Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg has shared drum-cam video of himself performing "Sarcastrophe" at Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on August 4, 2015.. Check it out below.





The House Of Masks posted a video earlier this year featuring Weinberg sharing the history of the masks he has worn during his time with the band.




Weinberg replaced Joey Jordison as the drummer for Slipknot in 2014. He appears on .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), Day Of The Gusano (2017 live album, "All Out Life" (2018 non-album single), We Are Not Your Kind (2019) and The End, So Far (2022).

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, former GUNS N' ROSES and current SONS OF APOLLO and ART OF ANARCHY guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal addressed some of his previous comments about his desire to spend less time on the road and focus more on studio projects. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm gonna have to tour with bands that I've worked with. I can't not do it and hold back the band, and I wouldn't want fans to think that I don't wanna be there. But as far as the direction of my own life and what I wanna do with it, I wanna be producing more bands. I love teaching, but definitely a lot more producing and mixing and more of the creative stuff and less of the travel stuff. I've been an absentee husband for decades and it's unfair to my own life and the people in my life. So, I'm trying to travel and tour as little as I can get away with and just live for me before I'm dead."

Thal went on to say that he still gets a lot of enjoyment out of performing and being able to discover new places while on the road.

"It's a whole lot of variables that all come together with it all," he explained. "It's the traveling, experiencing a new place, a new culture, a new food, new this, new that, meeting new people, doing what you love to do. And then there's everything else. There's the stability and everything you have of being at home and waking up at the same time, in the same bed and eating the food that's in your refrigerator and going to your gym at the same time and going to your studio and just… Yeah, I've lacked that stability for a long time and missed a lot of things. So, it's like this bittersweet kind of thing. You have all this wonderful stuff, but you're also missing a lot of normalcy and the wonderful stuff that shouldn't be discounted. It's just as wonderful, and, if anything, more so."

Thal joined GUNS N' ROSES in 2006, replacing Buckethead. He played with the band for eight years and performed on "Chinese Democracy". He has also released nine full-length solo albums over the past 23 years, most recently 2015's "Little Brother Is Watching", which was reissued on CD and vinyl in August 2017 by former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson's EMP Label Group.

SONS OF APOLLO, which also features drummer Mike Portnoy, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and bassist Billy Sheehan, released its second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20),in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.

Last week, ART OF ANARCHY released a new single, "Vilified". The song is taken from the band's third studio album, "Let There Be Anarchy", which will be released on February 16, 2024 via Pavement Music.

Joining founding ART OF ANARCHY members Jon Votta (guitar),Vince Votta (drums) and Thal in the band's new lineup are vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY, SONS OF APOLLO) and bassist Tony Dickinson (SOTO, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

Metallica have released the official live video below for "Fight Fire With Fire", filmed at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, on August 27.


The full audio recording of the above mentioned concert is now available for pre-order here. Expected availability is November 24, 2023.







Tracklisting:


"Whiplash"
"For Whom The Bell Tolls"
"Ride The Lightning"
"Dirty Window"
"72 Seasons"
"If Darkness Had A Son"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"You Must Burn!"
"The Call Of Ktulu"
"No Leaf Clover"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Moth Into Flame"
"Fight Fire With Fire"
"Whiskey In The Jar"
"One"
"Enter Sandman"

In a new feature at Louder Sound, guitarist K.K. Downing answers fan questions on everything from nu metal and his former band Judas Priest, to which biscuit is best. Read a couple of excerpts below...


Question: If you could pick three bands to play KK’s Steel Mill [a venue K.K. runs in Wolverhampton, England] that haven’t played before, which bands would you pick? - Chris Stewart, Facebook


K.K. Downing: “Wishbone Ash are a big one. I’m delighted to say that they’re coming to the Mill, but it would be nice for them to reform with Ted [Turner] and Laurie [Wisefield] and have three guitarists… imagine that! I was such a heavy little monster that in the early days Wishbone weren’t heavy enough for me. But I did think if [Judas Priest] had two guitarists who could both write and play lead and rhythm, maybe we could do a heavy version, and that’s the way it went. Scorpions would also be great. Judas Priest, there’s another one! Why not? You never know!”




Question: Who is the loudest band you’ve ever heard live? - Doug McClung, Facebook


Downing: “When we played with AC/DC on the Highway To Hell tour, in an ice hockey stadium in Finland, I went down the front to watch them and honestly, my kidneys were jumping up to my liver and getting entwined with my pancreas. It was brutal, man!”


Read more at Louder Sound.


Downing's KK's Priest  will proudly reveal their new sophomore offering, The Sinner Rides Again, on September 29 via Napalm Records.


In anticipation of the approaching album release, the band revealed a brand new, 13-minute documentary film directed by up and coming British filmmaker Sam Singer. The piece was filmed at the first official KK’s Priest show this past July 6, at KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, England. The documentary gives a raw, behind-the-scenes look at the band preparing for the concert, and includes exclusive live footage as well as personal commentary from K.K. Downing, Tim "Ripper" Owens, and the band.





On the heels of their highly-lauded 2021 debut album, Sermons Of The Sinner - which debuted within the Top 20 on charts in the United States, the UK, Germany, Sweden, Finland and more - KK’s Priest return to sin again! With The Sinner Rides Again, KK's Priest double down on the ripping melodic force of their debut, Sermons Of The Sinner. The Sinner Rides Again wields nine tracks of pure hellfire, produced and written by Downing and mixed/mastered by Jacob Hansen.


After stepping out of the Judas Priest spotlight, the return of K.K. Downing was uncertain. Nearly ten years after its onset, the genre-defining guitar icon returned from his hiatus with proof that he was nowhere ready to cease writing classic metal songs or to put away his famous Flying V guitars - taking part in acclaimed international comeback performances (including with his former Judas Priest bandmates when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in November 2022) that would act as harbingers of the formation of KK’s Priest.


Downing was recently quoted saying, “We've lost a lot of great people – Dio, Lemmy, for example – but this amazing and unique style of music must be preserved for as long as possible and I feel it within me to continue to play my role, as I always have, and to defend this metal genre, which we all know and love.” The Sinner Rides Again is a testament to this call for the classics while speeding full force into the future, delivered by some of heavy metal’s most essential performers.


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


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 Sinner Rides Again will be available in the following formats:


- Digital Album
- 1CD Digipak Edition           
- 1LP Gatefold in Black
- Wooden Box Edition (incl. Digipak, Flag, Logo Wristband, Artprint, Patch) - Napalm Mail Order only, limited to 500
- 1LP Gatefold in Marbled Orange and Black - Napalm International (excl. North America) Mail Order only, limited to 300
- 1LP Gatefold in Transparent Orange - Napalm North American Mail Order only, limited to 300
- 1LP Gatefold in Orange, Blue and Black Inkspot - Napalm Mail Order only, limited to 500
- Cassette Tape Edition in Red with White Print - Napalm Mail Order only, limited to 200


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


“Sons Of The Sentinel”
“Strike Of The Viper”
“Reap The Whirlwind”
“One More Shot At Glory”
“Hymn 66”
“The Sinner Rides Again”
“Keeper Of The Graves”
“Pledge Your Souls”
“Wash Away Your Sins”


"Strike Of The Viper" video:





"Reap The Whirlwind" video:





“One More Shot At Glory” video:





Tour dates:


October (with Paul Di’Anno and Burning Witches)
7 - Birmingham, England - O2 Institute
8 - Glasgow, Scotland - SWG3
10 - Nottingham, England - Rock City
11 - Manchester, England - O2 Ritz
12 - London, England - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire


March
2-7 – Monsters Of Rock Cruise


KK's Priest is:


Tim "Ripper" Owens - Vocals
K.K. Downing - Guitar
A.J. Mills - Guitar
Tony Newton - Bass
Sean Elg - Drums

"KISS Psycho Circus was released on Sept 22nd, 1998," begins guitarist Bruce Kulick. "It's 25th Anniversary is exciting to me, because of my contributions to this record. The LP featured the four original members of KISS, but I explore my bass playing, guitar work, and even my co-write on the song Dreamin' in this behind the scene video."





Psycho Circus is the 18th studio album by KISS. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn, Psycho Circus peaked at #1 in Australia and Sweden, hitting #3 in both Canada and The United States.







Tracklisting:


"Psycho Circus"
"Within"
"I Pledge Allegiance To The State Of Rock & Roll"
"Into The Void"
"We Are One"
"You Wanted The Best"
"Raise Your Glasses"
"I Finally Found My Way"
"Dreamin'"
"Journey Of 1,000 Years"





 

Summoning listeners with dynamic guitar riffs and pulsing rhythms, Canadian roots-rockers The Commoners present their brand new single, “Devil Teasin’ Me”, released September 22, 2023. “Devil Teasin’ Me” is currently available to pre-save from all streaming platforms. The music video can be enjoyed below.


“Devil Teasin’ Me” is the first single from The Commoners’ forthcoming third studio album, that will be released worldwide by Gypsy Soul Records in 2024.


“Devil Teasin’ Me” captures self-reckoning wrapped up in rock ‘n’ roll. The song strikes hot and smolders before it erupts into a sonic inferno that epitomizes the band’s signature crisp tones and rich production, established on their critically acclaimed second studio album, Find A Better Way, (Gypsy Soul Records, 2022).







On “Devil Teasin’ Me” pleading lead vocals question, “Is this who I’m meant to be?”. All of which pulls the listener into the ring as vocalist Chris Medhurst battles personal demons. Lush harmonies and group vocals coil around spirited organ and driving percussion, fervidly gripping the track.


Faustian bargains aside, the quintet returns with confidence and a surety of sound that is the result of the fast-moving pace of rigorous touring. With two UK and European tours under their belt, The Commoners are well on their way to becoming one of today's top roots rock and roll bands.





With more concerts on the horizon, catch The Commoners on tour in The UK for a nationwide tour supporting Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton from October 19 - 30, 2023, followed by a headline gig at the Bourne Music Club on November 1. Dates are listed in the official tour poster, found below.





Offering their own blend of rock and roll, southern blues, and roots music, the Toronto-based five-piece band are known for their high-energy riffs, soulful vocals, and rich harmonies. The result is an unforgettable, authentic Southern-style rock experience.


The band developed over the course of a decade, adapting through challenging times to form the lineup as it exists today which consists of Chris Medhurst (vocals, guitar), Ben Spiller (bass), Ross Hayes Citrullo (lead guitar), Adam Cannon (drums), and Miles Evans-Branagh (keyboards).


The Commoners unite under a shared dream: to write, perform, and share music that is an authentic nod to the greats who paved the way before them.


“Devil Teasin’ Me” embodies the spirit of rock, blues, soul, and roots,” says the band’s lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “We wanted to capture the sheer excitement of roots rock. This is the music that we listen to.”


“The Black Crowes are a considerable influence for us,” adds Medhurst. “Derek Trucks, Marcus King, Led Zeppelin, and The Allman Brothers Band, too. These are the bands that we wear on our sleeves as we aspire to create our own music and sound.”


“As with our previous album, we wanted to marry old and new southern rock together in a way that was unique to the band’s Canadian roots,” explains lead guitarist Ross Hayes Citrullo. “By adding the soul and rock elements of The Black Crowes, and the southern blues rock undertones of The Allman Brothers to a production style akin to Blackberry Smoke and Rival Sons, I think we developed an authentic sound that compares sonically to some of our favourite records across all of those music genres.”





(Photos by JC Polien)


 

Baltimore's Wormhole have hit the next level on their new album, Almost Human, out Friday, September 22 via Season of Mist. Find a full album stream below.


When you invent your own genre, you can make the rules, and in space, no one can correct your math. If Wormhole’s excellent The Weakest Among Us was 50% tech death and 50% slamming brutal death metal, their Season of Mist debut is a veritable leveling up of the Baltimore-based act’s trademark “tech slam.” It’s the kind of record that can scramble your brain and give your neck a nice chiropractic workout; Almost Human feels like the future of extreme metal, dropped down from either outer space or delivered by Nintendo cartridge (more on that later).  


So, what the hell exactly is “tech slam?” Well, the gleefully amorphous and unholy term comes from an ethos that guitarists Sanil “Noni” Kumar and Sanjay Kumar discovered and perfected over (probably) thousands of hours of Metroid and Doom games, as well as, you know, actual musical mastery. Almost Human, out September 22, 2023, is more powerful, more agile, and more confounding for pie-chart-enthusiasts than anything else that came before it. The sequel is always bigger, darker, and in this case, covered in much more pixelated space horror viscera. My Wormholio calculator puts their sound at 91% tech and 89% slam, with an increase in awesome stats somewhere in the 420% range. There’s also a clear emphasis on amplifying their dissonant death influence, the kind of eerie melodies that feel like being stomped on by Samus.




There’s a clear balance to everything on Almost Human: the songs are more adventurous while also being instantly memorable. No two songs sound alike, and that diversity in songcraft (level design?) sees Wormhole pushing and pulling along their tech and slam dials to figure out what’s best for the song; spoiler, it’s always riffs. What also becomes evident after repeated listens is how carefully the Kumar brothers understand a sense of place, humor, and a consistent vibe. This is still the same band that’s known for throwing on Saturday morning cartoons, and Almost Human continues to hammer home that Wormhole the musical entity is deadly serious, but the guys that make tech slam are not stoic creatures. There’s a warmth and sense of joy when chatting with them that only gets brighter when you ask their favorite Metroid game (that’s a question for a live show). So, what is this vibe they are chasing? Sanjay shares:


“The tech slam imagery is based on Metroid lore, Doom lore, and we haven't written a song about it yet, but Alien as well. Those three things are brutal sci-fi universes, so we're trying to embody that sound. The slam riffs, you can connect the brutal killing of stuff with the brutal chunky riffs; that's been a match that's existed since the nineties. So that's the slam part, and then the tech part was harder to fit that vibe, so we kind of do it differently. I lean into very dissonance-vibe stuff, like Artificial Brain and Dysrhythmia. I think disso-death and heavy, they aren't usually paired together, even though they should be.”


“And then as far as chasing the vibe,” Noni adds, “I kind of go about it two ways. With the Metroid soundtrack or universe, that vibe, there's some dark and gloomy atmosphere, but there's a lot of pretty imagery as well. We wanted to find a way to match that very pretty, kind of out-there sound cohesively in songs with a very aggressive and guttural approach.”


Like another famous sci-fi horror masterpiece of a different media, Wormhole’s shifting, amorphous style is perfectly suited to blend in and amaze just about any fan of heavy music. That’s The Thing: they can pull off whatever they want, but it’s always boiled down to that tech slam vibe. Do you like tech, melody, breakdowns, atmosphere, or dissonance? Tech slam can fill whatever void you seek.


If previous albums were early generation, lower-resolution visions of tech slam, Almost Human is the 4K reboot, where you can see every pixel of terror and awe. Wormhole are absolutely ready for their closeup. Prepare your worms and your holes, tech slam is here to stay.  


Pre-order the new album here, pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


"System Erase"
"Elysiism"
"Spine Shatter High-Velocity Impact"
"Data Fortress Orbital Stationary"
"Delta Labs"
"Almost Human"
"Bleeding Teeth Fungus"
"The Grand Oscillation"


Album stream:





Lineup:


Julian Kersey: vocals
Sanil Kumar: guitar
Sanjay Kumar: guitar
Basil Chiasson: bass
Matt Tillett: drums


(Photo - Scott Kinkade)

Angra have released a new European tour report video. The clip, filmed and edited by Antoine de Montremy, can be viewed below:





Cycles Of Pain is embracing the world! To be released on November 3 via Atomic Fire Records, Angra are ready to present fans with their new studio album this autumn.




Lead single, "Ride Into The Storm", sounded the attack in August, with hundred thousands of fans celebrating the group's impressive return, and now, the quintet go one step further: "Tide Of Changes" is an ambitious two-piece song consisting of an introducing but not minor essential 'Part I' leading into 'Part II' which spreads a slightly Far Eastern feel before evolving its beauty, pushed by significantly dominating bass lines of Felipe Andreoli. Additionally, a film crew around Leo Liberti have once again created a stunning music video for the band, this time also adding 3D effects putting a futuristic stamp on it. The result can be seen below.





Andreoli comments: "This song came to life very quickly. After I played around with the initial riff, all subsequent parts kind of naturally fell into place. It's a song full of dynamics and different textures, with a look to the future while we also nod to the past, especially in the middle section. Fabio did a brilliant job with the vocal lines and delivered a very inspired performance. The intro came about while I was working on some harmonies, then Fabio joined in and the magic happened."


"The 'Tide Of Changes' lyrics were the first I wrote for the Cycles Of Pain album and portray exactly what the title denounces. We live in a moment of great instability and, while our ego seeks the comfort zone and control, it is fundamental to adapt to this impermanence, to surf the waves of destiny and not on our expectations. It's the pains and frustrations that shape and strengthen us, to the point where we can beat our chest and say: 'Let the next wave of difficulties come. Want to take another piece of me? Come on, I've waited for this moment!'" concludes guitarist Rafael Bittencourt.





Cycles Of Pain was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by long-time Angra partner Dennis Ward (D.C. Cooper, Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome etc.) at the Sonastério & Elephant Office in Brazil, while mixing and mastering took place at The TrakShak in Karlsdorf, Germany. Its artwork was designed by Erick Pasqua before Jonathan Canuto took care of layout duties.


The album also features a range of guests including appearances by Amanda Somerville ("Tears Of Blood"), Brazilian artists Lenine ("Vida Seca") and Vanessa Moreno ("Tide Of Changes - Part II" & "Here In The Now"), and last but not least Juliana D'Agostini on piano ("Tears Of Blood").





Cycles Of Pain will be available in the following formats:


- CD-digipak
- jewelcase-CD
- various vinyls (red/yellow split-coloured | clear/blue marbled | clear yellow/white splatter)
- digital


Pre-order here.





Cycles Of Pain tracklisting:


"Cyclus Doloris"
"Ride Into The Storm"
"Dead Man On Display"
"Tide Of Changes - Part I"
"Tide Of Changes - Part II"
"Vida Seca"
"Gods Of The World"
"Cycles Of Pain"
"Faithless Sanctuary"
"Here In The Now"
"Generation Warriors"
"Tears Of Blood"


"Ride Into The Storm" video:





Angra are:


Fabio Lione - vocals
Rafael Bittencourt - guitars
Marcelo Barbosa - guitars
Felipe Andreoli - bass
Bruno Valverde| - drums


(Photo - Marcos Hermes)

French sleaze rockers, BlackRain, have released an official live video for "All The Darkness". The studio version of the song is featured on the band's new album, Untamed, released last November. Watch the new clip below:





BlackRain's Untamed album can be ordered here.







Tracklist:


"Untamed"
"Kiss The Sky"
"Dawn Of Hell"
"All The Darkness"
"Demon"
"Summer Jesus"
"Set The World On Fire"
"Neon Drift"
"Blade Of Love"
"Raise Your Glass"
"Shut Down"
"The End"


"Raise Your Glass" lyric video:





"Neon Drift" video:





"Summer Jesus" video:





"Untamed" video:

Frontiers Music Srl announces the release of Semblant's new music video, "The Human Eclipse". The release of this track coincides with the announcement of the vinyl version of their album, Vermillion Eclipse, which will be available on October 20.





Original released in April 2022, Vermillion Eclipse sees the band continue their evolution into a powerful musical force that is hard to pin down with one musical categorization. With wide ranging influences under the metal and rock umbrella, Semblant are at once wholly unique, yet entirely familiar, on 'Vermillion Eclipse'.




“We hope you guys love Vermillion Eclipse as much as we love it. I usually say this about each new album we deliver, but, now, I feel that this sentence has reached a point of real meaning. All our hearts and dedication are present in this music. All the experiences we lived through during the pandemic and all the moments where we kept ourselves locked in our studios focused on creating music are finally in song form and reaching out to your hearts and souls.


"This album is an emotional breaking point. Over the course of making this album, we lost family members, one of us is celebrating the news of our first child being on the way, and we helped each other to keep our minds healthy and strong as best we could during this insane time. This is all reflected in the new album”, said vocalist Sergio Mazul at the original time of release.


Pre-order the LP here, and watch the clip below.





Tracklisting:


“Enrage”
“Destiny In Curse”
“Purified”
“The Human Eclipse”
“Somber Concern”
“The Neverending Fall”
“Through The Denial”
“Black Sun Genesis (Legacy Of Blood Pt. VI)”
“Heretic”
“Bloodred Monarch (Legacy Of Blood Pt. VII)”
“Gaslighting”
“Day One Oblivion”


"Enrage" video:





“Purified” video:





Lineup:


Mizuho Lin - Vocals
Sergio Mazul - Vocals
Juliano Ribeiro - GuitarJ. "Guto" Augusto - Keyboards
Johann Piper - Bass
Welyntom "Thor" Sikora - Drums

In a new interview with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman weighed in on a debate about people using an AI (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and machine learning (ML) models. Marty said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's gotta be something positive in it. And regardless of whether we're fearful of technology or not, it's gonna be a reality — period. So I think we can fight it all the way and there's been guys in the music business fighting analog and digital forever."

He continued: "It's kind of nostalgic to think of the days when everything was analog and you sat down and you listened to a whole album from beginning to end and it's wonderful and people can still enjoy that, but technology has allowed you and I to talk like this, technology has allowed Pro Tools to happen, which has created some of the best ideas for recording in history."

Friedman added: "We just can't fight it all the way because it's like spitting against heaven; it's not gonna mean anything. So AI, I think its best years are yet to come. It hasn't really done anything that's kicked my ass yet. Of what I've seen, it's just been kind of cute little funny little mashups and stuff, nothing I'd want to sit down and listen to an album of, but technology and AI and all that stuff is a reality. It's not going away, for better or for worse. So the sooner we accept it and accept how we can not only live with it, but benefit by it, the healthier we can all enjoy our lives rather than being some old guy just saying, 'I hate this stuff.' It's really easy to fall into that, especially from people of a previous generation, because we know how good it was back then. There's a lot of crap now because of technology, and it's easy to hate on all that stuff, but it's not going away. So what's the benefit in being negative about it?"

Earlier this month, QUEEN's Brian May spoke about the dangers of artificial intelligence as it relates to creating music, telling Guitar Player magazine: "My major concern with it now is in the artistic area. I think by this time next year the landscape will be completely different. We won't know which way is up. We won't know what's been created by AI and what's been created by humans. Everything is going to get very blurred and very confusing, and I think we might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene. I really think it could be that serious, and that doesn't fill me with joy. It makes me feel apprehensive, and I'm preparing to feel sad about this.

"I think a lot of great stuff will come from AI, because it is going to increase the powers of humans to solve problems," he continued. "But the potential for AI to cause evil is, obviously, incredibly huge — not just in music, 'cause nobody dies in music, but people can die if AI gets involved in politics and world domination for various nations. I think the whole thing is massively scary. It's much more far-reaching than anybody realized — well, certainly than I realized."

May is not the only rock musician who has expressed his concern and/or excitement about the potential risks, challenges and benefits associated with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. During a recent appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored", KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked if he is "excited or worried about artificial intelligence, particularly [as it relates to] the music business." He responded: "Music business aside, I am concerned about the lack of legislation. When you enter a new, let's say a new planet, you're about to land on a new [planet], well, clearly there's opportunity there, there are minerals and things — all kinds of opportunities. Without rules of the game… It's like playing sports without rules. Who's gonna do what? You need some rules that are kind and beneficial to mankind, womankind, transkind, all kinds of kinds. Okay, does that cover everybody?"

He continued: "The problem with AI is not… AI is here, whether you like it or not. So let's look at it smartly and let's pass legislation. AI creates a song using my voice, or what sounds like my voice, with a new song, and it sounds just like me and it definitely sounds like that kind of a thing. So when you buy it, who owns the copyright and the publishing, if AI did that? So, is it me, because it sounds like me? You could swear it was me. So these are uncharted [territories]."

Asked if he cares if AI uses his voice to create a new song, Gene said: "We can make a deal."

In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin said: "Technology, I will always try to use it as much as I can, [including] for my visuals and all that. AI videos, I'm jealous because it would take me three thousand years to do it frame by frame. But what I'm most afraid of, really, is AI controlling high-tech weaponry; that's my main fear. And it's funny because in the '70s, as a kid, I saw a movie called 'Colossus[: The Forbin Project]' about that — about a giant super computer in the USA teaming up with a giant super computer in Russia. They take control of the nuclear weapons and enslave humanity."

This past April, Universal Music had a song called "Heart On My Sleeve", which used deep-faked vocals from their artists Drake and The Weeknd, removed from the streaming services, claiming in a statement that "the training of generative AI using our artists' music" was "a violation of copyright law".

Pop singer Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, recently said she would "split 50% royalties on any successful AI-generated song that uses my voice". "Same deal as I would with any artist I collab[orate] with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty," she tweeted.

This past July, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows spoke about artificial intelligence during an appearance on an episode of Doc Coyle's (GOD FORBID, BAD WOLVES) "The Ex Man" podcast. He said in part: "I think when you look back at all the things of the past. If I had to be a 41-year-old singer right now thinking about the things of the past, of music, so many of my favorite artists slapped me in the face and challenged me with records. I had expectations, and then something came out that I was heartbroken; I couldn't believe it. And when I look back, I needed that, and I needed to be taught that. And I have so much respect for these artists that did that to me. There was a lot that gave me the same thing — the names escape me right now — but there was so many things that challenged me that broke my heart at the time. Like going from the first MR. BUNGLE record, and then going to 'Disco Volante', Mike Patton's not even singing; he's murmuring the whole time. And then they do 'California'… I remember Brian [Haner, Jr., a.k.a. AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Synyster Gates] was literally in a depression when that record came out because of how grand that first record was. And then it becomes your favorite thing 'cause you're, like, 'These motherfuckers are crazy. They don't care.'"

The singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, continued: "But what I think is interesting about AI. 'Cause if you think of what AI is at this point, AI is an accumulation of everything it's known before. So if you were to say, 'Make an AVENGED SEVENFOLD song,' AI doesn't know how to go outside of the box and actually create what [we] would do. But it knows how to take what we've already done and mix and match it in a different way. So what I think is awesome is imagine you're, like, 'This new AVENGED record is trash. I fucking don't get it. I'm so over this crap they're trying to do. Give me a record like…' And then let AI make it. Then there you go — you've got your new AVENGED record. You have a mix and match of everything that we've done, but different choruses, different cool stuff. I think it could be really fucking interesting. And then the real guys like us, we kind of push forward on what we're doing. I think it's a fucking really weird future that we're in for, where people can just be, like, 'Eh, give me more of that.' So, who knows?"

In a May 2023 discussion on Decrypt's "gm" podcast about the music industry's reaction to a spate of AI songs trained on artists' voices, M. Shadows said that he was enthused about the possibilities, saying that "AI can be incredibly useful" for songwriters.

"If you're looking at purely this data brick of taking information and regurgitating it to us in some way, whether it's through music or art or novels, literature — whatever it is — you're basically taking everything humans have ever done or discovered and you're giving it to this thing that can distribute it to you quicker and in a different way, can mix it up and do it in a different way," he explained.

"I think if you actually look at music, most fans aren't mad that all the drums are already being resampled and replaced," he continued. "Pro Tools already will quantize your albums and make it perfect. You can Auto-Tune your voice to do all these other things. But for some reason, they have a problem… And by the way, if you think about it, how you write music, it's like you're going into your own database of 'I've listened to Bach, I've listened to The Weeknd, I've listened to Kanye, I've listened to all these things, and now I'm gonna regurgitate it in this way and spew out my own version of that.' AI can be incredibly useful if you have AI doing some of that work for you. 'Give me 20 versions of this chord change,' or, 'I wanna hear a different top line there,' and you take a little thing that interests you and you go somewhere with it. So now you're using AI to not only spark ideas but you're using it in a much quicker way to kind of get to some of these cool little nuggets of gold that you kind of are, like, 'Oh, that's cool. Let me see where I can take that.' So that's not really AI writing a song for you; it's kind of giving you this kind of jumping-off point of, 'Now where can I be creative with it?' And I think that will be the next step."

M. Shadows went on to say that AI also opens up the possibility of fans using the work of their favorite acts as a machine learning library to create their own songs.

"What I think is cool is that… Listen, there's a lot of fans that don't wanna hear new AVENGED SEVENFOLD," he said. "We're 40 years old now and we're going places that are much more eccentric than they want — some of 'em. They might want another version of 'Waking The Fallen' or 'City Of Evil', which are our old records. Now, what's wrong with someone throwing in a prompt and saying, 'Listen to these two records and send me a new record with 11 songs.' And if I was to give up my voice and say, 'Take my voice,' and AI create an album that kind of sounds like that. I think that's incredibly cool. I think it would be really cool if people can prompt their own versions of what AVENGED SEVENFOLD sounds like. You get the sounds you want, you get all these things, but now you're getting different versions of albums that you like. So I think there's something really cool there and nothing that crazy or wrong about it. I back it. I think it'd be cool. As a human, I'm gonna be going my own way and making my own stuff that I feel is kind of breaking the mold or pushing things forward. I'm giving the AI more data for the future, wherever I'm gonna take it. But I think it's kind of cool. And I would love to give up my voice to where people can create their own versions of our songs or whatever they feel would be cool."

Legendary multi-platinum rockers FOGHAT will release their long-awaited 17th studio album, "Sonic Mojo" — their first in seven years — on November 10 via the band's label, Foghat Records, which is distributed by Select-O-Hits (part of the Sun Records family). The official music video for the LP's second single, "She's A Little Bit Of Everything" — co-written by the late Kim Simmonds from SAVOY BROWN — can be seen below.

"Sonic Mojo" will be available as a single CD with 12-tracks and a six-page gatefold cover, as well as an 11-track, limited-edition 180-gram, purple neon vinyl.

One more song will be released in the coming months: "I Don't Appreciate You", which was written by the four FOGHAT members, on October 20.

From the opening notes of their 1972 self-titled classic to their bombastic multi-platinum gem "Foghat Live", to 2016's slide guitar-soaked "Under The Influence" and right on through to "Sonic Mojo", FOGHAT has always been about the music. Music played loud. Music played live and music played that makes you want to move.

On "Sonic Mojo", founding member, drummer and leader of the pack Roger Earl is joined by stalwart guitarist, engineer and co-producer Bryan Bassett (WILD CHERRY, MOLLY HATCHET),fun-loving, low-end thumper, fan favorite bassist Rodney O'Quinn (PAT TRAVERS BAND),and on lead vocals and guitar, Scott Holt (Buddy Guy) who has been the singer/guitarist of the band's recent side project EARL & THE AGITATORS since 2015. In typical FOGHAT fashion, there are a few surprises included on the album as well.

Three songs on "Sonic Mojo" have special meaning for Roger Earl, as they were co-written by Simmonds, the man who gave Roger his first break back in 1967 as a member of SAVOY BROWN. Sadly, shortly after writing these songs, Kim passed away.

The first of the three Simmonds co-writes, "Drivin' On", is the debut single from "Sonic Mojo". Vocalist/guitarist Scott Holt smiles as he proudly sums up what this bluesy rocker means to the band: "A song like 'Drivin' On' celebrates the swamp funk blues of Slim Harpo and the cosmic boogie of John Lee Hooker." Part blues, part ZZ TOP and part FOGHAT this tune is destined to become a live fan favorite.

"She's A Little Bit Of Everything" (also co-written by Simmonds),just like FOGHAT's classic "Slow Ride" that starts off with nothing but a drumbeat, followed by fuzzy guitar and, just like that famous song, this one also celebrates woman, albeit in a totally classier way. The third Simmonds co-write is the most emotional of bunch. "Time Slips Away" penned when Kim was terminally ill, delivers a strong message that is both beautiful and emotional.

Kim isn't the only surprise on "Sonic Mojo", however. Roger has a famous brother named Colin Earl, most known for the song "In The Summertime" by MUNGO JERRY. Together, the two brothers and the rest of the band created the most unique tune on the album titled "Wish I'd A Been There". The song is an ode to country music legend Hank Williams.

FOGHAT does country?

Well…sort of, but not really. This fun song shows that this band, even after 50-plus years of making music, isn't afraid of trying something new. And…like everything else they've tried, they do it well.

"Sonic Mojo" also sees FOGHAT tip their hat to great artists that came before them, as well as giving plenty of winks and nods from the current lineup. While there are songs on the album written by Willie Dixon ("Let Me Love You Baby"),B.B. King ("She's Dynamite") and Chuck Berry ("Promised Land"),FOGHAT shows they can still boogie with the best of them.

Elder statesmen, and band leader, Roger Earl has played with enough of the greats to know when he's in good company. "I love playing and working with this band," he says. "During my almost-60-year music career, I have had the honor of playing with some really great musicians. Lonesome Dave, Rod Price, Craig MacGregor, Erik Cartwright, Nick Jameson, Tony Stevens and Jeff Howell, to name some that have graced this band. Many have sadly passed, some have retired or moved on, but I have to say that the current lineup has been one of the most inspirational for me, personally. Writing with Scott and Bryan has come easy. Words and ideas just seem to fall out at any time and another song is in the works. And Rodney's input and bass playing has been invaluable. We are a band in every sense of the word."

Adds Scott Holt: "I feel like 'Sonic Mojo' is a perfect addition to the FOGHAT cannon. For over 50 years, this band has been a celebration of the varied art forms and genres that were created in this country. The pillars of blues, country, soul, R&B and jazz are woven into the fabric of this band at the molecular level. 'Sonic Mojo' is a rock and roll audio mojo hand. We convened our spirits and went down to the crossroads at midnight and put some Mississippi dirt, black cat bones, and moonlight into the bag, Kim Simmonds donated some soul, the spirit of Dave, Rod and Craig were the essence that created the supreme funk that is the finished product. A soulful expression, an offering at the altar of rock and roll."

"Making a record is an emotionally and physically draining experience," Holt continues. "As an artist you disengage every other part of your being and focus on the art…the task at hand. You don't record like it's going to live forever, but you know it's going to live forever. You forget to eat, to drink, you don't sleep or rest until you've got your part correct, and then you rethink it until it's pronounced 'finished.' (You'll always hear the part that you doubted, even after someone tells you that's their favorite part.) This record was made under battle conditions. Roger was drumming with one good arm and would keep recording until the pain was too much…and then do another take."

Roger Earl tore a tendon in his shoulder while shoveling snow after an intense blizzard at his New York home in January 2022. After spending most of that year looking for a qualified surgeon, while touring relentlessly and starting to record "Sonic Mojo", he finally had surgery in December with a doctor who specialized in sports shoulder injuries. Because he knew he would not be able to play up to his standards for a while after surgery, Roger laid down all the drum tracks for "Sonic Mojo" in the couple of months before the surgery, enduring a lot of pain, but doing whatever it took to get the music right. Guess that's why they call it the blues!

Formed in 1971 when Lonesome Dave Peverett and Roger Earl left the British blues-rock band SAVOY BROWN, FOGHAT has earned eight gold records, one platinum record and one double-platinum record. They continue to release new music every few years, and they've never stopped touring and recording, although there have been several ups and downs and changes over the years. They sadly lost Lonesome Dave Peverett in 2000, Rod Price in 2005, and Craig MacGregor in 2018, but Roger Earl keeps banging and kicking to keep FOGHAT's musical legacy going.

"Sonic Mojo" track listing:

01. She's A Little Bit Of Everything (Simmonds/R. Earl/Bassett/Holt/O'Quinn)
02. I Don't Appreciate You (R. Earl/Holt/Bassett/O'Quinn)
03. Mean Woman Blues (Claude DeMetrius)
04. Drivin' On (Simmonds/R. Earl/Bassett/Holt/O'Quinn)
05. Let Me Love You Baby (Willie Dixon)
06. How Many More Years (Chester Burnett)
07. Song For Life (Rodney J. Crowell)
08. Wish I'd A Been There (C. Earl/R. Earl/Bassett/Holt/O'Quinn)
09. Time Slips Away (Simmonds/R. Earl/Bassett/Holt/O'Quinn)
10. Black Days & Blue Nights (R. Earl/Holt/Bassett/O'Quinn)
11. She's Dynamite (B. King Riley -- B.B. King)
12. Promised Land (Chuck Berry)

Photo credit: Jake Coughlin (courtesy of ABC Public Relations)

VAN HALEN frontman David Lee Roth performed with the all-star covers band ROYAL MACHINES at the Oracle CloudWorld 2023 event this past Wednesday night (September 20) at the Venetian Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also appearing with the group were Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION), Billy Morrison (THE CULT, BILLY IDOL), Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY), Dexter Holland (THE OFFSPRING), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Donovan Leitch, Tommy Clufetos (BLACK SABBATH, OZZY OSBOURNE), Paul Trudeau (Billy Idol), Shirley Manson (GARBAGE) and Darryl McDaniels (RUN-DMC). Fan-filmed video and photos of the concert can be found below.

Roth previously performed with ROYAL MACHINES at a "corporate" event on March 23, 2023 at the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada for Home Depot sales managers.

Formed nearly a decade ago, ROYAL MACHINES is a hard rock group of established musicians who played rock and roll covers at various shows around America from 2002 through 2014 under the name CAMP FREDDY.

When it was first launched in 2014, ROYAL MACHINES consisted of core members Dave Navarro (guitar), Billy Morrison (guitar), Mark McGrath (lead vocals), Donovan Leitch, Jr. (vocals), Chris Chaney (bass guitars) and Josh Freese (drums).

This past June, Roth shared a new solo version of the VAN HALEN classic "Atomic Punk". The new recording, like the previously released "Everybody Wants Some!!", "You Really Got Me", "Dance The Night Away", "Panama" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and " Unchained", was laid down on May 3, 2022 during a session at Henson Recording Studio in Hollywood, California. Joining Roth in the studio were Al Estrada on guitar, Ryan Wheeler on bass and Francis Valentino on drums. A total of 14 songs were recorded in two hours. The music and the vocals were tracked live with "no samples" and without the pitch-correction technology Auto-Tune.

Roth's version of "Unchained" came seven months after he shared a previously unheard solo recording from 2007, "Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway", in which he looked back nostalgically on his days in VAN HALEN. The latter song was recorded in 2007 with guitarist John 5 and drummer Gregg Bissonette for an album that never came out.

Back in 2020, Roth included five previously unreleased songs in The Roth Project, an online comic narrated by the legendary VAN HALEN singer, with music from John 5 on guitar and bass, Bissonette on drums, Brett Tuggle on keyboards, and Luis Conte on percussion. The tracks "Giddy-Up!", "Somewhere Over The Rainbow Bar And Grill", "Alligator Pants", "Lo-Rez Sunset" and "Manda Bala" were recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, California.

Four years ago, Roth was asked by Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF if his LP with John 5 will be made available at some point. He responded: "It will. There's been a revision of things, and I can start making real plans and start marching into the future. And, of course, you'll start hearing that material. This is material that we wrote variously for me solo and for VAN HALEN, and it's quite a bank of stuff."

Roth, who was promoting his Las Vegas residency at the time, didn't offer a possible time frame for the release of the record, explaining that his priority was "getting out on the road first. Let's see the band, let's show ourselves off, let's travel all over the world."

Roth canceled a series of Las Vegas residency shows in January 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three months earlier, he had announced in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was planning to retire after the residency.

In July 2022, Roth released a new solo song titled "Pointing At The Moon". The acoustic-based, Americana-flavored tune was accompanied by a new abstract painting from Roth.



David Lee Roth still rockin it!

Posted by Gail Evertz on Thursday, September 21, 2023



At Oracle Cloud World convention and private party with David Lee Roth!

Posted by David Wilcox on Wednesday, September 20, 2023

When you get to say: “I’m with the band” and become a groupie for a night!
My long-time, wonderful musician friends...

Posted by Gail Evertz on Thursday, September 21, 2023

Oracle Cloud World! Blast from the past. Shirley Mason, David Lee Roth & Run DMC.

Posted by Stacy Welden on Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Are you ready to ROCK?! We’re welcoming rock n’ roll supergroup, Royal Machines, to the mainstage at #CloudWorld. Register now: https://social.ora.cl/6184PlpuQ

Posted by Oracle CloudWorld on Friday, August 18, 2023

In a new interview with Australia's Studio 10, legendary rocker Alice Cooper weighed in on a debate about people using an AI (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and machine learning (ML) models. Alice said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I would make a law that the only person allowed to use AI would be Paul McCartney. It's against the law for anybody else, but Paul McCartney, yes, you can use AI. Who doesn't wanna hear a new BEATLES song?"

It was reported back in June that McCartney had created a "new" BEATLES song using AI and was planning to release it in the coming months. The track in question includes vocals from John Lennon, pulled from an old demo recording, with the BBC reporting that it is most likely taken from "Now And Then", a 1978 Lennon recording which is believed to have suffered from an electrical buzzing sound and was part of a demo tape mostly recorded onto a boombox in Lennon's New York apartment. The inspiration from the song came from Peter Jackson's acclaimed BEATLES documentary "Get Back", McCartney told the BBC, since the filmmaker used a custom AI system to separate the vocals of the various BEATLES members from background noise, enabling high-quality reproduction.

"So when we came to make what will be the last BEATLES record — it was a demo that John had, that we worked on, and we just finished it up, and it'll be released this year — we were able to take John's voice and get it pure through this AI so that then we could mix the record as you would normally do," McCartney said. "We were able to use that kind of thing when Peter Jackson did the film 'Get Back' where it was us making the 'Let It Be' album. He was able to extricate John's voice from a ropey little bit of cassette where it had John's voice and a piano. He can separate them with AI."

While two other tracks from Lennon's aforementioned demo tape — "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" — were released in the 1990s in collaboration with the remaining BEATLES as part of an anthology project, "Now And Then" wasn't included because, according to McCartney, BEATLES guitarist George Harrison wasn't a fan. "George didn't like it. THE BEATLES being a democracy, we didn't do it," McCartney told Q magazine in 1997.

In the aforementioned BBC interview, McCartney said that he was excited at the possibility of using AI to restore old recordings, but admitted that it's "kind of scary" to hear Lennon's voice singing one of his songs.

"People say to me, 'Oh, yeah, there's a track where John's singing one of my songs.' And it isn't — it's just AI, you know," McCartney said. "There's a good side to it and then a scary side, and we'll just have to see where that leads."

LAST IN LINE — the band featuring frontman Andrew Freeman, bassist Phil Soussan (ex-OZZY OSBOURNE),and original DIO members Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD) and Vinny Appice (ex-BLACK SABBATH) — has released the official music video for the song "Not Today Satan". The track is taken from LAST IN LINE's third album, "Jericho", which came out in March via earMUSIC.

LAST IN LINE's latest studio album was helmed by Chris Collier, who has previously worked with KORN and WHITESNAKE, among other bands. LAST IN LINE's first two albums were produced by former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson.

Despite the previous two years of isolation, "Jericho" was produced in the best hard rock tradition with great studio performances of an excellent all-star lineup.

Campbell explained: "With LAST IN LINE, just as we did with DIO, we cut the basic tracks live. It's important for us to capture the energy of the syncopation of playing together in real time — much like the energy of a live show. This record represents the best of both worlds: the spirit of an energetic band performance, and the more reflective and nuanced qualities of our individual performances, too."

Appice stated: "All the musical forces of LAST IN LINE are combined here for a super-powerful new record. Press play and put your seatbelts on!!"

Last year, LAST IN LINE surprised with a unique version of THE BEATLES classic "A Day In The Life", which was released on the limited 12-inch silver collector's EP with the same name.

The news of LAST IN LINE's partnership with earMUSIC was shared in February 2022 by Appice during an appearance on "Waste Some Time With Jason Green". Vinny also revealed that LAST IN LINE completed recording six more new songs in late January at Danny "Count" Koker's Desert Moon studios in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Formed in 2012 by Appice, Campbell and bassist Jimmy Bain — Ronnie James Dio's co-conspirators and co-writers on the "Holy Diver", "Last In Line" and "Sacred Heart" albums — LAST IN LINE's initial intent was to celebrate Ronnie James Dio's early work by reuniting the members of the original DIO lineup. After playing shows that featured a setlist composed exclusively of material from the first three DIO albums, the band decided to move forward and create new music in a similar vein.

LAST IN LINE's debut album, "Heavy Crown", was released in February 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl, landing at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Initially, the release had been preceded by tragedy when Bain unexpectedly died at the age of 68 on January 23, 2016. LAST IN LINE, honoring what they knew would be Bain's wish to keep the band moving, brought in Soussan and committed to sustained touring in support of the album before beginning work on the follow-up release, 2019's "II", which was also made available through Frontiers Music Srl.

In February 2021, Soussan told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast about the musical direction of the new LAST IN LINE material: "The songs are another progression from the last album — the difference between 'Heavy Crown' and 'II', and now 'II' and whatever this next album is gonna be called. But it's definitely evolved even more; it's gone into even more of an evolution, but we are always trying to keep the characteristics of LAST IN LINE there. I mean, you can't shake those things — you can't shake Vinny's drumming, you can't shake Vivian's playing. And I'd like to say the same thing about myself, and, of course, Andrew."

Some of the early recording sessions for LAST IN LINE's third album took place in January 2020 at Steakhouse studio in North Hollywood, California.

Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend, who has spent his entire career making unique inroads with many styles of music, celebrates the 25th anniversary of his landmark solo album "Infinity" in 2023 with a brand new edition of the record being released on November 24, 2023. This newly remastered version of the album comes as a limited 2CD digipak, gatefold 180g 2LP + LP booklet and as a digital album, and includes all the bonus tracks from this era as well as newly shot artwork and liner notes from Devin.

Devin comments: "As I move into a new phase of my work (one that requires the next two years to be spent writing and recording),I reflect on the 'Infinity' album and the period it all happened in many ways.

"This was my first attempt at engineering and mixing an album, and without it, I wouldn't have gotten where I am now on a technical level. It was like going to college at the time, and although it is primitive in many ways, it also reminded me of the amount of passion it takes to reach a new level.

"The whole process during the making of this album was fraught with learning, turmoil, growth and psychological development. In fact: I didn't think at the time that I would even get through it (let alone be here 25 years later writing and working with the hard-won experience that came as a direct result of making 'Infinity'). I realize now how pivotal this period of expression was for me, and how it was a testament to tenacity in the long run. As such, I'm proud that we've decided to re-release the record with all the bonus tracks and personal artwork from that period in one place. I was even asked to do an updated version of the naked cover album cover (!!!) so in the name of authenticity… I did that too.

"I believe this to be the quintessential version of the record. It was a statement then as it is now. And for those who were there during that period as well as those who are perhaps interested in how it all began, I present to you 'Infinity' in an updated fashion. I'm grateful for the opportunity to release it in this light and thank you all for the support all these years. Please wish me luck as I delve into this next phase, and being able to reflect on 'Infinity' during the start of this process has proven to be very useful."

Devin has remastered the original album, and has added seven bonus tracks, including the songs from the "Christeen" EP (which appear here on vinyl for the first time). The audio has also been specifically mastered for the vinyl edition.

Track listing:

CD1:

01. Truth 03:58
02. Christeen 03:41
03. Bad Devil 04:52
04. War 06:29
05. Soul Driven Cadillac 05:14
06. Ants 02:01
07. Wild Colonial Boy 03:04
08. Life Is All Dynamics 05:08
09. Unity 06:07
10. Noisy Pink Bubbles 05:22

CD2:

01. Om (Demo) 06:18
02. Sit In The Mountain (Demo) 03:16
03. Processional (Demo) 11:42
04. Love-Load (Demo) 05:01
05. Sister (Live Acoustic) 02:16
06. Hide Nowhere (Live Acoustic) 05:03
07. Man (1996 Demo) 05:12

Townsend recently launched the third release in his "Devolution" series — "Empath Live In America". The "Devolution" series so far has comprised some unique live performances, and this one is no different. "Empath Live In America" is a document of the tour that was cut short in early 2020 due to the onset of the pandemic.

Devin and his band will tour Australia in November 2023 with support from CALIGULA'S HORSE.

Townsend released his most recent studio album, "Lightwork", in late 2022. For "Lightwork", Devin decided to see what would happen if he included a producer (an experiment he has been excited to attempt for some time) to help guide this selection of material. He chose longtime friend GGGarth (Richardson) to help bring this idea to fruition, and through a difficult (but wonderful) process, the next Devin album was delivered.

The name "Lightwork" represents the music, as well as the act of creating music, as a kind of "light in the dark" while trying to navigate the seemingly endless challenges that life can often present. When things seem like there's no way out or that a situation becomes seemingly insurmountable, the connection to music, family, and creativity became a light in the dark that ended up in this wonderful album.

MÖTLEY CRÜE has shared a demo version of the song "Louder Than Hell" — with the original title of "Hotter Than Hell" — from the upcoming 40th-anniversary edition of MÖTLEY CRÜE's landmark second album, "Shout At The Devil". Check it out below.

BMG recently announced "Year Of The Devil", a multi-configuration celebration of "Shout At The Devil". The centerpiece of "Year Of The Devil" is the Limited Edition Super Deluxe Box Set which features the newly remastered album on LP, CD and cassette. Also included are reproductions of the original 7" singles of "Too Young To Fall In Love" and "Looks That Kill" alongside a Pentagram Séance Board, Devil Board with Metal Planchette, Metal 7" Adapter, album art lithographs, tarot cards, devil candle holder and more. In addition, seven rare demo tracks have been resurrected and are included as "Shout At The Demos & Rarities".

Due on October 27, "Shout At The Devil - 40th Anniversary" will be made available as a streaming/digital deluxe edition and the following Limited Edition configurations: Super Deluxe Box Set, Picture Disc, Red/Black Vinyl (Walmart),Ghostly Orange Vinyl (Urban Outfitters),Blood Filled Vinyl (Newbury Comics),LP Replica CD, and Lenticular CD (Walmart).

Originally released in 1983 at the height of the Satanic Panic, "Shout At The Devil" catapulted MÖTLEY CRÜE to superstardom. Delivering on the hype and promise of their platinum debut "Too Fast For Love", MÖTLEY CRÜE's second album hit the US Top 20 and was certified four times platinum. For many music fans, "Shout At The Devil" was the first time they witnessed an album with this imagery and lyrical content on mainstream retail shelves.

"Shout At The Devil" continues to be a cornerstone of MÖTLEY CRÜE's live set, with the band playing up to four songs from this iconic album at every show of "The World Tour" which is currently underway. Fittingly, the original touring cycle for this album saw MÖTLEY CRÜE jump from opening act to full on arena headliners.

The ground-breaking music videos for "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young To Fall In Love" set the standard for countless MTV moments. Those two singles, combined with the sinister title track, reckless cuts like "Knock 'Em Dead, Kid", "Bastard" and "Red Hot", their frenzied take on "Helter Skelter" and the haunting nearly instrumental "God Bless The Children Of The Beast" helped create this era- and genre-defining album.

Deluxe Limited Edition Box Set Includes:

* Original Album Remastered on Orange/Yellow Splatter LP
* "Shout At The Demos & Rarities" Red/White Splatter LP
* "Shout At The Devil" CD
* "Shout At The Devil" Cassette
* "Looks That Kill" White 7"
* "Too Young To Fall In Love" Orange 7"
* Devil Board w/Metal Planchette
* Metal Pentagram 7" Adapter
* Pentagram Felt Bag
* Devil Candle Holder (candle not included)
* Band Member Tarot Cards
* 12" x 12" Pentagram Séance Board
* Two 12" x 12" Shout At The Devil Blood Album Cover Litho Art Prints

Album track listing:

01. In The Beginning
02. Shout At The Devil
03. Looks That Kill
04. Bastard
05. God Bless The Children Of The Beast
06. Helter Skelter
07. Red Hot
08. Too Young To Fall In Love
09. Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid
10. Ten Seconds To Love
11. Danger

"Shout At The Demos & Rarities" track listing:

01. Shout At The Devil (Demo)
02. Looks That Kill (Demo)
03. Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid (Demo)
04. Too Young To Fall In Love (Demo)
05. Hotter Than Hell (Demo for "Louder Than Hell")
06. I Will Survive (Demo)
07. Black Widow (Demo)

Hailing from Los Angeles, California, MÖTLEY CRÜE — Vince Neil (vocals),Nikki Sixx (bass),Tommy Lee (drums) and Mick Mars (guitars) — has commandeered the rock pantheon for 41 years. The band has sold over 100 million albums worldwide, garnered seven USA platinum and multi-platinum albums, 22 Top 40 mainstream rock hits, six Top 20 pop singles, three Grammy nominations, five New York Times best-selling books, a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and a Netflix hit movie.

The quartet has amassed over five billion streams across digital platforms and the band has over eight million followers on social media. Known for their iconic live performances, the band has sold-out countless tours across the globe in front of millions of fans with groundbreaking production highlights such as Tommy Lee's drum-rollercoaster and Nikki Sixx's flame-throwing-bass. They pioneered the Las Vegas rock residency with a sold out run in 2012. MÖTLEY CRÜE's hit songs such as "Kickstart My Heart" and "Home Sweet Home" are frequently licensed by major brands such as NASCAR, Dodge, Coldwell Banker, Carl's Jr. and KIA, to name a few, and their music can be heard on TV hit shows such as "Stranger Things" and "Cobra Kai", among many others.

The band's biography "The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band" became a New York Times best-seller in 2001 and has sold over one million copies worldwide. Members of the band have authored four additional New York Times best-selling books since. In 2019 Netflix premiered "The Dirt" biopic based on the bestselling book which became a global hit movie, scoring a 94% positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. As a result, MÖTLEY CRÜE gained an entire new generation of young fans who discovered the band through the movie and further solidified their iconic status, relevance and the timelessness of their songwriting.

MÖTLEY CRÜE remains a huge global draw 41 years into their career and, in the summer of 2022 co-headlined a nearly sold-out North American stadium tour with DEF LEPPARD. "The World Tour" continues to travel to stadiums around the world throughout 2023, with John 5 stepping in on guitar as the replacement for Mars.

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is currently 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 TRIXTER's Steve Brown, who took to his Instagram earlier today (Friday, 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.

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In a new interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares was asked if fans can expect to hear some new music from the band in the not-too-distant future. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've already started working on new material. We do have eight songs in the can. We've gotta write a couple of more songs to complete the album." As for a possible release date for FEAR FACTORY's new album, Dino said: "Look for it next year, for sure." Pressed about whether FEAR FACTORY will release any singles in the months leading up to the new LP's arrival, Dino said: "For sure, of course we're gonna be releasing singles. That, again, won't happen till next year."

FEAR FACTORY's next album, which is tentatively due in late 2024, will be the band's first with singer 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.

An early instrumental version of a new FEAR FACTORY song called "Roboticist" was made available in March to promote Toneforge Disruptor, a virtual guitar rig plugin and standalone app.

Cazares told BLABBERMOUTH.NET about "Roboticist", which was mixed by longtime FEAR FACTORY collaborator Damien Rainaud: "Initially it was just going to be a instrumental for the plugin, but it came out so good that I decided to make it a song for the new album. Maybe the album will be called the 'Roboticist'. It fits so well with our concept."

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."

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 will next launch a five-date headlining "DisrupTour" with special guests LIONS AT THE GATE, which will kick off on October 7. This will be 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 will begin on October 13 in Atlanta and make stops in Louisville, Oklahoma City, and Houston before concluding in St. Petersburg on October 29.

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.

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."

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Cazares and Bell alongside Heller.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

LAMB OF GOD's Art Cruz has shared drum-cam video of him performing the songs "Set To Fail" and "Laid To Rest" with his bandmates live in Mexico City on May 2, 2023. Check out the clips below.

This past June, Cruz was asked, as part of Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series, to name his top three drummers of all time. He responded: "It's a tough one. Honestly, I always have to say my first inspiration — I just got finished, actually, watching a video of Woodstock — [Carlos] Santana. He's not a drummer. However, to me, the entire entity of Santana and his music is very percussion backed — it's very percussion. So, as a kid, that's what I first listened to, it's what I first saw, it's what I first was around my entire childhood. So that's what got me into drums. So I stuck with that. So Santana — I have to classify him as one of my favorite drummers. Weird, but it's the truth.

"After that, I would have to say most definitely Mike Portnoy [DREAM THEATER]," he continued. "A huge part of my career. Good friend now — thank God. He influenced me to really think outside the box and get creative and have that Portnoy factor in my playing. And I'm sure, if you are a drummer, you can hear that in my playing.

"And then my third… That's really hard, man — top three's hard. But I will probably have to say… David Garibaldi, the drummer from TOWER OF POWER. I'm a very funky dude," Cruz added.

"Notice how not all these guys are metal, or metal at all, but those are the guys that influenced me early.

"To give you some bonus fours and fives — Dave Lombardo [SLAYER] and Chris Adler [LAMB OF GOD]. And a bonus six — Joey Jordison [SLIPKNOT]."

In a 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton was asked if Cruz, who has been the band's drummer of the past five years, was more involved in the songwriting process on LAMB OF GOD's latest album, "Omens", than he was on 2020's self-titled effort. He responded: "I think so. Yeah, I'd say so. Not that he wasn't involved in the first one — he was very involved in the first one — but I think his confidence was up. And I think psychologically, everyone, especially him, was ready to have a bigger impact sonically on the record and to have more personality in the drums rather than… I think on the last album, the self-titled album, he played phenomenally but he stuck very close to traditional LAMB OF GOD movements, and on this album he stretched out quite a bit."

Morton continued: "I think it's about finding a balance about staying true to the historic sound of the band and how the band has sounded; you don't wanna come in sounding radically different. But I think we're all ready, and have been ready, to allow him to grow within the context of LAMB OF GOD, and he's done that for sure."

Cruz filled in for original LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler on several of the band's tours before being named Adler's official replacement in July 2019.

Art spoke about his contributions to "Omens" — which arrived in October 2022 via Epic Records — during an appearance in June 2022 on "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza. "The first, self-titled one we did, it was great, man — we wrote some great songs," he said, referring to 2020's "Lamb Of God", which marked his recording debut with LAMB OF GOD. "But I was still learning their vibe. I was green to that level of… Those guys had been doing it for 28, 29 years — almost 30 years — and I'm the new guy, a young kid coming in. You have to go through the trenches in every which way. And that first album was a very secure, safe way for all of us to just, 'Here's the tunes. Let's figure it out. Learn how we work.' And this one that's coming out, 'Omens', they really let me spread my wings and they really let me play me — they let me be me.

"I'm always inspired by LAMB, and LAMB is a signature sound," he continued. "LAMB OF GOD, to me, is that sound as a unit. It's a unit — it's not one individual. It's Randy [Blythe, vocals], it's Mark [Morton, guitar], it's Willie [Adler, guitar], it's John [Campbell, bass], it's Chris. That's, to me, what LAMB OF GOD was. So I'm not far off from that. That's what inspired me to be listening to metal and shit. It's my favorite metal band of all time. So to take that inspiration and then become my own person, my own player, from WINDS OF PLAGUE to AZUSA to my first band ENTHRAL to PRONG, to finally come to this point, and this is the album. It's all of those bands, it's all of those struggles, all of those trenches, all of those challenges, all of those tours — this is the album that I was able to really… And then the last LAMB OF GOD album, that is what built me to be to this 'Omens' album, for real. And we're just getting started, man — we're so just getting started. And I'm ready. And I'm mentally in a better place to do that, and I'm ready to do it. And the band is, they're my brothers."

The band tracked "Omens" with longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH) live in the room together at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

Visionary filmmaker, guitarist, and composer Kimmo Kuusniemi unveils a haunting reflection of our times with his latest endeavour, the Ancient Streaming Assembly (ASA). This formidable cross-arts project, conceptualised by Kuusniemi and enhanced by the musical prowess of his sole permanent collaborator, internationally acclaimed violinist and ethnomusicologist Tuomas Rounakari, paints a somber picture of our world teetering on the edge of environmental collapse.


Kuusniemi's past environmental pursuits since the '80s, from impactful documentaries to the globally resonant Dream On project for World Wide Fund for Nature, converge in ASA with a sharper edge. Together with Rounakari's immersion in ancient traditions, they craft a chilling reminder of our environment's fragile state, urging society to tap into ancestral wisdom as a lifeline.


The initial offering from ASA is the eerily captivating song, "Perpetuae Memoriae", set against a dystopian backdrop. This composition not only demonstrates the collective brilliance of Kuusniemi and Rounakari's combined talents but also shines a spotlight on Steve Di Giorgio, the iconic fretless bassist from the revered metal juggernaut, Testament.




"This video encapsulates the bleak landscape we're navigating. ASA is an urgent wake-up call, a clarion cry, urging humanity to resonate with the harmonies of ancestral wisdom before we drift past the point of no return," shares Kuusniemi.


The "Perpetuae Memoriae" serves as a precursor to ASA's forthcoming environmental music documentary, hinting at the depth and passion that the team is channeling into their larger project.


However, ASA’s commitment extends beyond mere awareness. To bridge the gap between realisation and action, ASA highlights emblems of notable environmental charities at the end of their video. This gesture is designed to steer viewers towards meaningful channels of change, transforming awareness into tangible action.


Ancient Streaming Assembly beckons artists, environmentalists, and the global audience to confront this stark reality, seeking solace and guidance in the echoes of our ancient predecessors.


Witness the unsettling narrative of "Perpetuae Memoriae" and delve deeper into ASA's grim vision.





Stream and buy “Perpetuae Memoriae” at this location.

Winger guitarist Reb Beach recently sat down with Guitar Player and looked back on the band's 1989 hit, "Seventeen", taken from their 1988 self-titled debut album. Following is an excerpt from the story.


Beach "It just kind of got put on the shelf with the other hundreds of albums that Atlantic was releasing. If a record didn’t stick within a few weeks, it was over as far as they were concerned. We got one play (for 'Seventeen') on MTV at 1:55am - on a Sunday morning, no less - and then, from there, everything just lit up."


On the "controversial" subject matter of "Seventeen"




Beach: "It’s really just the one line: 'Daddy says she’s too young / But she’s old enough for me'. We didn’t even write that; it was something Beau Hill, our producer, came up with. But think of The Beatles with 'I Saw Her Standing There'. We’re not pedophiles. It’s just an '80s rock song, for god’s sake."


Read the complete story here.





Winger's new album, Seven, was produced by Kip Winger and recorded in Nashville, distributed worldwide by Frontiers Records. Order on CD/LP/Digital here.





Seven tracklisting:


"Proud Desperado"
"Heaven’s Falling"
"Tears Of Blood"
"Resurrect Me"
"Voodoo Fire"
"Broken Glass"
"It’s Okay"
"Stick The Knife In And Twist"
"One Light To Burn"
"Do Or Die"
"Time Bomb"
"It All Comes Back Around"


"Tears Of Blood" video:





"It All Comes Back Around" video:





"Proud Desperado" video:

Lion Music has uploaded video of guitarist Joe Stump performing “The Bullet Train Express” live in New York. The track is taken from his 2019 solo album Symphonic Onslaught.





The Alcatrazz guitarist’s most recent solo album, Diabolical Ferocity, was issued in 2021 via Lion Music. 

On a recent episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),Gene Hoglan touched upon the progress of the songwriting sessions for DARK ANGEL's long-awaited new album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I know there's gonna come a time, hopefully very soon, when we can announce a whole bunch of exciting stuff. And I know I've mentioned that in a couple of interviews as we've gone, but at some point when we get a little bit further down the timeline and there are some… Announcing vagaries won't cut it. When I'm able to announce give actual dates, and 'here are solid…' 'Cause there are a lot of things in the works definitely, and when I and DARK ANGEL and whoever is involved in everything is able to pin down some serious scheduling dates, then we are going to be doing that. But things are moving in a fantastic direction. And I know I've said that for the past decade. And that's what I'm saying. I really hope that there's a time very soon when we can make some serious flat-out announcements, but things are moving along really, really well. And I'm really excited about a lot of it."

Hoglan also said that DARK ANGEL's new music will honor the band's founding guitarist Jim Durkin, who died on March 8 at the age of 58. An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them ever since.

Gene said: " Jim's approach was one of a kind. And it definitely had its imprint upon me. If there is going to be any DARK ANGEL music coming in the future, although Jim might not have many, many, many actual riffs in DARK ANGEL's music, his approach and his style is definitely going to be there. So that's how that stands. He's our brother, we miss him, and, things we do, it's in a tribute to him, but we never wanna be uncomfortable with it. We wanna celebrate his life, celebrate Jim Durkin… We wanna celebrate his impact on us anyway and whatever impact he had on metal. He is an absolute godfather of thrash metal. He was one of the first guys doing it — totally. So, I'd like the world to know that. I know we would like the world to know that. Jim is one of the progenitors of this style. Absolutely. So, there you go."

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned "We Have Arrived" and "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992.

Hoglan previously talked about DARK ANGEL's upcoming LP this past May in an interview with Friday 13th. He said at the time: "Jim and I, we had gotten together a number of times to write some new material for DARK ANGEL. And we weren't able to get it down on tape too much. If DARK ANGELhas any new material, there's a song that he's got on there that is pretty darn DARK ANGEL-esque.

"In tribute to Jim, DARK ANGEL's new material will have a ton of his spirit all over it — his feel. Whether he actually wrote stuff on the new stuff or not, his spirit is very there. His imprint is felt throughout thrash metal, I feel. Even before I was in DARK ANGEL, I'd see Jim's influence on bands. Absolutely. So his legacy will live forevermore in the realm of extreme metal. His style will always be a part of DARK ANGEL, absolutely, big time."

Asked how the next DARK ANGEL album will compare to the band's previous efforts, Hoglan said: "Well, I can't really even comment on the fact that there might or might not be an album yet. But put it this way — if I were to have any new DARK ANGEL material, I would want it to be an extension of where the band is at now and where I'm at now. And I would probably approach the writing of it in a way as if DARK ANGEL never disappeared for a decade, two decades, three decades, or whatever it's been. It's just like we just kept doing what we do, and this would be where we're at right now. Which I would want to be putting out the most savage, heaviest material that DARK ANGEL could. And I'm no slouch with writing psychotic, heavy material. So I would be very, very excited with where DARK ANGEL's new material would be if that would be able to confirm."

DARK ANGEL 2023 is:

Gene Hoglan - Drums
Ron Rinehart - Vocals
Eric Meyer - Guitar
Michael Gonzalez - Bass
Laura Christine - Guitar