exhausted. Reflecting on the past two decades, we also realized that we were not the same people we were when we lived in L.A. Like artists do, we changed and grew. Not wanting to revamp the past musically or relive those songs emotionally, we felt it was time to cut loose, kick off the dust and recharge our creative batteries. We took our time recording as we wanted to recapture our rock love of collaboration and reemerge reinvigorated with a forward-thinking, positive new perspective and approach to our songwriting with themes addressing who we are now as Gen Xers as opposed to who we were when we first met 23 years ago. With age comes introspection and with that in mind, SWTEVL doesn't spell the end of a musical relationship but rather the beginning of a new one as we move brazenly into our next chapter, without apology." - Tairrie B.




In contrast to the notoriously razor sharp throat shredding and confrontational screaming metal of their former band which could be considered more niche, SWTEVL is not a brutal bloodletting. The music as well as the lyrics are far more inviting. Combining a juxtaposition between contemplative dark & sultry atmospheric alternative and upbeat bouncy guitar driven straight head classic garage rock n' roll with a dash of post punk spirit. While Mick has played all the instruments, produced & mixed the new tracks, this time around the DIY minded duo are also sharing vocals in various ways on all the songs which adds another vibrantly fresh and unique dynamic to the overall vibe of the diverse recordings, including the covers which they plan to release as a full length album on their own in 2024.


Tairrie's distinct spoken to sung vocal styling seamlessly moves through Mick's signature organic seventies inspired solos, bass lines and drums with infectiously catchy hooks and an uncensored edge that sonically captures their synchronicity and authentic sound. Without compromise comes evolution and Mr & Mrs M are continuously expanding their musical repertoire with every release and reinvention as the couple's creative chemistry and unflinching honesty remains as present as ever for a new era.





With their upbeat fiery debut single fittingly named "Hellzapoppin'" dropping today, SWTEVL are unveiling their first official music video filmed & edited by the duo. A tenacious declaration of independence with a passion fuelled taste of their forthcoming self-produced, eponymous double album, Very Truly Yours, which will be made available worldwide on December 15. This raucous high energy anthem takes us to the dance floor with an uplifting message of rock n' roll resilience which permeates the tongue-in-cheek playfulness of the lyrics. A testament to persistence against all odds and a rebellious statement of self determination.


"Hellzapoppin'" is out now and available for download & streaming on all major music platforms, as well as Bandcamp.

Ruthless Swedish black metal collective, Watain, has shared a second single from the upcoming live album, Die In Fire - Live In Hell (Agony And Ecstasy Over Stockholm), out November 3 via Nuclear Blast Records. The live version of "Ecstasies In Night Infinite", the ferocious opening track of Watain's latest album, The Agony And Ecstasy Of Watain, coincides with the release of another music video for the single, once again directed by Johan Bååth.


Erik Danielsson commented: ”With the videos for the live album we have attempted to convey at least a fraction of the primal psychedelic malevolence that possess us when we perform. The majority of the footage is from the same concert in Stockholm at which the album was recorded. It was then slaughtered and remolded by the skilled and manic artists credited at the end of the video. Turn off your mind, shut out the modern world and dissappear into these analogue nightmare visions of darkness and ecstasy.”







After 25 years of madness and mayhem that manifested in seven studio albums, Watain‘s intense and much talked-about live rituals remain in a league of their own. Experience the raw power and fiery precision captured perfectly on this live recording from a sold out show that took place in October 2022 in Stockholm, and features fan favourites from albums such as Casus Luciferi, Lawless Darkness, The Wild Hunt, Trident Wolf Eclipse and of course the band's latest offering, The Agony And Ecstasy Of Watain, as well as the Bathory cover "The Return Of Darkness And Evil". The audio was recorded by Jamie Elton and mastered by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio.


With all artwork created by vocalist and front man Erik Danielsson, Die In Fire - Live In Hell is not only a sonic but also a visual reflection of Watain’s touring cycle for The Agony And Ecstasy Of Watain, and beyond that a symbol of gratitude for their loyal followers worldwide! Die In Fire - Live In Hell is a very personal release dedicated to all those who have joined Watain on their path of lawless black metal darkness during the past 25 years.


Die In Fire - Live In Hell is available in the following formats:


- Digital Album
- CD
- Vinyl (2LP w/ 8-page booklet)
* 1LP transparent yellow, 1LP transparent red
* 1LP gold , 1LP oxblood - band exclusive


Pre-save/pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Ecstasies In Night Infinite" (Live)
"Black Salvation" (Live)
"The Howling" (Live)
"Black Flames March" (Live)
"Reaping Death" (Live)
"Devil's Blood" (Live)
"Serimosa" (Live)
"Not Sun Nor Man Nor God" (Live)
"Before The Cataclysm" (Live)
"The Return Of Darkness And Evil" (Live)
"Nuclear Alchemy" (Live)
"Malfeitor" (Live)


"Before The Cataclysm" (Live) video:





(Photo - Allan Larsen)

British rockers BRING ME THE HORIZON have released a new single, "DArkSide". The track is taken from the band's seventh full-length studio album, "Post Human: NeX Gen", which is expected to arrive in January 2024 via Columbia Records.

In a recent interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, BRING ME THE HORIZON singer Oli Sykes stated about "Post Human: NeX Gen": "It's part of four EPs that we're working on called like the 'Post Human' series. And they've all got their own particular sound. And this record's definitely leaning more into, like, I guess the kind of bands where I got obsessed with rock music was like when I got into my hardcore, post-hardcore emo phase. My first-ever show was LINKIN PARK, but then I started going to straight-edge hardcore shows and punk gigs and stuff like that, and local shows at pubs and stuff like that. And that's when I got introduced to hardcore music and then bands like GLASSJAW and AMERICAN NIGHTMARE and all that stuff. This record's definitely paying homage to that stuff. And even bands like FALL OUT BOY and MY CHEM[ICAL ROMANCE] and all the emo stuff, TAKING BACK SUNDAY and stuff. It's definitely got that feel, but then we're trying to push it in a direction that makes it feel like contemporary and modern and something new. So you get kind of the nostalgia of those years, but then it feels fresh, you know?"

After Meltdown noted that no two songs on "Post Human: NeX Gen" sound similar, Oli said: "We're definitely trying to hone in on a vibe, but then I guess the spectrum of emo and hardcore and post-hardcore and stuff like that is quite wide. So it does give us a fair bit of room to play within." Referencing the aggression of the recently released song "AmEN!", Oli said: "We're definitely tapping into like bands like THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and GLASSJAW. There is not that much difference between a metalcore song and when you get into that world of like post-hardcore and stuff, but it's more about the freeness and the kind of frantic and unhinged energy of it, which was really fun to tap back into, because I always feel like even when we're heavy, we've become quite a polished band. And it was very fun to kind of just throw all that out and just be, like, rough and ready again."

Four months ago, Sykes told NME about "Post Human: NeX Gen": "LINKIN PARK were the first band that I got into, but when I found GLASSJAW is when I became obsessed with music and knew I wanted to be a singer, so the album pays homage to that."

He continued: "I wouldn't say it's a hyper-pop album, but I've definitely been inspired by that world. I admire how obnoxious, trashy and in your face that music feels, which is what I was drawn to when I got into emo, hardcore and screamo.

"It's not that we've lost that in our music, but as you become a bigger band, things do get more polished. I want to go the opposite way. Let's be unhinged, let's stop trying to make all the edges smooth."

The frontman went on to explain how "the hope is that this record is pure fun" with "no limits on how or what we want to express."

"There's no, 'That song could be played on the radio if we don't scream,'" he revealed. "It's almost like we’re connecting to that time before BRING ME THE HORIZON had any prospects of being a big band. Back then, there was never anything but, 'What do you want to make?' — so we're trying to tap back into that."

BRING ME THE HORIZON is Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Mat Nicholls, and keyboardist Jordan Fish.

Author & Punisher has released the official “Maiden Star” music video, from the 2022 release full-length Krüller.


“Maiden Star” video was shot during Author & Punisher’s 2023 June European tour by James Rexroad who joined A&P across the northern EU territories and edited by Augie Arredondo.


Author & Punisher comments on the video: “Every time I watch this video it hits me...it's a beautiful music scene and it really makes me so thankful that I get to do what I do. Thanks to James Rexroad for coming along and capturing the community, the energy and the power of heavy music in our lives. Shout out to my bandmate Doug Sabolick, John Cota (sound engineer) and Augie Arredondo for editing the damn thing. From the fjords of Norway, the wood fired saunas of Helsinki and Tallinn, to the beer halls of Bochum, with friends new and old, this one goes out to the fans who support underground music. The community is strong.  We love you.”







Additionally, Author & Punisher and his intrepid gear company, Drone Machines, announce a partnership with visionary multi-discipline artist Arca designing and building machines for her live work Mutant;Destrudo at Park Avenue Armory in NYC now through October 15.


Author & Punisher comments on Arca: “There aren't many artists out there as innovative and groundbreaking as Arca. Her style of production and visual design is visceral, dark, and bleak; yet always intriguing and exciting. She's produced amazing solo works as well as music for Bjork, Kanye West, and FKA Twigs to name a few. When she asked me to build her some machines I immediately jumped on it. We've worked on this now for the past 8 months with Alejandra and her creative team focusing on building some industrial controllers that would interact with her DJ setup and allow her to make broader, more physical strokes with levers, sliders, and large knobs. There are five machines in total: one Fader, two Throttles, and two Platters that are all rack mounted above her DJ setup with the table suspended from the ceiling by chains. The aesthetic of Drone Machines (the small gear company birthed from Author & Punisher) is raw and industrial, with heavy machine components. Functionally, there is MIDI, USB, DSP Audio output, and CV/Gate; they are completely open source. Many thanks and shout outs to the team at Drone Machines working with me who helped on this project as well as the other devices we are making: Adam Reed-Erickson (mechanical engineer), Jason Begin (sound designer, producer, composer), and Hanri Thayyil (software engineer).”





Krüller can be ordered at this location, with the 8-song, 52 minute collection available on a selection of limited-edition vinyl variants, CD, cassette and digitally.





Tracklisting:


“Drone Carrying Dread”
“Incinerator”
“Centurion”
“Maiden Star”
“Misery”
“Glorybox” (Portishead cover)
“Blacksmith”
“Krüller”


"Blacksmith":





“Drone Carrying Dread” video:





(Photo - Chad Kelco)

Finland's Amorphis are chomping at the bit: With their Halo European Tour 2023 as well as highly demanded shows in their home country coming up shortly, the group have released a proper appetizer for those dates in the form of a live opus titled "Queen Of Time" (Live At Tavastia 2021) today, and before they travel across Europe with Sólstafir and Lost Society from October 26 until November 18, the band have also unveiled another highlight chapter from the special offering which was recorded under different circumstances during the corona pandemic. Get your tickets and enjoy "The Bee".


Says the band: "'The Bee' has become one of our most popular songs lately and it's a killer live track. It was also the first song that we introduced from Queen Of Time before releasing the full album back then."







Order Queen Of Time (Live At Tavastia 2021) in the physical format of your choice, prsave it on your favourite DSP or order it digitally, here.


Queen Of Time (Live At Tavastia 2021) is available in the following formats:


- CD-digipak + Blu-ray (EU)
- jewelcase CD + Blu-ray (US)
- 2LP in gatefold (green marbled)
- 2LP in gatefold (red marbled; exclusively available at Atomic Fire Records)
- digital





Queen Of Time (Live At Tavastia 2021) trackisting:


"The Bee"
"Message In The Amber"
"Daughter Of Hate"
"The Golden Elk"
"Wrong Direction"
"Heart Of The Giant"
"We Accursed"
"Grain Of Sand"
"Amongst Stars" [feat. Anneke van Giersbergen]
"Pyres On The Coast"


"Wrong Direction" video:





"Amongst Stars" video:





Find the band's tour itinerary and ticket links here.


Amorphis lineup:


Tomi Joutsen - vocals
Esa Holopainen - guitars
Tomi Koivusaari - guitars
Olli-Pekka Laine - bass
Santeri Kallio - keyboards
Jan Rechberger - drums

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno performed on October 10 at Rock City in Nottingham, United Kingdom as the support act for KK'S PRIEST. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Joining Di'Anno in his backing band on the U.K. tour George "Gt" Stergiou on guitar, Adam Breyer on guitar, Simon Spence on bass and Joe Lazarus on drums.

Last December, Di'Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier last year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić.

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his recent knee operation.

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN — a self-titled effort in 1980 and "Killers" in 1981 — before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

Di'Anno played the first show since his operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

In December, Paul was joined by Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND, for three concerts in Greece, where they played songs from MAIDEN's first two albums, "Iron Maiden" and "Killers".

In May 2022, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia.

Harris, whose group kicked off the 2022 leg of its "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour at the 22,000-capacity Arena Zagreb, came out before the show to greet a wheelchair-bound Di'Anno and chat with him for a few minutes.

After his friendly meeting with Harris, Di'Anno stuck around long enough to watch some of MAIDEN's performance before leaving near the end of the set to avoid a huge traffic jam after the show.

Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in a documentary about Di'Anno, to be directed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon.

BLINK-182 has released its latest single, "Fell In Love". The track is taken from the band's new album, "One More Time…", which will arrive on October 20 via Columbia Records. It marks the first album to feature the group's classic lineup of Mark Hoppus (bass, vocals),Tom DeLonge (guitar, vocals) and Travis Barker (drums) since 2011.

Launching with the album news last month, the band shared a sentimental trailer for "One More Time…" Featuring strikingly candid interview footage pulled from the band's extensive interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe as well as current and archival clips, the trailer finds Mark, Tom and Travis baring it all as they discuss topics they have never shared before. The trailer teases three new songs, including "One More Time".

The trio recorded "One More Time..." in the midst of their blockbuster reunion tour, which sold out arenas, amphitheaters, and stadiums across the world. The album, produced by Barker, features 17 new songs that capture the band at the top of their game, layering in themes of tragedy, triumph, and most importantly, brotherhood.

The brand-new album comes both digitally and physically on CD, standard black vinyl, and multiple limited edition physical vinyl variants including purple ooze D2C exclusive LP, red and clear marble colored D2C exclusive LP, and egg splatter colored D2C exclusive LP. Additional offerings on vinyl include the coke bottle clear colored indie exclusive LP, opaque white colored Amazon-exclusive LP and electric smoke colored Spotify Fans First-exclusive LP. The artist store will have a limited-edition cassette available.

"One More Time…" track listing:

01. Anthem Part 3
02. Dance With Me
03. Fell In Love
04. Terrified
05. One More Time
06. More Than You Know
07. Turn This Off!
08. When We Were Young
09. Edging
10. You Don't Know What You've Got
11. Blink Wave
12. Bad News
13. Hurt (Interlude)
14. Turpentine
15. Fuck Face
16. Other Side
17. Childhood

BLINK-182 played its first reunion concert with Tom DeLonge in April at the Coachella festival in Indio, California. The 50-minute performance marked the first time DeLonge, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus had shared the stage together publicly since 2014.

BLINK-182 appearance at Coachella was a last-minute addition to the event, having been announced by DeLonge a day earlier.

BLINK-182 was scheduled to launch its reunion tour in Mexico and South America in March but had to postpone the dates after Barker injured his finger in rehearsals.

The North American leg of BLINK-182's reunion tour launched in May and ran through July, with TURNSTILE providing support.

Meanwhile, the 2022 reunion single "Edging" has amassed over 70 million Spotify streams and counting.

Since their humble beginnings nearly thirty years ago, when they started playing in a San Diego garage, BLINK-182 have sold over fifty-million albums worldwide and rocked audiences from Adelaide to Zurich, having become one of the defining rock bands of their generation. According to The New York Times, "No punk band of the 1990s has been more influential than BLINK-182."

DeLonge was a member of BLINK-182 from its 1995 debut album, "Cheshire Cat" through 2003's "Untitled", before leaving in 2005. He then rejoined the band in 2011 for the "Neighborhoods" LP, prior to departing again in 2015.

BLINK-182's two most recent albums — 2016's "California" and 2019's "Nine" — featured ALKALINE TRIO's Matt Skiba.

Tom has spent the last few years focusing on ANGELS & AIRWAVES before reconnecting with Mark after the latter beat cancer in 2021. Travis has collaborated with countless musicians and married Kourtney Kardashian.

SPIRITBOX has dropped a brand new single, "Cellar Door", arguably the band's heaviest track since the release of "Holly Roller" in 2020. The track is taken from SPIRITBOX's upcoming EP "The Fear Of Fear", set for release on November 3 via Rise Records/Pale Chord.

"The Fear Of Fear" builds on the momentum from SPIRITBOX's massively successful 2021 debut album "Eternal Blue", which topped charts and dominated critics' year-end lists. The six-track EP features previously released singles "The Void" and "Jaded".

"The Fear Of Fear" track listing

01. Cellar Door
02. Jaded
03. Too Close / Too Late
04. Angel Eyes
05. The Void
06. Ultraviolet

SPIRITBOX has been touring extensively this year, having played in Europe and North America, including the band's first-ever U.S. headline tour which completely sold out.

SPIRITBOX recently completed a U.K. headline run followed by multiple major summer festival shows, and is wrapping up the last few shows of an extensive run across the U.S. with SHINEDOWN and PAPA ROACH.

SPIRITBOX followed the release of "Eternal Blue" with the three-song "Rotoscope" EP, in 2022. The title track came accompanied by an official music video shot by Max Moore, which has run up over 3.6 million YouTube views. The EP has clocked up 28.5 million streams.

To date, SPIRITBOX have accumulated over 436 million career streams across platforms and 76.4 million YouTube views. They were also nominated for two Juno Awards last year for "Breakthrough Group Of The Year" and "Metal/Hard Music Album of The Year".

In a recent interview with Kerrang! magazine, SPIRITBOX singer Courtney LaPlante stated about her band's constant musical experimentation: "I feel like our sub-genre of metal is so obsessed with the idea that any song you hear from a band is a mission statement, as in, 'This is now what this band sounds like.' Maybe it's like this in every genre and I just don't see it as much, but when Doja Cat puts a song out, and she's singing, [the fans] don't go, 'She's never going to rap again!' We always have to tell people that when you hear a song, that doesn't mean it was created in a linear vacuum, where a band made a song and then they put out only that song. You might hear a song that was written two years after the next song you hear. You don't know when they came into existence.

"The messaging is always funny there, and I feel like bands never message that right either," she continued. "Every time they put out boring music, they're like, 'Oh, we've matured.' I'm like, 'No, I'm not mature or grown up, I just wrote a song that's more radio friendly. I also wrote an ass-beater song — you just haven't heard it yet!'"

Courtney also left the door open for SPIRITBOX to make any number of moves in the future.

"I don't feel like we’ve been around long enough to disappoint anyone," she said. "We are just getting started, and we're still figuring out what we are, and I don't even know if I want to find out. I don't care about genre, I just know we like making heavy music with low-tuned guitars. But I'm like, 'Take me or leave me, this is what we sound like.' I feel like a lot of bands are having fun with that too."

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

FIREWIND will release a new studio album, "Stand United", on March 1, 2024 via AFM.

"Stand United" will be available as CD, LP vinyl, digital formats and highly collectable bundles, including an autographed card, a FIREWIND cat patch plus a ticket for the band's upcoming European tour with MASTERPLAN. For every ticket bundle purchase, fans will also get the chance to win a meet-and-greet.

The official music video for the latest single from "Stand United", the album opening track "Salvation Day", can be seen below.

For more than 20 years, FIREWIND has enthralled heavy music fans with its exciting blend of hard rock and power metal. Razor-sharp riffs by guitar legend Gus G. (OZZY OSBOURNE, ARCH ENEMY, DREAM EVIL),big hooks and solos meet the incredible vocal skills of charismatic singer Herbie Langhans (AVANTASIA, RADIANT, SEVENTH AVENUE),who joined the band in 2019.

"Stand United" features nine brand new songs produced with Dennis Ward (MAGNUM, UNISONIC),as well as a cover of the 1980s pop rock classic "Talking In Your Sleep", originally recorded by THE ROMANTICS but given a metal twist in the style of FIREWIND. FIREWIND's tenth studio album also bears testament to the band's sheer enthusiasm and lyrical topics that could not be more relevant.

"I wouldn't exactly call 'Stand United' a classic concept album, but the album title indicates what we're about thematically," explains Gus, who has also contributed with more lyric ideas on this album than he did to any prior LP. "This world seems to be getting more and more out of balance, what with environmental disasters, the pandemic, the wars currently raging all over the globe. In such times, it's more important than ever for mankind to stand close together instead of fighting each other. That's what 'Stand United' is about."

This basic idea is also reflected in the cover artwork courtesy of Costin Chioreanu (GRAVE, MAYHEM).

Gus says: "I always loved the artwork of our debut album, which was based on a real hand painting. With 'Stand United' being our tenth album, I wanted an equally authentic template and that's how I came across Costin. The collage of faces on the cover represent war, greed, betrayal, but also love and unity, which are some of the album's lyrical themes. I'm just as proud of the artwork as I am of the songs on our new album."

"Stand United" track listing:

01. Salvation Day
02. Stand United
03. Destiny Is Calling
04. The Power Lies Within
05. Come Undone
06. Fallen Angel
07. Chains
08. Land Of Chaos
09. Talking In Your Sleep
10. Days Of Grace

FIREWIND released a concert album/Blu-ray, "Still Raging", on September 1 via AFM Records.

This past April, Gus was asked by Neil Jones of TotalRock if FIREWIND's previous single, "Destiny Is Calling", which was released in February, was a good representation of what fans can expect to hear on the upcoming LP. The guitarist said: "Yeah. I think it's definitely a good taste of what's to come. All the songs, I think, have that type of anthemic vibe to them. So, yeah, I thought it was a really good, strong track to kick things off."

In January, Gus told The Metal Voice about the musical direction of the new FIREWIND material: "I think it still sounds like FIREWIND. My goal was to make a little bit more anthemic type of tracks this time around. Because of the whole direction that was, 'Okay, let's work singles,' I thought every song should be a single. So I didn't write any kind of obscure type of tracks or didn't experiment in that type of area. I kind of focused on writing three- [or] four-minute songs that are very high energy, something that you can play in an arena in a festival in front of a large crowd. That was my philosophy behind this one this time. Which is good. It's not easy to write that type of songs. People think it's easy, 'Oh, it's so simple' and stuff. But it's not so easy to make that and resonate with a bigger crowd. So let's see how it does."

FIREWIND's ninth, self-titled studio album was made available in May 2020.

In early 2020, FIREWIND officially parted ways with guitarist/keyboardist Bob Katsionis and singer Henning Basse. The group's current vocalist is Herbie Langhans, who has previously played with AVANTASIA and SINBREED.

Gus and Langhans got to know each other back in the autumn of 2019, when the FIREWIND leader was looking for a suitable replacement for Henning Basse after the tour with QUEENSRŸCHE. Just a few weeks later, the recordings for "Firewind" were a done deal, ready for Swedish sound engineer Tobias Lindell (EUROPE, AVATAR, H.E.A.T.) to mix them in Lindell Audio Studios.

FIREWIND 2023 is:

Gus G. (guitar)
Herbie Langhans (vocals)
Petros Christo (bass)
Jo Nunez (drums)

Photo: Tim Tronckoe