Firewind guitarist Gus G has shared another video from home, this time shredding through Yngwie Malmlsteen's "Trilogy Suite" on a signature YJM Stratocaster. Check it out below.


Malmsteen's "Trilogy Suite Op: 5" is taken from his third album, Trilogy, released in 1986. The original recording clocks in at 7:16.







Firewind are celebrating the release of their new live album, Still Raging. Available as a 2CD and Blu-Ray edition through AFM Records, the band's epic anniversary release, recorded in 2022 at a frenetically-acclaimed hometown show in Thessaloniki, Greece, is out now and available here.


Band mastermind and guitarist, Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil), comments: "Still Raging Blu-Ray is finally out and we wanted to share one more song with you. 'Ode To Leonidas' is from our 2017 concept album, Immortals, which has quickly become a staple at our live shows. We love playing this one, so crank it up and go check out the new live release!"





For more than twenty years, the iconic band founded by exceptional guitarist Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil) enthralls heavy music fans with their exciting blend of hard rock and power metal. Razor-sharp riffs, big hooks and solos meet the incredible vocal skills of charismatic singer Herbie Langhans (Avantasia, Radiant, Seventh Avenue, amongst others), who joined the band in 2019.


"It's hard to believe that a band like Firewind has been around for 2 decades," Gus G comments. "In 2022 we had only planned a re-issue of our debut album, but with the pandemic slowly winding down, we were fortunate enough to start doing shows in America and Europe again. Come Fall of 2022 we played 2 headline shows in our homeland, Greece to celebrate our 20th anniversary."


Gus continues: "Prior to the Greek shows, my friends from OTSE film crew asked me about filming our hometown gig in Thessaloniki. In a way, the stars aligned, as we returned to the same venue (Principal Club Theater), with the exact same crew that filmed our DVD back in 2008 (Live Premonition anyone?). With this opportunity in front of us, I started thinking about a cool way to put this onto our beloved fans homes as a special thank you for the support you've shown us over the years. Together with AFM Records, we bring you a special Blu-ray + 2CD package. So yeah... Firewind Still Raging, 20 years later and it's all thanks to YOU!


“While we're currently hard at work on some new music, we hope this commemorative live release will keep you good company, till our new metal anthems arrive!"





Tracklisting:


CD1:


“Welcome To The Empire”
“I Am The Anger”
“Head Up High”
“Devour”
“Destination Forever”
“Orbitual Sunrise”
“World On Fire”
Drum Solo
“The Fire & The Fury”
“Ode To Leonidas”


CD2:


“Overdrive”
“Mercenary Man”
“Lady Of 1000 Sorrows”
“Break Away”
“Between Heaven And Hell”
“Rising Fire”
“Maniac”
“Hands Of Time”
“Few Against Many”
“Falling To Pieces”


"Mercenary Man" video:





"Maniac" video:





“Orbitual Sunrise” video:

Robert S. Bolger at SceneFour, Inc. has shared the following message through Menza Nation, dedicated to the life of legendary late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza:


"I was going through more of Nick's archived audio files that I overlooked in the past and came across a folder titled Monstrous. Inside the folder, I found 10 unreleased demo tracks titled 'Last In Line', 'Hollow', 'Out Of Control', 'Down', 'Gleaming', 'Prove My Worth', 'Everything Is Fine', 'Naked All Over', 'Dreamers' and  'Big Shots'.


To the best of my knowledge, Monstrous was the name of the project and all the music for the songs were written, produced and recorded by Nick Menza and guitarist / singer-songwriter Erik Weber in 2005 at Menza's Disintegrator Studios in Studio City, California. 




Nick also played bass on the song 'Last In Line'. These songs have never been released to the public, so this is the first time anyone is hearing them. 


The two minute and ten second demo track, 'Down', features an old school alternative heavy rock sound with aggressive thunderous drums from Menza with catchy clean, edgy melodic vocals filled with harmonies and melodies from Weber, along with down-tuned crunchy guitars.


Weber was also the sound engineer on Menza's drums he recorded for theme song for 'TV War', which was said to be the longest-running metal TV show in Europe. It started airing in March 1999 on Mad TV, the biggest music channel in Greece, and was broadcast every Wednesday at 23:00 CET.


The 'TV War' theme song was composed by Memorain mainman Ilias Papadakis and featured David Ellefson, Jeff Waters and the late Nick Menza. 


Menza had been writing, recording and producing constantly, but only releasing sporadic singles for years. That will all change when the floodgates open with the upcoming release of the late drummer's long awaited documentary film, This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza."





This Was My Life: The Story of Nick Menza documentary soundtrack will deliver a very diverse posthumous album worth of heavy music. The LP will consist of 12 tracks from unearthed and previously unreleased drum riffs late Megadeth drummer recorded for a project he assembled in 2013 called "The Atomic Disintegrators" and is believed to be some of the final studio drum recordings of Menza before he tragically passed away 2016. Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson played on a few of the tracks and is also served as executive producer for the project.


"One Of A Kind" was written and produced by guitarist Andy Martongelli and Dvaid Ellefson. The lyrics were written by vocalist Dino Jelusick and mixed by Richard Easterling / KRM Studios.


Collaborating musicians who participated in writing and recording process follow: David Ellefson (Dieth) Steve DiGiorgio (Testament) Rob Cavestany (Death Angel) Lars Frederiksen (Rancid) Andy Martongelli (Ellefson & Soto) Dino Jelusick (Solo Artist) Dave Linsk (Overkill) Michael Gilbert (Flotsam & Jetsam) John Howard (Threat Signal) James Mac Donough (Iced Earth) Ilias Papadakis (Memorain) Chris Valagao (Zimmers Hole) Davor Garasic (Sufosia) David Corral L.A. (Calling) Stephanie Jayne (Solo Artist) Marialena Trikoglou (Solo Artist).





12 songs have since been complete so far and will be available in the upcoming feature-length documentary film and to be later released under the "The Atomic Disintegrators" moniker.


Co-producer David Ellefson, has recently completed the narration for the film. Executive producer, director and editor Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment is currently in the studio editing the films official trailer.





As previously reported, West Virginia-based Screaming Butterfly Entertainment has announced a 2023 release for the upcoming feature-length documentary film.


"This Was My Life" will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza's legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic Rust In Peace lineup."


"This Was My Life" will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with.


"This Was My Life" will include interviews with the Menza family and close friends, and former Megadeth members Chris Poland, Jeff Young, former Lamb Of God/Megadeth drummer Chris Adler, former Megadeth tour manager Skip Rickert, Nick's drum tech Rob Corsie, legendary rock and roll photographer Gene Kirkland, film director, late metal historian, journalist and filmmaker Bob Nalbandian, James Rota and Emily Burton of Fireball Ministry, Terri Evans, Peter Flyn, John "Gumby" Goodwin, Bert Wolf, David Randi, Rob Schaefer, Juan "Nico" Alvarez, Robertino "Pag" Pagliari, Iki Levy of Soultone cymbals, and David Corral of L.A. Calling.


"We are excited for the fans to see the life Nick lived before, during and after Megadeth. It was quite the journey. Stay tuned for an epic documentary. As Nick would say, 'It's gonna be RAD!


Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed behind his drum kit after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.


Menza rightfully earned his place as heavy metal's fiercest drummer during Megadeth's 10-year peak at the top. The highlight of his career, Nick said, was playing Rock In Rio before more than 100,000 people.

Guitar legend Steve Vai performed with the Tampere Filharmonia and conductor Jukka Iisakkila on September 15th in Tampere, Finland. The repertoire included well known Vai material in a unique orchestral setting as well as exclusive previews of the newly recorded pieces.


Vai has checked in with the following recap:


"The concert in Tampere was a peak experience for me. It was especially magnificent to perform 'The Still Small Voice', which consists of me holding one note for 20 minutes while the orchestra weaves in and out of it creating layers of dimensional sound colors from that one note. Thanks to my partners Co de Kloet, maestro Jukka Iisakkila, the most fabulous Tampere Filharmonia, and the most excellent Doug MacArthur. My cup runneth over."







Watch for concert footage in the coming days.





Top photo by Rami Marjamäki

Rock legend Billy Idol performed at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey on September 16th. YouTube used Jim Powers has shared video of the full show. Check it out below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Dancing With Myself"
"Cradle of Love"
"Flesh for Fantasy"
"Cage"
"To Be a Lover"
"Eyes Without a Face"
"Mony Mony"
"Blue Highway"
"Rebel Yell"
"Hot in the City"
"White Wedding"







Back in July, Billy Idol released the expanded edition of his self-titled debut album via Capitol/UMe. The reissue includes the original ten-track album, a previously unreleased recording of Idols complete August 12, 1982 concert at The Roxy in West Hollywood, CA, and the recently unearthed and previously unreleased 12-minute Clubland Extended Remix of his classic song, "White Wedding".


Fans can purchase the deluxe reissue here and watch an official video for the Clubland Extended Remix of "White Wedding" below.


Fans are also encouraged to celebrate the release of this iconic album with a Dolby Atmos aural upgrade by Grammy-winning engineer Paul Hicks, who has remixed albums in Atmos for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, George Harrison, and more.





Tracklisting:


Disc 1:


"Come On, Come On"
"White Wedding (Part 1)"
"Hot In The City"
"Dead On Arrival"
"Nobody’s Business"
"Love Calling"
"Hole In The Wall"
"Shooting Stars"
"It’s So Cruel"
"Congo Man"
"White Wedding (Clubland Extended Remix - Previously Unreleased)"


Disc 2 - Live At The Roxy, 1982 - Previously Unreleased:


"Baby Talk"
"Untouchables"
"Come On, Come On"
"Hot In The City"
"Dead On Arrival"
"Heavens Inside"
"Ready Steady Go"
"Hole In The Wall"
"Shooting Stars"
"Kiss Me Deadly"
"White Wedding"
"Nobody’s Business"
"Dancing With Myself"
"Mony Mony"
"Triumph"


"White Wedding" (Clubland Extended Remix) video:





Billy Idol: State Line, a concert film showcasing his April concert at Hoover Dam, will be released fall 2023. Watch the first official teaser below.


Idol performed two unique sets of his iconic hits on site at Hoover Dam, which straddles the Colorado River directly on the Nevada/Arizona state line; a full band concert at sunset with special guests that electrified and illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon and an acoustic duo set on the roof of the powerhouse directly at the foot of Hoover Dam. For both sets, Idol was joined by his collaborator and lead guitarist of over forty years, Steve Stevens. Performed in front of only 250 fans, the electric set featured special guests Alison Mosshart (The Kills, The Dead Weather), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols, Generation Sex) and Tony Kanal (No Doubt).

Swiss hard rockers CoreLeoni present "Standing In The Light" (live version), the first single from the upcoming live album Alive, which will be released on October 27th by Metalville Records.


"Standing In The Light" originally comes from the 2019 CoreLeoni album, II. This unique, powerful live version displays pure rock 'n' roll quintessence. The songs on this album Alive were recorded in March 2022 as part of the Rock Generation Tour.







"These live recordings from our first tour with (singer) Gent Bushpepa captured the real essence of CoreLeoni!" - Leo Leoni


Jgor Gianola, former U.D.O. and Gotthard guitarist, has turned back time to perfectly adapt to Leo and Gotthard's unique style. He combines unforgettable memories, musical expertise, and sounds that will delight both old and new fans.


Drummer Alex Motta and bassist Mila Merker complete the CoreLeoni sound with unbeatable groove and energy, keeping the band's engine running in a powerful way.


After three internationally acclaimed studio albums, Alive is the icing on the cake for all those who love early Gotthard and the classic CoreLeoni sound. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:





"Il Padrino"
"Higher"
"Standing In The Light"
"Downtown"
"Fist In Your Face"
"Let Life Begin Tonight"
"Purple Dynamite"
"All I Care For"
"Angel"
"Firedance"
"Mountain Mama"
"Sister Moon"
"All We Are"
"Here Comes The Heat"


(Photo: Ueli Frey)


 

LA-based metal band Black Oil has released their new video and single “Nowhere To Run”, directed by Leo Liberti (Trivium, Megadeth).


“Nowhere To Run” is the first track showcasing the new Black Oil lineup featuring: vocalist Mary Zema (Luna Mortis, White Empress, Helion Prime), bassist Murilo Ramos (Heavens Guardian), drummer Rick Pivetta (Walls Of Eden), and founding member, guitarist Addasi Addasi.







Black Oil is slated for a November 5th festival appearance at Hell And Heaven Metal Fest 2023 in Toluca, Mexico, alongside headliners, Slipknot, Muse, Guns N' Roses, and others.






 

Extreme metal innovators The Amenta have shared a second track from their forthcoming EP, Plague Of Locus - a twisted and dingy take on the hypnotic Alice In Chains song "Angry Chair".


Transforming the classic grunge sound of "Angry Chair" into gloomy industrial metal coldness, The Amenta highlight the sinister aspects of this '90s masterpiece. Staying true to the rhythm and vibe of the composition, the Australian band intensifies the already woeful atmosphere by adding more distortion and alienation into the mix.


Keyboard player Timothy Pope comments: "'Angry Chair', and the whole of Alice In Chains' Dirt album in general, is a favourite of The Amenta. They had such a grimy, eerie and fucking heavy sound on the album, and it's always been a very big inspiration to us, especially when it came to the creation of Revelator. The drums for this cover were recorded at the same time as the drums for Revelator and, for a brief time, we thought about including the track on that album. To my ears, it shares a common feel. It has a hopelessness and pain that I think is threaded throughout Revelator. Cain's vocals seem to bring out more of that desperate edge in our cover."







Plague Of Locus will be unleashed on October 19th via Debemur Morti Productions. Vinyl pre-orders can be placed now at this location. Pre-save your digital copy here.


The artwork for Plague Of Locus was created by Metastazis (Paradise Lost, Ulver), who also provided art for both of The Amenta's 2021 releases, Revelator and Solipschism.





Tracklisting:


"Intro"
"Sono l'Anticristo" (Diamanda Galas cover)
"Asteroid" (Killing Joke cover)
"Angry Chair" (Alice In Chains cover)
"Plague Of Locus"
"A Million Years" (Wolf Eyes cover)
"Crystal Lakes" (Lord Kaos cover)
"Rise" (Halo cover)
"Totem" (Nazxul cover)
"Black God" (My Dying Bride cover)


Mixed by the band's very own Erik Miehs, and mastered by Maor Applebaum (Faith No More, Abbath), the EP builds on the claustrophobic heft of Revelator, resulting in a phenomenal sound that is heavy and crushing, yet natural and organic.


To enter the atmosphere of the forthcoming EP, The Amenta unveils an eerie and obscure video clip for their self-composed title track.





Plague Of Locus is filled with violent and hysterical extreme metal arrangements, intelligently combined with groovy elements, dramatic hooks, infectious vocals, and noisy soundscapes – the perfect soundtrack to all nightmares!


Composer and keyboard player Timothy Pope narrates about the new EP's genesis: "Listening to Plague Of Locus immediately triggers a nostalgic shiver. To me, it has some of the same cold bite as our material from the 2008 n0n album. Of course, it takes that initial familiarity and twists it beyond recognition with wailing theremin and an open, epic mid-section with an inspired vocal from Cain but the seeds of something nostalgic remained. To complement the song, we decided to surround it with covers of songs that have inspired us, particularly our 2021 album, "Revelator". In fact, two of these tracks were recorded during the Revelator sessions."


Reveling in the moment The Amenta embark on a long overdue Australian headline tour, including a performance at Adelaide's biggest and best metal festival, Froth & Fury. The Plague Of Locus 2023 Tour will see The Amenta's first headline shows in over ten years. Known for uncompromising, suffocating and overpowering performances, this boundary-pushing horde are keen to bring their full assault to all shows. The Amenta is thrilled to be joined by blackened sludge miscreants LO! on select dates.


November
16 - Sydney, The Crowbar
17 - Melbourne, Stay Gold
18 - Adelaide, Froth & Fury Festival *


December
1 - Brisbane, Soapbox
2 - Perth, Amplifier *


* LO! not appearing


 

Veteran rockers KIX played their final concert last night (Sunday, September 17) at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The show, which was announced four months ago, featured a special setlist along with appearances from KIX's former guitarists Ronnie Younkins and Brad Divens.

According to Setlist.fm, KIX played the following songs:

01. Atomic Bombs (with Ronnie Younkins on guitar)
02. The Kid (with Ronnie Younkins on guitar)
03. Midnite Dynamite
04. No Ring Around Rosie
05. Red Hot (Black & Blue) / Body Talk / Ball Baby / Luv-A-Holic / Love At First Sight / Love Pollution (instrumental medley)
06. Red Lite, Green Lite, TNT
07. Scarlet Fever
08. Don't Close Your Eyes
09. Girl Money
10. Book To Hypnotize / Cool Kids / Cold Chills / Bang Bang (Balls Of Fire) (instrumental medley)
11. The Itch
12. For Shame (with Brad Divens on guitar)
13. Mighty Mouth (with Brad Divens on guitar)
14. Cold Shower
15. Cold Blood (with Ronnie Younkins guitar intro and drum solo outro)
16. Blow My Fuse (with Ronnie Younkins on guitar)
17. Tear Down The Walls / Walkin' Away (with Ronnie Younkins and Brad Divens on guitar)
18. Yeah Yeah Yeah (with Ronnie Younkins and Brad Divens on guitar)

During an appearance on the August 29 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", KIX vocalist Steve Whiteman opened up about the band's announcement that it would retire after more than 45 years. Speaking about his decision to call it quits, he said: "Well, if ever the world was shouting at a band to get the hell out, it's us. I announced last year to the band and to our agent that at the end of 2023, I was done, that my wife was retiring. I've been doing this since I was, like, 13 years old, and I'm sick of all the travel and all the B.S. and the only thing I really enjoy is getting on stage. And to be honest, I'm not as good as I used to be, and I know that, and I don't wanna go out sucking; I wanna go out being pretty good. But age takes its toll. And all the things that happened to Jimmy [ Chalfant, drums] — Jimmy with a heart attack, and then when he just collapsed in Leesburg, Virginia and literally died on stage. And thank God for [KIX bassist] Mark [Schenker] and [guitar tech] Brandon [Dull] who knew how to get him back until the EMTs got there. But I could have stopped right there."

Regarding how he and his KIX bandmates decided to play their last-ever show at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, Steve said: "Jimmy and his wife discussed it and they'd come up with a date. And we were gonna end at Rocklahoma, because that was our first big festival show that [our booking agent] had booked us at, first time out of our little comfort area that we've been playing for four or five years before that. And we thought it would be cool to — that's where we started and that that's where we'll end. But then [our booking agent] talked us into doing the next week in Hinckley, Minnesota. And we thought it's not very fair to the hometown fans, because I basically wanted to just fade away. I didn't wanna make a big announcement or announce a whore tour or final anything. I just wanted to go away. But the guys talked to me about it and they thought we should do one more big show at home. So, luckily the people at Merriweather were willing to go for it. And we didn't know how it was gonna go, 'cause Merriweather is about a 15,000-seat venue. We thought, well, if we can draw four or five thousand people, that would be great. And I think we're over ten thousand [tickets sold] at this point. It's for the hometown fans and it's a big shebang to say thanks for all the years, for the memories, for the support. And [we] love you guys, but we're tired."

Whiteman also admitted that he is no longer able to deliver KIX's material the way that he was able to earlier in the band's career. "My voice, I used to… I never had a break," he said. "I had a four-octave range and I never struggled hitting anything. I've had to pretty much totally change the way I sing. Luckily, I was a vocal coach, so I knew how to — I don't wanna say 'fake' things, but change things so the fans really wouldn't know that I'm not singing like I used to. And there are nights, out of the past couple of years, where I've come off stage just humiliated because I can't sing 'Don't Close Your Eyes' like I used to, or I can't sing 'Cold Blood', and these are the songs that the fans are out there waiting for. And that's when I started to think I don't wanna do this if I can't do it well anymore."

This past May, Whiteman confirmed to Metal Edge that Chalfant's health scare — he collapsed onstage 11 months ago after suffering a cardiac arrest — expedited his decision to stop playing shows. "For sure," he said. "When Jimmy collapsed in November, that put a whole new perspective on things. It was the sort of thing that got me thinking, 'How much longer do we want to do this?' And if I'm being honest, I was ready to give up and go home then and there. But everybody rallied and pushed me to keep going and finish the dates we had booked. That's when we decided to go until this coming September. We knew we had these summer days, and Jimmy — once he felt good enough to get onstage — put his foot down and said, 'September is it for me.'"

Earlier this month, Younkins confirmed to Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! that he would rejoin his longtime bandmates at the final show, saying: "I'm very grateful to have been asked to join the band for some songs, and I'm very excited about it. What can I say? It's gonna be heartwarming. It's bittersweet; it's gonna be bittersweet."

Younkins, who had been sitting out KIX's live shows for nearly three years, with Bob Paré filling his spot, continued: "And then Bob's coming out to play. I thought Bob was gonna play on the first two songs with me, but he's not. Then he's coming out, playing the rest of the set, and then we'll be playing together on the last four songs that I play."

Ronnie went on to say that he had been going over all the songs with Bob in recent weeks. "[Bob] and I get along really well and he's a great guy and great guitar player," he said. "And he's a very interesting person. And he lets me blast in his warehouse. I mean, it is loud. I love it. It's louder than I can play in the band. I wouldn't play that loud 'cause I need to hear drums while I have in-ears, but it's loud. These Marshalls — he's got tons of Marshalls. It's just like Marshall fest."

Younkins, who had been unable to tour with KIX for the past couple of years after repeatedly getting in trouble with the police due to his battle with alcoholism, previously discussed the band's impending retirement this past May in an interview with Tulsa Music Stream. He said at the time: "Well, it's kind of bittersweet, but I think it's been coming for a little while. After talking with a couple of members about a year ago, particularly one member was really wanting to stop traveling. And then, with Jimmy's [Chalfant], the drummer's health condition, and most people know that he's had some heart problems, cardiovascular. I think topped off with that, it's time for the final show to come. And it's sad, but we don't wanna see Jimmy get any worse with his health. He's a strong guy. He's always been a very proficient drummer, businessman, person, and he always gets the job done. It's unfortunate. But I heard he played some songs on the Monsters Of Rock cruise. I think he played at Merriweather recently. So God bless him. And I'm glad he's out playing again. I knew he would."

The Baltimore-based act, which formed in 1977, announced its plan to call it quits during an appearance on May 7 at the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Chalfant rejoined his KIX bandmates on stage for two songs — "Cold Blood" and "Blow My Fuse" — during the band's set on April 30 aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. It marked his first live appearance with KIX since he collapsed onstage. Chalfant also performed with KIX at the M3 Rock Festival.

On November 18, 2022, Chalfant suffered a cardiac arrest during KIX's concert at the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia. Chalfant was unconscious and carried offstage before performing the last song of the show.

KIX was founded in 1977 and released its first, self-titled album on Atlantic Records more than 40 years ago. Their breakthrough came with 1988's "Blow My Fuse", which sold nearly a million copies, thanks to "Don't Close Your Eyes". The band continued to ride the hard-rock wave until 1995, when KIX took a hiatus. Nearly 10 years later, KIX reunited and started touring regionally. A 2008 performance at the Rocklahoma festival led to more gigs and the release of a live DVD/CD called "Live In Baltimore" in 2012. In 2014, KIX released its seventh full-length album, "Rock Your Face Off", the band's first studio effort since 1995's "Show Business". The album debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's Hard Rock and Metal chart, in the Top 50 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 5 on the Independent Albums chart, No. 11 on the Top Internet chart, No. 17 on the Top Rock Albums chart, No. 27 on the Indie/Small Chain Core Stores chart and No. 33 on the Physical chart.

KIX released "Can't Stop The Show: The Return Of KIX" in October 2016, a two-disc DVD/CD set that entered the Billboard Top Music Video Sales chart at No. 3 and rose to the No. 1 position, the band's highest-charting debut and first No. 1 ever in their 35-year history. The 71-minute film offered an in-depth look into KIX's decision to record their first new album, in almost 20 years.

In 2018, KIX celebrated the 30th anniversary of their biggest album, "Blow My Fuse", with "Blow My Fuse Re-Blown", a two-disc set with a remixed/remastered version of the album, along with the original demo recordings for all 10 songs. The reunion with longtime collaborator Beau Hill for this remix sparked the initiative to revisit "Midnite Dynamite" and take a similar approach to updating KIX's legacy.

On the 35th anniversary of the release of "Midnite Dynamite", KIX released "Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit" in November 2020. For "Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit", KIX partnered with Hill for a blistering update of the fan-favorite album.

HOW WE END, the new European crossover band established in 2022, featuring musicians from Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Spain, has released the official music video for its third single, "Does Anybody Give". Check it out below.

Joining vocalists Diva Satanica (ex-NERVOSA) and Jake E (CYHRA, ex-AMARANTHE) are guitarists Jen Majura (ex-EVANESCENCE) and Tom Naumann (PRIMAL FEAR),while Mitch Kunz (bass/synths) and Adde Larsson (drums) provide the "heavy groove."

According to a press release, HOW WE END delivers the perfect match of contrasting vocals that shape the band's style: melodic, heavy, no compromises. HOW WE END's music is a kickass blend of heavy guitar riffs and electronic programmed influences, growls and catchy singalong choruses.

HOW WE END performed live for the first time at this year's 30th-anniversary edition of Rockharz festival in early July.

In a recent interview with Rock The Joint Magazine, Majura stated about HOW WE END: "With me coming in as the last puzzle piece, I was not involved in the early songwriting process, but I could come in and listen to the material from an outsider's objective point of view. I picked the first three singles. With 'My Fighting Heart', I knew this was the first single, this was it. It is mainstream catchy, and I think of Jake E as a fantastic musician, with the ability to write these great hooks. I like the combination of these guttural vocals from Diva. And Diva is such a sweetheart; if you met her, you would totally not expect her to sing like that. She is this cute girl, and then you hear her sing, and it's, 'Children, go inside and save yourselves.' Jake E is a great vocalist too. I heard the song and felt it was the best way to present the band to the world."

She continued: "I would present the process with a kitchen analogy: in the kitchen, you have all the herbs and spices, and you add them in, and every dish can taste differently. Each song, you can tell its origin, but there is such depth and different influences in there… People assume I am listening to metal all the time, [that] I wake up and go to sleep listening to KREATOR, yes? No. I like some very well produced pop music by Lady Gaga, and I think highly of her. Then I am friends with Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, and he does music outside the box, then I like prog metal, I like all styles of music. We shouldn't write with a view to fitting into a genre, but feel free to write. Nowadays, the world is more open-minded, I hope."

Photo credit: Dirk Behlau

The MusicJunkie422 YouTube channel has uploaded video of LAST IN LINE's September 16 performance at the Arcada Theatre in Saint Charles, Illinois. Check out the clips below.

LAST IN LINE is 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).

LAST IN LINE is touring in support of its third album, "Jericho", which came out on March 31 via earMUSIC.

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.

Last summer, Vinny told Metal Rules that LAST IN LINE's third 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.

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.

Ready to experience the power of heavy metal tomorrow night? Last In Line is a force to be reckoned with. Don't miss...

Posted by Arcada Theatre on Friday, September 15, 2023

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was among the guest speakers this past Thursday (September 14) when the iconic and beloved Japanese superstar Yoshiki left his mark in a festive imprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre Hollywood. A video report from the event, courtesy of ABC7 / KABC-TV, can be seen below.

Yoshiki is one of just over 300 artists in the nearly 100-year history of the iconic Chinese Theatre to receive this prestigious honor. Yoshiki made history by becoming the first Japanese artist to be immortalized in cement since the theatre began this Hollywood tradition in 1927.

Yoshiki joined an exclusive list of legendary celebrities, including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Robert Downey, Jr., Hugh Jackman and Vin Diesel when he placed his hand and footprints in cement on Hollywood Boulevard.

In his speech, Simmons said about Yoshiki (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm here to honor a one-of-a-kind, not only personality, but a multi-instrumentalist, a real tour de force. So, Americans are so full of themselves, have no idea what's going on in the rest of the world, but I know the man himself. This is a talent, a giant in the industry, multi-instrumentalist, drummer, pianist, creative force that you need to find out more about."

He continued: "This honor today is, this is — it's about time. And you need to do yourself a favor. Music has no boundaries. Music is the universal language. And you need to find out about Yoshiki and his creative children X, otherwise known as X JAPAN, and his newest band, THE LAST ROCKSTARS. Your life will be better for it. I've seen him in action. Very few people compare to the man. The man, the legend, Yoshiki."

Yoshiki has sold over 30 million albums and singles and has sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-breaking 18 times with his band X JAPAN.

"Yoshiki: Under The Sky", a documentary directed by and starring the acclaimed musician (featuring THE CHAINSMOKERS, St. Vincent, Sarah Brightman, SCORPIONS, Lindsey Stirling, Nicole Scherzinger, and more) also made its Hollywood premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Thursday, September 14. Yoshiki returns to Los Angeles on October 20 for a classical concert at The Dolby Theatre.

Yoshiki is a composer, classically trained pianist, rock drummer, and leader of the rock group X JAPAN. Yoshiki was named "one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history" by Consequence and is described by Billboard magazine as "a musical innovator".

Yoshiki has sold over 30 million albums and singles and has sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-breaking 18 times with his band X JAPAN. He has performed at the world's greatest stages, including Madison Square Garden, Wembley Arena, Coachella music festival and Carnegie Hall. He has also composed Hollywood film soundtracks, a concerto for the Emperor of Japan, and the official theme song for the Golden Globe Awards. Recently, Yoshiki assembled the new supergroup THE LAST ROCKSTARS.

His first feature documentary film as director, "Yoshiki: Under The Sky", will premiere in the U.S., U.K., and Japan in September. Yoshiki will perform his Yoshiki Classical 10th Anniversary World Tour With Orchestra 2023 "Requiem" in October, headlining shows at Tokyo Garden Theater (Tokyo - Oct. 7-9),Royal Albert Hall (London - Oct. 13),Dolby Theater (L.A. - Oct. 20),and Carnegie Hall (New York - Oct. 28). This tour will be the first time a Japanese artist has headlined all these historic venues.

Yoshiki is internationally recognized for his long-term philanthropic activities and has donated over two million dollars to charity through his 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Yoshiki Foundation America. For his prolific philanthropic endeavors, he was chosen by Forbes as one of "Asia's Top 30 Heroes of Philanthropy" in 2019 and received a Medal of Honor from the Japanese Government in 2021 for his support of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine and ongoing charitable works.

In 2021, Yoshiki established an annual grant of $100,000 for MusiCares, a partner of the Recording Academy, to help music creators and industry professionals affected by mental health concerns. Previously, Yoshiki donated $100,000 to MusiCares to help music professionals affected by the coronavirus pandemic and worked with MusiCares to deliver $100,000 in disaster aid to Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas in 2017.

CAVALERA, the project featuring SEPULTURA's founding members Max Cavalera (guitar, vocals) and Igor "Iggor" Cavalera (drums),played the second concert of its U.S. tour on September 1 at the Granada Theater in Dallas, Texas. Fan-filmed video of the entire concert is available below.

Featured songs:

Bestial Devastation

00:00 The Curse
01:30 Bestial Devastation
04:45 Antichrist
09:10 Necromancer
13:21 Warriors Of Death
18:00 Sexta Feira 13

Morbid Visions

22:40 Morbid Visions
27:38 Mayhem
31:00 Troops Of Doom
35:15 War
40:11 Burn The Dead
42:37 Crucifixion
48:21 Show Me the Wrath
53:22 Funeral Rites
58:35 Empire Of The Damned

Encore: Schizophrenia

1:06:09 Inquisition Symphony
1:08:18 Escape To The Void

1:13:32 Max Cavalera's Little Speech

End

1:14:52 Troops Of Doom: Slow Intro
1:16:00 Morbid Visions: Fast
1:16:39 Bestial Devastation: Super Fast

The 40-date "Morbid Devastation" trek is making its way to Chicago, Houston and Baltimore and Denver before concluding on October 18 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. Accompanying the brothers on stage are Igor Amadeus Cavalera (HEALING MAGIC, GO AHEAD AND DIE) on bass and Travis Stone (PIG DESTROYER, DESOLUS) on lead guitar. EXHUMED and INCITE are opening the tour package each night.

CAVALERA is touring in support of the re-recording of SEPULTURA's first EP "Bestial Devastation" (originally released in 1985) and debut full-length album "Morbid Visions" (1986),which was released on July 14 via Nuclear Blast.

"Morbid Visions" and "Bestial Devastation" were re-recorded at The Platinum Underground. The albums were produced by Max Cavalera and Igor Cavalera while John Aquilino handled the engineering. Arthur Rizk was responsible for the mixing and mastering of both albums. CAVALERA enlisted Eliran Kantor to create the artwork for both albums.

Max previously commented: "As we get harder year after year, sometimes you've got to go back to where it all started! We re-recorded 'Bestial Devastation' and 'Morbid Visions' with the amazing sound of NOW, but with its raw and timeless spirit. The artwork reflects the times we're living in right now…. Apocalyptic as hell! We also have two new tracks with riffs from those days, remembered by heart."

Igor stated: "I always felt like the recordings of our earlier work didn't do justice to the way we performed the songs. So, this is a very special moment in our lives that we are very proud to show you real fans our true representation of the amazing records 'Bestial Devastation' and 'Morbid Visions' with an insane visual identity… Enjoy and see you all in the pit."

SEPULTURA fell apart in 1996 with the exit of Max after the rest of the band split with the vocalist/guitarist's wife Gloria as their manager. Igor stuck around with the group for another ten years before leaving SEPULTURA and re-teaming with Max in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band's nearly four-decade history, Max-era albums "Roots" and "Chaos A.D." were by far SEPULTURA's most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies.

Igor and Max have spent much of the last seven years celebrating the 20th anniversary of SEPULTURA's "Roots" and 30th anniversary of "Beneath The Remains" and "Arise" albums on tour all over the world.

Max addressed the possibility of the classic SEPULTURA lineup reunion in a February 2023 interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series. He said: "I'm very, very busy right now with all the projects, 'cause I've got so many — SOULFLY being my main band, but also GO AHEAD AND DIE with my son Igor, and KILLER BE KILLED. And I'm already playing a lot of the old stuff with my brother; that, to me, right there, it fills the void anyway.

"So, yeah, I don't think about that at all," Max said in regard to a SEPULTURA reunion. "At this moment, I don't need to do anything like that. I think at this moment I'm so busy with the stuff that I have in front of me, and the fans love all the stuff that I've been doing anyway. There's no point, really. 'Cause I haven't even thought of that idea in a long time. But I think that my main thing right now is SOULFLY… And I love the fact that SOULFLY just keeps getting stronger and stronger with every record. And I look forward to the time to write the next one. It'll be another challenge and another chance to make something good again."

Last summer Igor told the "Mike Nelson Show" about the possibility of him and Max returning to SEPULTURA: "I have to be honest with you, man. The reunion, in my opinion, it's me and my brother — that's the person that I wanna be united with. So, for me, if the other stuff, it doesn't happen, I can't really be too bummed about it. Of course, it would be amazing, but the real reunion for me is just me and my brother being together. That's what makes me happy."

BLINK-182 will release a new album, "One More Time…", 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, the band shared a sentimental trailer for "One More Time…" Featuring strikingly candid interview footage pulled from the band's forthcoming 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 the title track "One More Time", which drops on Thursday, September 21 alongside an official video. The full Zane Lowe interview will be available to watch exclusively on Apple Music soon.

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.

Deryck Whibley, the lead singer of the pop-punk band SUM 41, has been discharged from a hospital after being treated for pneumonia.

The 43-year-old musician was rushed to the emergency room Friday after his health took a turn for the worse.

"Deryck and I were suppose to be in Chicago right now, celebrating our eight year wedding anniversary but the universe had a different plan for us," his wife, Ariana Whibley, shared on Instagram alongside a photo of Deryck being wheeled into an ambulance as he was accompanied by two paramedics.

"We spent the entire night in the ER and will now be spending the next few days here in the hospital as he fights through pneumonia," she added.

"The scariest part is that there is a lot of strain on his heart and they are telling us that there is a possibility of heart failure.

"This is obviously not our first time in a situation like this but it brings back a lot of really difficult memories seeing him back in a hospital bed connected to wires and IVs," Ariana said of her husband.

Earlier today (Saturday, September 16),Ariana returned to Instagram to write: "I'm very happy to be giving this update.

"Deryck was discharged after responding so well to his treatments. He is now under the care of his mother who is a registered nurse and myself. The pressure and strain on his heart and lungs has improved and he is able to breath without as much pain.

"I can't tell you how truly grateful we are for the community around us. We knew we had support but the outpouring of love for our family has been absolutely overwhelming and we can't begin to say how much it has meant to us and helped us stay positive through this."

Back in 2014, Deryck collapsed in his kitchen and was rushed to the hospital, before doctors revealed his liver and kidneys had failed. He was placed in a coma for a week to help his body detox from alcohol and went on to get sober and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Deryck has been married to Ariana since 2015. He was previously married to Avril Lavigne from 2006 to 2010.

In May, SUM 41 announced plans to split up following the completion of a worldwide tour in support of its upcoming album, "Heaven :x: Hell".

SUM 41's storied 24-plus-year career includes over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard-charting releases, a Grammy Award nomination, two Juno Awards (seven nominations),a Kerrang! Award in 2002, as well as multiple Alternative Press Music Awards.

In 2014, Deryck spent a month in the hospital after his drinking got out of control. He was on the brink of death and the 5-foot-7 rocker withered down to a very small frame at the time.

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Brian "Head" Welch says that fans can expect to hear new music from KORN next year.

The 53-year-old guitarist revealed a possible timetable for KORN's follow-up to 2022's "Requiem" during an appearance on "The Joe Kingdom Perspective" podcast.

Speaking about KORN's current status, Welch said: "Yeah, [there will be] new music coming out next year. I don't know. We're just kind of in hiding right now, just doing our own thing."

Brian — who rejoined KORN a decade ago, eight years after leaving KORN and at the same time announcing that he kicked his addictions to drugs and alcohol by becoming a born-again Christian — went on to say that there will likely be "a celebration" of the 30th anniversary of KORN's debut album in 2024.

"It's just crazy how the Lord just restored everything," he said. "A couple of members are on break too, and I took — or one's out of the band, but one's on break. And it's just — it's all good. I mean, I was gone almost a decade, and I came back. I've been back a decade. So you just never know what's gonna happen."

Welch officially returned to KORN in 2013, one year after joining the band onstage at the Carolina Rebellion festival in Rockingham, North Carolina to perform "Blind".

Since his conversion to Christ 18 years ago, Welch has been very open about how God changed his lifestyle and restored his relationship with his daughter.

In recent years, Brian has been preaching that people don't have to wait until they die to see if having an encounter with the presence of God is real.

Both Welch and KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu have had highly public, though separate, conversion experiences, ones that have been greeted with a certain amount of skepticism.

Fieldy announced in June 2021 that he would sit out KORN's tour in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits." He has since been replaced on the road by SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bassist Roberto "Ra" Díaz.

Released in February 2022, "Requiem", which was produced by Chris Collier and KORN, entered Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart at No. 1. The band sold 23,000 equivalent album units in the February 4-10, 2022 tracking week, according to Billboard. Of that sum, 20,000 units were from album sales. "Requiem" also landed at No. 2 on the Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts. On the all-format Billboard 200, it arrived at No. 14.

Despite the fact that he hasn't performed with his KORN bandmates for nearly more than two years, Fieldy did play on "Requiem".

The Arin Sarris YouTube channel has uploaded front-row video of SLIPKNOT's September 8 performance at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia. You can now watch it below.

Featured songs:

00:08 Prelude 3.0
02:46 The Blister Exists
07:58 The Dying Song
11:04 Liberate
16:07 (Crowd Incident)
18:00 Yen
22:13 Psychosocial
28:00 The Devil In I
33:45 The Heretic Anthem
39:18 Happy Birthday Jay
40:32 Wait And Bleed
43:13 Unsainted
49:03 Purity
53:55 (515)
54:46 People = Shit
58:24 Surfacing
1:04:05 Duality
1:08:27 Spit It Out

During a recent appearance on the "Zach Sang Show", SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor addressed his previous comment that he and his bandmates are "not necessarily people who would've been friends" if it had not been for the fact that they are playing together in the same group. He said: "I know that, that quote has been taken and run with for a lot of people, but what people don't realize is that there's something so much more than friends. The guys in SLIPKNOT, it's family. That's so much deeper than just a friendship. I'm in bands with people who I'm friends with those people, but we're not close. And that's the real difference. When we get on the road with SLIPKNOT, it takes us a second to kind of knock the rust off of our relationships. The playing always just kicks right in. I've never seen a band like SLIPKNOT where rust just does not stick to us for some reason. I mean, we can walk on stage with literally no rehearsal and we sound like we've been touring for two weeks, three weeks. I mean, it's incredible. But that means that something has to have worked. And that's where the relationships in the band have come. That's what we've really had to work on, is embracing each other for who we are and not who we want each other to be. And that's psychosocial behavior. And that's where that term came from, because that's when we really started to talk about trying to get on another level. We had all spent so much time pushing against each other or pushing away from each other that we forgot all the great shit that we had done together and that we appreciated about one another. And that, to me at least, was where I really tried to change my ways and change the things that I said and my approach to how I, you know, appreciate everybody."

Taylor was also pressed about SLIPKNOT's lineup changes over the years and how many people within the band have to be replaced before SLIPKNOT ceases to be SLIPKNOT. He said: "I think as long as there are certain people in the band. 'Cause right now, I mean we have six original people — or no, five, excuse me. And those five, we've kind of been the core for like the longest time. The people who we lost, obviously we would do anything to have them back. But you kind of get on with it, when it comes down to stuff like that. I think if any more people left, it wouldn't be the same. I know I've said in the past that somebody could replace me if I physically couldn't do it. And I've had the guys in the band kind of push back on that and go, 'Taylor, shut the fuck... What are you talking about?' And I'm, like, 'Hey, listen…' To me, SLIPKNOT is a state of mind. SLIPKNOT is an emotion — it's something in your soul that you have to have. What if there was a kid out there who had that same kind of ferocity and had the same chops, man?"

He continued: "If this band wanted to continue without me and if I couldn't do it, I would do everything I could to help it continue. If I just couldn't give to it the same level that I wanted to… It's the old adage: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. If that were the case, then I would 100 percent help them find a replacement and give them my blessings to go out there. Now I'm still pretty spry — I'm not dead yet. I've probably got another 10 years of touring like this — you know, five to 10. So as long as that's the case, I'll still be here; I'll still be doing it. But if it ever came down to making people choose between me and SLIPKNOT, I would totally push them back out there to get out there."

This past June, SLIPKNOT announced the addition of a new keyboardist, two weeks after Taylor and his bandmates revealed the departure of longtime member Craig Jones.

SLIPKNOT played its first show with its new mystery member on June 7 at the Nova Rock festival in Austria. The concert took place hours after the band announced in a social media post that it had parted ways with Jones.

A short time after SLIPKNOT revealed Jones's exit from the group, the band's original post announcing his departure was deleted and a photo was shared of SLIPKNOT's apparent new member. The same unidentified person appeared onstage behind the keyboards at the Nova Rock show and all subsequent SLIPKNOT tour dates.

No reason was given for Jones's departure from SLIPKNOT.

Jones joined SLIPKNOT in early 1996, shortly after the band had finished the recording of its demo album "Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat." He was initially brought in to replace Donnie Steele, one of the two original guitarists, though he quickly moved on to the role of sampling and keyboards. Following the departure of drummer Joey Jordison in 2013, Jones was the second-longest-serving member in the band.

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

In a new interview with the "Iron City Rocks" podcast, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes confirmed that he is planning to write and record the long-awaited follow-up to his 2016 solo album "Resonate". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I am an artist that must make new music. I mean, I insist — I hate that word 'insist', but every year I find myself with a new paint board of new songs. I'm getting ready next year, by the way — I am gonna do another Glenn album next year, the first one in nine years, 'cause it's time to do it."

Regarding where he draws his lyrical inspiration from nowadays, Glenn said: "I don't write about politics. I write about the human condition. I write about how are we feeling, what are we going through, are we going to get through this — you know, acceptance, staying in the present moment. This is the big thing for me. People call it woke, awakening, if you will… For me, it's all about staying present in this moment right now, and I'm writing about that."

"Resonate" was released in November 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl. It featured Glenn's live solo band members, Søren Andersen (guitars and co-producer),Pontus Engborg (drums) and Lachy Doley (keyboards),in addition to longtime friend Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),who joined them in the studio for the opening and closing numbers.

Hughes recently launched his solo tour under the banner "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live - Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Album Burn". Glenn is performing DEEP PURPLE's legendary rock album "Burn" and is also running through DEEP PURPLE MKIII and MKIV songs.

Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band".

Glenn's current solo band features Søren Andersen (guitar),Ash Sheehan (drums) and Bob Fridzema (keyboards).

Hughes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016 along with fellow DEEP PURPLE members Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Jon Lord, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice, spent more than three years recording and touring as the frontman of the supergroup THE DEAD DAISIES.

Glenn's BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION supergroup with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) will release its recently completed fifth album in early 2024.

It is universally agreed that one of the greatest heavy metal vocalists of all time is Rob Halford, who is often referred to as the "Metal God" due to his distinctive, multi-octave singing voice, and his larger-than-life, leather-and-studs persona.

While best-known as the longtime singer of JUDAS PRIEST, Halford has also launched his own successful solo career. And now, two of his classic solo efforts will be issued on vinyl for the first time ever — "Crucible" and "Made Of Metal". Both will be issued in several limited-edition color variants — "Crucible" in the colors black (900 units),neon violet (500),ghostly purple (500),and black purple/navy splatter (100),while "Made Of Metal" will be issued in black (900),white (500),coronetto (500),and ghostly (100). A limited number of copies of each variant will be personally signed by Rob Halford.

"I am really proud to see these two HALFORD band records released on vinyl for the first time," says Rob. "My fans will love the packaging and care that went into these reissues."

Both albums were produced by Roy Z. 2002's "Crucible" spawned such headbanging favorites as "Betrayal" and the title track (and saw Halford joined by Metal Mike Chlasciak on guitar, Patrick Lachman on guitar, Ray Riendeau on bass, and Bobby Jarzombek on drums),while 2010's "Made Of Metal" gave us "Till The Day I Die" and "Fire And Ice" (and saw both Chlasciak and Jarzombek returning, as well as bassist Mike Davis and Roy Z providing additional guitar work).

"Crucible" track listing:

Side 1

01. Park Manor (Instrumental)
02. Crucible
03. One Will
04. Betrayal
05. Handing Out Bullets

Side 2

01. Hearts Of Darkness
02. Crystal
03. Heretic
04. Golgotha

Side 3

01. Wrath Of God
02. Weaving Sorrow
03. Sun
04. Trail Of Tears

Side 4

01. She (Bonus)
02. Fugitive (Bonus)
03. Rock The World (Bonus Japan)
04. In The Morning (Bonus Japan)

"Made Of Metal" track listing:

Side 1:

01. Undisputed
02. Fire And Ice
03. Made Of Metal
04. Speed Of Sound

Side 2:

05. Like There's No Tomorrow
06. Till The Day I Die
07. We Own The Night
08. Heartless

Side 3:

09. Hell Razor
10. Thunder And Lightning
11. Twenty-Five Years

Side 4:

12. Matador
13. I Know We Stand A Chance
14. The Mower

Both double-LPs are expected to ship around December 1, 2023.

Manic Vision Records is re-releasing these albums. These re-issues will not be sold in stores and will be exclusively available on Rob Halford's official merchandise store located at VisionMerch.com/Halford. There is exclusive Rob Halford merchandise available in the store as well.

Rob's last CD with the HALFORD band, "Made Of Metal", came out in September 2010 and was the follow-up to 2009's "Halford III - Winter Songs", which was the singer's first solo release in more than seven years.

After the release of JUDAS PRIEST's 1990 album "Painkiller", Halford wanted to do a solo record, but the rest of the group wouldn't let him. So he left the band and did it anyway, while his bandmates continued without him. PRIEST recruited vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens in 1996 and released two studio albums, 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition", before reuniting with Rob in 2003.

Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band KK'S PRIEST will release its sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", on September 29 via the Austrian rock and metal empire Napalm Records.

Today, in anticipation of the approaching album release, the band has 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 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 Downing, KK'S PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens and their bandmates.

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

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

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

"The Sinner Rides Again" track listing:

01. Sons Of The Sentinel
02. Strike Of The Viper
03. Reap The Whirlwind
04. One More Shot At Glory
05. Hymn 66
06. The Sinner Rides Again
07. Keeper Of The Graves
08. Pledge Your Souls
09. Wash Away Your Sins

KK'S PRIEST will embark October U.K. headlining tour. The "Priests, Killers & Witches" tour starts at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on Saturday, October 7, and visits London, Glasgow, Manchester and Nottingham. Special guest on all dates will be former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul Di'Anno who will be performing a full set of classics straight from the first two MAIDEN records, and opening up the bill is BURNING WITCHES.

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", was released in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Mind Art Visual

In a recent interview with Cassius Morris, former JUDAS PRIEST frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens spoke about his relationship with the band's current singer Rob Halford. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it made people very angry that there never really was [a rivalry between us]. I mean, there was a little bit of things said back in the day, but we've always been friends and I've always respected him, obviously. And he's always talked well about me in the press. So I think it does make people mad that that they're that we don't hate each other and we say bad things. But we definitely consider each other friends and there's respect there."

Asked if he thinks there is a chance of PRIEST staging a one-off reunion concert featuring all current and former members of the band, including Owens and founding PRIEST guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing, Tim said: "Should there be? Yes. Will there be? I don't think so. I don't think they would ever do it. They don't seem to make those kind of good decisions, so I don't think it would happen. I mean, this is a band that went to one guitar player last year," he added, referencing the fact that PRIEST announced it would tour with one guitarist before quickly reversing its decision and going back to the two-guitar format. "So I really don't think that that it would happen."

He continued: "I think it would be great if they got Ken back and they did a tour. I think the world would love to see that especially. Me? It definitely is not gonna happen, I wouldn't think. But I think fans would love it. I think it'd be great and it would be fun… but I don't think it'll ever happen."

Two years ago, Owens told Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks that "it doesn't make sense" JUDAS PRIEST to not perform any songs from the two albums he recorded with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — during the group's 50th-anniversary tour. "I mean, it was JUDAS PRIEST," he said. "Listen, you're celebrating 50 years of JUDAS PRIEST, but you're leaving out 10 years of it. The thing is Rob would sound so awesome… Could you imagine Rob singing 'Burn In Hell'? Holy crap, it would sound fantastic. So, there's nothing wrong with sticking 'Burn In Hell' in a setlist. It was right in the middle there, so… I don't know. But they have a great setlist to play right now, so it's pretty awesome to see it.

"It's amazing JUDAS PRIEST has never done it," Owens continued. "They don't always have to do it, but it's amazing that they've never done it. I mean, Rob supposedly has never heard my era of JUDAS PRIEST, and it's kind of all right because I've never actually listened to his solo stuff except FIGHT, so we're kind of even on it. After FIGHT, I've not really listened to his stuff either, so it's kind of all right.

"When I was in JUDAS PRIEST, I didn't listen to a lot of stuff so I really didn't listen to the HALFORD stuff — unless somebody had it on somewhere," Tim explained.

"I love Rob — Rob is a friend and a mentor and an idol. Rob Halford and Ronnie James Dio are the two guys that really inspired me. So it's nothing against anything, really. It's not that I didn't want to [listen to his solo stuff]; I just never did. It was kind of, like, 'I'm in JUDAS PRIEST. There's no need.' But after I left, I listened to the JUDAS PRIEST records. Whether I liked them or not, I listened to 'em."

In September 2021, Rob was asked by Classic Rock magazine if he has listened to "Demolition" and "Jugulator". "No. I still haven't," he said. "This might sound selfish, but because it's not me singing, I'm not attracted to it. I sound like a twat, but I'm really just not interested. And that's no disrespect to Ripper, 'cause he's a friend of mine."

Halford went on to say that he first met Owens "when the band went through Ohio, [and Tim] came to the show. Was it awkward? Not in the least," he said. "We gave each other a hug. He's a massive PRIEST fan, and when the opportunity came for me to go back, he was, like, 'Thumbs up, it's great. I'm happy for the band, I'm happy for Rob.' I respect his chops; he's a great singer."

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 after being discovered when the band's drummer, Scott Travis, was given a videotape of him performing with the PRIEST cover act BRITISH STEEL. JUDAS PRIEST at the time was seeking a replacement for Halford.

In a 2000 interview, Halford explained why he was reluctant to hear "Jugulator". "It's just too difficult for me to listen to the band when I'm not in it, and that's nothing to do with taking a shot at Ripper," he said. "I just can't listen to it. It's just psychological. I should just put it on and listen to the fucking thing, but then if I do, [interviewers] will say, 'Well have you heard it?', and I'll go, 'Yeah', and then you'll go, 'What do you think?', and I don't want to do that. I don't want to be put in that situation. I just love all the things that I've done with the band and I'm happy to be a part of that great legacy and that's all. You want to treat it with respect because that's what it deserves."

In October 2020, Halford told "The SDR Show" that he would "absolutely" be open to performing material from "Demolition" and "Jugulator" with PRIEST. "Those two albums are just as valid as everything else in the PRIEST catalog," he explained. "So who knows? That day may yet come."

In 2019, Owens told Ultimate Guitar that he believes his era of JUDAS PRIEST is largely overlooked. "Yeah, I think it definitely deserves more [attention]," he said. "I mean, they don't do anything. [Laughs] It's kind of amazing that they just totally erased it that they won't play... I mean, 'Burn In Hell' [off 'Jugulator'], the crowd would like to hear 'Burn In Hell'.

"They don't have to give me a tribute or anything, but it would be nice to play a song from... You know, that was a pretty big thing, I did two studio records, two live records, and a DVD, starting from '96 to 2004. So it's kind of crazy that it's just been erased and they won't even play a song from it live, because it is JUDAS PRIEST."

In October 2019, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner said that "Hell Is Home" is one of his favorite songs from the Owens era. The PRIEST guitarist, who joined the band in 2011 as the replacement for K.K. Downing, offered his opinion during a live video chat. He said: "I was listening to the Ripper albums the other day, and 'Hell Is Home' is such a great track. It's really heavy and the vocal melody is really great. I think Ripper sings it really well. It's probably one of my favorite PRIEST songs of the Ripper era. 'Hell Is Home' — I really like that."

"Demolition" and "Jugulator" are included on "50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music", JUDAS PRIEST's limited-edition box set which contains every official live and studio album to date plus 13 unreleased discs. Released in October 2021, it is the most extensive release of previously unreleased music the band has made from its vast archives.

METALLICA has just released "Too Far Gone? (Live From MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ - August 6, 2023)", a digital single capturing the debut "M72" tour performance of the "72 Seasons" standout track as played for some 80,000 fans on night two of the tour's North American opening weekend. Hailed for "its roaring melody" by the OC Register in their review of METALLICA's recent record-breaking weekend at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, "Too Far Gone?" has quickly become a staple of the "M72" "No Repeat Weekend" setlist rotation.

As for the original studio version of "Too Far Gone?", it's been reimagined as a music video directed by Coan "Buddy" Nichols ("The Original Skateboarder", "The Body Corporate", "Deathbowl To Downtown", "Love Letters To Skateboarding"). Through Nichols's lens, "Too Far Gone?" becomes the score to raw METALLICA performance footage intercut with action shots of pro skater Felipe Nunes. The energy levels of the two scenarios feed off one other, resulting in peak after peak of hyperkinetic intensity — plus a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Tony Hawk, who premiered the video yesterday.

METALLICA completed the first North American swing of "M72" world tour September 9 in Glendale, Arizona. The band will make a headlining appearance October 8 at Power Trip at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, before "M72" resumes with its next "No Repeat Weekend" taking place November 3 and 5 at the Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Presented worldwide by Liquid Death and Blackened American Whiskey (in North America only) and promoted by Live Nation, the 46-show "M72" trek launched in Amsterdam on April 27 and will include shows all over Europe and North America through 2024. Each "No Repeat Weekend" on "M72" features two completely different setlists and support lineups. The "M72" tour will feature a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, as well as the "I Disappear" full-tour pass and the debut of discounted tickets for fans under 16 years of age. Opening acts for the tour include PANTERA, MAMMOTH WVH, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, ARCHITECTS, VOLBEAT and GRETA VAN FLEET.

"Too Far Gone?" is taken from METALLICA's latest album, "72 Seasons", which sold 146,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked the band's 12th Top 10-charting album, of which eight have reached the top two.

"72 Seasons" had the biggest week for any rock or hard rock album since TOOL's "Fear Inoculum" arrived in September 2019 with 270,000 equivalent album units.

"72 Seasons" was released on April 14 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, it was METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".

Speaking of the album-making process, Ulrich explained: "It's one of the only things that hasn't changed in 40 years. There'll be a whole slew of riffs and jams and sound checks, then it falls into my lap to go through them and identify, 'That one's great, that one's good, maybe there's a song over here.'"

Regarding the fact that guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo were given writing credits on more than half of "72 Seasons", Hetfield told the Associated Press: "All four guys were on the floor when we were writing, which is new for us. Usually it's just Lars and I sitting out there hashing it out. It felt really great to have the energy of all four. There's a lot more democracy on this album. Lars and I gave up the steering wheel a little more than usual."

Hammett agreed, saying: "It was much more collaborative. The attitude was just more open. There is less limitations on everyone's creativity and I think that shows."

In the seven years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".

MEGADETH played its third concert with new touring guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari (WINTERSUN, SMACKBOUND) last night (Friday, September 15) at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania. Teemu is filling in for the band's longtime axeman Kiko Loureiro, who announced earlier this month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

Video of the MEGADETH's entire Grantville concert can be seen below (courtesy of the Jim Powers YouTube channel).

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Hangar 18
02. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
03. Wake Up Dead
04. In My Darkest Hour
05. Sweating Bullets
06. Angry Again
07. We'll Be Back
08. Dystopia
09. À Tout Le Monde
10. Trust
11. Tornado Of Souls
12. Symphony Of Destruction
13. Peace Sells

Encore:

14. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

MEGADETH played its first concert with Mäntysaari on September 6 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On September 5, the Brazilian-born Loureiro released the following statement regarding his absence from the MEGADETH tour: "Kiko checking in here! Our new record 'The Sick, The Dying, and The Dead' and our 'Crush The World tour have been great. The worldwide chart positions have been our best yet! We want to really thank you for that.

"I have something that is difficult to share, but we always like to keep you informed with the truth. I have to leave the tour for now, to be home with my children, and to help them face the difficult challenges that arise from us being 'Dads that work away from home.'

"I found a guitarist, Teemu Mäntysaari, to fill in for me during the fall, and I think you'll be very happy. He's an amazing, incredible player. I have shared this with my partner in shred, Dave Mustaine, and to no surprise, he said, 'Go! Go be there for your family and keep us posted!'

"To my band mates and all of our fans around the world, see you all very soon, back out on the Killing Road!"

Added Mustaine: "Kiko has had something come up in his family life that requires him to miss this next leg of our 'Crush The World' tour.

"We will not be cancelling the tour, and we'll introduce you to Teemu on September 6th in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Revel Arena. We are asking for your support and understanding at this time."

The 36-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

In April 2015, it was announced that Loureiro had joined MEGADETH, replacing Chris Broderick, who had left the band five months earlier.

In addition to Mustaine andLoureiro, MEGADETH's current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

Tonight's going to ROCK! 🍻
Tickets: https://bit.ly/3XRPXj5
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Posted by Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course on Friday, September 15, 2023

Ann Wilson, known the world over as a founder and the lead singer/songwriter of the barrier-breaking band HEART, will release a new album with her band TRIPSITTER, "Another Door", on September 29. The official music video for the LP's first single, "This Is Now", can be seen below. The live performance clip was filmed on August 3 at the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Prior to starting the 2023 tour, ANN WILSON & TRIPSITTER finished "Another Door", a record of all-original material, which marks the first time since the 1970s that Ann has written a full-length album collectively with a band. TRIPSITTER features Tony Lucido (bass),Ryan Wariner (guitars),Sean T Lane (drums),and Paul Moak (guitars and keyboards). Tom Bukovac (guitars) was also a primary contributor. "Another Door" marks the first time in her career where Ann was the sole lyricist and her presence on a record has never been greater.

Ann says: "This is an exciting time in my creative life; so much new and fresh to remind me of why I love my calling!"

On Friday, November 24, 2023, as part of PBS special programming, "Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live In Concert" will debut on over 100 PBS stations, (check local listings). Pre-taped at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville in July this live concert will feature songs from "Another Door", alongside her classics, including "Barracuda", "Crazy On You", "Magic Man" and several others.

The cover for "Another Door" was created by StormStudio which began in the early 1990s with Storm Thorgerson, Peter Curzon, Rupert Truman and Dan Abbott. Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell co-founded Hipgnosis, who between 1968 and 1983 created artworks for the likes of PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN, PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS, 10CC, AC/DC, GENESIS, Peter Gabriel and many others. Following Storm's passing in 2013, Powell has worked closely with StormStudio on numerous projects since.

Widely praised as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock, Ann's extraordinarily powerful voice has been sending chills down her audience's collective spine for over five decades, earning record sales of more than 35 million, an induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. "Barracuda", "Crazy On You" and "Magic Man" are among the many songs she's written that now reside in the pantheon of rock's greatest hits. "This Is Now" from "Another Door" plays seamlessly alongside the classics in her current live set and tour.

Last year Ann sang with DISTURBED frontman David Draiman on the duet "Don't Tell Me" from the band's "Divisive" album, and lent her voice to Dolly Parton's forthcoming rock record "Rock Star" ("Magic Man"). From "Dreamboat Annie" to DISTURBED to Dolly Parton and beyond, Ann Wilson defies genre.

"Another Door" track listing:

01. Tripsitter
02. This Is Now
03. Rain Of Hell
04. Stranger In A Strange Land
05. Waiting For Magic
06. Ruler Of The Night
07. Still
08. Rusty Robots
09. What If
10. Little Things
11. Miss One & Only

Ann previously stated about the effort: "All these songs were written by me and some musicians of the finest caliber. And I think if you give it a listen, it'll blow your mind. Will you walk through the door with us?"

Photo credit: Criss Cain

German metal queen Doro Pesch has released a new song called "Bond Unending". The track, which is a duet with Sammy Amara from German rock heavyweights BROILERS, is taken from Doro's upcoming studio album, "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", due on October 27 via Nuclear Blast.

Doro's powerful voice combined with Sammy's signature gritty sound creates a dynamic and unforgettable mix that will give you goosebumps. "Bond Unending" is a sonic explosion of pure energy, passion, and rock 'n' roll magic. The single is accompanied by a stunning video that contains clips from Doro's huge anniversary live performance which took place at Wacken Open Air on August 2 of this year.

Doro says: "'Bond Unending' is a song about deep friendship. Sammy and I wrote it in the middle of the night. We had so much fun together. The chemistry was great right from the start."

The 20-song "Conqueress – Forever Strong And Proud" LP is described in a press release as "the result of intensive hard work that took the incomparable singer and songwriter back to studios in Miami, New York and Hamburg, amongst others. The album presents Doro at the height of her creative powers."

This past June, Doro released "Time For Justice", the first single from "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", along with a "Mad Max"-style video. The clip was filmed with director Mirko Witzki (CALIBAN, ANY GIVEN DAY, EMIL BULLS).

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" will arrive one day before Doro's 40th-anniversary concert at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany.

"Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud" track listing:

CD 1

01. Children Of The Dawn
02. Fire In The Sky
03. Living After Midnight
04. All For You
05. Lean Mean Rock Machine
06. I Will Prevail
07. Bond Unending
08. Time For Justice
09. Fels In Der Brandung
10. Love Breaks Chains
11. Drive Me Wild
12. Rise
13. Best In Me
14. Heavenly Creatures
15. Total Eclipse Of The Heart

CD 2

16. Warlocks And Witches (Intro) (Bonus Track)
17. Horns Up High (Bonus Track)
18. True Metal Maniacs (Bonus Track)
19. Heart In Pain (Bonus Track)
20. The Four Horsemen (Bonus Track)

In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, Doro stated about the musical direction of "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud": "It's pretty heavy. It's pretty hard. The first five songs are totally heavy. Then there's a midtempo anthem coming on. But I think it's pretty heavy. The song 'I Will Prevail' is the heaviest, I think. And the opener I love so much. It's called 'Children Of The Dawn'. And then there's some duets on it."

Speaking in general about the fact that she has been able to record and share the stage with so many of her musical idols, Doro said: "I was so lucky in my life [that] I could play and perform and record with the best people, people I love. It's unbelievable."

"[Rob Halford] was a big influence," she added about the JUDAS PRIEST singer who appears on "Living After Midnight" and "Total Eclipse Of The Heart". "I loved Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, Rob Halford, Biff [Byford], Lemmy… And I was a big KISS fan. And I could work with everybody. Oh my God. It's awesome."

In April, Doro told Brazil's A Rádio Rock that fans can expect "many anthems" and "many diehard metal songs" on her upcoming LP. "Many soulful songs. And a great, great guest. A great collaboration on one of the songs. And I think this will be probably my second 'All We Are' that people always wanna hear it and sing it. And there's one song for the animals, because I love animals. It's called 'Heavenly Creatures'. And I wanna do something with this song. So that's dedicated to all these heavenly creatures."

She continued: "I grew up with dogs and horses and parrots, and I miss that in my life. That's the only thing I miss. I have no regrets whatsoever, but I would have loved pets. But it's impossible when you're on tour. So I do something else. And I just adopted two horses. But they're not close to where I live. They're actually in a different country; they're in Austria. But they're someplace where people take care of animals. It's so nice. It's a paradise — for people and for animals."

Doro's last album, 2018's "Forever Warriors, Forever United" featured 19 regular tracks and six bonus songs.

In September 2022, Doro released a very unique single — a soulful adaptation of her classic metal anthem "Raise Your Fist In The Air". The track was made possible by the new ZDF (national German TV channel) music show "Music Impossible".

In celebration of 35 years of the "Triumph And Agony" album from her former band WARLOCK, Doro released "Triumph And Agony Live" in various formats, including CD, vinyl, cassette, DVD, Blu-ray, and a huge box set, in September 2021 through her own label, Rare Diamonds Productions. The "Triumph And Agony" artwork centered on Geoffrey Gillespie's famous original drawing of the "Warlock" embracing the blonde rock star.

2023 sees the 50th anniversary of what is widely regarded as THIN LIZZY's breakthrough album "Vagabonds Of The Western World" featuring their first U.K. top ten single "Whiskey In The Jar" and "The Rocker", which would go on to be one of the band's signature tunes, so much so that it was the last song they ever performed at their final show in 1983.

To celebrate the album's golden anniversary, deluxe CD and LP sets featuring rarities, radio sessions, unreleased music, rare photos, extensive sleeve notes by Mark Blake, and memorabilia will be released on November 17. The reissue suite also includes the album remixed in Dolby Atmos, a first for any THIN LIZZY record.

"Vagabonds Of The Western World" was THIN LIZZY's third studio album and was initially released on September 21, 1973. It was the first to feature artwork by Jim Fitzpatrick, the creator of the famous red and black portrait of Che Guevara, who would go on to work with the band on classic albums such as "Nightlife", "Jailbreak", "Johnny The Fox", "Black Rose" and "Chinatown".

The album was the band's last roll of the dice, as they had been working for two years with limited success. After the band moved to London from Dublin, they played every gig they could to keep themselves afloat. While messing around in their rehearsal studio, Phil Lynott started busking the old Irish folk song "Whiskey In The Jar", which dates back to the 1700s. Their then manager remarked upon it and insisted that the band recorded, against their gut instincts. The single was released in November 1972 and rose to No. 6 on the U.K. singles chart. However, the song didn't sit well with the band, and despite its success, they left it off their forthcoming album. Since then, the song, in arrangements influenced by the THIN LIZZY version, has gone on to be covered by artists such as U2, METALLICA, BELLE & SEBASTIAN, THE POGUES, PULP, Bryan Adams, Gary Moore and SIMPLE MINDS.

After a two-year struggle for recognition, THIN LIZZY had finally scored a breakthrough hit. It paved the way for the "Vagabonds Of The Western World" album, but it would be their last with original guitarist Eric Bell. After an unsuccessful New Year's Eve show in Belfast, Bell was no longer in the band, which paved the way for Lynott's idea about having twin lead guitarists. After a short spell with very young Gary Moore filling in, Phil and Brian recruited American Scott Gorham and 18-year-old Glaswegian Brian Robertson, and a new adventure started.

The 50th anniversary of "Vagabonds Of The Western World" is the sound of nascent LIZZY finally finding their feet and starting on their journey to be one of the greatest rock bands of the '70s and for Philip to be recognized as one of the best songwriters of his generation.

CD1

01. Mama Nature Said
02. The Hero And The Madman
03. Slow Blues
04. The Rocker
05. Vagabond Of The Western World
06. Little Girl In Bloom
07. Gonna Creep Up On You
08. A Song For While I'm Away
09. Whiskey In The Jar (Single A-Side)
10. Black Boys On The Corner (Single B-Side)
11. Randolph's Tango (Single A-Side)
12. Broken Dreams (Single B-Side)
13. The Rocker - Single A-Side (edit)
14. Here I Go Again - Single B-Side
15. Cruising In The Lizzymobile - Single B- Side (Germany)

CD2

01. Whiskey In The Jar - John Peel Session
02. Suicide - John Peel Session
03. Black Boys On The Corner - John Peel Session
04. 1969 Rock - RTE Radio Eireann Session
05. Suicide - RTE Radio Eireann Session
06. Broken Dreams - RTE Radio Eireann Session
07. Eddie's Blues/Blue Shadows - RTE Radio Eireann Session
08. Vagabonds of the Western World - John Peel Session
09. Little Girl in Bloom - John Peel Session
10. Gonna Creep Up On You - John Peel Session
11. Randolphs Tango - John Peel Session
12. The Rocker - John Peel Session
13. Slow Blues - John Peel Session
14. Randolphs Tango - Bob Harris Session
15. Little Girl in Bloom - Bob Harris Session
16. The Rocker - Bob Harris Session
17. The Rocker - Radio One In Concert
18. Thing's Ain't Working Out Down At The Farm - Radio One In Concert
19. Slow Blues - Radio One In Concert
20. Gonna Creep Up On You - Radio One In Concert
21. Suicide - Radio One In Concert

CD3

01. Gonna Creep Up On You (Take 2) Instrumental
02. Little Girl In Bloom (Take 2) Instrumental breaks down
03. Here I Go Again (Extended Version)
04. The Rocker (Take 1) Instrumental
05. Slow Blues (Take 2) Instrumental
06. Suicide (Take 3) Instrumental
07. Suicide gtr Needles And Pins Jam
08. A Ride In The Lizzy Mobile (Take 2) Instrumental
09. Mama Nature Said - Vox and Organ (Take 6)
10. Whiskey In The Jar - Alternate Mix Extended Version
11. Black Boys On The Corner - Alternate Mix
12. Gonna Creep Up On You (Acetate)
13. Baby's Been Messin' (Acetate)

Blu-ray

01. Mama Nature Said
02. The Hero And The Madman
03. Slow Blues
04. The Rocker
05. Vagabond Of The Western World
06. Little Girl In Bloom
07. Gonna Creep Up On You
08. A Song For While I'm Away

FLAT BLACK has shared the official "drone video" for the recently released single "Halo". You can now check it out below.

FLAT BLACK is the new band formed by ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook. He is joined in the group by singer Wes Horton, bassist Nick Diltz and drummer Rob Pierce.

In an interview with Jake Daniels of the Rock 100.5 The KATT radio station conducted at this month's Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, Hook stated about how FLAT BLACK came together: "Well, I was pretty hell-bent on starting a new band. Music's in my blood. It's a part of my DNA, and I just knew that… I didn't really care how long it took. It just had to be potent. And so, one [musician] at a time… I found Rob first, and he's awesome. And then, of course, Nick; he's from Los Angeles. All my guys are just stellar players. And I wanted to have a good pack of songs. And so here we are."

Regarding the importance of getting along with his bandmates on a personal level, Hook said: "Well, it was a bit of a prerequisite to find guys that were mentally stable and free of drama and that we could hang. It's all about the hang. When you're on tour, you're stuck in this submarine, this rolling submarine, for 18 months. It's important that everyone is compatible. The personalities, I wanted to be very specific about that this time around… We're getting along great."

Last month, FLAT BLACK released the official music video "Halo". "Halo" and the other previously released track "It's Your Lack of Respect" will appear on FLAT BLACK's debut album, which will arrive in early 2024 via Fearless Records. The LP, produced by Hook, was recorded at both Hook's home studio and The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas.

"I feel like FLAT BLACK is a secret I've been keeping for three years," Hook previously said. "It's finally time to unleash this band on the world."

Having left his prior band in February 2020, which was right before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, Hook wanted to assume creative control and let his musical free spirit soar in a project that was truly his. He opted to gamble on himself. With great risk comes great reward and the decision to form FLAT BLACK clearly worked out in his favor.

"As a musician, I crave freedom and I wasn't ready to stop creating," Hook shared.

"Life is short," he continued. "We all want to feel satisfied and happy with what we are trying to accomplish in life."

The pandemic shutdown allowed him the opportunity to assemble the right musicians and carefully craft their debut album. FLAT BLACK is armed with an arsenal of riffs that'll rattle your teeth loose from your gums, stadium-sized hooks, arena-ready anthems, and choruses that are guaranteed to touch a nerve. All of those factors combined make FLAT BLACK poised for success.

The origin stories of the rest of the players are indicative of a lifelong love of music and plenty of road-worn experience. The desire to play courses through their veins and propels them forward, which is why they all meshed so well with Hook.

Horton was introduced to music at age 13, thanks to his sister and Guitar Hero. He honed his vocal chops by playing in local bands and making online videos. Various music industry friends and acquaintances would become the connective tissue between himself and Hook. Horton knew he wanted to be a frontman, and FLAT BLACK afforded him that opportunity. Wes loves the fact that his bandmates prioritize songcraft — and that allows him to be the singer he has always wanted to be.

Diltz, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the son of a legendary rock music photographer who brought him to concerts during his formative years. He recalls being inspired by watching a VHS video of U2 performing at legendary venue Red Rocks. Seeing fans clamoring for a piece of Bono in the footage is a vision that never left his head. This first exposure to the power of a true rock icon solidified Nick's destiny as a live performer.

Pierce hails from Nashville, a.k.a. Music City. His dad was a race car driver and his grandfather was a pastor. He grew up racing go karts and at first, wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps until he joined the fourth grade band and was bitten by the music bug. He chose the snare drum over the saxophone and from that moment on, music was the only thing that mattered. Rob got his first drum kit at age 11, which he set up in his dad's car shop. He learned to play his instrument next to 1,000 horsepower engines, which influences his highly energetic style to this day.

The chemistry between the players in FLAT BLACK is palpable. And while FLAT BLACK's songs are built to take up real estate in the brains of fans for weeks at a time, the true nature of the band's material is meant to be experienced live. FLAT BLACK are now ready to hit the road and bring these brutal bangers to the masses live and in the flesh.

FLAT BLACK made its live debut on August 24 at the FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California as the support act for GODSMACK.

FLAT BLACK is:

Jason Hook - Guitar
Wes Horton - Vocals
Rob Pierce - Drums
Nicholas Diltz - Bass

In October 2020, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH confirmed that it had officially parted ways with Hook eight months earlier during the band's sold-out European arena tour. He has since been replaced by renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who made his recording debut with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on "Broken World", a song that was included on the second installment of the group's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2".

After his recovery from emergency gallbladder surgery at the end of 2019, Hook had to leave midway from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's tour of Europe to address further complications.

Jason, who joined FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in 2009, said about his exit from the band: "As for the reason I'm leaving… well, there really isn't just one. I've been in bands my entire life and I feel like I've done all the good that I can here. It's time to pass the baton and move on to new challenges."

In a new interview with USA Today 's Ralphie Aversa, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor was asked what he is able to accomplish with releasing solo music that maybe he can't with other musical outlets. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's definitely control, as far as the creative direction goes. I'm the co-producer with my partner, Jay Ruston. I write 99 percent of the music with the exception of the stuff that I do with [guitarist] Christian Martucci. I'm band leader. I put the setlists together, I do all the art direction. This is me being able to embrace my inner control freak."

Corey's sophomore solo studio album, "CMF2", is being released today (Friday, September 15). Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, AMON AMARTH),who also helmed STONE SOUR's 2017 LP "Hydrograd" as well as 2020's "CMFT".

Throughout "CMF2", Taylor sings, plays lead and rhythm guitar, piano, and mandolin.

In a recent interview with Tommy Carroll of the WGRD 97.9 radio station, Taylor was asked to back up his previous claim that "CMF2" will be "the best rock album of this year and the next." He said: "Dude, this album's got everything, man. I mean, it doesn't sound like everything else, which apparently is contagious in this industry. It's not produced like everything else. It feels alive. The songs are incredible. The production, the performances… I mean, this album chews up the first album and spits it out. It's probably one of the best things that I've ever done, and I'm really, really proud of it, man. I'm proud of the work that me and Jay did. And people are going to… Even if it is a slow burner out of the gate, people are gonna remember this album."

Taylor began tracking the follow-up to 2020's "CMFT" LP in early January at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with Ruston. Joining Corey in the studio was the rest of his solo band — bassist Eliot Lorango, drummer Dustin Robert, along with guitarists Christian Martucci and Zach Throne.

Twenty-six songs were recorded for "CMF2", including "Beyond" and "Post Traumatic Blues".

"CMFT" featured the No. 1 Billboard mainstream rock single "Black Eyes Blue" and streaming sensation "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (feat. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie). The LP hit No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Top Rock Albums chart.

In support of his new album, Taylor recently embarked on his 2023 tour featuring special guests WARGASM, OXYMORRONS and LUNA AURA on select dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 28-city tour kicked off on August 25 at Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, making stops across the U.S in Detroit, Orlando, Dallas and more before the final headline show in Los Angeles at The Wiltern on October 5.

The sequel to "Heavy Trip", the 2018 Finnish ensemble comedy about an aspiring metal band, has officially completed filming.

Earlier today (Friday, September 15),Juuso Laatio and Jukka Vidgren, who wrote and directed the original film, shared the following update on the movie's Facebook page: "That's a wrap! Second part of Heavy trip is now shot. And it was amazing journey from beginning to end full of weird and wonderful moments.

"We had the privilege of working with the best people in the industry from Lithuania, Finland and Germany.

"My deepest gratitude to everyone who put in the insane amount of hours to make this happen.

"I'm waiting so much to get the film finished and out there.
#heaviertrip".

Back in June 2022, Laatio told Metal Hammer magazine that "Heavy Trip 2" was in the works. "We've written a really good script and we were supposed to film it this summer," he said. "We're aiming to film it next year. You never know. The last film took six years, so I hope this one doesn't take so long."

"Heavy Trip" debuted in 2018 at SXSW and was shown in select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin and more, in conjunction with VOD platforms. Helmed by first-time feature filmmakers, "Heavy Trip" is a satire about the aforementioned metal band's efforts to land its first legitimate gig. In the film, Turo (Johannes Holopainen) is stuck in a small village in the Finnish countryside where his greatest passion is being the lead vocalist for the group IMPALED REKTUM. The only problem is that he and his fellow headbangers have practiced for 12 years without playing a single gig. But that's all about to change when the guys meet the promoter of a huge heavy metal music festival in Norway and decide it's now or never. Hitting the road in a stolen van with a corpse, a coffin, and a new drummer from a local mental hospital in tow, IMPALED REKTUM travels across Scandinavia to make its dreams a reality. This road trip comedy includes a musical brotherhood, grave robbing, Viking heaven, and an armed conflict between Finland and Norway.

According to Juuso, who is a longtime metal fan, "Heavy Trip" initially bombed in Finland, which is widely considered to be the most heavy metal country in the world.

"Nobody went to see it in the Finnish cinemas," Juuso said, "It was marketed very poorly and to the wrong audience; it was marketed to 15-year-olds but it's not a film for them. They don't know the metal references and they don't listen to metal anyway. After the failed opening, it was pretty much, 'Well, there goes our career. Nobody's going to work with us again.'"

Kai Nordberg and Kaarle Aho reportedly produced the original "Heavy Trip" for Making Movies on a budget of $3.6 million, financed by the Finnish Film Foundation, YLE and Film Camp.

"Heavy Trip" currently has a 94% critic score from 32 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the online review aggregation service that allows both critics and the public to rate movies. The same site has an 83% audience score for "Heavy Trip" from more than 250 reviews.

"We have the craziest fans in Japan," Juuso said. "They have cosplay over there and one guy cosplayed as the speed camera! And they had special screenings where the music is turned up extra loud. There's a crazy 'Heavy Trip' scene over there."

That’s a wrap! Second part of Heavy trip is now shot. And it was amazing journey from beginning to end full of weird and...

Posted by Heavy Trip Movie on Friday, September 15, 2023

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with a fresh helping of Sunday Lunch, this time performing The Sonics' hit "Have Love Will Travel". Check it out below.





Toyah has revealed in a brand new interview with eonmusic that a movie of the Sunday Lunch series is in the planning. The phenomenon, which sees Toyah and partner Robert Fripp cover songs from across the rock spectrum, started life during the lockdown, and has grown into a "phenomenon", according to the singer.




Toyah made the revelation while speaking to sonmusic's Eamon O'Neill ahead of her performance at Rewind South in Henley-on-Thames in August.  


Speaking about how Sunday Lunch has taken off; Toyah said; "Well, the Sunday lunch phenomenon, which is a worldwide phenomenon, it's basically, we picked up on classic rock, and our treatment of rock is; if you can teach Mozart and Beethoven in schools, then why can't you teach classic rock? Because that's what it is now; rock from Led Zeppelin, rock from Black Sabbath; it's classic, it's never going to go away. And it's something that I think, kids would really love learning about. That's not that we're going on the road and being educational, but our show kind of goes on a journey with artists we know, artists who visit us in our homes."


Going on to reveal that a movie about Sunday Lunch is on the way, Toyah said; "We have a documentary crew following us, and we have quite a big production company scripting an idea at the moment. Obviously we won't be in it. It's for actors to play, but that's all in the back kind of pool of what do you call pre-production. All of that's going on."


Asked when the movie might see the light of day, she was however, less committal; "I mean, movies take years, you know, for the even scripts to be accepted, so who knows what will happen?"


Read the interview here.


Toyah & Robert's Sunday Lunch is going on tour throughout the UK in September and October. The couple will be accompanied by a live band, with Fripp on guitar.


Tickets are available here.





Says Toyah: “When people ask, 'What is the show going to be?', it’s going to be about the hundred years of musical experience we have between us.”


Watch the "Toyah At Home" video below, where Toyah and Robert introduce the tour concept:

Def Leppard have released the video below, stating: "The guys play some Top Golf, bid farewell to Alice Cooper and pack for a short rest at home before Australia and Japan."





Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe continue their 2023 co-headline The World Tour with the recent announcement of three exclusive Australian dates. In anticipation of the tour, 60 Minutes Australia has shared a feature segment on both bands. Check it out below.




60 Minutes Australia: "For Australian fans of heavy metal music, there’s no better news than the announcement that iconic bands Def Leppard and Mӧtley Crüe have joined forces and will be touring the country later in the year. In anticipation of their visit, Tara Brown travelled to London for exclusive interviews with both groups. Brown discovered that despite their shared rock legend status, and the stage they share, Def Leppard and Mӧtley Crüe are two very different bands. Together though, they’re proving there’s enormous worldwide demand for the hugely enthusiastic racket they make."





Produced by Live Nation and presented by Triple M, Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard will bring their electrifying stage shows to Australia, commencing with Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on November 8, Giants Stadium Sydney on November 11, and Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on November 14.


“After getting back on the road this past summer, we’re beyond thrilled to bring this massive tour to a global audience including some special dates in Australia!” said Joe Elliott of Def Leppard.


“We had an incredible time playing The Stadium Tour in North America and we truly can’t wait to continue taking the show around the globe with The WORLD Tour in 2023. Crüeheads get ready because we have a few amazing Australian dates set for you!” Mötley Crüe said in a joint statement.





Australian dates:


November
8 - Brisbane - Suncorp Stadium
11 - Sydney - Giants Stadium
14 - Melbourne - Marvel Stadium