BEARTOOTH will release its fifth album, "The Surface", on October 13 via Red Bull Records.

Like its predecessors, "The Surface" is an intensely personal and powerful journey for Caleb Shomo, who has never shied away from sharing his demons in his music and with his fans. However, the frontman has turned a corner with a more optimistic outlook and demonstrates exceptional growth as both an artist and a human being through the songs that comprise the album.

Today, the band has shared the new single "The Better Me (Feat. Hardy)". Listen below.

This epic collaboration is the product of the mutual admiration for each other's work and their friendship. Michael Wilson Hardy, known simply as Hardy to his country music fans, even spoke about looking to Shomo for advice on how to perfect his own sing/scream vocal delivery in a chat with Billboard.

"There are times where we feel like there is a way better version of ourselves somewhere deep inside that we need to find and bring back to the forefront of our lives," shares Shomo. "This song is about going through the things that brought me to that conclusion. Simply put, I made a choice to be a better me."

Additionally, all previously released tracks — "Riptide", "Sunshine!", "Might Love Myself" and "Doubt Me" have tallied nearly 54 million total streams thus far.

Both BEARTOOTH and Hardy are currently in the Top 15 on Active Rock radio charts in the U.S. and rising. In fact, BEARTOOTH's "Might Love Myself" moved up two slots this week and is currently at #15 on the Active Rock radio chart, which is the fastest clip at which they've cracked the top 15 in their career.

In a recent interview with Germany's Rock Antenne, Caleb spoke about why BEARTOOTH went through several lineup changes in the early days of its existence around a decade ago. He said: "Yeah, thankfully, we do have [a lineup] that we've had for a while. I think something like this and the way this is run, with it being just me and me [playing all the instruments], at least in the studio… the way this whole thing is structured out, it was bound to go through some changes. And everybody else also has their own lives they've gotta live. And not everybody wants to just be out on the road doing this all the time, which I completely respect. But I think as of now, we've got the lineup, in my opinion. It's good. We got some of the best players ever. I'm very, very proud of everybody who's standing on that stage. And I feel like every show we just get more in tune with each other and we're becoming more of a team and it's really taking the BEARTOOTH live show to a whole new level."

Regarding "The Surface", Caleb said: "It's really just kind of the polar opposite of [2021's] 'Below'. 'Below' was really a COVID kind of period piece record, just about all of the emotions that were being felt throughout that, that I was feeling and I was dealing with and kind of my mental state. And I vowed after that record that I would never make a record that kind of dark and sad again. And in turn, through all of the kind of changes that I started making in my own life coming out of COVID, this record just kind of started to be born. And it really is just the polar opposite. It's hopeful and there's positive tones to it and it's not just miserable and sad, and I'm very happy about that."

He continued: "I think really for me it's about manifesting happiness. I really do believe that we are very in control of our futures and at least ourselves and the way we feel in the future. And it takes a lot of manifesting, it takes a lot of just calling things for what it is and deciding things. For me, I think being happy in a lot of ways is a choice, and I have to choose to do these practical things that may be difficult throughout the day but I know they will make me happier in the long run. So this record's really just about kind of like wanting to manifest that I wanna live a happier life from here on out."

Shomo first turned the pain of his struggle with mental health and self-image into music in 2013. BEARTOOTH began as a living document, a diary, a journal of repressed rage and depression. Alone in his basement studio, screaming and singing, playing all the instruments, and self-producing a batch of furious but melodic songs filled with reflection and confession, the Ohio native stared into the abyss, initially with no intention of returning to the heavy music world that burned him as a teen. A decade later, the different pieces of his body of work connect in title, sound, and spirit. As the frontman hits 30, BEARTOOTH's fifth album, "The Surface", completes this era in 2023. Even more importantly, it kicks off a new chapter filled with surprising optimism and just as honest. Depression is a sick, disgusting, aggressive disease below the surface. Shomo stands ready to bask in the light.

Like NINE INCH NAILS, BEARTOOTH remains a one-person band in the studio. On the heels of the introductory "Sick" EP (2013),"Disgusting" (2014) produced the band's first gold single, "In Between". "Aggressive" (2016) and "Disease" (2018) expanded on the desperation and pain, each a step closer to a balance between the blood and tears of classic recordings and the shimmer of modernity.

Rolling Stone heralded BEARTOOTH as one of 10 Artists You Need to Know. The rabid response to Shomo's music demonstrated how many people related to his struggle for self-acceptance. "Below" topped the Rock and Alternative charts and several Best Rock/Metal Albums Of The Year lists. As of 2023, the BEARTOOTH catalog boasts more than one billion streams across all platforms.

FOREIGNER, the band behind some of rock's most timeless songs, has just wrapped up the first leg of its farewell tour with a slew of sold-out shows, enthusiastic reviews, and box-office records.

The trek will continue through the fall with a string of sold-out indoor events that will bring the excitement to fans in secondary markets across the USA. Details can be found at foreigneronline.com.

FOREIGNER reached hundreds of thousands of loyal fans as the band rocked across the U.S. and Canada on the first leg of its farewell tour, which grossed over $18,000,000, making it one of the most successful classic rock tours of the summer. Fans at the 32 tour stops were treated to some of rock and roll's most enduring anthems, including "Juke Box Hero", "Cold As Ice", "Hot Blooded", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Feels Like The First Time", "Urgent", "Head Games", "Say You Will", "Dirty White Boy", "Long, Long Way From Home" and the worldwide No. 1 hit "I Want To Know What Love Is".

The farewell tour, announced by FOREIGNER frontman Kelly Hansen in a sit-down interview with "Fox & Friends" in November 2022, launched at Atlanta's Ameris Bank Amphitheatre on July 6, 2023. For the Live Nation amphitheater tour, FOREIGNER was joined by LOVERBOY, one of the 1980s' biggest hit-makers. The spectacular show, also teased for millions of viewers on ABC's hit show "GMA3" this summer, thrilled audiences with stellar performances of more than 20 combined chart-topping songs.

Hansen had this to say: "What a fabulous beginning to our farewell odyssey. The fans have been amazing in expressing their joy for this catalog and this legacy. I very much look forward to continuing to play these amazing songs with this extremely talented band to these brilliant fans all over, and I am filled with humble gratitude."

Live Nation's Rick Franks said: "The first leg of FOREIGNER's two-year farewell tour played to a nightly average of over 10,000 ecstatic fans. The amazing reviews and box office numbers made it one of the most successful classic rock tours of the summer. We are all looking forward to the band's December announcement of forthcoming shows."

As part of FOREIGNER's longtime partnership with the Grammy Museum Foundation supporting music programs in our nation's schools, FOREIGNER conducted a contest in each tour city that gave choirs the chance to open the show and win a P.A. system donated by Bose.

Launched exclusively during the FOREIGNER farewell tour was the companion album on vinyl, "Farewell – The Very Best Of Foreigner", which debuted on the Billboard Current Album chart at No. 40.

FOREIGNER leader and founder Mick Jones said: "It has been heartwarming to read the reviews on social media from so many of our fans that attended the first leg of our farewell tour. Over the next year or so we hope to perform in most of the cities that FOREIGNER has played since the band was reformed."

FOREIGNER will round out the first year of the farewell tour with 2024 shows to be announced in December, including "Feels Like The Last Time"; a two-part residency at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas featuring sixteen shows taking place March 22 – April 6 and October 25 – November 9, 2024.

The only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, Jones suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. Ever since, it is never announced whether he will be appearing with the band for specific shows — it just depends how he is feeling.

After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring Hansen and bassist Jeff Pilson, among others.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want To Know What Love Is".

Photo credit: Kamal Asar

SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor spoke to Germany's Radio Bob! about what it was like to join Tom Kenny, who voiced SpongeBob in "SpongeBob SquarePants", at last month's Huntington Comic And Toy Convention to sing the theme song of the iconic Nickelodeon show. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's not often that I get really nervous, and I was so nervous doing that — largely because we didn't rehearse it. We just went up there and we were, like, 'Okay, let's, let's have it,' you know?"

As for the experience of sharing the stage with Kenny, Taylor said: "He was so cool and just so much fun and one of the nicest people I've ever met. And I've been a fan of his for years. I can remember watching him on 'Mr. Show With Bob And David', and then years later, it was [my son] Griffin's favorite cartoon forever. So we would just watch all of the seasons together. So it was this weird kind of culmination of a lot of years of me following him as an actor. It was just really weird. It was a lot of fun, but it was just so bizarre. I was, like, 'How did we get here, dude? Like, what happened?' [Laughs]"

Huntington was not the first time Taylor had publicly sung "SpongeBob". Corey had performed the song at his solo concerts for more than a decade, including on last year's ShipRocked cruise and at the 2022 Spookala Horror Convention in Ocala, Florida.

Asked in a 2020 interview with Montreal Rocks if fans can ever expect to see him record a studio version of "SpongeBob SquarePants", Taylor said: "Oh, man. The funny thing is it's almost like a double-edged sword these days. It drives me nuts that it's one of the most requested songs at like my acoustic shows, and yet the whole reason I learned that song was so me and my son could connect on music. So I have a hard time saying no to stuff like that, man. I've thrown it in the set like a handful of times, even when it wasn't there. I did a version of it for this online critic called the Nostalgia Critic. I keep wondering whether or not I should do like a full band version and just trip people out, you know? So, I don't know. You can never say never. But it's very funny. Let's put it that way."

Corey will release his second solo album, "CMF2", on September 15. "CMF2" is Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings.

Released in May, the first single from "CMF2", "Beyond", entered the Top 15 at Rock Radio in just six weeks and was the cover and No. 1 spot of the Rock Hard playlist on Spotify.

Taylor began tracking the follow-up to 2020's "CMFT" LP in early January at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with STEEL PANTHER and ANTHRAX, among others. 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 the first two singles, "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 has 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.

On September 9th,  Bret Michaels performed a Poison set at RockTember 2023 in Hinckley, MN. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


The setlist was as follows:


"Talk Dirty To Me"
"Ride The Wind"
"Your Mama Don't Dance" (Loggins & Messina)
"Look What The Cat Dragged In"
"Something To Believe In"
"Unskinny Bop"
"Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
"Nothin' But A Good Time"
"Sweet Home Alabama" (Lynyrd Skynyrd - with Trixter's Steve Brown and PJ Farley)







Bret Michaels is well-documented for his unbroken upbeat spirit, charitable donations in each city he performs and constantly delivering a positive high-energy show of big hits for the fans. His creation of this summer’s Parti-Gras Tour was no exception, a unique concept which Michaels produced and created that seamlessly intertwined his Poison and solo hits with those of other great artists and friends that joined the tour including Journey, Sugar Ray, Night Ranger and Jefferson Starship. Although considered at different ends of the musical spectrum, the fans seem to feel that both Bret Michaels and Taylor Swift have delivered the feel-good tours of summer 2023.


Rick Franks, President of North American Touring at Live Nation, states, “Bret Michaels debut Summer 2023 Parti-Gras Tour, which was created and produced by Bret, was a fantastic first-year success for his concept in select cities. In fact, in true Bret Michaels fashion, he over-delivered. As Bret promised me while he was on the 2022 Stadium Tour, he absolutely brought a celebration of the fans, the bands and the music to create a night of all-killer hits, no filler.”


“I could not have had a better time this summer,” said Michaels. “With three generations of fans coming together for an awesome night of big hits and big fun – it truly has been the feel-good tour of the summer I wanted it to be.”


Read more, and see photos, at BretMichaels.com.

During an appearance on yesterday's (Tuesday, September 12) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", legendary rock singer Paul Rodgers was asked what he does to keep his voice in such great shape after five decades. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think the key is you use your voice, but you don't overuse it. And I like a gargle in a little salt water. A little warm salt water, I find that's very good for… You can use it yourself for any kind of sore throat and for clarity of voice. And I'm blessed, I must say. It's a God-given gift, and I'm thankful."

Asked if he has ever had issues with his voice in his career, Paul said: "Not really, I'll be honest. No, I've had sore throats. But, no, no. I must say I've been very lucky."

Rodgers also talked about his routine and whether it involves vocal warmups and cooldowns. He said: "Ooh, I think you've gotta be careful. I do think you have to warm up. If I'm going on a big tour, for instance, I will warm up weeks before, getting more and more intense towards the first rehearsal. And in the first rehearsal, I'll step it up a bit. And then for the first show, I will step it up even further. And then the following day, you really feel it. So that's the time to kind of hum — you know, like bluesy like that — rather than rev it up really hard. You would never rev your car up if you got in it… It's not good for the engine. You wanna get the oils moving. It's the same with the body, with the voice. And basically, as well, I think you wanna stay as fit as you can and eat good food, eat nourishing food."

Rodgers previously talked about keeping his voice in shape in a May 2020 episode of "Ask Bad Company". At the time, he said: "It's something you live with, really. I do a lot of warming up before I go on stage. Actually, if I've got a heavy tour coming up — let's say BAD COMPANY or something like that — I'll warm up for weeks, maybe a month before. And I'll just do it very gently. And I just do that, really, until I feel stronger, and I do it more and more each day until I can get to full strength. And just warm it up. I drink a lot of ginger tea, 'cause I find that's really very helpful. It's healthy for the whole body, actually, as well. You just get ginger roots, peel it, stick it in a pan, boil it and put a couple of spoonfuls of honey in it. It's beautiful."

The 73-year-old British icon got his Canadian citizenship in 2011, four years after marrying British Columbia fitness expert Cynthia Kereluk, the 1984 Miss Canada title holder best known for the long-running series "Everyday Workout".

Rodgers ranked No. 55 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Rodgers fronted QUEEN between 2004 and 2009. With Rodgers at the mic, QUEEN embarked on two world tours and released an album, "The Cosmos Rocks", in 2008. They amicably parted ways a year later when Rodgers returned to BAD COMPANY.

As vocalist with FREE, BAD COMPANY and THE FIRM in the 1970s and 1980s, Rodgers reportedly sold more than 90 million records.

Paul's new album, "Midnight Rose", is slated for release on September 22 via Sun Records. This is Rodgers's first solo LP of new music in nearly 25 years.

KIX guitarist Ronnie Younkins has confirmed to Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live! that he will rejoin his longtime bandmates when they play their final show on Sunday, September 17 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

"I'm very grateful to have been asked to join the band for some songs, and I'm very excited about it," Ronnie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "What can I say? It's gonna be heartwarming. It's bittersweet; it's gonna be bittersweet."

Younkins, who has 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 has 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 has 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."

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 — 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 on September 17 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.'"

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.

Image courtesy of Artists On Record Starring ADIKA Live!

Kalamity Kills, the band identity for the music of Jamie Rowe, has announced their self-titled debut album, Kalamity Kills. The album will be released to all digital outlets on September 15. iTunes and Amazon pre-sale are happening now.


Funded by fans via Kickstarter, the album was produced and engineered by multi-instrumentalist Jamey Perrenot in East Nashville, TN. The album features guest appearances from Ray Luzier (Korn), Kiarely Castillo (Conquer Divide), Ace Von Johnson (L.A. Guns), Greg Upchurch (3 Doors Down), Luke Easter (Tourniquet), Julia Lauren Bullock (The Foxies/The Dead Deads), as well as Rowe’s former Guardian bandmate, Tony Palacios.


“I’m beyond stoked to release this album,” says Rowe. “It’s been a long time coming! I’m so proud of the songs and can’t wait for everyone to hear them. From day one, Jamey Perrenot understood what I wanted to do musically and went above and beyond to turn the sounds I heard in my head into reality! Even though Kills is my songs and vision, it wouldn’t be what it is without Jamey.”




Kalamity Kills is an 11-track album that blends hard rock, metal, pop, and electronic rock elements. The album explodes with heavy guitars, pounding drums, and passionate vocals. The songs on Kalamity Kills have themes about the shared human experience: love, loss, pain, self-destruction, hope, and, ultimately, redemption.


“This album is most certainly about my journey through life,” says Rowe. “It’s about the deep valleys and the mountaintop seasons. Raw and unfiltered, it’s a musical story about finding hope in this chaotic world we are living in. It could be anyone’s story, but it is told with my own accent throughout. Musically, it was great to have so many musicians I respect become a part of this record. I like “big” sounding rock and roll like my childhood heroes made! I also threw out the rulebook on debut albums. I included not one, but two reimagined 80s covers, 'What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)' (originally by Information Society and featuring Kiarely from Conquer Divide) and 'I Still Believe' (originally by The Call but also made famous by Tim Capello on “The Lost Boys” film soundtrack). Both turned out killer!”


With a debut album of strong songs and a lineup of talented guest musicians, Kalamity Kills is ready to make some noise in the hard rock world and beyond.





Tracklisting:


"Anthem"
"Dearest Enemy (Pressure)"
"What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)"
"Dark Secrets"
"The Chemistry Of Meant To Be"
"A.L.I.E.N."
"Hellfire Honey"
"Burn"
"Sinners Welcome"
"I Still Believe"
"Amen"

Gothenburg, Sweden based blackened death metal act, Night Crowned, has announced its new album, Tales, slated to be released on November 10 via Noble Demon.


Night Crowned has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the heavy music scene. Their debut studio album, Impius Viam, released on February 28, 2020 (Noble Demon), instantly captivated both critics and fans, solidifying its place as one of the year's most exceptional releases.


Comprised of former and current members of renowned acts such as Dark Funeral, Nightrage, and Cipher System, Night Crowned possesses a musical vision that is as haunting as it is clear. With their debut, they have crafted a work of art that exudes rage, melancholy, and pure destruction, resurrecting the dormant sounds of the influential Scandinavian acts and masterpieces from the '90s.




Night Crowned's rigorous pursuit of musical excellence knows no bounds, as they wasted no time in releasing the follow-up record, Hädanfärd, on July 9, 2021. Inspired by a story penned by vocalist K. Romlin, Hädanfärd delves into encounters with death, weaving a far-reaching concept that was meticulously developed during the band's intense demo process. The album's nine atmospheric tracks, accompanied by K. Romlin's written interpretations and explanations, form an infernal and bleak monolith that solidifies Night Crowned as one of Sweden's best kept blackened death metal secrets.


On November 10, the band's third full-length record will be released, again via Noble Demon, which once again has stunningly beautiful colored vinyls, shirt and Digipak CD bundles on offer.


With Tales, Night Crowned embarks on a new chapter, pushing the boundaries of blackened death metal to unprecedented levels. Brace yourselves for an auditory assault that defies conventions and redefines the limits of the genre. Night Crowned is a force to be reckoned with, and their relentless pursuit of musical excellence shows no signs of waning. With lyrics in both English and Swedish, Jonathan Thorpenberg's mixing skills put the band's sound on full display, while Jani Stefanovic's mastering ensures that every note is hit with precision. So surrender to the darkness and let Night Crowned guide you through their captivating narratives!


Listen to the haunting first single, "De Namnlösa", below. Stream the single here


Vocalist K. Romlin on "De Namnlösa": "I had the title for 'De Namnlösa' written down long before the demo was even done. The lyrics tell about an entity called Myling, a ghost of an unbaptized new born child. I really love the story of this entity and that you get that horror touch in the music."


Tales will be released on November 10 via Noble Demon and is available for pre-order here.





Tales tracklisting:


"De Namnlösa" (feat. Jens Rydén)
"She Comes At Night" (feat. Therése Thomsson)
"Nattramn"
"Loviatar"
"Flickan Som Försvann"
"Strandvaskarens Hymn"
"Lupus Luna" (feat. Therése Thomsson)
"Old Tales"


"De Namnlösa" lyric video:





Night Crowned are:


K. Romlin - Vocals
H. Liljesand - Guitar & keys
J. Jaloma - Drums
J. Eskilsson - Guitar & vocals
P. Eldor Pettersson - Bass

Professionally filmed video of METALLICA performing the song "Sad But True" on August 25 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles can be seen below.

METALLICA drew nearly 80,000 fans to the SoFi Stadium August 25 at the first of the band's two shows at the venue. It was the biggest crowd in the history of the SoCal stadium, which opened in September 2020. The San Francisco Bay Area-based metal legends drew a similarly sized capacity crowd on August 27.

Fans purchased more than 156,000 tickets for the two-concert stand, which was part of METALLICA's "M72" world tour.

The "M72" tour features a bold new in-the-round stage design that relocates the famed METALLICA Snake Pit to center stage, allowing promoters to sell more tickets than usual. And since METALLICA's stage is hollow in the center, there is even more space available to accommodate fans.

According to Billboard, METALLICA's giant ring-shaped stage also includes eight towers of monitors and speakers, with each of the towers is anchored by a raised platform that doubles as VIP seating, with eight folding chairs decorated with the black-and-yellow color scheme of the band's new album, "72 Seasons".

Taylor Swift's recent six-night bow at SoFi was attended by 420,000 ticket-holders, with 70,000-plus in attendance each time.

The "M72" tour launched in late April in Amsterdam.

A portion of proceeds from the shows go to METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation, which seeks to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band and combat food insecurity; provides disaster relief; and bestows scholarships.

METALLICA's production travels in 87 trucks — 45 for the band and its setup, plus two groups of 21 each for the steel stage and towers. There are 130 people in the band's crew, plus 40 steelworkers, local hires and truck drivers.

METALLICA's manager Cliff Burnstein told Billboard that between 80% and 90% of fans at each concert are attending both shows.

METALLICA's two-night stand at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas last month was livestreamed to movie theaters across the globe. It marked METALLICA's first appearance in Texas since November 2021, when the band played before, during and after a Triad Combat event at Globe Life Field.
.@Metallica now holds the highest single-show attendance record at #SoFiStadium. Thank you for two incredible sold-out nights! ⚡️🤘#M72LApic.twitter.com/bnxV7sLKAJ

— SoFi Stadium (@SoFiStadium) August 28, 2023

Houston NWOTHM act Scrollkeeper has signed with Golden Core / ZYX Music for the release of their new EP Wetiko.


Wetiko features guest performance by Tommy Stewart (Hallow's Eve, Tommy Stewart's Dyerwulf) on Scrollkeeper's take of Hallow's Eve "Metal Merchants". The EP features guest performances by Andreas "Neudi" Neuderth (Sudden Death, Economist, Manilla Road, Sentry) as well.


The EP is out October 6 worldwide via ZYX Music and will be available in select stores. Preorders are available at ZYX Music.







Tracklisting:


“Your Blood First”
“Wetiko”
“Misery”
“Shadow Dancing”
“Sleep And Dream”
“Metal Merchants” (Hallows Eve cover)

Power/progressive metal band Immortal Guardian has slowly been teasing their forthcoming album since the spring of 2022 releasing new songs digitally alongside some great music videos every few months. Fans of the band have enjoyed the development and creativity of the album’s content and evolvement into a concept and final work. Unite and Conquer finally has a release date, October 27, and preorders launch today.


“We definitely took a new direction with our writing process and overall sound on the new album. We tried some new things Immortal Guardian has never done, but also kept a taste of our classic sound in the process,” explains guitarist/keyboardist Gabriel Guardian. “We were all going through some crazy experiences in our lives while making this album and I think it really reflects in the music. As we did during our ‘Psychosomatic’ album, we were writing these songs in real time as we lived through these major events in the world and in our personal lives.”


Unite And Conquer, like the hailed and successful 2021 Psychosomatic was written and recorded by the band themselves with credit going to Gabriel Guardian and bassist Joshua Lopez, who also mixed the album at his Widowmaker Studios. They enlisted the help of artist/photographer Masiha Fattahi (Threshold) with further design work by Jobert Mello (Sabaton, Primal Fear, Acid Reign), as well as guest vocalists Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear, Gamma Ray) and Vicky Psarakis (The Agonist) to create a stellar new album.




“For generations, humanity has longed for a truth. The right to unite what has been divided. We long to be free from all our differences, genders, colors, nationalities, religions, beliefs, and any other type of separation,” elaborates vocalist Carlos Zema. “This real freedom relies on our minds, in being free from all these fears, repressions, oppressions, and everything else that stops us from being united. In the name of this truth, our voice will echo endlessly – Freedom!”


“Immortal Guardian's Unite And Conquer, lyrically traverses a multifaceted emotional journey, from introspection and self-discovery that passionately calls for unity and change. The poetic verses entwine seamlessly with the captivating melodies, delivering a musical narrative that resonates with the listener on a profound level, leaving an indelible mark on the heart and soul. With a simple message -- this is the time to Unite and Conquer.”


Always lyrically insightful and pushing musical boundaries, the latest from Immortal Guardian will please fans of progressive, power, and traditional metal with so much tasty playing and melodies. Evidence is already apparent in the five songs released to date, but there is still another half of the album ready to enjoy.


Preorder Unite And Conquer now on limited-edition vinyl –- the standard retail version (250 copies on insomnia red and black splatter) or the exclusive to band/label variant (100 copies on bone/black mix), as well as CD and Digital. Preorder here.


More info will be released by Immortal Guardian and M-Theory Audio in the weeks and months to follow, including new tour dates.





Tracklisting:


“Ozona”
“Echoes”
“Roots Run Deep” feat. Ralph Scheepers
“Perfect Person”
“Divided We Fall”
“Lost In The Darkness” feat. Vicky Psarakis
“Southern Rain”
“Unite And Conquer”
“Un Dia A La Vez”
“Rise Of The Phoenix” 


“Roots Run Deep”:





“Perfect Person”:





“Ozona”:





Immortal Guardian is:
Gabriel Guardian – guitars/keyboards
Carlos Zema – vocals
Justin Piedimonte – drums
Joshua Lopez – bass


(Photo - Carl Puentes)